ful toys we saw in the village to-day. Surely Santa Claus has sent
enough for every little child."

"Ah, dearie," said Granny, "those toys are for people who can pay money
for them, and we have no money to spend for Christmas toys."

"Well, Granny," said Gretchen, "perhaps some of the little children who
live in the great house on the hill at the other end of the village will
be willing to share some of their toys with me. They will be so glad to
give some to a little girl who has none."

"Dear child, dear child," said Granny, leaning forward and stroking the
soft, shiny hair of the little girl, "your heart is full of love. You
would be glad to bring a Christmas to every child; but their heads are
so full of what they are going to get that they forget all about anybody
else but themselves." Then she sighed and shook her head.

"Well, Granny," said Gretchen, her bright, happy tone of voice growing a
little less joyous, "perhaps the dear Santa Claus will show some of the
village children how to make presents that do not cost money, and some
of them may surprise me Christmas morning with a present. And, Granny,
dear," added she, springing up from her low stool, "can't I gather some
of the pine branches and take them to the old sick man who lives in
the house by the mill, so that he can have the sweet smell of our pine
forest in his room all Christmas day?"

"Yes, dearie," said Granny, "you may do what you can to make the
Christmas bright and happy, but you must not expect any present
yourself."

"Oh, but, Granny," said little Gretchen, her face brightening, "you
forget all about the shining Christmas angels, who came down to earth
and sang their wonderful song the night the beautiful Christ-Child was
born! They are so loving and good that they will not forget any little
child. I shall ask my dear stars to-night to tell them of us. You know,"
she added, with a look of relief, "the stars are so very high that they
must know the angels quite well, as they come and go with their messages
from the loving God."

Granny sighed, as she half whispered, "Poor child, poor child!" but
Gretchen threw her arm around Granny's neck and gave her a hearty kiss,
saying as she did so: "Oh, Granny, Granny, you don't talk to the stars
often enough, else you wouldn't be sad at Christmas time." Then she
danced all around the room, whirling her little skirts about her to
show Granny how the wind had made the snow dance that day. She looked