“Yes,” said Boy Blue, “she is the ‘Old Woman in the Shoe.’”

Miss Smith laughed.  “Is that what you call her?” she said.

“Yes,” said Mary, “you know she has a great many children.”

“Well, Tommy and Betty Brown have been sick a long time.

“Mrs. Brown has had to work very hard to get food to eat.

“I am afraid they will not have a happy Christmas.

“I think we might have a Christmas box, and fill it with all kinds of good things.

“We can put things to eat and wear in the box, and you can bring some toys, too.

“Then on Christmas day we can send the box to Mrs. Brown.

“That would make her happy, and it would make us happy, too.”

The children all thought this was a very good idea.

Jack said, “I think it would be great fun if we could have a box the shape of a big shoe.  I know my father could make us one.  I will ask him to-night.”

So Jack’s father made a big wooden shoe, and the boys helped him paint it black.

When the shoe was finished, the children began to fill it.

In the toe of the shoe Jack put two large squashes.

Mary brought a bag of potatoes and some big red apples.

Boy Blue wrote a letter to his mother and told her about the Christmas shoe.

So Mrs. Snow sent a roasted chicken, a dozen eggs, and some fresh butter that she had made.

I cannot tell you all the things that found their way into that wooden shoe.

There was everything that hungry little boys and girls like to eat.

There were games and toys for the boys, and dolls with pretty dresses for the girls.

And there was a fine new dress for Mrs. Brown, too.

The day before Christmas the shoe was ready and Mr. Horne came for it with a big wagon.

Miss Smith put a card in the shoe.

It said:—­

“A Merry Christmas to Mrs. Brown and all the little Browns, from Maggie’s and Tommy’s schoolmates.”

“Look, Mamma!” said little Maggie Brown.  “What is that wagon stopping here for, and what is that funny thing in it?”

Mrs. Brown came to the window just as Mr. Home took the shoe out of the wagon.

[Illustration]

“Why, it is a big shoe,” laughed Mrs. Brown.  “I guess it is for me to keep you all in.”

Tommy, and Katie, and Mary, and Alice, all ran to see.

Oh, they were so happy when the shoe was brought in and they found it was something for them!

Mrs. Brown was happy, too, to think that her children would have such a merry Christmas.

She told Mr. Horne to wish all the children who sent the shoe a very, very happy Christmas.

“And tell them,” she said, “to come and see ‘the Old Woman in the Shoe’ and her children!”

  Little Miss Muffet
  Sat on a tuffet,
    Eating her curds and whey;
  There came a big spider
  And sat down beside her,
    And frightened Miss Muffet away.