It could not have been bigger--it could not have glittered
more. It had as many arms as an Octopus and its shaggy evergreen head,
starred gorgeously with iridescence, brushed the old-fashioned paper on
the ceiling. A great, lovable Christmas giant guarding a cargo of
Christmas gifts!
Muggs emitted one blood-curdling shriek of delight, clapped his hand
over his mouth and began to swell about the cheeks. Then he stepped on
the hem of his night-gown and fell sprawling at Annie's feet.
"Dear me," said Annie vexedly, though she righted him with kindly hands,
"I can't for the life of me make out what ails that child. He acts so
mortal queer at times, an' he's ready to swell up over nothing at all."
With the advent of Aunt Ellen, Christmas packages began to lose twine
and paper, and what the packages lost the sitting-room speedily gained
in disorder. For here were warm suits and overcoats, shoes and stockings
and sweaters and caps, skates and horns and whistles and drums,
home-made pop-corn and candy, oranges--ah! well, sensible gifts in
plenty, and foolish gifts that were wiser than Solomon for they included
a boy's heart as well as his body.
In a lull all eyes turned to Muggs. His pockets were crammed with
pop-corn and candy.
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