A very pitiful little tree it was -- only a branch of hemlock in an old flower-pot , propped up with bits of coal , and hung with a few penny toys earned by the patient fingers of the elder sisters , that the little ones should not be disappointed . But in spite of the magical moonlight the broken branch , with its scanty supply of fruit , looked pathetically poor , and one pair of eyes filled slowly with tears , while the other pair lost their happy look , as if a cloud had come over the sunshine . `` Are you crying , Dolly ? '' `` Not much , Polly . '' `` What makes you , dear ? '' `` I did n't know how poor we were till I saw the tree , and then I could n't help it , '' sobbed the elder sister , for at twelve she already knew something of the cares of poverty , and missed the happiness that seemed to vanish out of all their lives when father died . `` It 's dreadful ! I never thought we 'd have to earn our tree , and only be able to get a broken branch , after all , with nothing on it but three sticks of candy , two squeaking dogs , a red cow , and an ugly bird with one feather in its tail ; '' and overcome by a sudden sense of destitution , Polly sobbed even more despairingly than Dolly . `` Hush , dear ; we must cry softly , or mother will hear , and come up , and then we shall have to tell . You know we said we would n't seem to mind not having any Christmas , she felt so sorry about it . '' `` I must cry , but I 'll be quiet . '' So the two heads went under the pillow for a few minutes , and not a sound betrayed them as the little sisters cried softly in one another 's arms , lest mother should discover that they were no longer careless children , but brave young creatures trying to bear their share of the burden cheerfully . When the shower was over , the faces came out shining like roses after rain , and the voices went on again as before . `` Do n't you wish there really was a Santa Claus , who knew what we wanted , and would come and put two silver half-dollars in our stockings , so we could go and see Puss in Boots at the Museum to-morrow afternoon ? '' `` Yes , indeed ; but we did n't hang up any stockings , you know , because mother had nothing to put in them . It does seem as if rich people might think of poor people now and then . Such little bits of things would make us happy , and it could n't be much trouble to take two small girls to the play , and give them candy now and then . '' '' I shall when I 'm rich , like Mr. Chrome and Miss Kent . I shall go round every Christmas with a big basket of goodies , and give all the poor children some . '' `` P ` r ` aps if we sew ever so many flannel shirts we may be rich by-and-by .
I should give mother a new bonnet first of all , for I heard Miss XXXXX say no lady would wear such a shabby one .
Chrome Claus Dolly Kent Polly Puss destitution flower-pot half-dollars minutes