speak or breathe for wonder.

That one moment paid Lottie for all her hard work, but Nancy's "Do
tell!" as she peeped over their shoulders and saw the illuminated
tree, broke the spell.

Father broke out with tears in his eyes, "Why, Lottie!" and May cried
ecstatically: "How wonderful! how lovely! is it a dream? is it
fairies?"

"No, May," Lottie whispered, coming up softly behind her, "it's only a
Christmas tree, and it's yours!"

"Mine! and you made it?" exclaimed May, understanding at once Lottie's
intense occupation of the last month.

"Who helped you, my daughter?"

"No one, father," said Lottie.

"Well, it's wonderful, really wonderful. How could you do it all
alone? I can't understand it! What a little, smothered volcano you
must have been all these weeks!"

"I could hardly keep from telling," said Lottie, with happy eyes.

But now May asked to be carried nearer, and each treasure was
examined. The ingenious chessmen were praised, and the frame brought a
shower of happy tears from May.

Then there was a surprise for father, for Lottie had found time to
make him a nice, warm muffler, and May had knit him a pair of mittens,
which she now brought out. And Nancy was not forgotten, for Lottie had
made her an apron, and May had made her a tatting collar. Neither was
Lottie neglected, for May had netted her a beautiful new net.

And father now drew out of his pocket a letter which he had received
from Aunt Laura that morning, on opening which, two new ten-dollar
bills were found, presents from Aunt Laura to the girls, "to buy some
keepsake with," the letter said.

"And I was so cross, thinking I should not have any Christmas," said
May repentantly.

"And I was so sad, thinking how different would have been my
daughters' Christmas if their dear mother had been with us," said
father softly.

"And you, Lottie--like a dear, old darling as you are," said May,
giving her a spasmodic hug, "were all the time working away with all
your might that I might have the most splendid Christmas tree! I don't
believe Aunt Laura's is half so pretty!"

* * * * *

"It must be fun to dress up a tree yourself," said Kristy, when the
story was ended.

"And still more," said her mother, "to get it up, as Lottie did, out
of almost nothing. It's easy enough to go out and buy enough to cover
a tree, but it's a very different affair to make the presents one's
self.

"Another unusual Christmas