"Ding, dong, peace, peace," rang a bell, which hung on a trimmed tree at the corner of the table, "how you quarrel! Santa Claus, can't you stop them?"
"No," said the old man, sadly, "they don't heed me, they are so noisy."
"Is this the one you mean?" a voice broke through the babble, and a hand took down the box. With one accord the gaily colored balls shivered, and each one closed his or her eyes, afraid to even breathe.
"Yes, thank you. See, Estelle, what pretty ones, and quite unusual," said another voice.
"Yes, ma'am," said the shop-girl, "we have only one of these, they are a little higher priced than what we usually carry."
The balls swelled with pride at this, and then being unable to restrain their curiosity any longer, they opened their eyes, and looked right up into the pale, pretty face of a little girl, who was gazing at them, but with a very small show of interest. Goldy decided she was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. She wore a black velvet coat, with a wide fur collar, and a big hat with plumes, her fair hair was beautifully curled, and she looked very dainty in the rough crowd. Pinky sighed as he looked at her.
"I would rather be with my baby," she whispered, "that little girl looks discontented and unhappy."
They were already on the way to be wrapped up, before they quite took in what had happened. Even then they were so excited they forgot to quarrel.
"I expect we shall be on a very smart tree," said the green, "and they will take such care of us that we shall last years. I had a friend once who was on the family Christmas tree for five years, and he was not so nice as we are."