ood old Lucy started to go upstairs after Scrubby, but she got no
further than the door. Scrubby had waked up and missed her dear old
doll, so she had come down to look for her, and there she stood now,
just inside the door, with her bright brown eyes wide open.

A minute before there had been only the scraggy little tree she had
taken care of, the battered old toys, the torn dolls and the little
pets she had played with and loved so well, the bird and the wild
creatures she had fed and chattered to, and a little bit of ivy and
green moss. But just as soon as she looked at them all, there was the
most beautiful Christmas-tree that ever was seen.

It was very curious; but it was the light that did it--the light of her
own happy eyes. It dies out of eyes that are older.

THE MINSTREL'S CAROL.

A CHRISTMAS COLLOQUY.

MR. and MRS. BURTON.
TOMMY, _aged seven._
MAY, _aged five._
LUCY, _aged eighteen._

MR. and MRS. REMSEN.
HARRY, } _Twins, aged_
SADIE, } _six._
PATRICK, _a hired man_.

_Scene: The Burtons' parlor on Christmas Eve_.

_Mr. B_. Tommy! stop making such a noise.

_Tommy._ Oh, I can't have any fun at all!

_Mr. B_. Why, yes you can. Look at all your toys scattered about. Play
something quietly.

_Tommy_. Nobody to play with.

_Mr. B_. Play with your little sister.

_Tommy_. She's sitting in mamma's lap; besides, she's a girl. Oh, papa
_[running to his father_] I wish the Remsens would come! I want to play
with Harry.

_Mr. B._ [_hastily_]. Never mind, never mind! The Remsens will not
come.

_May_. Why wont the Remsens come?

_Tommy_. Oh, dear me, there isn't anything nice to do!

_Mr. B_. Tommy, stop your whining. Don't say another word. May, don't
speak of the Remsens again. They are not coming, and that's an end of
it.

[_Enter_ LUCY.]

_Lucy_. What! tears on Christmas Eve, little May! And Tommy pouting!
Oh, that'll never do! Come, cheer up! You'll have plenty of fun soon
with Harry and Sadie.--It must be nearly time to send for the Remsens,
father.

_Mr. B._ [_vexed_]. Don't speak of them again. They're not coming, and
I don't want them. Why _will_ every one keep talking about them?

[_Enter_ PATRICK.]

_Mrs. B._ [_aside to Lucy_]. Mr. Remsen and your father have quarreled
about a piece of land; so the Remsens are not to come this year.

_Mr. B_. Well, Patrick, what is it?

_Patrick_. Shure, the horse is ready, sir.

_Mr. B_. Horse ready? What for?

_P