IT WAS CHRISTMAS EVE. Big snowflakes fluttered slowly through the air like white feathers and made all of Heavenly Valley smooth and white and quiet and beautiful.
Tall fir trees stood up to their knees in the snow and their outstretched hands were heaped with it. Those that were bare of leaves wore soft white fur on their scrawny, reaching arms and all the stumps and low bushes had been turned into fat white cupcakes.
Mrs. Campbell sat in the rocking chair by the stove in the kitchen putting the finishing touches on Plum’s angel costume. Nancy’s was on the ironing board ready to be pressed. As Mrs. Campbell worked, she hummed and rocked and took care that Penny’s three kittens, who were playing around her feet, didn’t get under the rockers.
Mr. Campbell came up on the back porch, stamped the snow off his boots, took off his cap and banged it against the house, slipped off his gloves and slapped them together, then took the broom and swept off the top of his boots and his knees. He came into the warm kitchen, hung his jacket, cap and mittens behind the stove and said to Mrs. Campbell, “Well, that’s a load off my mind. Plum’s Christmas present got here right on schedule. A beautiful little black filly with a white star on her forehead. I named her Noel. Nellie is so proud she is ready to bust.”
Mrs. Campbell said, “Oh, Angus, how wonderful! Born Christmas Eve and named Noel. Plum will love that and just think, a horse of her very own. Well, I have Nancy’s present all wrapped. I thought for a while I’d never finish ironing those little clothes. I certainly hope that I’m not just imagining that she will like the lady doll and trunk of clothes that my grandmother had when she was a little girl. The doll is still very pretty with real hair, eyelashes and eyebrows but the clothes are so old-fashioned. Hoop skirts and so many petticoats.”
Mr. Campbell said, “You know Nancy will like that doll better than anything in the whole world. She’ll like it because it is old-fashioned and because it has a trunk full of clothes.”
Mrs. Campbell said, “Well, I certainly hope so. My heavens, that doll has everything. Little fans, necklaces, capes, bonnets, mitts, parasols and dozens of petticoats and dresses. And that trunk is almost full size. Don’t you think the girls should be back by now?”
Mr. Campbell said, “Oh, they’ll be along in a minute. Cutting your first Christmas tree is a very important job and takes lots of picking and choosing. What are you making there?”
Mrs. Campbell said, “Plum’s angel costume for the program at the schoolhouse. Nancy’s is all finished. See!” She held up the long white satin dress and stretched out the gauzy wings.
Mr. Campbell said, “Gosh, Mary Ann, that’s beautiful.” He fingered the satin and said, “Where did you ever get such fine goods?”
Mrs. Campbell snapped off a thread between her teeth and said, “My wedding dress, that’s where. For weeks those children have been talking about the program and their angel costumes and for weeks I’ve been wracking my brain trying to figure out what to make them out of. Then day before yesterday, I was up in the attic rummaging around in the old trunks and I came across my wedding dress, all wrapped in tissue paper and certainly as useless as a white elephant. I took it out and looked at it and I confess, Angus, I got very sentimental thinking about that day in June fifteen years ago. Then I said to myself, ‘Listen, Mary Ann Campbell, one wedding is all you’re ever going to have, and what earthly use to you is all that white satin and veiling?’ Right then and there I knew what I was going to do.”
Mr. Campbell leaned down and kissed her cheek and said, “I think angel costumes are the best use for your wedding dress I’ve ever heard of. What bothers me, Mary Ann, is the fact that this will be Nancy and Plum’s first Christmas and I’m afraid we haven’t enough for them. They know we don’t have much money but after all they are only children and undoubtedly expect all kinds of miracles.”
Mrs. Campbell said, “I’ve thought of the same thing a million times, but I have decided that to Nancy and Plum the most wonderful thing of all is that they have a home and a family on Christmas. Stuffing the turkey, getting and trimming their own Christmas tree, going to the school program in the sleigh, these angel costumes, having Old Tom and Miss Waverly for Christmas dinner, the presents they had Uncle John buy for the other children at Mrs. Monday’s, are the important things to those children. Not expensive gifts. Anyway, I sent away and got them each a pair of party shoes and I have made them each a new dress. Plum’s is cherry-red velveteen and Nancy’s is sky blue. I also got plenty of little things for their stockings.”
Mr. Campbell said, “So did I.”
There was a loud knocking on the door. Thinking it was the children, Mrs. Campbell quickly gathered up the angel costumes and hid them under her apron. Mr. Campbell opened the door. It wasn’t Nancy and Plum. It was Danby, Uncle John’s chauffeur, standing on the porch beside two beautiful sleds and a huge box.
“Come in, come in,” Mrs. Campbell said. But Danby said no, he’d left his car down the road and he had a big load of packages to deliver to Mrs. Monday’s.
“Oh, Danby,” said Aunt Mary Ann. “Did Mr. Remson get everything on the list?”
“Got the list right here,” said Danby, pulling off one of his heavy woolen gloves with his teeth, and fumbling in his inside pocket. When he found it he read it off to Mrs. Campbell—
Eunice—large girl doll—blond curls—blue eyes—real eyelashes and eyebrows.
blue coat and bonnet with fur.
nightgown.
bathrobe, bedroom slippers.
4 school dresses.
2 pinafores.
2 party dresses.
ski suit.
skis.
roller-skating costume.
roller skates.
ice-skating costume.
ice skates.
Girl Scout uniform.
Camp Fire Girl uniform.
ballet dress.
toe shoes.
cowgirl set.
2 sweaters.
play coat.
jeans.
plaid shirt.
Allan—electric train—large size with lots of tunnels—signals—stations—switches.
Todd—same.
David—same.
Tommy—cowboy suit.
two-gun holster with guns.
lariat.
real cowboy boots.
hat.
pocketknife with five blades.
Mary—cowgirl outfit.
two-gun holster with guns.
lariat.
real cowboy boots.
hat.
pocketknife with five blades.
Sally—same.
Evangeline—same.
The rest of the little boys had sleds and new mittens, a cap and a sweater and all the children big candy canes—books—large boxes of crayons and coloring books.
When Danby finished, the Campbells said, “Oh, Danby, how wonderful! What a thrilling Christmas this will be for those poor little souls. Imagine that poor little David getting nothing but two suits of long underwear last Christmas.”
Danby said, “Mr. Remson told me to deliver the boxes to Old Tom and have him distribute the gifts. They are all wrapped real fancy.”
“How wonderful,” said Mrs. Campbell.
“All the credit goes to Nancy and Plum,” Mr. Campbell said. “If they weren’t such unselfish children they could have had all that money spent on presents for them.”
“Oh,” said Danby, “their uncle said that he appreciated their unselfishness but he just sent along these sleds and this box for them. Well, I must get along. Mr. Remson told me to give any of the kids that wanted, and were going home, a ride to the city.”
“How nice,” said Mrs. Campbell, “and how much pleasanter than riding on the train with Mrs. Monday and that horrid little Marybelle. Well, a merry, merry Christmas to you, Danby, and thank you so much for driving way out here in the snow.”
“ ’Twasn’t anything,” Danby said. “Merry Christmas to you all, too,” he called as he hurried down the steps and disappeared into the snowstorm.
“Just wait until Nancy and Plum hear that Uncle John got everything on their list. They’ll be the happiest children in Heavenly Valley. Now, Angus, you hurry and put on your jacket and take those sleds down to the barn and hide them. I’ll just see what’s in this other box.”
Mr. Campbell slipped on his jacket, grabbed up the sleds and ran down to the barn. As he opened the door, he could hear Nancy and Plum’s voices down the lane.
Mrs. Campbell spread newspapers on the floor, brought in the huge box and cut the strings. As she raised the lid, yards and yards of white tissue paper fell to the floor. Carefully she reached in and lifted out first a beautiful little dark green coat trimmed with gray squirrel, a darling little hat and a gray squirrel muff. “For my Nancy,” she said, her eyes bright with happiness.
Then a beautiful little bright red coat trimmed with gray squirrel, a darling little hat and a gray squirrel muff. “For my Plum,” Mrs. Campbell said, a smile lighting up her whole face.
Then black patent-leather party shoes, silk socks, heaps of lacy underwear and two party dresses, with the fullest, whirliest skirts ever made. Dark green taffeta for Nancy, dark blue taffeta for Plum.
There were also two packages for Old Tom, one a very large box, two beautifully wrapped silver and green packages for Miss Waverly and, to Aunt Mary Ann’s astonishment, a small box marked “Mrs. Campbell from a very grateful Mr. Remson” and a small box marked “Mr. Campbell from a very grateful Mr. Remson.”
“My goodness, my goodness, what a Christmas this is going to be,” she said. Then hearing Nancy and Plum on the back porch, she grabbed up the packages for Old Tom, Miss Waverly, Angus and herself and stuffed them in the front hall coat closet; snatched up all the clothes, ran upstairs and laid them out on the girls’ bed.
When she came down, Mr. Campbell had set the box on the back porch and was helping Nancy and Plum put up their tree.
Both children had snow on their caps, their shoulders, their mittens and galoshes and had tracked big gobs of it into the parlor but Mrs. Campbell hugged them, kissed their cold pink cheeks and said, “What a beautiful tree!”
Plum said, “We walked for about a hundred miles looking for a perfect one.”
Nancy said, “See, this one even has little cones on it!”
Mr. Campbell said, “I’ve got the standard all ready. While you take off your wraps and brush the snow off you, I’ll put it up. Then you can decorate it.”
Nancy said, “Oh, Plum, look how much snow we brought in and on the clean floor, too.”
Mrs. Campbell said, “Nobody can bring in a Christmas tree without tracking in a little snow. Now go out on the porch and sweep each other off and hurry because I’ve got to put up your hair in curlers.”
As soon as the back door closed, she told Mr. Campbell about the beautiful new clothes Uncle John had sent.
Mr. Campbell said, “Golly, that’s fine, Mary Ann, but what about the dresses and new shoes you have for them?”
Mrs. Campbell said, “I’ll just not say anything about them and then a little later on when these shoes have gotten kind of scuffy and they’ve worn their new dresses quite a few times, I’ll bring mine out.”
Mr. Campbell said, “Sure, that’s a fine idea. I think that two pairs of new party shoes right now would be too much for Plum anyhow. Probably send her out of her head.”
They both laughed. As soon as Nancy and Plum had hung their coats, caps and mittens behind the stove to dry, Mrs. Campbell put their hair up in curlers, then sent them up to their room to see the surprise. They racketed up the stairs like streaks. Then Mr. and Mrs. Campbell, who were following, heard loud Oh’s and Ah’s and squeals of pure delight. When the Campbells reached their room, the children were trying on the new coats, hats and muffs.
Plum looked in the mirror and said, “Wow, I look just like a princess, even with these curlers in my hair.”
Nancy stood quietly stroking her muff. Mrs. Campbell said, “Isn’t the coat beautiful, Nancy? And it fits just perfectly.”
Nancy said, “Oh, Aunt Mary Ann, I’m so happy I feel funny. I keep thinking ‘All this can’t be happening to me.’ Pretty soon I’ll wake up and know that it was only another one of my dreams.”
Plum said, “Wow, Nancy, come and look how full the skirts on our party dresses are. And new party shoes! I didn’t even see them before. Oh, Nancy, Nancy, look, black patent-leather slippers just like Marybelle’s.” Plum held one of the slippers up and rubbed its smooth shininess against her cheek.
Nancy picked up her slippers carefully, as though they were crown jewels, stroked the toes, felt the straps and her lips trembled as she said, “I just don’t think I could hold any more happiness right now. My heart feels like it’s going to burst.”
Mrs. Campbell hugged her and said, “Well, I don’t want you bursting and spoiling your new coat, but I’ve got two more surprises for you. The first is that Danby drove in a few minutes ago to tell us that Uncle John got every single thing on the list and he’s delivering them to Old Tom right now. He couldn’t wait to see you because he had to get the presents to the Boarding Home before Mrs. Monday and the children left for the train.”
“Did he get Eunice’s doll and the clothes?” Nancy asked.
“Exactly as you ordered it,” Mrs. Campbell said.
“And the electric trains?” Plum said.
“All three of them,” Mrs. Campbell said.
“Oh, wow,” Plum said, “I almost wish I was over there just so’s I could see their faces.”
“It wouldn’t do you any good to be there,” Mrs. Campbell said, “because Danby is going to take as many of the children as he can into town in his car and they won’t even know about the presents until he drops them off at their home. Then when they get out he’ll give them the present.”
“What about the ones who have to go on the train?” Plum asked.
“Old Tom is putting their presents with their suitcases,” Aunt Mary Ann said.
“Oh, poor Eunice will have to go on the train,” Nancy said, “because her aunt lives way beyond the city. She won’t care though when she sees that doll.”
“What about the presents for Old Tom—the ’lectric lantern and the new mackinaw?” Plum asked.
“I’ve got ’em right downstairs in the coat closet,” said Mrs. Campbell. “We’ll give them to him when he comes for dinner tomorrow.”
“What about the violet things for Miss Waverly?” Nancy asked. “The perfume and bath salts and soap and all?”
“Also in the hall closet,” said Aunt Mary Ann. “Not only that, but your Uncle John sent a present for Uncle Angus and one for me. Now enough talking. You girls go downstairs and start trimming the tree and I’ll get my other surprise ready. My goodness, we’ll have to hurry, too. I’ve supper to get, you have baths to take, we’ll have to leave here by seven and it’s almost five o’clock right now.”
The fire in the fireplace snapped and crackled and the flames were gloriously reflected on the ornaments as Nancy and Plum carefully hung them on the fragrant branches.
They were almost through. Even though they had done it all themselves they agreed that it was the most gorgeous Christmas tree in the world.
Nancy said, “As soon as we finish, let’s go up and get our presents for Aunt Mary Ann and Uncle Angus and put them under the tree.”
Plum said, “I’ll run up and get them while you put on those last two birds.” The little birds were an iridescent blue with clear spun glass tails and Nancy attached them to the very end of the branches where they’d catch the firelight. Then, she stood back and looked and looked at the Christmas tree.
When Plum came in with the packages, she said, “You know, Plum, it’s really better we never did have a Christmas tree at Mrs. Monday’s.”
Plum said, “Why, for heaven’s sake?”
“Because,” Nancy said, “having never had one we didn’t know what we were missing.”
Plum said, “My presents look awful—like I’d slept with them.”
Nancy said, “No they don’t. They look nice. Here, I’ll tie a better bow for you on Aunt Mary Ann’s.”
Plum said, “Do you think she’s going to like those guest towels I made her? I got them so dirty when I was embroidering them that they look as if they have already been used.”
Nancy said, “They’re just beautiful, Plum, and you did a very nice job on your cross-stitching.”
Plum said, “Nice job if you don’t look at the back. How come I have so many millions of threads and big knots on the back of mine and yours are so smooth?”
Nancy said, “Oh, that’s just because I’ve been sewing a lot longer than you have. Anyway, who looks at the back?”
Plum said, “Do you think we have enough presents for Aunt Mary Ann and Uncle Angus? They’re so wonderful to us and I love them so much I’d like to give them a million dollars.”
Nancy said, “They’d much rather have these things we made ourselves. Miss Waverly says that things you make show a lot more thought and love than things you just go in and buy. After all, anybody with money can buy presents.”
Plum said, “Let’s see, I made Aunt Mary Ann those dirty guest towels and that pincushion that looks like it has the mumps. Then I made Uncle Angus that pipe rack that’s all splintery on one end and knitted him that scarf that has so many dropped stitches in it, it looks like lace.”
Nancy, who was laughing, said, “Now you stop talking that way. I saw all your presents and they’re just fine. Anyway, I’m not sure Aunt Mary Ann will like the apron and pot holders I made her or that Uncle Angus will like the bed socks I crocheted him. But I think they will.”
Plum said, “Oh, look at the kittens climbing the Christmas tree. They think we brought it in just for them. Hey, Dasher, don’t you knock those ornaments off. Look, Nancy, at Cupid peering out from behind those branches.”
Mrs. Campbell called from the kitchen, “Time for your bubble baths and another surprise.”
The children whisked out to the kitchen. There, spread out on the ironing board, were the two angel costumes to wear in the program. They were even lovelier than the ones Nancy had pretended for them!
Nancy said, “Plum, just imagine how we’re going to look standing by the Christmas tree singing the carols. People will probably think we are real angels.”
Mrs. Campbell said, “And they won’t be far wrong. Now you girls scoot in and take your baths. I’ve put your new underwear and party shoes in there and you can eat supper in your bathrobes. I’ve made oyster stew, so hurry. The lamp’s already in there and I’ve lit the heater.”
Nancy and Plum lay back in their mountains of bubbles and the round red eye of the coal-oil heater looked down at them from the ceiling. The bathroom was not very warm and smelled pungently of kerosene and imitation gardenia but to Nancy and Plum it was the personification of luxury.
Plum said, “This bubble bath is so much fun, I almost wish we didn’t have to go to the program.”
Nancy said, “Well, we do, and you’d better scrub your elbows. They’re awfully dirty.”
Plum said, “I can’t scrub them. They’re both skinned and they hurt.”
Nancy said, “Well, I don’t think that white gauzy angel wings over jet-black elbows is going to look very pretty.”
Plum said, “I’ll keep my arms down at my sides.”
Nancy said, “We’re supposed to keep our hands pressed together in front of us like we’re praying.”
Plum said, “Well, I’ll pretend my wings have black spots on them like butterflies’ do.”
Nancy said, “Now, Plum, you can’t do that. You’d disappoint Aunt Mary Ann.”
So Plum scrubbed her elbows but she flinched and winced and told Nancy she was almost fainting with the pain.
After they had rubbed themselves dry with the big rough towels, Nancy and Plum put on their new ruffly underwear, silk socks and then, joy of joys, slipped their feet into the stiff newness of their patent-leather slippers.
Plum took a step. “Gosh, Nancy,” she said, “they’re as slippery as ice. Even the soles must be polished.”
Nancy said, “You don’t suppose that walking in them will wrinkle the toes, do you?”
Plum said, “Well, I’m not going to take a chance. I’m going to walk like this,” and she slid out of the bathroom and down the hall toward the kitchen like a skater with stiff knees. Nancy followed her, swinging her stiff legs forward like a windup doll.
Mr. Campbell watching them come into the kitchen said, “My gosh, that bubble bath must have been too strong. Look, Mary Ann, they’re all stiffened up.”
Plum said, “It’s not that. We don’t want to bend our new shoes. They might wrinkle.”
Mrs. Campbell said, “My goodness, Angus, anybody at all knows that you have to walk stiff-legged in party shoes. Now everybody sit down and eat their soup.”
Nancy and Plum were just choking down the last of their oyster stew when they heard sleigh bells and horses’ hooves, the stamping of snowy feet on the back porch and then loud knocking on the door.
With round scared eyes they looked at each other. Plum said, “I’m afraid to have you go to the door, Uncle Angus.”
Nancy said, “I knew we were too happy.”
“Nonsense,” said Mrs. Campbell. “Probably a neighbor wanting help with a new calf or something. Hurry, Angus, and see who it is.”
The knocking was repeated before Mr. Campbell could cross the kitchen. “Hold your horses,” he said as he swung open the door. There on the back porch stood Old Tom and beside him, her eyes swollen shut with crying and still gulping with sobs, stood Eunice.
Old Tom said, “She didn’t tell this little one until this afternoon that she wasn’t going home for Christmas. Got the letter from her aunt ’most a week ago, but she didn’t tell her till this afternoon. She’s been out in the barn cryin’ ever since. Thought maybe you’d have room for one more over here.”
Mr. Campbell said, “You bet we have, come right in, both of you.”
Mrs. Campbell said, “You poor little mite,” and clasped Eunice to her warm toasty-smelling bosom.
Nancy and Plum rushed over and hugged Eunice, too. Nancy said, “Oh, Eunice, I’m glad you didn’t go home. You can sleep in our big feather bed with us and we’ll have Christmas together.”
Plum said, “And you can go to the program with us tonight.”
Eunice said, “I can’t go to the program. My dress is dirty and my shoes are soaking wet.”
Nancy said, “You can wear my new dress. It’s silk and has a big whirly skirt. I’ll wear a school dress.”
Mrs. Campbell said, “That’s sweet of you, Nancy, dear, but it won’t be necessary. I have a new dress and new party shoes for Eunice.”
“How could you?” asked Plum. “I mean, how did you know Eunice was coming?”
“I guess an angel must have told me,” said Mrs. Campbell. “Now, while I get Eunice’s clothes, you girls help her out of those wet things and fix Tom and her some hot oyster stew.”
Nancy fixed the stew while Plum took off Eunice’s soggy worn-out shoes and soggy thin coat, then held them up and in an exact imitation of Mrs. Monday said, “You see, deah, deah Mr. Remson, these lovely, lovely garments and these beautiful brand new shoes? Well, this horrible little child, this greedy, selfish little Eunice isn’t satisfied with them and is demanding something bettah.” Eunice and Nancy laughed and laughed and then Aunt Mary Ann came in with the sky-blue velvet dress, brand new underwear and socks, and the new party shoes. Nancy and Plum shrieked with joy, but Eunice couldn’t believe it. Shyly she stroked the soft velvet dress, but she didn’t offer to take any of the things.
Mrs. Campbell said, “They’re for you, dear. Here.”
Eunice said, “Are you sure, Mrs. Campbell? Are you very sure?”
“I’m as sure as I’m standing here,” Mrs. Campbell said. “Just try them on and see, but first you’ve got to eat your soup and take a bath. Plum, you go in and run the water in the tub and be sure and put in plenty of bubble bath. Nancy, you put Eunice’s shoes and clean underwear in the bathroom and take her dress upstairs. Now everybody scat or we’ll be late for the program.”
“The program,” Nancy said. “What about Eunice? She hasn’t got an angel costume.”
Eunice said, “Oh, Nancy, it doesn’t make any difference. Only you and Plum are the angels. The rest of us just wear regular dresses.”
Mrs. Campbell said, “Are you sure, honey? Because I could take one of my white petticoats and fix you something.”
“Oh, no, Mrs. Campbell,” Eunice said, “I’m not supposed to wear an angel dress and, anyway, even if I was, I don’t think I’d want to. Not with that beautiful blue velvet one to wear.”
While Eunice was taking her bath, Mrs. Campbell helped Nancy and Plum into their taffeta dresses with the whirly skirts, took down their rag curlers and curled their hair around her finger.
“What are you going to do about Eunice’s hair?” Plum wanted to know. “She said she washed it this morning, but of course old muscley fingers Mrs. Monday braided it into braids as hard as rocks.”
Mrs. Campbell said, “You hold your head still, young lady, or I’ll braid your hair. There, that’s better. Now, about Eunice. The dress, underwear and party shoes I gave her were really meant for Nancy. I made you girls each new dresses and sent away for the slippers before I knew that Uncle John was sending them to you. Of course we won’t say a word to Eunice and after Christmas I’ll make Nancy another dress and get her some more shoes. It was just pure luck about the dress and shoes, but I’m afraid I can’t produce curls. Not this late anyway.”
“Oh, it won’t make any difference anyway,” Nancy said. “We’ll undo the braids and brush out her hair and it will be all wavy and will look beautiful. Golly, wasn’t it lucky about the dress? It’s just beautiful, Aunty Mary Ann. Really a lot prettier than this one Uncle John sent.”
“That’s just because it’s the color of your eyes, Nancy,” Mrs. Campbell said.
“What color is mine?” Plum asked.
“Cherry-red,” Mrs. Campbell said.
“Just the color of your eyes,” Nancy said, and she and Plum laughed.
When Aunty Mary Ann finished her hair, Plum whirled around and around until her skirt stood out like a parasol and her curls stretched out long and sprang back like watch springs. “Now,” she said, “the only things that Marybelle has that we don’t have are near-together eyes, a squeaky voice and a big crabby aunt.”
Nancy laughed, but Aunt Mary Ann said, “You might have a big crabby aunt, too, if you don’t stop shaking your head and trying to make your curls come out.”
Plum gave her a big hug and said, “You couldn’t be crabby, you don’t know how.”
Mrs. Campbell kissed her and said, “Now scoot upstairs and bring down the coats while I finish Nancy. Bring Nancy’s blue Sunday-School coat for Eunice and in on my bed is a little white fur muff and tippet I had when I was a little girl. Bring those.”
“What’s a tippet?” Plum asked.
“A little fur scarf,” Mrs. Campbell said. “Now scat.”
Just then Eunice came out of the bathroom. Her eyes were only a little swollen now and even that didn’t show, they were so happy and shining. Her cheeks were bright pink and she was wearing the new ruffly petticoat and her new party shoes.
She was walking stiff-legged, of course, but Aunt Mary Ann knelt down, punched the toes of the shoes and pronounced them a perfect fit.
“Now,” she said, giving Eunice a hug and a kiss, “you look good enough to eat. Now hurry upstairs and put on that new dress. It’s almost time to go.”
As soon as Eunice had left, Nancy said, “What about the doll? Where is it? And will there be anything else under the Christmas tree for Eunice?”
“The doll,” Old Tom said, “is out in the back of my sleigh. I’ll just duck out and get it now.”
When he came in, Mrs. Campbell said, “Here, give it to me. I’ll hide it in the hall closet.” When she came back she had two little presents for her and Angus from Uncle John. She said, “Here, Angus, let’s open these now. We can’t be the only ones without anything new. And you, too, Tom, you go out and get that big box for you from Nancy and Plum.”
Uncle John had sent Mr. and Mrs. Campbell each a beautiful wrist watch. A little round gold one with a thin gold bracelet for Mrs. Campbell and a larger gold one with a leather strap for Mr. Campbell. They were the first watches either of them had ever had and they were so thrilled they had tears in their eyes. Then Mr. Campbell looked at the back of his and found engraved on it “To Uncle Angus from Plum and Nancy.” Mrs. Campbell turned hers over and found “To Aunt Mary Ann from Plum and Nancy.” They both kissed Nancy and Plum and then Old Tom opened his present and saw his mackinaw and he kissed them and thanked them and then everybody was laughing and squealing and jumping around until Mrs. Campbell looked at the clock and saw that it was ten minutes after seven.
“Oh, my goodness,” she said. “We’ve got to hurry. Here, Eunice, this little white fur scarf and muff is for you. Come here and I’ll fix it. Now you look just like a princess except for your hair. Heavens, I forgot your hair. Quick, slip out of your coat while I start unbraiding. Nancy, you do the other braid and, Plum, you hand me the brush.”
In a few minutes Eunice’s thick brown hair hung down her back in shiny rippling waves. “Now you really do look like a princess,” Nancy said.
At last they were ready. The angel costumes were laid out flat in a box, carefully wrapped in tissue paper, and stowed in the back of the sleigh. Nancy and Plum and Eunice were resplendent in their new coats, hats and muffs. Aunt Mary Ann and Uncle Angus were bundled up in their regular coats and scarves, but wearing their new watches. Old Tom had shed his old dusty jacket and had on his new warm red-plaid wool mackinaw. The sleigh was at the door and Old Horse and Herbert were snorting and stamping in the cold.
As Mr. Campbell tucked the robes around the children and clucked to the horses, Nancy said, “Remember, Plum, last Christmas when we said that someday we’d be going to the Christmas entertainment in a sleigh?”
Plum said, “Certainly, I remember. I said I’d be driving.”
Mr. Campbell handed her the reins. Plum slapped them on the horses’ backs and shouted, “Merry Christmas, Old Horse and Herbert.”
The horses stepped along smartly, the runners of the sleigh hissed in the snow, the sleigh bells trilled shrilly and Eunice called out, “Merry Christmas, School Program, here we come.”
Then Nancy, her hand tight in Mrs. Campbell’s warm comforting hand, looked around her and called out, “Merry Christmas, horses. Merry Christmas, Heavenly Valley. Merry Christmas, everybody in the whole world!”
THE END