"I ’m afraid I ought to keep my money for shoes. I ’ve walked the soles off these to-day, and can’t go to school barefooted," he said, bravely trying to put the temptation of skates behind him. "We ’ve got a good dinner without a turkey, and perhaps we ’d better not get it," added Kitty, with a sigh, as she surveyed the table, and remembered the blue knit hood marked seventy-five cents that she saw in a shop-window. "Oh, we _must_ have a turkey! we worked so hard for it, and it’s so Christmasy," cried Sam, who always felt that pleasant things ought to happen. "Must have turty," echoed the babies, as they eyed the dolls tenderly. "You _shall_ have a turkey, and there he is," said an unexpected voice, as a noble bird fell upon the table, and lay there kicking up his legs as if enjoying the surprise immensely. It was father’s voice, and there stood father, neither cross nor stupid, but looking as he used to look, kind and happy, and beside him was mother, smiling as they had not seen her smile for months. It was not because the work was well paid for, and more promised, but because she had received a gift that made the world bright, a home happy again,--father’s promise to drink no more. "I ’ve been working to-day as well as you, and you may keep your money for yourselves. There are shoes for all; and never again, please God, shall my children be ashamed of me, or want a dinner Christmas Day." As father said this with a choke in his voice, and mother’s head went down on his shoulder to hide the happy tears that wet her cheeks, the children did n’t know whether to laugh or cry, till Kitty, with the instinct of a loving heart, settled the question by saying, as she held out her hands, "We have n’t any tree, so let’s dance around our goodies and be merry." Then the tired feet in the old shoes forgot their weariness, and five happy little souls skipped gayly round the table, where, in the midst of all the treasures earned and given, father’s Christmas turkey proudly lay in state. [Illustration: Chapter II tailpiece] [Illustration: "Grandpapa Ladle cheered them on, like a fine old gentleman as he was."--PAGE 55.] III. THE SILVER PARTY. "Such a long morning! Seems as if dinner-time would never come!" sighed Tony, as he wandered into the dining-room for a third pick at the nuts and raisins to beguile his weariness with a little mischief.