interest him, so
that Frank felt pretty sure of his word. Nevertheless, he wondered
uncomfortably what made Cousin Myra smile so queerly.

"Why, how dreadful!" she said brightly. "I thought all boys and girls
looked upon Christmas as the very best time in the year."

"We don't," said Frank gloomily. "It's just the same old thing year in
and year out. We know just exactly what is going to happen. We even
know pretty well what presents we are going to get. And Christmas Day
itself is always the same. We'll get up in the morning, and our
stockings will be full of things, and half of them we don't want. Then
there's dinner. It's always so poky. And all the uncles and aunts come
to dinner--just the same old crowd, every year, and they say just the
same things. Aunt Desda always says, 'Why, Frankie, how you have
grown!' She knows I hate to be called Frankie. And after dinner
they'll sit round and talk the rest of the day, and that's all. Yes, I
call Christmas a nuisance."

"There isn't a single bit of fun in it," said Ida discontentedly.

"Not a bit!" said the twins, both together, as they always said
things.

"There's lots of candy," said Darby stoutly. He rather liked
Christmas, although he was ashamed to say so before Frank.

Cousin Myra smothered another of those queer smiles.

"You've had too much Christmas, you Osbornes," she said seriously. "It
has palled on your taste, as all good things will if you overdo them.
Did you ever try giving Christmas to somebody else?"

The Osbornes looked at Cousin Myra doubtfully. They didn't understand.

"We always send presents to all our cousins," said Frank hesitatingly.
"That's a bore, too. They've all got so many things already it's no
end of bother to think of something new."

"That isn't what I mean," said Cousin Myra. "How much Christmas do you
suppose those little Rolands down there in the hollow have? Or Sammy
Abbott with his lame back? Or French Joe's family over the hill? If
you have too much Christmas, why don't you give some to them?"

The Osbornes looked at each other. This was a new idea.

"How could we do it?" asked Ida.

Whereupon they had a consultation. Cousin Myra explained her plan, and
the Osbornes grew enthusiastic over it. Even Frank forgot that he was
supposed to be wearing a cynical sneer.

"I move we do it, Osbornes," said he.

"If Father and Mother are willing," said Ida.

"Won't it be jolly!" exclaimed the twins.

"Well, rather," said