`` Why-y ! '' she said , and snatched off the cover . One look she gave , and then this funny little mother began to cry ; but they were happy tears . Mr. Joseph came too , and looked and whistled . There really seemed to be everything on that table that the hearts of children could desire -- three pairs of skates , a fur cap and collar , a dainty workbasket , half a dozen gleaming new books , a writing desk , a roll of stuff that looked like a new dress , a pair of fur-topped kid gloves just Mollie 's size , and a china cup and saucer . All these were to be seen at the first glance ; and in one corner of the table was a big box filled with candies and nuts and raisins , and in the other a doll with curling golden hair and brown eyes , dressed in `` real '' clothes and with all her wardrobe in a trunk beside her . Pinned to her dress was a leaf from Mr. Ralston 's notebook with Maggie 's name written on it . `` Well , this is Christmas with a vengeance , '' said Mr. Joseph . `` The children will go wild with delight , '' said his wife happily . They pretty nearly did when they all came scrambling down the stairs a little later . Such a Christmas had never been known in the Joseph household before . Maggie clasped her doll with shining eyes , Mollie looked at the workbasket that her housewifely little heart had always longed for , studious Jimmy beamed over the books , and Ted and Hal whooped with delight over the skates . And as for the big box of good things , why , everybody appreciated that . That Christmas was one to date from in that family . I 'm glad to be able to say , too , that even in the heyday of their delight and surprise over their wonderful presents , the little Josephs did not forget to appreciate the gifts they had prepared for each other . Mollie thought her calendar just too pretty for anything , and Jimmy was sure the new red mittens which Maggie had knitted for him with her own chubby wee fingers , were the very nicest , gayest mittens a boy had ever worn . Mrs. Joseph 's taffy was eaten too . Not a scrap of it was left . As Ted said loyally , `` It was just as good as the candy in the box and had more ` chew ' to it besides . '' The Magical Bond of the Sea A late September wind from the northwest was sweeping over the waters of Racicot Harbour .
It blew in , strong with the tang XXXXX the salt seas , past the grim lighthouse rock on the one hand and the sandbars on the other , up the long , narrow funnel of darkly blue water , until it whistled among the masts of the boats at anchor and among the stovepipe chimneys of the fishing village .
as at before beside for from in of that with