Free A Merry Christmas by Louisa May Alcott

notice of them, for their mother does have a hard time, I fancy, but never complains.
    â€œI’m sorry they heard what I said, and if I knew how to do it without offending her, I’d trim a nice bonnet for a Christmas gift, for their mother is a dear lady in spite of her poor clothes. Perhaps I can give the children something they want anyhow—and I will! The idea of those mites making a fortune out of shirts at six cents apiece!”
    Miss Kent laughed at the innocent delusion but sympathized with her little neighbors, for she knew all about hard times. She had good wages now but spent them on herself and liked to be considered fine rather than neat. Still, she was a good-hearted young woman and what she had overheard set her to thinking soberly about what she might do.
    â€œIf I hadn’t spent all my money on my dress for the party tomorrow night, I’d give each of them a half dollar. As I cannot, I’ll hunt up the other things they wanted, for it’s a shame they shouldn’t have a bit of Christmas when they have tried so hard to please other little ones.”
    As she spoke, she stirred about her room and soon had a white apron, an old carnelian heart on a fresh blue ribbon, and two papers of bonbons ready. As no stockings were hung up, she laid a clean towel on the floor before the door and spread forth the small gifts to look their best.
    Miss Kent was so busy that she did not hear a step come quietly upstairs, and Mr. Chrome, the artist, peeped at her through the balusters, wondering what she was about. He soon saw and watched her with pleasure, thinking that she never looked prettier than now.
    Presently, she caught him at it and hastened to explain, telling what she had heard and how she was trying to atone for her past neglect of these young neighbors. Then she said good night and both went into their rooms—she to sleep happily, and he to meditate thoughtfully.
    His eye kept turning to some bundles that lay on his table as if the story he had heard suggested how he might follow Miss Kent’s example. I rather think he would not have disturbed himself if he had not heard the story told in such a soft voice, with a pair of bright eyes full of pity looking into his; for little girls were not particularly interesting to him, and he was usually too tired to notice the industrious creatures who toiled up and down stairs on various errands. He was busy himself, after all.
    Now that he knew something of their small troubles, he felt as if it would please Miss Kent and be a good joke to do his share of the pretty work she had begun.
    So presently he jumped up, and, opening his parcels, took out two oranges and two bunches of grapes; then he looked up two silver half dollars, and, stealing into the hall, laid the fruit upon the towel and the money atop the oranges. This addition improved the display very much, and Mr. Chrome was stealing back, well pleased, when his eye fell on Miss Kent’s door, and he said to himself: “She too shall have a little surprise, for she is a dear, kindhearted soul.”
    In his room was a prettily painted plate, and this he filled with green and purple grapes, tucked a sentimental note underneath, and, leaving it on her threshold, crept away as stealthily as a burglar.
    The house was very quiet when Mrs. Smith, the landlady, came to turn off the gas. “Well, upon my word, here’s fine doings, to be sure!” she said when she saw the state of the upper hall. “Now I wouldn’t have thought it of Miss Kent, she is such a giddy girl, nor of Mr. Chrome, he is so busy with his own affairs. I meant to give those children each a cake tomorrow; they are such good little things. I’ll run down and get them now, as my contribution to this fine display.”
    Away trotted Mrs. Smith to her pantry and picked out a couple of tempting cakes, shaped like hearts and full of plums. There was a goodly array of pies on the shelves, and she took