a story told by Alma Carey Stearns to her grandchildren
It was the day before Christmas. Bobby and Betty had been playing together all afternoon, and were so happy and excited.
Now Bobby lived in a beautiful, white house on the hilltop. His father owned the land around his home for almost as far as you could see. They had fine furniture, lovely gardens, and servants to do their work and were rich in the things that money could provide.
Betty lived in a small cottage at the foot of the hill. Betty’s father worked for Bobby’s father, and the cottage was part of the estate. Every month they had to pay the rent.
Now it happened that Betty’s father had been ill for some time; and because he could not work, he was not paid. When Bobby’s father came to collect the December rent, there was almost no money at all left for food—and none for Christmas. Of course, neither Bobby nor Betty knew this; but Betty’s mother knew, and she wanted so much for her little girl to be happy.
There had been great preparations going on at Bobby’s house all that morning. A huge tree was being decorated. Many guests were arriving to stay over the holiday. Many packages were being delivered and the cook was preparing a big turkey for the Christmas inner. In fact, so much was going on that Bobby seemed to be in the way. The grown-ups were cross, and his mother was glad when he asked to go to Betty’s house to play.
Now, there was no turkey to fix at Betty’s house. All they had for their Christmas dinner was a small piece of beef and some vegetables they had raised in their garden.
Betty’s mother was making a stew. And she said, “Now, this is going to be a magic stew.”
“What is a magic stew?” asked Betty and Bobby.
“Just watch,” said Betty’s mother, as she cut up the vegetables. “See, the potatoes are ivory and the onions are silver and the carrots are gold. We will have a magic stew for our Christmas dinner tomorrow. Nothing tastes as good as a magic stew!” She cut up more vegetables; and as she dropped them into the kettle, she repeated, “Now, the potatoes are ivory and the onions are silver and the carrots are gold.”
As it simmered on the little stove, the stew smelled so good. Bobby and Betty both agreed that it really must be magic.
It was almost dark and Betty’s mother had to send Bobby home. The big house was full of lights and people. The grown-ups were having a party. The maid had given Bobby his supper and he was sent to bed. He wondered what would be under the big tree for him on Christmas morning. He wondered what Betty would have for Christmas. He kept thinking of the magic stew—how he wished he could have some!
Betty was having happy dreams of Christmas day, too; but her mother was sad. All she had been able to get Betty for Christmas was one little chocolate mouse. She wrapped it carefully and put it under the tiny tree. She prayed that it would make Betty happy because she loved her so much.
Bobby was up early Christmas morning, but he had to wait for the family and the guests before he could go into the room with the big Christmas tree. When the door was opened -- what a wonderful sight. The glittering tree, and gifts piled high! Bobby got his share of presents: toys and games, and his very first bicycle! But there was no one to play with. His cousin, Mary, who had been expected, didn’t come.
At last the presents were all distributed -- all except one big box that was meant for his cousin. Bobby’s mother was quite upset because her sister’s family had chosen not to come. “Well,” she said, “I’m certainly not giving Mary that doll.” Suddenly Bobby thought of Betty.
“Mama,” he said, “may I have the doll?”
“You already have several trucks and even a new bicycle,” said his mother, and added, “Still, it makes no difference to me who has the doll.”
The grown-ups were all busy with their many and expensive gifts and scarcely noticed Bobby as he pulled the big box from under the tree. He took off the car marked “Mary” and printed Betty’s name across the package. Then he slipped out the door and ran as fast as he could with such a big package, down to Betty’s house. Bobby put the box on the doorstep, rang the bell, and quickly hid in the bushes by the side of the cottage.
Now, Betty had been delighted with her little chocolate mouse. “Oh, Mama, what a cute little mouse,” she said, and her other patted her head, kissed her and was so happy with her. But Betty decided to take one tiny little bite of his tail and it was so good! She broke off another tiny piece for her mother. She wanted so much to keep the little mouse, but she kept nibbling. It was just as she swallowed the last bite that the doorbell rang.
Betty opened the door. There was no one there. Then, she saw the package. “Mama,” she called, “come quickly. See—there is a package on our step.”
“There must be some mistake,” said her Mama. She picked up the package.
There was Betty’s name in big letters. There was not mistake.
Betty sat down on the floor and opened the box. In it there was the most beautiful doll she had ever seen—and it was hers. Nothing so wonderful had ever happened on Christmas Day before.
Bobby stayed out of sight as long as he could. Then he rang the bell as though he had just arrived. “Oh, Bobby,” said Betty, “just see what I got for Christmas!”
“I got a bicycle,” said Bobby, “and lots of toys, too.”
Betty’s mother started the dinner. The cottage was filled with the savory aroma of the magic stew.
“Could I have Christmas dinner with Betty?” Bobby asked.
“Why, of course,” said Betty’s mother, “but you must ask your mother first.”
Bobby ran all the way to the big white house. The grown-ups were all so busy with their own affairs that they scarcely noticed him. When he found his mother, she was busy telling the servants just how Christmas dinner was to be served.
“Mama,” Bobby said, “may I have dinner with Betty?”
“Well, of all things!” his mother said.
“Please?” begged Bobby.
“Well, all right,” said his mother, and Bobby was off.
He rode his new bicycle down the hill. The table was all set, with a bowl for him, too. The magic stew was steaming in a big kettle in the center. They bowed their heads while Betty’s mother said a prayer of thanks. And then she served each one. Never had anything tasted so good to Betty and Bobby. And with each spoonful they repeated, “The potatoes are ivory, the onions are silver, an the carrots are gold.” Both agreed it really was magic stew.
It was a magic Christmas, too -- the happiest one either of them had ever, ever had!
a story told by Alma Carey Stearns to her grandchildren
It was the day before Christmas. Bobby and Betty had been playing together all afternoon, and were so happy and excited.
Now Bobby lived in a beautiful, white house on the hilltop. His father owned the land around his home for almost as far as you could see. They had fine furniture, lovely gardens, and servants to do their work and were rich in the things that money could provide.
Betty lived in a small cottage at the foot of the hill. Betty’s father worked for Bobby’s father, and the cottage was part of the estate. Every month they had to pay the rent.
Now it happened that Betty’s father had been ill for some time; and because he could not work, he was not paid. When Bobby’s father came to collect the December rent, there was almost no money at all left for food—and none for Christmas. Of course, neither Bobby nor Betty knew this; but Betty’s mother knew, and she wanted so much for her little girl to be happy.
There had been great preparations going on at Bobby’s house all that morning. A huge tree was being decorated. Many guests were arriving to stay over the holiday. Many packages were being delivered and the cook was preparing a big turkey for the Christmas inner. In fact, so much was going on that Bobby seemed to be in the way. The grown-ups were cross, and his mother was glad when he asked to go to Betty’s house to play.
Now, there was no turkey to fix at Betty’s house. All they had for their Christmas dinner was a small piece of beef and some vegetables they had raised in their garden.
Betty’s mother was making a stew. And she said, “Now, this is going to be a magic stew.”
“What is a magic stew?” asked Betty and Bobby.
“Just watch,” said Betty’s mother, as she cut up the vegetables. “See, the potatoes are ivory and the onions are silver and the carrots are gold. We will have a magic stew for our Christmas dinner tomorrow. Nothing tastes as good as a magic stew!” She cut up more vegetables; and as she dropped them into the kettle, she repeated, “Now, the potatoes are ivory and the onions are silver and the carrots are gold.”
As it simmered on the little stove, the stew smelled so good. Bobby and Betty both agreed that it really must be magic.
It was almost dark and Betty’s mother had to send Bobby home. The big house was full of lights and people. The grown-ups were having a party. The maid had given Bobby his supper and he was sent to bed. He wondered what would be under the big tree for him on Christmas morning. He wondered what Betty would have for Christmas. He kept thinking of the magic stew—how he wished he could have some!
Betty was having happy dreams of Christmas day, too; but her mother was sad. All she had been able to get Betty for Christmas was one little chocolate mouse. She wrapped it carefully and put it under the tiny tree. She prayed that it would make Betty happy because she loved her so much.
Bobby was up early Christmas morning, but he had to wait for the family and the guests before he could go into the room with the big Christmas tree. When the door was opened -- what a wonderful sight. The glittering tree, and gifts piled high! Bobby got his share of presents: toys and games, and his very first bicycle! But there was no one to play with. His cousin, Mary, who had been expected, didn’t come.
At last the presents were all distributed -- all except one big box that was meant for his cousin. Bobby’s mother was quite upset because her sister’s family had chosen not to come. “Well,” she said, “I’m certainly not giving Mary that doll.” Suddenly Bobby thought of Betty.
“Mama,” he said, “may I have the doll?”
“You already have several trucks and even a new bicycle,” said his mother, and added, “Still, it makes no difference to me who has the doll.”
The grown-ups were all busy with their many and expensive gifts and scarcely noticed Bobby as he pulled the big box from under the tree. He took off the car marked “Mary” and printed Betty’s name across the package. Then he slipped out the door and ran as fast as he could with such a big package, down to Betty’s house. Bobby put the box on the doorstep, rang the bell, and quickly hid in the bushes by the side of the cottage.
Now, Betty had been delighted with her little chocolate mouse. “Oh, Mama, what a cute little mouse,” she said, and her other patted her head, kissed her and was so happy with her. But Betty decided to take one tiny little bite of his tail and it was so good! She broke off another tiny piece for her mother. She wanted so much to keep the little mouse, but she kept nibbling. It was just as she swallowed the last bite that the doorbell rang.
Betty opened the door. There was no one there. Then, she saw the package. “Mama,” she called, “come quickly. See—there is a package on our step.”
“There must be some mistake,” said her Mama. She picked up the package.
There was Betty’s name in big letters. There was not mistake.
Betty sat down on the floor and opened the box. In it there was the most beautiful doll she had ever seen—and it was hers. Nothing so wonderful had ever happened on Christmas Day before.
Bobby stayed out of sight as long as he could. Then he rang the bell as though he had just arrived. “Oh, Bobby,” said Betty, “just see what I got for Christmas!”
“I got a bicycle,” said Bobby, “and lots of toys, too.”
Betty’s mother started the dinner. The cottage was filled with the savory aroma of the magic stew.
“Could I have Christmas dinner with Betty?” Bobby asked.
“Why, of course,” said Betty’s mother, “but you must ask your mother first.”
Bobby ran all the way to the big white house. The grown-ups were all so busy with their own affairs that they scarcely noticed him. When he found his mother, she was busy telling the servants just how Christmas dinner was to be served.
“Mama,” Bobby said, “may I have dinner with Betty?”
“Well, of all things!” his mother said.
“Please?” begged Bobby.
“Well, all right,” said his mother, and Bobby was off.
He rode his new bicycle down the hill. The table was all set, with a bowl for him, too. The magic stew was steaming in a big kettle in the center. They bowed their heads while Betty’s mother said a prayer of thanks. And then she served each one. Never had anything tasted so good to Betty and Bobby. And with each spoonful they repeated, “The potatoes are ivory, the onions are silver, an the carrots are gold.” Both agreed it really was magic stew.
It was a magic Christmas, too -- the happiest one either of them had ever, ever had!