It was greeted with a burst of admiration and applause.
"What a beauty!" cried Rosie and Lulu, clapping their hands.
"And how large!" exclaimed Max, "three times as big as any I ever saw
before."
Walter and Gracie were no less enthusiastic in their admiration. "May we
go close up, mamma?" asked the latter.
"Yes, 'course we may," said Walter, seizing her hand, "we'll walk round it
and look hard at the things, but not touch 'em."
Older people followed the lead of the little ones, and the tree was
thoroughly examined by many pairs of eyes, gazed at from every point of
view, and highly extolled, before the work of despoiling it was begun.
The gifts were far too many to mention in detail. The older people seemed
much pleased with some easels, brackets, and picture-frames carved for
them by Max and Lulu, and with specimens of Zoe's and Rosie's handiwork in
another line; also with some little gems of art from the pencils or
brushes of Lester, Elsie, and Violet, while the children were made happy
with presents suited to the years and taste of each.
Lulu was almost wild with delight over a set of pink coral, as nearly like
that she had lost by her misconduct some months before, as Grandma Elsie
had been able to find.
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