Her heart was very heavy that night , because it was the first Christmas she had ever known without gifts and festivity of some sort . But Petkin , the youngest child , had been ill , times were very hard , the little mouths gaped for food like the bills of hungry birds , and there was no tender mate to help fill them . If any elves had been hovering about the dingy hall just then , they would have seen the mother 's tired face brighten beautifully when she discovered the gifts , and found that her little girls had been so kindly remembered . Something more brilliant than the mock diamonds in Miss Kent 's best earrings fell and glittered on the dusty floor as Mrs. Blake added the mittens to the other things , and went to her lonely room again , smiling as she thought how she could thank them all in a sweet and simple way . Her windows were full of flowers , for the delicate tastes of the poor lady found great comfort in their beauty . `` I have nothing else to give , and these will show how grateful I am , '' she said , as she rejoiced that the scarlet geraniums were so full of gay clusters , the white chrysanthemum stars were all out , and the pink roses at their loveliest . They slept now , dreaming of a sunny morrow as they sat safely sheltered from the bitter cold . But that night was their last , for a gentle hand cut them all , and soon three pretty nosegays stood in a glass , waiting for dawn , to be laid at three doors , with a few grateful words which would surprise and delight the receivers , for flowers were rare in those hard-working lives , and kind deeds often come back to the givers in fairer shapes than they go . Now one would think that there had been gifts enough , and no more could possibly arrive , since all had added his or her mite except Betsey , the maid , who was off on a holiday , and the babies fast asleep in their trundle-bed , with nothing to give but love and kisses . Nobody dreamed that the old cat would take it into her head that her kittens were in danger , because Mrs. Smith had said she thought they were nearly old enough to be given away . But she must have understood , for when all was dark and still , the anxious mother went patting up stairs to the children 's door , meaning to hide her babies under their bed , sure they would save them from destruction . Mrs. Blake had shut the door , however , so poor Puss was disappointed ; but finding a soft , clean spot among a variety of curious articles , she laid her kits there , and kept them warm all night , with her head pillowed on the blue mittens . In the cold morning Dolly and Polly got up and scrambled into their clothes , not with joyful haste to see what their stockings held , for they had none , but because they had the little ones to dress while mother got the breakfast . Dolly opened the door , and started back with a cry of astonishment at the lovely spectacle before her . The other people had taken in their gifts , so nothing destroyed the magnificent effect of the treasures so curiously collected in the night . Puss had left her kits asleep , and gone down to get her own breakfast , and there , in the middle of the ruffled apron , as if in a dainty cradle , lay the two Maltese darlings , with white bibs and boots on , and white tips to the tiny tails curled round their little noses in the sweetest way . Polly and Dolly could only clasp their hands and look in rapturous silence for a minute ; then they went down on their knees and revelled in the unexpected richness before them . `` I do believe there is a Santa Claus , and that he heard us , for here is everything we wanted , '' said Dolly , holding the carnelian heart in one hand and the plummy one in the other . `` It must have been some kind of a fairy , for we did n't mention kittens , but we wanted one , and here are two darlings , '' cried Polly , almost purring with delight as the downy bunches unrolled and gaped till their bits of pink tongues were visible . `` Mrs. Smith was one fairy , I guess , and Miss Kent was another , for that is her apron .
I should n't wonder if Mr. Chrome gave us the oranges and the money : men always have lots , and his name is on this bit of paper , '' said XXXXX .
Claus Dolly Petkin Polly Puss darlings geraniums minute night nosegays