own chamber, where she could "settle down into quietness." Much noise
always confused grandma Read.

But in a very few moments, when the excitement began to die out, there
was a season of overwhelming gratitude. Everybody had to thank everybody
else; and Mr. Parlin, who had a beautiful dressing-gown to be grateful
for, nevertheless found time to tell Susy, over and over again, how
delighted he was with her book-mark, made, by her own fingers, of three
wide strips of velvet ribbon; on the ends of which were fastened a
cross, a star, and an anchor, of card-board.

"Papa, one ribbon is to keep your place in the Old Testament," said
Susy; "one is to stay in the middle, at the births and marriages; and
the other one is for our chapter in the New Testament, you know."

"I think my lamp-mat is very pretty," said aunt Madge, kissing Susy;
"every bit as pretty as if Prudy hadn't 'been and told.'"

Prudy had bought a shawl-pin for her mother, a fierce little wooden
soldier for aunt Madge, and something for everybody else but Susy. Not
that she forgot Susy. O, no! but one's money does not always hold out,
even at Christmas time.

"Why," said Mr. Parlin, "what is this sticking fast to the sole of my
new slipper? Molasses candy, I do believe."

"Yes sir; that's for Susy," cried Prudy, suddenly remembering how she
had tucked it in at the last moment, when she could not stop to find any
wrapping-paper. "It isn't so big as it was, but it's the biggest piece I
had in this world. I saved it last night. Susy likes 'lasses candy, and