A Christmas Mistake Page #3

"A Christmas Mistake" by Lucy Maud Montgomery is a heartwarming short story that captures the spirit of the holiday season. It follows the tale of a young girl who, in a moment of mischief, makes a decision that leads to unforeseen consequences. Through her journey of self-discovery and learning, she explores themes of forgiveness, empathy, and the true meaning of Christmas. Montgomery's signature blend of charm and emotion shines through, making this story a delightful read for anyone who cherishes the magic of the holidays.

• Short story

								


When Mrs. Grant and her family arrived at the yellow house next
morning Miss Cornelia herself ran out bareheaded to meet them. The two
women shook hands a little stiffly and then a rill of long-repressed
affection trickled out from some secret spring in Miss Cornelia's
heart and she kissed her new-found old friend tenderly. Linda returned
the kiss warmly, and both felt that the old-time friendship was theirs
again.

The little Smithsons all came and they and the little Grants sat down
on the long bright dining room to a dinner that made history in their
small lives, and was eaten over again in happy dreams for months.

How those children did eat! And how beaming Miss Cornelia and
grim-faced, soft-hearted Hannah and even the absent-minded teacher
himself enjoyed watching them!

After dinner Miss Cornelia distributed among the delighted little
souls the presents she had bought for them, and then turned them loose
in the big shining kitchen to have a taffy pull--and they had it to
their hearts' content! And as for the shocking, taffyfied state into
which they got their own rosy faces and that once immaculate
domain--well, as Miss Cornelia and Hannah never said one word about
it, neither will I.

The four women enjoyed the afternoon in their own way, and the
schoolteacher buried himself in algebra to his own great satisfaction.

When her guests went home in the starlit December dusk, Miss Cornelia
walked part of the way with them and had a long confidential talk with
Mrs. Grant. When she returned it was to find Hannah groaning in and
over the kitchen and the schoolteacher dreamily trying to clean some
molasses off his boots with the kitchen hairbrush. Long-suffering Miss
Cornelia rescued her property and despatched Mr. Palmer into the
woodshed to find the shoe-brush. Then she sat down and laughed.

"Hannah, what will become of that boy yet? There's no counting on what
he'll do next. I don't know how he'll ever get through the world, I'm
sure, but I'll look after him while he's here at least. I owe him a
huge debt of gratitude for this Christmas blunder. What an awful mess
this place is in! But, Hannah, did you ever in the world see anything
so delightful as that little Tommy Smithson stuffing himself with plum
cake, not to mention Teddy Grant? It did me good just to see them."
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