had been reading, and took up her knitting, which was as much as
to say: "Well, Gretchen, dear, Granny is ready to listen."

"Granny," said Gretchen slowly, "It's almost Christmas time, isn't
it?"

"Yes, dearie," said Granny, "only five days more now," and then she
sighed, but little Gretchen was so happy that she did not notice
Granny's sigh.

"What do you think, Granny, I'll get this Christmas?" said she,
looking up eagerly into Granny's face.

"Ah, child, child," said Granny, shaking her head, "you'll have no
Christmas this year. We are too poor for that."

"Oh, but Granny," interrupted little Gretchen, "think of all the
beautiful toys we saw in the village today. Surely Santa Claus has
sent enough for every little child."

"Ah, dearie, those toys are for people who can pay for them, and we
have no money to spend for Christmas toys."

"Well, Granny," said Gretchen, "perhaps some of the little children
who live in the great house on the hill at the other end of the
village, will be willing to share some of their toys with me. They
will be glad to give some to a little girl who has none."

"Dear child, dear child," said Granny, leaning forward and stroking
the soft, shiny hair of the little girl, "your heart is full of love.
You would be glad to bring a Christmas to every child; but their heads
are so full of what they are going to get that they forget all about
anybody else but themselves." Then she sighed and shook her head.

"Well, Granny," said Gretchen, her bright, happy tone of voice growing
a little less joyous, "perhaps the dear Santa Claus will show some of
the village children how to make presents that do not cost money, and
some of them may surprise me Christmas morning with a present. And,
Granny, dear," added she, springing up from her low stool, "can't I
gather some of the pine branches and take them to the old sick man who
lives in the house by the mill, so that he can have the sweet smell of
our forest in his room all Christmas day?"

"Yes, dearie," said Granny, "you may do what you can to make the
Christmas bright and happy, but you must not expect any present
yourself."

"Oh, but, Granny," said little Gretchen, her face brightening, "you
forgot all about the shining Christmas angels, who came down to earth
and sang their wonderful song the night the beautiful Christ-Child was
born! They are so loving and good that _they_ will not forget any
little child. I shall ask my dear stars tonigh