who advised regarding the purchase of ribbon and crepe paper. It was
Mollie who put the finishing touches to most of the little gifts. In
short, all through December Mollie was weighed down under an avalanche
of responsibility. It speaks volumes for her sagacity and skill that
she never got things mixed up or made any such terrible mistake as
letting one little Joseph find out what another was going to give
him. "Dead" secrecy was the keystone of all plans and confidences.

During this particular December the planning and contriving had been
more difficult and the results less satisfactory than usual. The
Josephs were poor at any time, but this winter they were poorer than
ever. The crops had failed in the summer, and as a consequence the
family were, as Jimmy said, "on short commons." But they made the
brave best of their small resources, and on Christmas Eve every little
Joseph went to bed with a clear conscience, for was there not on the
corner table in the kitchen a small mountain of tiny--sometimes very
tiny--gifts labelled with the names of recipients and givers, and
worth their weight in gold if love and good wishes count for anything?

It was beginning to snow when the small small Josephs went to bed, and
when the big small Josephs climbed the stairs it was snowing thickly.
Mr. and Mrs. Joseph sat before the fire and listened to the wind
howling about the house.

"I'm glad I'm not driving over the prairie tonight," said Mr. Joseph.
"It's quite a storm. I hope it will be fine tomorrow, for the
children's sake. They've set their hearts on having a sleigh ride, and
it will be too bad if they can't have it when it's about all the
Christmas they'll have this year. Mary, this is the first Christmas
since we came west that we couldn't afford some little extras for
them, even if 'twas only a box of nuts and candy."

Mrs. Joseph sighed over Jimmy's worn jacket which she was mending.
Then she smiled.

"Never mind, John. Things will be better next Christmas, we'll hope.
The children will not mind, bless their hearts. Look at all the little
knick-knacks they've made for each other. Last week when I was over at
Taunton, Mr. Fisher had his store all gayified up,' as Jim says, with
Christmas presents. I did feel that I'd ask nothing better than to go
in and buy all the lovely things I wanted, just for once, and give
them to the children tomorrow morning. They've never had anything
really nice for Christmas. But there! We'