n the half-visible circle of the family
sitting motionless as though part of a spectacle.

Bobby drew a deep breath and entered. What a changed tree from the one
he had hung with cranberries and popcorn the day before! The cranberries
and popcorn were still there; but in addition were glittering balls, and
strings of silver, and coloured glass bells, and candy birds and angels
with spun-glass wings, and clouds of gold and silver tinsel and
cornucopias, and candy in bags of pink net, and dozens of lighted
candles, and on the very top the great silver Star of Bethlehem.

Most of the gifts were wrapped in paper and tied with green and red
ribbon. Two or three, however, were too large for this treatment, and
stood exposed to view. Bobby could not help seeing a sled--a real
sled--painted red. He declined, however, to see another larger article
quite on the other side the tree. By a perversity of will he thrust it
entirely out of his head, as though it did not exist, unwilling to spoil
the effect of its final realization.

For a full minute Bobby stood in the centre of the stage, his sturdy
legs spread apart, his hands clasped tight behind him, his eyes blinking
at the splendour. Finally he sighed.

"My, that tree's just--just--_scrumptious!_" he breathed.

The interest that had held the circle of elders silent and motionless,
like a mechanical setting for the tree, broke in a laugh. Mr. Orde
arose.

"Well, let's see what we have," said he.

He advanced and picked up a package.

"'For Grandma Orde from her loving daughter,'" he read the inscription.
"Here you are, grandma. First blood!"

Rapidly the distribution went forward. Cries of delight, of surprise
and of thanks, the rustle of many wrapping papers filled the air. Around
each member of the family these papers, tossed carelessly aside in the
impatience of the moment, accumulated knee-deep. The servants, very
clean and proper in their Sunday best, stood in a constrained group near
the door, holding their gifts, still wrapped, awkwardly in their hands.

Bobby for a few moments was kept very busy acting as messenger. By
custom his was the hand to deliver to the servants their packages. Then
grown-up excitement lulled, and he had time to gloat over his own
formidable pile.

The sled he at once turned over. Glory! Its runners were of the
round-spring variety--the very best. They were dull blue and unpolished
as yet, of course; but that fact was merely an incentiv