We will be going before daylight , probably , and in the hurry of getting off I hope that Mr. and Mrs. Joseph will not notice the difference till we 're gone . '' It fell out as Mrs. Ralston had planned . The dawn broke fine and clear over a vast white world . Mr. and Mrs. Joseph were early astir ; breakfast for the storm-stayed travellers was cooked and eaten by lamplight ; then the horse and sleigh were brought to the door and Mr. Ralston carried out his empty basket . `` I expect the trail will be heavy , '' he said , `` but I guess we 'd get to Lindsay in time for dinner , anyway . Much obliged for your kindness , Mr. Joseph . When you and Mrs. Joseph come to town we shall hope to have a chance to return it . Good-bye and a merry Christmas to you all . '' When Mrs. Joseph went back to the kitchen her eyes fell on the heaped-up table in the corner . `` Why-y ! '' she said , and snatched off the cover . One look she gave , and then this funny little mother began to cry ; but they were happy tears . Mr. Joseph came too , and looked and whistled . There really seemed to be everything on that table that the hearts of children could desire -- three pairs of skates , a fur cap and collar , a dainty workbasket , half a dozen gleaming new books , a writing desk , a roll of stuff that looked like a new dress , a pair of fur-topped kid gloves just Mollie 's size , and a china cup and saucer . All these were to be seen at the first glance ; and in one corner of the table was a big box filled with candies and nuts and raisins , and in the other a doll with curling golden hair and brown eyes , dressed in `` real '' clothes and with all her wardrobe in a trunk beside her . Pinned to her dress was a leaf from Mr. Ralston 's notebook with Maggie 's name written on it . `` Well , this is Christmas with a vengeance , '' said Mr. Joseph . `` The children will go wild with delight , '' said his wife happily . They pretty nearly did when they all came scrambling down the stairs a little later . Such a Christmas had never been known in the Joseph household before .
XXXXX clasped her doll with shining eyes , Mollie looked at the workbasket that her housewifely little heart had always longed for , studious Jimmy beamed over the books , and Ted and Hal whooped with delight over the skates .
Joseph Lindsay Maggie Mollie Why-y daylight first raisins saucer sleigh