The bigger children would not take second editions of presents, and answered, “Honorable thanks, I have!” if offered more than they thought their share; but babies are babies all the world over! When the distribution was finished at last, I got a Japanese gentleman to tell them the story of Christmas, the children’s feast; and then they came up one by one to say “_Sayonara_” (“Since it must be,” the Japanese farewell), and “_Arigato gozaimasu_” (“The honorable thanks”). “Come back next year,” I said; and then the last presents were given out—beautiful lanterns, red, lighted, and hung on what Ogita calls bumboos, to light the guests home with. One tiny maiden refused to go, and flung herself on the floor in a passion of weeping, saying that Okusama’s house was too beautiful to leave, and she would stay with me always—yes, she would! Only the sight of the lighted lantern, bobbing on a stick twice as long as herself, persuaded her to return to her own home in the servants’ quarters. I stood on the step, the same step where I had set the fireflies free one warm night last summer, and watched the little people scatter over the lawns, and disappear into the dark shrubberies, their round, red lights dancing and shifting as they went, just as if my fireflies had come back, on red wings this time, to light my little friends to bed. [Illustration: Decoration] FOOTNOTES: [1] The British Legation compound is the enclosure in which the official representatives of the English government in any Japanese city live with their assistants, families, and servants. From Far Away From far away we come to you. _The snow in the street, and the wind on the door_, To tell of great tidings, strange and true. _Minstrels and maids, stand forth on the floor. From far away we come to you, To tell of great tidings, strange and true._ For as we wandered far and wide, _The snow in the street, and the wind on the door_, What hap do you deem there should us betide? _Minstrels and maids, stand forth on the floor._ Under a bent when the night was deep, _The snow in the street, and the wind on the door_, There lay three shepherds, tending their sheep. _Minstrels and maids, stand forth on the floor._ “O ye shepherds, what have ye seen, _The snow in the street, and the wind on the door_, To stay your sorrow and heal your teen?” _Minstrels and maids, stand forth on the floor._ “In an ox stall this night we saw, _The snow in the street, and the wind on the door_, A Babe and a maid without a flaw. _Minstrels and maids, stand forth on the floor._ “There was an old man there beside; _The snow in the street, and the wind on the door_, [Illustration: village and river] His hair was white, and his hood was wide. _Minstrels and maids, stand forth on the floor._