"No, indeed!" answered Annie. "I'm so s'prised I don't know what to do."
But it was growing cold and the two children were forced to hurry along. They did not say much as they hastened through the crowded streets but their hearts were dancing with joy. When they at last reached home they rushed up the long tenement stairs and stopped in the hall before their door. "Let's go to bed right now without opening our bundles," said Maggie, "and then to-morrow morning we can wake up and have a s'prise jest like we wuz rich children!" Annie agreed to this and the two children were soon fast asleep in their small bed in the cold dark room.
On Christmas morning two children in a beautiful home on Madison Avenue were dancing around their nursery full of happiness over the lovely presents that had been made ready for them during the night. They had so many gifts that they never missed the two presents they had given to the poor little sisters the night previous, until suddenly Bessie clasped Mademoiselle Fifine in her arms and said:
"Oh, you dear French dollie, you are very beautiful, but I do not think you are nicer than the sweet little Japanese doll I saw in the shop window last night!" How Mademoiselle Fifine would have liked to turn up her tiny aristocratic nose at this, but she couldn't.
And Alice said, "Do you know, sister, it seems to me that this is the loveliest Christmas we have ever had."
"I think it must be because we know that somewhere in this city there are two little girls who are having a Christmas treat because of us."
"It is quite true what mother taught us, that 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'"
Down in East Fourteenth Street two little sisters had slept all night cuddled close together for warmth. Bright and early they waked up on Christmas morning and Maggie's first words were:
"Annie, do you know I dremt that the little Japanese doll we saw in the toy store wus in my bundle."
"That's queer, for I dremt that the messenger boy was in my package!"