The rocking horses, which are always saddled, were waiting to gallop
away. The tops were anxious to spin, and the balls really rolled about
sometimes, because it was so hard for them to keep still.

The fine lady dolls were dressed in their best. One of them was a
princess, and wore a white satin dress, and had a crown on her head. She
sat on a throne in one of the windows, with all the other dolls around
her; and it was in this very window that Gretchen saw a baby doll, which
made her forget all the rest. It was a real baby doll, not nearly so
fine as most of the others, but with a look on its face as if it wanted
to be loved; and Gretchen's warm German heart went out to it, for
little mothers are the same all the world over.

Such a dear baby doll! She must have been made for a Christmas gift,
Gretchen thought; and if the good giver came to this queer American
land, he surely would find her. How could she let him know where she
was? She thought about it all the way home, and all day long, till the
gas was lighted down in the great city and the stars were lighted up
above, and the time of his coming drew very near.

The father was better; but the mother had said with tears in her eyes,
that there could be no Christmas tree for them that year. So Gretchen
did not worry them, but she wrapped herself up in a blanket and shawl,
and, taking her shoes in her hand, she crept down the stairs, through
the door, out to the wooden stoop. There had been a light fall of snow
that day, but it was a mild Christmas, and Gretchen set her shoes evenly
together, and then sat down beside them; for she had made up her mind to
watch them until Santa Claus came by.

All over the city the bells were ringing,--calling "Merry Christmas" to
each other and to the world; and they sang so sweetly to little Gretchen
that they sang her to sleep that Christmas Eve.

It was hundreds and hundreds of years since the Christ Child slept in
the manger; but this same night in the great city a little American girl
named Margaret had her heart so full of His love and joy that she wanted
to make everybody happy for the dear Christ's sake.

She had waked up early the day before Christmas, and all day long she
had been doing loving deeds; and when evening came, and the bells began
to ring, she started with a basket of toys to a mission church, where
she was to help Santa Claus by giving gifts to the children of the poor.

[Illustration: The dearest Christm