change places--to move--to become like the angel, and then to be
candles again, whilst the flames nodded to each other and repeated the
blue greeting of the robin, "A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!"
Then he tried to distinguish the presents, but, beautiful as the toys
looked, he could not exactly discover what any of them were, or choose
which he would like best. Only the Angel he could see clearly--so
clearly! It was more beautiful than the doll under his pillow; it had a
lovely face like his own mother's, he thought, and on its head gleamed
a star far brighter than tinsel. Its white robes waved with the flames
of the tapers, and it stretched its arms towards him with a smile.

"I am to go and choose my present," thought the child; and he called
"Mother! Mother dear! please open the window."

But his mother did not answer. So he thought he must get up himself,
and with an effort he struggled out of bed.

But when he was on his feet, everything seemed changed! Only the
firelight shone upon the walls, and the curtains were once more firmly
closed before the window. It had been a dream, but so vivid that in his
feverish state he still thought it must be true, and dragged the
curtains back to let in the glorious sight again. The firelight shone
upon a thick coating of frost upon the panes, but no further could he
see, so with all his strength he pushed the window open and leaned out
into the night.

The spruce fir stood in its old place; but it looked very beautiful in
its Christmas dress. Beneath it lay a carpet of pure white. The snow
was clustered in exquisite shapes upon its plumy branches; wrapping the
tree top with its little cross shoots, as a white robe might wrap a