GRANDMA'S CHRISTMAS GIFTS.
: Other Popular Stories For ChildrenGrandma Burns sat knitting busily in the sun one bright morning the
week before Christmas. The snow lay deep, and the hard crust glistened
like silver. All at once she heard little sighs of grief outside her
door. When she opened it there sat Peter and Jimmy Rice, two very poor
little boys, with their faces in their hands; and they were crying.
"My patience!" cried grandma. "What can be the matter with two bright
little boys this sunny morning?"
"We don't have no good times," sighed little Peter.
"We can't slide. We haven't any sleds," whimpered Jimmy.
"Why, of course boys can't have a good time without sleds," said
grandma, cheerily. "Let us look about and see if we can't find
something." And grandma's cap-border bobbed behind barrels and boxes
in the shed and all among the cobwebs in the garret; but nothing could
be found suitable.
"Hum! I do believe this would do for little Pete;" and the dear old
lady drew a large, pressed-tin pan off the top shelf in the pantry.
A long, smooth butter-tray was found for Jimmy. Grandma shook her
cap-border with laughter to see them skim over the hard crust in their
queer sleds. And the boys shouted and swung their hands as they flew
past the window.
"I do expect they'll wear 'em about through," murmured grandma; "but
boys must slide,--that's certain."
And the pan was scoured as bright as a new silver dollar and the red
paint was all gone off the wooden tray when Peter and Jimmy brought
their sleds back.
Grandma knitted faster than ever all that day, and her face was bright
with smiles. She was planning something. She went to see Job Easter
that night. He promised to make two small sleds for the pair of socks
she was knitting.
When the sleds were finished she dyed them red and drew a yellow
horse upon each one. Grandma called them horses, but no one would have
suspected it. Then the night before Christmas she drew on her great
socks over her shoes to keep her from slipping, put on her hood and
cloak, and dragged the little sleds over to Peter and Timmy's house.
She hitched them to the door-latch, and went home laughing all the
way.
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