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And when, after dinner, the whole family had gone to church to see the Christmas decorations, Carol limped wearily out on her little crutches, and, with Elfrida’s help, placed all the family boots in a row in the upper hall. That was to keep the dear ones from quarreling all through the year. There were Papa’s stout top boots; Mama’s pretty buttoned shoes next; then Uncle Jack’s, Donald’s, Paul’s and Hugh’s; and at the end of the line her own little white worsted slippers. Last, and sweetest of all, like the little children in Austria, she put a lighted candle in her window to guide the dear Christ-child, lest he should stumble in the dark night as he passed up the deserted street. This done, she dropped into bed, a rather tired, but very happy Christmas fairy.

V.

SOME OTHER BIRDS ARE TAUGHT TO FLY.

Before the earliest Ruggles could wake and toot his five-cent tin horn, Mrs. Ruggles was up and stirring about the house, for it was a gala day in the family. Gala day! I should think so! Were not her nine “childern” invited to a dinner-party at the great house, and weren’t they going to sit down free and equal with the mightiest in the land? She had been preparing for this grand occasion ever since the receipt of the invitation, which, by the way, had been speedily enshrined in an old photograph frame and hung under the looking-glass in the most prominent place in the kitchen, where it stared the occasional visitor directly in the eye, and made him pale with envy:

“BIRDS’ NEST, Dec. 17th, 188-.

DEAR MRS. RUGGLES,–

I am going to have a dinner-party on Christmas day, and
would like to have all your children come. I want them
every one, please, from Sarah Maud to Baby Larry. Mama
says dinner will be at half-past five, and the Christmas
tree at seven; so you may expect them home at nine
o’clock. Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New
Year, I am,

yours truly,

CAROL BIRD.”

Breakfast was on the table promptly at seven o’clock, and there was very little of it, too; for it was an excellent day for short rations, though Mrs. Ruggles heaved a sigh as she reflected that even the boys, with their India-rubber stomachs, would be just as hungry the day after the dinner-party as if they had never had any at all.

As soon as the scanty meal was over, she announced the plan of the campaign: “Now Susan, you an’ Kitty wash up the dishes; an’ Peter, can’t you spread up the beds, so’t I can git ter cuttin’ out Larry’s new suit? I ain’t satisfied with his close, an’ I thought in the night of a way to make him a dress out of my old plaid shawl–kind o’ Scotch style, yer know. You other boys clear out from under foot! Clem, you and Con hop into bed with Larry while I wash yer underflannins; ‘twont take long to dry ’em. Sarah Maud, I think ‘twould be perfeckly han’som if you ripped them brass buttons off yer uncle’s policeman’s coat an’ sewed ’em in a row up the front o’ yer green skirt. Susan, you must iron out yours an’ Kitty’s apurns; an’ there, I came mighty near forgettin’ Peory’s stockin’s! I counted the whole lot last night when I was washin’ of ’em, an’ there ain’t but nineteen anyhow yer fix ’em, an’ no nine pairs mates nohow; an’ I ain’t goin’ ter have my childern wear odd stockin’s to a dinner-comp’ny, brought up as I was! Eily, can’t you run out and ask Mis’ Cullen ter lend me a pair o’ stockin’s for Peory, an’ tell her if she will, Peory’ll give Jim half her candy when she gets home. Won’t yer, Peory?”

Peoria was young and greedy, and thought the remedy so much worse than the disease that she set up a deafening howl at the projected bargain–a howl so rebellious and so out of all season that her mother started in her direction with flashing eye and uplifted hand; but she let it fall suddenly, saying, “No, I won’t lick ye Christmas day, if yer drive me crazy; but speak up smart, now, ‘n say whether yer’d ruther give Tim Cullen half yer candy or go bare-legged ter the party?” The matter being put so plainly, Peoria collected her faculties, dried her tears and chose the lesser evil, Clem having hastened the decision by an affectionate wink, that meant he’d go halves with her on his candy.