"Marcia, it seems to me that your are emphasizing the wrong side of
the subject if I understand it aright," said Jack.

"Why, do you know about it?" asked Marcia, in surprise.

"Not much," replied Jack; "but I read the White Gift story in the
'Sunday School Times,' and the report of the Painesville experiment."

"Well, Jack, tell us what you know about this mysterious 'White
Gift'," commanded his father.

"I would rather Marcia should tell it, father; I know so little."

"Oh, go on, Jack," urged Marcia; "you can't possibly know less about
it than I do, for I confess I was so full of the disappointment of the
little ones that the other side of it didn't impress me very much."

"Well, as I remember it," said Jack, "the gist of the plan is
this--that Christmas is Christ's birthday, and we should make our
gifts to him, instead of to one another; and the idea of the White
Gift was suggested by the story of the Persian king named Kublah Khan,
who was a wise and good ruler, and greatly beloved. On his birthday
his subjects kept what they called the 'White Feast.' This was
celebrated in an immense great white banqueting-hall, and each one of
his subjects brought to their king a white gift to express that the
love and loyalty of their hearts was without stain. The rich brought
white chargers, ivory and alabaster; the poor brought white pigeons,
or even a measure of rice; and the great king regarded all gifts
alike, so long as they were white. Have I told it right, cousin?"