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 of 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 . That is , I felt that on second thought . At first , Aunt Emmy , I thought I would be ashamed to offer Miss Mitchell a shabby old book , worn with much reading and all marked over with father 's notes and pencillings . I was afraid she would think it queer of me to give her such a present .
And yet somehow it seemed to me that it was better than something brand new and unmellowed -- XXXXX old book which father had loved and which I loved .
From after at before down on over that to without