How grey it is outdoors . I do hope we 'll have snow soon . Would n't it be jolly to have a white Christmas ? We always have such faded brown Decembers . '' Clorinda lived just across the road from Aunt Emmy in a tiny white house behind some huge willows . But Aunt Mary lived there too -- the only relative Clorinda had , for Aunt Emmy was n't really her aunt at all . Clorinda had always lived with Aunt Mary ever since she could remember . Clorinda went home and upstairs to her little room under the eaves , where the great bare willow boughs were branching athwart her windows . She was thinking over what Aunt Emmy had said about Christmas gifts and giving . `` I 'm sure I do n't know what she could have meant , '' pondered Clorinda . `` I do wish I could find out if it would help me any . I 'd love to remember a few of my friends at least . There 's Miss Mitchell ... she 's been so good to me all this year and helped me so much with my studies . And there 's Mrs. Martin out in Manitoba . If I could only send her something ! She must be so lonely out there . And Aunt Emmy herself , of course ; and poor old Aunt Kitty down the lane ; and Aunt Mary and , yes -- Florence too , although she did treat me so meanly . I shall never feel the same to her again . 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 XXXXX .
Clorinda Decembers Emmy Florence Kitty Manitoba Mary Mitchell athwart eaves