e-and-white
mandarin plates, wrapped in squares of gay silk crape, and tied with a
profusion of soft gold cord. As the packages were alike, the celestial
Santa Claus could present them without mistakes.

But there were some packages in red-and-gold crape still on the tree,
not large ones--not magic plates, certainly.

The Santa Claus unwrapped the three which he next took from the green
branches. The presents were amulets. When unfolded they revealed bells
and gems; the bells looked like gold; the gems like pure pearls, opals,
and crystals. One was a necklace for Mrs. Van Buren; one a bracelet for
Lucy; and the other a charm for Charles.

The amulets awakened a great surprise. The little golden bells burned
with the red lusters of rubies, and tinkled as though they were
dream-bells.

"They keep evil spirits away," said Sky-High, with sparkling eyes. "They
ring warnings."

Mrs. Van Buren rose and put one of the other packages in little
Sky-High's hand. The wrappings revealed a four-fold case of gold, which
some curious mechanism permitted to open into leaves, and stand us a
tablet, or half-closed. Each leaf held a small and perfect portrait--the
four were of the little serving-man's mistress and her children and the
master; and it is impossible to describe the blissful expression in
Sky-High's eyes when he first looked upon the familiar faces.

And there was still another package. That one the little Chinaman had
put on the Good Will tree for Nora.

It was an English gold sovereign in a case tied with red ribbon.

"And may the Angel of Mercy spread her white wings over that hathen
boy's pigtail!" said Nora, as she was given the gift. "I wish I had
something for him. I will give him kind words now, and sure!"

XIII.

A LEGEND OF TEA.

At a wave of little Lucy's wand the shining, golden Santa Claus floated
away as he came. When he next appeared--and it seemed but a moment or
two after--he bore a salver that was gorgeous to see. Upon it, sending
up clouds of steam, was a wonderfully beautiful pitcher that his mistress
never before had seen, encircled by some exquisite small black cups,
inlaid and encrusted heavily with gold, each with a perforated cover.

"Sky-High presents to his mistress, the Moon Lady of the Christ Child
Night," the little fellow said in his best flowery English, "and to her
friends, the Stars of the Midnight, the mandarin tea in the mandarin
cups of his country--they will please t