Chapter 8

The first Christmas after Miss Sullivan came to Tuscumbia was a great event. Every one in the family prepared surprises for me; but what pleased me most, Miss Sullivan and I prepared surprises for everybody else. The mystery that surrounded the gifts was my greatest delight and amusement. My friends did all they could to excite my curiosity by hints and half-spelled sentences which they pretended to break off in the nick of time. Miss Sullivan and I kept up a game of guessing which taught me more about the use of language than any set lessons could have done. Every evening, seated round a glowing wood fire, we played our guessing game, which grew more and more exciting as Christmas approached.

The first Christmas after Miss Sullivan came to Tuscumbia was a big event. Everyone in the family prepared surprises for me. But what pleased me most was that Miss Sullivan and I prepared surprises for everyone else. The mystery surrounding the gifts delighted and amused me more than anything else. My friends did all they could to arouse my curiosity. They gave me hints and spelled out parts of sentences, pretending to stop just in time. Miss Sullivan and I played a guessing game that taught me more about using language than any formal lessons could have. Every evening, we sat around a glowing wood fire and played our guessing game. The game grew more and more exciting as Christmas approached.

On Christmas Eve the Tuscumbia schoolchildren had their tree, to which they invited me. In the centre of the schoolroom stood a beautiful tree ablaze and shimmering in the soft light, its branches loaded with strange, wonderful fruit. It was a moment of supreme happiness. I danced and capered round the tree in an ecstasy. When I learned that there was a gift for each child, I was delighted, and the kind people who had prepared the tree permitted me to hand the presents to the children. In the pleasure of doing this, I did not stop to look at my own gifts; but when I was ready for them, my impatience for the real Christmas to begin almost got beyond control. I knew the gifts I already had were not those of which friends had thrown out such tantalizing hints, and my teacher said the presents I was to have would be even nicer than these. I was persuaded, however, to content myself with the gifts from the tree and leave the others until morning.

On Christmas Eve, the Tuscumbia schoolchildren invited me to their Christmas tree celebration. A beautiful tree stood in the center of the schoolroom, glowing and shimmering in the soft light. Its branches were covered with strange, wonderful fruit. It was a moment of complete happiness. I danced and skipped around the tree in delight. When I learned that each child had a gift, I was delighted. The kind people who had prepared the tree let me hand out the presents to the children. I enjoyed doing this so much that I did not stop to look at my own gifts. But when I was ready for them, I could hardly control my impatience for the real Christmas to begin. I knew the gifts I already had were not the ones my friends had hinted at so teasingly. My teacher said the presents still to come would be even nicer than these. Still, I was persuaded to be content with the gifts from the tree and leave the others until morning.

That night, after I had hung my stocking, I lay awake a long time, pretending to be asleep and keeping alert to see what Santa Claus would do when he came. At last I fell asleep with a new doll and a white bear in my arms. Next morning it was I who waked the whole family with my first "Merry Christmas!" I found surprises, not in the stocking only, but on the table, on all the chairs, at the door, on the very window-sill; indeed, I could hardly walk without stumbling on a bit of Christmas wrapped up in tissue paper. But when my teacher presented me with a canary, my cup of happiness overflowed.

That night, after I hung my stocking, I lay awake for a long time. I pretended to be asleep, but stayed alert to see what Santa Claus would do when he came. At last, I fell asleep with a new doll and a white bear in my arms. The next morning, I woke the whole family with my first "Merry Christmas!" I found surprises not just in the stocking, but on the table, on all the chairs, by the door, and even on the windowsill. I could hardly walk without stumbling over a bit of Christmas wrapped in tissue paper. But when my teacher gave me a canary, my happiness overflowed.

Little Tim was so tame that he would hop on my finger and eat candied cherries out of my hand. Miss Sullivan taught me to take all the care of my new pet. Every morning after breakfast I prepared his bath, made his cage clean and sweet, filled his cups with fresh seed and water from the well-house, and hung a spray of chickweed in his swing.

Little Tim was so tame that he would hop onto my finger and eat candied cherries from my hand. Miss Sullivan taught me to take care of my new pet all by myself. Every morning after breakfast, I prepared his bath and cleaned his cage so it smelled fresh. I filled his cups with fresh seed and water from the well-house. Then I hung a sprig of chickweed in his swing.

One morning I left the cage on the window-seat while I went to fetch water for his bath. When I returned I felt a big cat brush past me as I opened the door. At first I did not realize what had happened; but when I put my hand in the cage and Tim's pretty wings did not meet my touch or his small pointed claws take hold of my finger, I knew that I should never see my sweet little singer again.

One morning, I left the cage on the window seat while I went to get water for his bath. When I returned and opened the door, I felt a big cat brush past me. At first, I did not realize what had happened. But when I put my hand in the cage, I could not feel Tim's pretty wings. His small, pointed claws did not hold my finger. Then I knew I would never see my sweet little singer again.