The Unforgotten One It was Christmas Eve , but there was no frost , or snow , or sparkle . It was a green Christmas , and the night was mild and dim , with hazy starlight . A little wind was laughing freakishly among the firs around Ingleside and rustling among the sere grasses along the garden walks . It was more like a night in early spring or late fall than in December ; but it was Christmas Eve , and there was a light in every window of Ingleside , the glow breaking out through the whispering darkness like a flame-red blossom swung against the background of the evergreens ; for the children were coming home for the Christmas reunion , as they always came -- Fritz and Margaret and Laddie and Nora , and Robert 's two boys in the place of Robert , who had died fourteen years ago -- and the old house must put forth its best of light and good cheer to welcome them . Doctor Fritz and his brood were the last to arrive , driving up to the hall door amid a chorus of welcoming barks from the old dogs and a hail of merry calls from the group in the open doorway . `` We 're all here now , '' said the little mother , as she put her arms about the neck of her stalwart firstborn and kissed his bearded face . There were handshakings and greetings and laughter . Only Nanny , far back in the shadows of the firelit hall , swallowed a resentful sob , and wiped two bitter tears from her eyes with her little red hand . `` We 're not all here , '' she murmured under her breath . `` Miss Avis is n't here . Oh , how can they be so glad ? How can they have forgotten ? '' But nobody heard or heeded Nanny -- she was only the little orphan `` help '' girl at Ingleside . They were all very good to her , and they were all very fond of her , but at the times of family reunion Nanny was unconsciously counted out . There was no bond of blood to unite her to them , and she was left on the fringe of things . Nanny never resented this -- it was all a matter of course to her ; but on this Christmas Eve her heart was broken because she thought that nobody remembered Miss Avis . After supper they all gathered around the open fireplace of the hall , hung with its berries and evergreens in honour of the morrow . It was their unwritten law to form a fireside circle on Christmas Eve and tell each other what the year had brought them of good and ill , sorrow and joy . The circle was smaller by one than it had been the year before , but none spoke of that . There was a smile on every face and happiness in every voice .
The father and mother sat in the centre , grey-haired and placid , their fine old faces written over XXXXX the history of gracious lives .
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