etter from his mother.

Of course he could read it himself, because he was seven years old and
had been to school two years.

When he read the letter he danced up and down for joy.

He danced right through the hall into the dining-room and showed his
letter to Mary.

Then she danced, too, because the letter said that Boy Blue's father
and mother were coming to see him the very next day.

And, best of all, Little Sister was coming to stay two weeks.

When it was time to go to the station to meet Little Sister and her
mother. Boy Blue could hardly wait for the train.

At last it came, bringing the two dearest people in all the world, and
Boy Blue laughed, and cried, and asked questions, all in the same
minute.

"Where is Papa?

"Is he coming to-morrow?

"How is Fire-cracker?

"Are you going to stay two weeks?"

"Wait, wait, children!" said Mrs. Snow, "ask one question at a time."

They rode to Mary's house in a car, and all these questions and many
others were asked and answered.

It was the night before Christmas and the children were going to hang
up their stockings.

"Hang them by the chimney in your playroom," said Mary's mother. "Then
Santa Claus won't have far to go."

So the children ran up to the playroom with their stockings.

"Oh, look!" said Boy Blue. "Sister's stocking is so small that Santa
Claus can't get even a rag doll into it."

Mary found a basket for Little Sister.

"You can put this right under your stocking, dear," she said.

"I will write a letter to Santa Claus and tell him where to put your
presents."

So she wrote this letter and pinned it on the toe of the tiny stocking:

"Dear Santa Claus:--Little Sister's stocking is so small I have given
her a basket. Please put her presents in it."

Santa Claus must have read the note, for the next morning the basket
was full.

There was a basket under each of the other stockings, too.

On each one was a note, saying:--

"Your stockings were not large enough. I had to get a basket for you,
too."

SANTA CLAUS.

In Boy Blue's basket there were a horn and a drum, a box of tin
soldiers, and three books. Under the basket was a new red sled.

Mary found two dolls and a trunk full of dresses for them, a toy
kitchen, and a writing desk in her basket.

Little Sister sat on the floor and began to take the presents out of
her basket, one at a time.

First, there was a big wax