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 Emmy patted the hand that was in her own . `` From your face , dear girl , it will be pleasant hearing and telling , '' she said . Clorinda nodded . `` Aunt Emmy , I thought for days over your meaning ... thought until I was dizzy . And then one evening it just came to me , without any thinking at all , and I knew that I could give some gifts after all . I thought of something new every day for a week . At first I did n't think I could give some of them , and then I thought how selfish I was . I would have been willing to pay any amount of money for gifts if I had had it , but I was n't willing to pay what I had . I got over that , though , Aunt Emmy . Now I 'm going to tell you what I did give . `` First , there was my teacher , Miss Mitchell . I gave her one of father 's books .
I have so many XXXXX his , you know , so that I would n't miss one ; but still it was one I loved very much , and so I felt that that love made it worth while .
At about after before for in into of on over