"Oh, no, Polly," said her mother; "at any rate it's clean.""Polly," said Ben, "we can put evergreen around, you know, "So we can," said Polly, brightly; "oh, Ben, you do think of the best things; we couldn't have had them in the kitchen.""And don't let's hang the presents on the tree," continued Ben; "let's have the children hang up their stockings; they want to, awfully--for I heard David tell Joel this morning before we got up--they thought I was asleep, but I wasn't--that he did so wish they could, but, says he, 'Don't tell mammy, 'cause that'll make her feel bad.""The little dears!" said Mrs. Pepper, impulsively; "they shall have their stockings, too.""And we'll make the tree pretty enough," said Polly, enthusiastically; "we shan't want the presents to hang on; we've got so many things. And then we'll have hickory nuts to eat; and perhaps mammy'll let us make some molasses candy the day before," she said, with a sly look at her mother.
"You may," said Mrs. Pepper, smiling.
"Oh, goody!" they both cried, hugging each other ecstatically.
"And we'll have a frolic in the Provision Room afterwards,"finished Polly; "oh! ooh!"
And so the weeks flew by--one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight! till only the three days remained, and to think the fun that Polly and Ben had had already!
"It's better'n a Christmas," they told their mother, "to get ready for it!""It's too bad you can't hang up your stockings," said Mrs. Pepper, looking keenly at their flushed faces and bright eyes; "you've never himg'em up.""That isn't any matter, mamsie," they both said, cheerily; "it's a great deal better to have the children have a nice time--oh, won't it be elegant! p'r'aps we'll have ours next year!"For two days before, the house was turned upside down for Joel to find the biggest stocking he could; but on Polly telling him it must be his own, he stopped his search, and bringing down his well-worn one, hung it by the corner of the chimney to be ready.
"You put yours up the other side, Dave," he advised.
"There isn't any nail," cried David, investigating.
"I'll drive one," said Joel, so he ran out to the tool-house, as one corner of the wood-shed was called, and brought in the hammer and one or two nails.
"Phronsie's a-goin' in the middle," he said, with a nail in his mouth.
"Yes, I'm a-goin' to hang up my stockin'," cried the child, hopping from one toe to the other.
"Run get it, Phronsie," said Joel, "and I'll hang it up for you.
"Why, it's two days before Christmas yet," said Polly, laughing;"how they'll look hanging there so long."
"I don't care," said Joel, giving a last thump to the nail; "we're a-goin' to be ready. Oh, dear! I wish 'twas to-night!""Can't Seraphina hang up her stocking?" asked Phronsie, coming up to Polly's side; "and Baby, too?""Oh, let her have part of yours," said Potty, "that'll be best--Seraphina and Baby, and you have one stocking together.""Oh, yes," cried Phronsie, easily pleased; "that'll be best." So for the next two days, they were almost distracted; the youngest ones asking countless questions about Santa Claus, and how he possibly could get down the chimney, Joel running his head up as far as he dared, to see if it was big enough.
"I guess he can," he said, coming back in a sooty state, looking very much excited and delighted.
"Will he be black like Joey?" asked Phronsie, pointing to his grimy face.
"No," said Polly; "he don't ever get black."
"Why?" they all asked; and then, over and over, they wanted the delightful mystery explained.
"We never'll get through this day," said Polly in despair, as the last one arrived. "I wish 'twas to-night, for we're all ready,""Santy's coming! Santy's coming!" sang Phronsie, as the bright afternoon sunlight went down over the fresh, crisp snow, "for it's night now.""Yes, Santa is coming!" sang Polly; and "Santa Claus is acoming,"rang back and forth through the old kitchen, till it seemed as if the three little old stockings would hop down and join in the dance going on so merrily.
"I'm glad mine is red," said Phronsie, at last, stopping in the wild jig, and going up to see if it was all safe, "cause then Santy'll know it's mine, won't he, Polly?""Yes, dear," cried Polly, catching her up. "Oh, Phronsie! you are going to have a Christmas!""Well, I wish," said Joel, "I had my name on mine! I know Dave'll get some of my things.""Oh, no, Joe," said Mrs. Pepper, "Santa Claus is smart; he'll know yours is in the left-hand corner.""Will he?" asked Joel, still a little fearful.
"Oh, yes, indeed," said Mrs. Pepper, confidently. "I never knew him to make a mistake.""Now," said Ben, when they had all made a pretence of eating supper, for there was such an excitement prevailing that no one sat still long enough to eat much, "you must every one fly off to bed as quick as ever can be.""Will Santa Claus come faster then?" asked Joel.
"Yes," said Ben, "just twice as fast."
"I'm going, then," said Joel; "but I ain't going to sleep, 'cause Imean to hear him come over the roof; then I'm going to get up, for I do so want a squint at the reindeer!""I am, too," cried Davie, excitedly. "Oh, do come, Joe!" and he began to mount the stairs.
"Good night," said Phronsie, going up to the centre of the chimney-piece, where the little red stocking dangled limpsily, "lift me up, Polly, do.""What you want to do?" asked Polly, running and giving her a jump. "What you goin' to do, Phronsie?""I want to kiss it good night," said the child, with eyes big with anticipation and happiness, hugging the well worn toe of the little old stocking affectionately. "I wish I had something to give Santa, Polly, I do!" she cried, as she held her fast in her arms.
"Never mind, Pet," said Potty, nearly smothering her with kisses;"if you're a good girl, Phronsie, that pleases Santa the most of anything.""Does it?" cried Phronsie, delighted beyond measure, as Polly carried her into the bedroom, "then I'll be good always, I will!"
