ThefirstChristmasafterMissSullivauscumbiawasagreatevent.Everyohefamilypreparedsurprisesforme,butleasedmemost,MissSullivanandIpreparedsurprisesforeverybodyelse.Themysterythatsurrouhegiftswasmygreatestdelightandamusement.Myfriendsdidalltheycouldtoexcitemycuriositybyhintsandhalf-spelledsentenceswhichtheypreteobreakoffinthenie.MissSullivanaupagameofguessingwhichtaughtmemoreabouttheuseoflanguagethanalessonscouldhavedone.Everyeveniedroundaglowingwoodfire,weplayeduessinggame,whichgrewmoreandmoreexgasChristmasapproached.

    OnChristmasEvetheTuscumbiaschoolchildrenhadtheirtree,towhichtheyinvitedme.Ireoftheschoolroomstoodabeautifultreeablazeandshimmeringilight,itsbranchesloadedwithstrange,wonderfulfruit.Itwasamomentofsupremehappiness.Idandcaperedroureeiasy.

    WhenIlearhattherewasagiftforeachchild,Iwasdelighted,andthekindpeoplereparedthetreepermittedmetohandthepresentstothechildren.Inthepleasureofdoingthis,Ididnotstoptolookatmyowngifts;butwhenIwasreadyforthem,myimpatieherealChristmastobeginalmostgotbeyondtrol.IkhegiftsIalreadyhadwerenotthoseofwhichfriendshadthrownoutsutalizinghints,andmyteachersaidthepresentsIwastohavewouldbeevehanthese.Iersuaded,however,totentmyselfwiththegiftsfromthetreeaheothersuntilm.

    Thatnight,afterIhadhungmystog,Ilayawakealongtime,pretendingtobeasleepandkeepioseewhatSantaClauswoulddowhenhecame.AtlastIfellasleepwithanewdollandawhitebearinmyarms.mitakedthewholefamilywithmyfirst"MerryChristmas!"Ifoundsurprises,notiogonly,butoable,onallth