d quickly athwart the wall, and the children
knew that the Child-Christ had sped away, on shining wings, to other
happy children. At this moment a silvery bell said, 'Kling-ling!
Kling-ling!' the doors flew open, and such a brilliance of light came
streaming from the drawing-room that the children stood rooted where
they were with cries of 'Oh! Oh!'

"But papa and mamma came and took their hands, saying, 'Come now,
darlings, and see what the blessed Child-Christ has brought for you.'

"THE CHRISTMAS PRESENTS.

"I appeal to yourself, kind reader (or listener)--Fritz, Theodore,
Ernest, or whatsoever your name may chance to be--and I would beg you
to bring vividly before your mind's eye your last Christmas table, all
glorious with its various delightful Christmas presents; and then
perhaps you will be able to form some idea of the manner in which the
two children stood speechless with brilliant glances fixed on all the
beautiful things; how, after a little, Marie, with a sigh, cried, 'Oh,
how lovely! how lovely!' and Fritz gave several jumps of delight. The
children had certainly been very, very good and well-behaved all the
foregoing year to be thus rewarded; for never had so many beautiful and
delightful things been provided for them as this time. The great
Christmas tree on the table bore many apples of silver and gold, and
all its branches were heavy with bud and blossom, consisting of sugar
almonds, many-tinted bonbons, and all sorts of charming things to eat.
Perhaps the prettiest thing about this wonder-tree, however, was the
fact that in all the recesses of its spreading branches hundreds of
little tapers glittered like stars, inviting the children to pluck its
flowers and fruit. Also, all round the tree on every side everything
shone and glittered in the loveliest manner. Oh, how many beautiful
things there were! Who, oh who, could describe them all? Marie gazed
there at the most delicious dolls, and all kinds of toys, and (what was
the prettiest thing of all) a little silk dress with many-tinted
ribbons was hung upon a projecting branch in such sort that she could
admire it on all its sides; which she accordingly did, crying out
several times, 'Oh! the lovely, the lovely, darling little dress. And I
suppose, I do believe, I shall really be allowed to put it on!' Fritz,
in the meantime, had had two or three trials how his new fox (which he
had actually found on the table) could gallop;