`` So do I , '' said Nellie Preston as well as she could with a mouthful of chocolates . `` Those blessed home folks of mine seem to have divined by instinct the very things I most wanted . '' It was the dusk of Christmas Eve and they were all in Jean Lawrence 's room at No. 16 Chestnut Terrace . No. 16 was a boarding-house , and boarding-houses are not proverbially cheerful places in which to spend Christmas , but Jean 's room , at least , was a pleasant spot , and all the girls had brought their Christmas presents in to show each other . Christmas came on Sunday that year and the Saturday evening mail at Chestnut Terrace had been an exciting one . Jean had lighted the pink-globed lamp on her table and the mellow light fell over merry faces as the girls chatted about their gifts . On the table was a big white box heaped with roses that betokened a bit of Christmas extravagance on somebody 's part . Jean 's brother had sent them to her from Montreal , and all the girls were enjoying them in common . No. 16 Chestnut Terrace was overrun with girls generally . But just now only five were left ; all the others had gone home for Christmas , but these five could not go and were bent on making the best of it . Belle and Olive Reynolds , who were sitting on the bed -- Jean could never keep them off it -- were High School girls ; they were said to be always laughing , and even the fact that they could not go home for Christmas because a young brother had measles did not dampen their spirits . Beth Hamilton , who was hovering over the roses , and Nellie Preston , who was eating candy , were art students , and their homes were too far away to visit . As for Jean Lawrence , she was an orphan , and had no home of her own . She worked on the staff of one of the big city newspapers and the other girls were a little in awe of her cleverness , but her nature was a `` chummy '' one and her room was a favourite rendezvous . Everybody liked frank , open-handed and hearted Jean . `` It was so funny to see the postman when he came this evening , '' said Olive . `` He just bulged with parcels . They were sticking out in every direction . '' `` We all got our share of them , '' said Jean with a sigh of content . `` Even the cook got six -- I counted . ''
`` Miss Allen did n't get a thing -- not even a letter , '' XXXXX Beth quickly .
brought chatted eating enjoying go got hearted said sent worked