e were four beautiful fragrant little baskets with tops
of bright-colored silk.

"How pretty!"--"How lovely!"--"Where did you get them?"--"Surely you
did not make them?"--"What are you going to do with them?"

"Why didn't we make them, I'd like to know?" asked Ikey proudly.

Certainly the boys had reason to be satisfied at the praise their work
received.

"I know you did not sew on the silk," said Dora, examining one
closely.

"Oh, well, Aunt Zelie and Cousin Helen did the sewing, of course, but
we did all the rest," said Carl.

"And what do you mean to do with them?" asked Elsie.

"Sell them and give the money to the harp man."

They were so pretty there proved to be no trouble in disposing of
them. Aunt Marcia, who was superintending a Christmas bazaar, offered
to put them on one of her tables, where they sold the first evening
for a dollar and a half apiece.

After this the meetings of the G.N. club had to give way to rehearsals
for what Cousin Helen called "The Harp Man's Benefit," which was to
occur on New Year's eve. In the meantime Uncle William had interested
himself in the matter, and, through a friend who was a music dealer, a
harp was lent to Mr. Finnelli till his own could be repaired.

"So we feel more comfortable about it now," said Louise, "and we think
we'll make at least ten dollars at our entertainment."

Late in the afternoon of the day before Christmas Aunt Zelie sat alone
in the library taking a moment's rest.

The sound of happy voices came through the open door. It was a custom
in the family to decorate the hall on Christmas eve, and the children
had been making wreaths and festoons of cedar, and having any amount
of fun. They were now having a merry time over Ikey's suggestion to
hang a holly wreath above the Big Front Door. From the top of the
ladder Carl began:

"'Twas the night before Christmas,"

and the others chimed in:

"and all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse."

A moment later Aunt Zelie's quiet was invaded.

"Nothing makes me feel more like Christmas than that old rhyme," she
said, as the laughing children gathered around her.

"Talk to us about Christmas, Auntie, please," said Louise.

"Could you possibly talk about anything else?" she asked. "What is it
that makes this such a happy time?"

"Why," answered Carl, "it is because it is such fun to give presents
to people, and know you are sure to get a lot