"It is nice to know it is coming, I think," and Louise twirled around
on her toes and dropped her stocking into the grate.
"What will Santa Claus put your things in now?" laughed Carl.
"It is only scorched," she said, snatching it from the fire, which was
fortunately low.
After some laughing and whispering over a plan for waking before any
one else, they separated and were soon so soundly asleep that even
Christmas was forgotten.
It was beginning to be light next morning when Louise opened her eyes
to find Carl standing beside her.
"How hard you are to wake," he said. "It is daylight, and everybody
will be up directly."
They aroused Bess, and the three ran first to their father's door,
then to Aunt Zelie's, giving half a dozen hearty raps, and calling
"Merry Christmas" at the tops of their voices.
When Mrs. Howard opened her door she saw three airily attired figures
flying up the third-story stairs.
Hurrying into her dressing-gown, she followed. She found them in the
star chamber with the window wide open, shouting themselves hoarse at
Ikey, who had been awakened by the telephone bell.
"You crazy children, you will take cold! Put the window down at once."
"Oh, Auntie, it was such fun! Ikey was so surprised!" they cried.
Pages:
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125