V.

The workers were all quite ready to do justice to the lunch spread out

for them by Aunt Bettie. Uncle Dick came in during the meal, exclaiming,

"O, do save me a sandwich, Alsie, for I'm almost starved!"

"Where's the holly? Did you get any mistletoe? Are there any wreaths? Is

there plenty of cedar?" were the questions poured out upon him before he

had opportunity to sit down.

"Yes, to all the questions, and I'll begin work just as soon as I rest a

bit and eat a bite," laughingly answered Uncle Dick. "Does that satisfy

all parties?"

Uncle Dick was a great favorite with the children in the family--he

loved them and seemed to find genuine pleasure in playing, talking, and

romping with the "small fry," so it was not surprising that they should

take almost complete possession of him whenever he came.

"Your father's improvement continues," said Mrs. Gordon with a happy

smile, in reply to her son's question as to how the invalid was feeling.

"He seems so bright and well to-day and sat in the invalid chair this

morning for more than an hour. I think he is surely gaining strength at

last."

"He's looking forward toward to-morrow with lots of pleasure, too," said

Alsie. "Yesterday, when I was in his room, he asked what I expected to

find in my stocking, and playfully suggested that he and I would have

to be careful not to get our stockings mixed. Do you know, Uncle Dick,

I had hardly given a moment's thought to what I was going to get, for

I have been so busy----"

Alsie caught herself just in time to keep from disclosing the secret to

the busy little grandmother, who, a few moments later, hurried out of

the dining room to resume once more her position in the sick-chamber.

"Look out the window, Alsie!" exclaimed Emily at this point, "it looks

like our hopes for a white Christmas are going to be realized."

Sure enough, the snow was falling fast and the ground already began to

look white.

"If it just keeps up, Auntee, won't we have a beautiful Christmas?"

exclaimed Alsie enthusiastically. Alice had been looking out, too, and

the shadow of doubt pulled at her heart-strings.

_Could_ it be the last Christmas--O, surely such a terrible sorrow was

not in store for them all! What would the merry season be without him?

These were the thoughts that flashed through her mind, but at the sound

of the clear little voice beside her, she dismissed them and answered

cheerily, "I think we are going to have a beautiful Christmas--in every

way--but it's time to be about our work now. Ask Uncle Dick if he left

the cedar out on the porch."

The cedar was brought in--likewise the holly and mistletoe--and oh, how

pretty the red berries looked, and how pretty the garlands of evergreen

looked when tied up with the crimson ribbons!

"How do you like these?" called Uncle Dick as he smoothed out a great

roll of posters. "I picked them up around the office, and thought they

would help in the decorations."

Alsie and Emily were filled with delight at sight of the great colored

newspaper sheets, covered with all manner of pictures of the dear old

saint. There he was just ready to climb down the chimney--another poster

pictured him on his annual journey driving his reindeer over the snowy

ground. And so on--it seemed as if every stage of the Christmas trip had

been photographed in colors.

"I will pin this life-sized portrait of Santa Claus over the fireplace

here," said Uncle Dick, "and you two girlies may get busy at once making

garlands of evergreen to drape about him, and also over these others,

for they must all have a touch of green; isn't that so, Alice?"

"By all means," answered his sister, with a laugh. "It's really a very

clever idea, Dick, to bring all these posters out, for they give a

festive touch to our decorations."

After two hours of hard work, in which hammer, nails, and stepladder

played a considerable part, the library was almost transformed in

appearance. Every window and picture was festooned with Christmas green,

and the merry face of Santa Claus was visible from the bookcases, the

desk, and many other nooks about the room.

"What about the pie, Auntee? Aren't we ready for it now?" questioned

Alsie and Emily with impatience, as a general survey of the room was

taken.

"This is just the time where we will have to be very careful," was the

reply. "Alsie, suppose you and Emily offer to walk out with grandmother

when she goes to meet Aunt Martha and little James, on the five o'clock

train, and as soon as you get her safely out of the house Uncle Dick can

bring the pie and other things into the library, where we can all have

a hand in fixing it up later. Of course I shall carry the key to the

library the rest of the evening, for after keeping the secret this long,

I am determined that mother shall have as much of the surprise and

pleasure as father."

Seeing a look of disappointment on the two little faces at the idea

of being banished just at the most interesting stage of the fun, Alice

continued reassuringly, "It is almost train time now, chicks, and you

know I can't go with grandmother to-day, so practice the Golden Rule and

run along. After your return from the station, you may come again to the

library for, as you know, grandmother will want to have a good hour's

conversation with Aunt Martha before tea-time."

No further urging was necessary. The two girls skipped away cheerfully,

and a few minutes later were out in the snowstorm with the little

grandmother between them, all three being well bundled up in coats and

overshoes.

In less than an hour they had returned, the greetings were over,

grandmother had taken Aunt Martha off to her room for the predicted

chat, and the two little girls were taking their cousin James to the

library. He had been told about the pie and was curious to know what it

really looked like, for James was not gifted with a vivid imagination.

He soon found out, however. Aunt Alice had covered over the entire top

of the old mahogany library table with soft cotton, and hanging from

the edges was a deep border of the lovely Christmas paper which is used

so much in these latter days for decorations. Around the edges were laid

sprays of the rarer and more delicate evergreen sent from the South

by the loving daughter. In the center rose the pie, and over all was

sprinkled the glistening powder, which gave the whole an appearance of

real snow. It was, in truth, a wonderful creation, and the children

gazed at the lovely vision in speechless delight.

"The big box, containing the comfort, is behind the piano, James, and

there are lots of other things, too big to go in the pie, stowed away in

the various corners of the room, but the cards are all in the pie, and

each tells just where to find a package. Some lovely flowers and plants

have been sent in this afternoon, but we'll wait until morning to bring

them into the library. There is the couch close beside the fireplace,

and if dear father is just able to be brought in to-morrow I think he

will fully enjoy the Christmas we have had so much pleasure in preparing

for him. Suppose we go out now, for it is tea-time, and, besides, almost

everything has been done."

So saying, Alice turned to the door. The little party hastened out, and

its members were soon engaged in a romp with Uncle Dick in the sitting

room.