Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.
When, what to her wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer—
“Oh, no, I forgot! I mean
“When what to her wondering eyes should appear
But a carriage stuck in the mud, right out here—
And a little old driver, so lively and quick,
You must have thought Peter was dear old St. Nick!”
The children laughed gleefully, and Jenny said: “We would have thought that, only we aren’t going to hang up our stockings this Christmas at all. Jenny and I aren’t going to get any presents, for mother hasn’t been well, and she couldn’t get any sewing. But she said we could make our Christmas merry, and we were to pretend that we had been to the big stores in the city, and had bought things for the tree, and dolls and everything.”
“That’s a lovely way,” said the Princess gently, and she laid her flashing rings over Jinny’s thin one.