"Pshaw! Big and strong as I am, and Adam getting such a great
boy, we can make it," she said. Then she hurried to the hack and
was driven home barely in time to rush her bundles into her room
before school was out. She could scarcely wait until the children
were in bed to open the parcels. The doll had to be dressed, but
Kate was interested in Christmas by that time, and so contemplated
the spider-waisted image with real affection. She never had owned
a doll herself. She let the knitting go that night, and cut up an
old waist to make white under-clothing with touches of lace, and a
pretty dress. Then Kate went to her room, tied the doll in a safe
place on the tree, put on the books, and set the candles with
pins. As she worked she kept biting her lips, but when it was all
finished she thought it was lovely, and so it was. As she set the
sled in front of the tree she said: "There, little folks, I
wonder what you will think of that! It's the best I can do. I've
a nice chicken to roast; now if only, if only Mother or Nancy
Ellen would come, or write a line, or merely send one word by
Tilly Nepple."
Suddenly Kate lay down on the bed, buried her face in the pillow
while her shoulders jerked and shook in dry sobs for a long time.
At last she arose, went to the kitchen, bathed her face, and
banked the fires. "I suppose it is the Bates way," she said, "but
it's a cold, hard proposition. I know what's the matter with all
of them. They are afraid to come near me, or show the slightest
friendliness, for fear I'll ask them to help support us. They
needn't worry, we can take care of ourselves."
She set her tree on the living room table, arranged everything to
the best advantage, laid a fire in the stove, and went to sleep
Christmas eve, feeling more like herself than she had since the
explosion. Christmas morning she had the house warm and the tree
ready to light while the children dressed. She slipped away their
every-day clothing and laid out their best instead. She could
hear them talking as they dressed, and knew the change of clothing
had filled them with hope. She hastily lighted the tree, and was
setting the table as they entered the dining room.
"Merry Christmas, little people," she cried in a voice they had
not heard in a long time. They both rushed to her and Kate's
heart stood still as they each hugged her tight, kissed her, and
offered a tiny packet. From the size and feeling of these, she
realized that they were giving her the candy they had received the
day before at school. Surprises were coming thick and fast with
Kate. That one shook her to her foundations. They loved candy.
They had so little! They had nothing else to give. She held them
an instant so tightly they were surprised at her, then she told
them to lay the packages on the living room table until after
breakfast. Polly opened the door, and screamed. Adam ran, and
then both of them stood silently before the brave little tree,
flaming red, touched with white, its gold star shining. They
looked at it, and then at each other, while Kate, watching at an
angle across the dining room, distinctly heard Polly say in an
awed tone: "Adam, hadn't we better pray?"