s, and at the same
time to evade the candle flame. Villikins barked, and sniffed, and
howled in impatience, and after many vain attempts succeeded in dragging
off the prize, though he singed his nose in doing it. Dinah, meanwhile,
watched him placidly, her delicate nostrils quivering with expectation,
and, after all the excitement had subsided, walked with dignity to the
table, her beautiful gray satin trail sweeping behind her, and, calmly
putting up one velvet paw, drew the sausage gently down, and walked out
of the room without turning a hair, so to speak. Elfrida had scattered
handfuls of seed over the snow in the garden, that the wild birds might
have a comfortable breakfast next morning, and had stuffed bundles of
dry grasses in the fireplaces, so that the reindeer of Santa Claus could
refresh themselves after their long gallops across country. This was
really only done for fun, but it pleased Carol.

And when, after dinner, the whole family had gone to the church to see
the Christmas decorations, Carol limped out on her slender crutches, and
with Elfrida's help, placed all the family boots in a row in the upper
hall. That was to keep the dear ones from quarreling all through the
year. There were Papa's stout top boots; Mamma's pretty buttoned shoes
next; then Uncle Jack's, Donald's, Paul's, and Hugh's; and at the end of
the line her own little white worsted slippers. Last, and sweetest of
all, like the children in Austria, she put a lighted candle in her
window to guide the dear Christ-child, lest he should stumble in the
dark night as he passed up the deserted street. This done, she dropped
into bed, a rather tired, but very happy Christmas fairy.

[Illustration]

V

SOME OTHER BIRDS ARE TAUGHT TO FLY

Before the earliest Ruggles could wake and toot his five-cent tin horn,
Mrs. Ruggles was up and stirring about the house, for it was a gala day
in the family. Gala day! I should think so! Were not her nine "childern"
invited to a dinner-party at the great house, and weren't they going to
sit down free and equal with the mightiest in the land? She had been
preparing for this grand occasion ever since the receipt of Carol Bird's
invitation, which, by the way, had been speedily enshrined in an old
photograph frame and hung under the looking-glass in the most prominent
place in the kitchen, where it stared the occasional visitor directly in
the eye, and made him livid with envy:--