But she gave me a present last Christmas , and so out of mere politeness I ought to give her something . '' Clorinda stopped short suddenly . She had just remembered that she would not have liked to say that last sentence to Aunt Emmy . Therefore , there was something wrong about it . Clorinda had long ago learned that there was sure to be something wrong in anything that could not be said to Aunt Emmy . So she stopped to think it over . Clorinda puzzled over Aunt Emmy 's meaning for four days and part of three nights . Then all at once it came to her . Or if it was n't Aunt Emmy 's meaning it was a very good meaning in itself , and it grew clearer and expanded in meaning during the days that followed , although at first Clorinda shrank a little from some of the conclusions to which it led her . `` I 've solved the problem of my Christmas giving for this year , '' she told Aunt Emmy . `` I have some things to give after all . Some of them quite costly , too ; that is , they will cost me something , but I know I 'll be better off and richer after I 've paid the price . That is what Mr. Grierson would call a paradox , is n't it ? I 'll explain all about it to you on Christmas Day . '' On Christmas Day , Clorinda went over to Aunt Emmy 's . It was a faded brown Christmas after all , for the snow had not come . But Clorinda did not mind ; there was such joy in her heart that she thought it the most delightful Christmas Day that ever dawned . She put the queer cornery armful she carried down on the kitchen floor before she went into the sitting room . Aunt Emmy was lying on the sofa before the fire , and Clorinda sat down beside her . `` I 've come to tell you all about it , '' she said .
Aunt XXXXX patted the hand that was in her own .
Clorinda Emmy Grierson anything cornery days fire heart nights queer