|I had a surprise to-day. When I got up I was surprised too. It is
Christmas, so my master tells me. I expect Christmas means having a good
time. Don't it mean that?
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The first thing I saw when I came into the parlor was a big tree all
full of pretty things. It's funny to see a tree all fixed up like that.
Then my master said, "Scamp, come here, I have got a surprise for you."
What do you think it was? Why, a big box. It was marked, "To Mr. Scamp."
My master told me it came from New York. Now my cousin Amy lives in New
York. Of course, she is not my cousin, only my master's; but it is all
the same. I knew she sent me the surprise.
My master opened the box and took out the surprise. What do you think it
was? Why, a blanket for me. It was all trimmed with ribbons, and inside
it was all fur. My master put the surprise on my back and tied the
ribbons. The fur tickled me, and I laughed. They all thought I barked,
but I did not; I was laughing.
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My master said I looked so fine he would let me go out on the sidewalk.
When we got out of the house, a boy came along the street, with a tin
horn. He blew it right in my ear, and it scared me so I fell off the
pavement into the snow-drift. I rolled over and over. I felt myself
going down, down, down, and I barked. My master whistled to me, but I
could not get out.
At last he came and lifted me from the snow-bank. You should have seen
"the Surprise." It was all wet, and the fur was spoiled. My master, as
he took me into the house, was saying something about "Pride getting a
fall." My name is not Pride, but Scamp.
--JOHN S. SHRIVER.