She was the jolliest , bravest girl of sixteen in all Saskatchewan , as her shining brown eyes and rosy , dimpled cheeks would have told you ; and her sighs were not on her own account , but simply for fear the children were going to be disappointed . She knew that they would be almost heartbroken if Santa Claus did not come , and that this would hurt the patient hardworking little mother more than all else . Five years before this , Theodora had come to live with Uncle George and Aunt Elizabeth in the little log house at Red Butte . Her own mother had just died , and Theodora had only her big brother Donald left , and Donald had Klondike fever . The Martins were poor , but they had gladly made room for their little niece , and Theodora had lived there ever since , her aunt 's right-hand girl and the beloved playmate of the children . They had been very happy until Uncle George 's death two years before this Christmas Eve ; but since then there had been hard times in the little log house , and though Mrs. Martin and Theodora did their best , it was a woefully hard task to make both ends meet , especially this year when their crops had been poor . Theodora and her aunt had made every sacrifice possible for the children 's sake , and at least Jimmy and the twins had not felt the pinch very severely yet . At seven Mrs. Martins bells jingled at the door and Theodora flew out . `` Go right in and get warm , Auntie , '' she said briskly . `` I 'll take Ned away and unharness him . '' `` It 's a bitterly cold night , '' said Mrs. Martin wearily . There was a note of discouragement in her voice that struck dismay to Theodora 's heart . `` I 'm afraid it means no Christmas for the children tomorrow , '' she thought sadly , as she led Ned away to the stable . When she returned to the kitchen Mrs. Martin was sitting by the fire , her face in her chilled hand , sobbing convulsively . `` Auntie -- oh , Auntie , do n't ! '' exclaimed Theodora impulsively . It was such a rare thing to see her plucky , resolute little aunt in tears . `` You 're cold and tired -- I 'll have a nice cup of tea for you in a trice . '' `` No , it is n't that , '' said Mrs. Martin brokenly `` It was seeing those stockings hanging there . Theodora , I could n't get a thing for the children -- not a single thing .
Mr. Porter would only give forty dollars XXXXX the colt , and when all the bills were paid there was barely enough left for such necessaries as we must have .
At as before by for since than that though until