her bed in the morning grey.

She looks around,
But not a sound
Breaks on the quietness profound.

So, heaving sighs,
She shuts her eyes,
And hard to go to sleep she tries.

But sleep has fled
That little bed.
And weary moves the curly head,

Until the light
(Oh, welcome sight!)
Has banished every trace of night.

Then out of bed,
With hurried tread,
She runs to waken brother Fred;

For oh, what joys,
In the shape of toys,
Does Christmas bring to girls and boys!

Fred gives a groan,
Or a sleepy moan,
And mutters, "Do let me alone!"

But bonnie May
Will not have nay;
She whispers, "It is Christmas day!"

Oh, magic sound!
For Fred turns round,
And in a trice is on the ground.

"Our stockings, where?"
"They're on that chair."
"Oh, what has Santa Claus put there?"

May laughs with glee,
The sight to see,
Of stockings filled from toe to knee

With parcels queer,
That stick out here,
Before, behind, in front and rear.

"Oh, Fred! a dolly!
I'll call her Molly."
"Why, may, a penknife here; how jolly!"

"A necktie blue!
A paintbox too!"
"Oh, Fred, a pair of kid gloves new!"

"May, here's a gun!
Won't we have fun,
Playing at soldiers!--You'll be one."

"Now that is all.
No; here's a ball;
Just hold it, or these things will fall."

"What's in the toe,
May, do you know?
Biscuits and figs!--I told you so."

"I think," said May,
That Christmas day
Should come at least every second day."

And so say we;
But then you see
That Santa Claus would tired be.

And all his toys
And Christmas joys
Would vanish then from girls and boys.

From "The Prize"

Hang Up Baby's Stocking

Hang up the baby's stocking:
Be sure you don't forget:
The dear little dimpled darling
Has never seen Christmas yet.

But I told him all about it,
And he opened his big blue eyes;
I'm sure he understood it,
He looked so funny and wise.

Ah, what a tiny stocking;
It doesn't take so much to hold
Such little toes as baby's
Safe from the frost and cold.

But then, for the baby's Christmas
It never will do at all;
For Santa Claus wouldn't be looking
For anythi