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What joy this announcement brought to them all! The rolling chair was drawn forth, and little Alsie led the way from one room to another with feet that fairly danced. No ill effects followed the experiment, and it was repeated the next day with even greater success.
O, Alsie, can't we think of some plan by which we may give dear grandfather a merry Christmas, especially if it is to be his last with us?" "Auntee, I'll think of something I promise you I will and it will be soon, too perhaps by to-morrow but anyhow by the day after, so trust to me and let us both hope that grandfather will get better." "I will, dear I will. There! I feel more hopeful already.
"I just couldn't wait to show you how well I look in them!" exclaimed Alsie as she jumped into bed with Alice, and almost smothered her with hugs and kisses. "You can always think of the prettiest things for me, dear Auntee, and I do love pink so dearly," she continued with an affectionate glance at the pretty slippers, adorned with the daintiest of ribbon rosettes.
Alsie caught herself just in time to keep from disclosing the secret to the busy little grandmother, who, a few moments later, hurried out of the dining room to resume once more her position in the sick-chamber. "Look out the window, Alsie!" exclaimed Emily at this point, "it looks like our hopes for a white Christmas are going to be realized."
"Well, Auntee, I'll see all the cousins within reach and write to the others, and you do the same with the grown folks of the family, and the rule must be that each is to put into the pie something that will please grandfather or make him laugh." "Fine, Alsie, fine.
Youth, selfishly pitiless youth, the supplanter and destroyer stood embodied in the beautiful creature looking down upon Alice Puttenham, on the still intensity of the plaintive face, the closed eyes, the hands holding the miniature. Mischievously the girl came closer. She took the stillness before her for sleep. "Auntie! Aunt Alsie!" With a start, Alice Puttenham sprang up.
"Auntee, it's the prettiest thing I've ever seen!" exclaimed Alsie enthusiastically, after the lining had been neatly pasted in. Then began the work of fixing up the packages to fill the pie. Aunt Bettie's contribution was unique a beaten-biscuit gentleman, some twelve inches tall, who was certainly most "fearfully and wonderfully" made.
A half hour more of work, and the pie was finished. The workers were all quite ready to do justice to the lunch spread out for them by Aunt Bettie. Uncle Dick came in during the meal, exclaiming, "O, do save me a sandwich, Alsie, for I'm almost starved!" "Where's the holly? Did you get any mistletoe? Are there any wreaths?
A white-winged, invisible guest had arrived, before time, to spend the Christmastide with them. It was the Angel of Hope, sent by the pitying hand of the Father in Heaven, and with it came peace, joy, love, and merriment. What a host of Christmas cards came in, on the morning mail, just preceding Christmas Day. Little Alsie was almost wild to begin work on the pie.
He looked at the eager faces gathered all round him, and said helplessly, "What does it mean? I don't exactly understand." "It's your Christmas pie, grandfather, for we couldn't let the day go by without your having a taste. When you find all the good things that are in that pie I don't think you'll feel slighted, even if Aunt Bettie's mince pie is denied," exclaimed Alsie enthusiastically.
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