Aunt Emmy loved flowers . She put her finger under one of the roses and kissed it . `` It 's as sweet as yourself , dear child , '' she said tenderly . `` And it will be a joy to me all through the lonely winter days . You 've found out the best meaning of Christmas giving , have n't you , dear ? '' `` Yes , thanks to you , Aunt Emmy , '' said Clorinda softly . Cyrilla 's Inspiration It was a rainy Saturday afternoon and all the boarders at Mrs. Plunkett 's were feeling dull and stupid , especially the Normal School girls on the third floor , Cyrilla Blair and Carol Hart and Mary Newton , who were known as The Trio , and shared the big front room together . They were sitting in that front room , scowling out at the weather . At least , Carol and Mary were scowling . Cyrilla never scowled ; she was sitting curled up on her bed with her Greek grammar , and she smiled at the rain and her grumbling chums as cheerfully as possible . `` For pity 's sake , Cyrilla , put that grammar away , '' moaned Mary . `` There is something positively uncanny about a girl who can study Greek on Saturday afternoons -- at least , this early in the term . '' `` I 'm not really studying , '' said Cyrilla , tossing the book away . `` I 'm only pretending to . I 'm really just as bored and lonesome as you are . But what else is there to do ? We ca n't stir outside the door ; we 've nothing to read ; we ca n't make candy since Mrs. Plunkett has forbidden us to use the oil stove in our room ; we 'll probably quarrel all round if we sit here in idleness ; so I 've been trying to brush up my Greek verbs by way of keeping out of mischief . Have you any better employment to offer me ? '' `` If it were only a mild drizzle we might go around and see the Patterson girls , '' sighed Carol . `` But there is no venturing out in such a downpour .
XXXXX , you are supposed to be the brainiest one of us .
Carol Cyrilla Greek Newton Patterson Plunkett afternoons chums days third