I shall read it every day for a year . '' After breakfast everyone went to Christmas service . The girls went uptown to the church they attended . The city was very beautiful in the morning sunshine . There had been a white frost in the night and the tree-lined avenues and public squares seemed like glimpses of fairyland . `` How lovely the world is , '' said Jean . `` This is really the very happiest Christmas morning I have ever known , '' declared Nellie . `` I never felt so really Christmassy in my inmost soul before . '' `` I suppose , '' said Beth thoughtfully , `` that it is because we have discovered for ourselves the old truth that it is more blessed to give than to receive . I 've always known it , in a way , but I never realized it before . '' `` Blessing on Jean 's Christmas inspiration , '' said Nellie . `` But , girls , let us try to make it an all-the-year-round inspiration , I say . We can bring a little of our own sunshine into Miss Allen 's life as long as we live with her . '' `` Amen to that ! '' said Jean heartily . `` Oh , listen , girls -- the Christmas chimes ! '' And over all the beautiful city was wafted the grand old message of peace on earth and good will to all the world . A Christmas Mistake `` Tomorrow is Christmas , '' announced Teddy Grant exultantly , as he sat on the floor struggling manfully with a refractory bootlace that was knotted and tagless and stubbornly refused to go into the eyelets of Teddy 's patched boots . `` Ai n't I glad , though . Hurrah ! ''
His mother was washing the breakfast dishes XXXXX a dreary , listless sort of way .
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