When Christmas came, the Surprise Book was placed under the tree and Dotty left all her own presents while she urged Marjorie to open the big package that was tied with red ribbons. “You’ll like it,” she laughed. “I made it for you. It’s a book of surprises that last all through the year--it really is a Surprise Book because there’s so much fun in it!”
Then Marjorie tore off the paper and red ribbon. When she saw and understood jail about it, she said she would make Dotty a promise and the promise was that every time there fell due a story, she’d read it aloud to Dotty each month.
So, here in this book are the stories that Marjorie read to Dotty, the stories that were in Marjorie’s Surprise Book, together with the penwiper, the Valentine, the St. Patrick’s favor for March, the April Fool, the paper May-basket, the four-leaf clover for June. Beside these, there were a great many other nice things that came in the pockets that were not filled with the stories. You shall hear about them all yourself, as you turn the pages here.
_Of course, you know as well as Dotty that there was a penwiper in the first Christmas pocket. The writing on that pocket said,_
“_Not to be opened till after you have seen all your presents from the Christmas tree on Christmas Eve._”
_Marjorie liked the penwiper ever so much. She said it could be used at school. It was made of round red circles of cloth and had a button sewed at its centre. The story pocket was quite bulky and it said,_
“_Open on Christmas Eve for a bed-time story._”
_Marjorie read it aloud as she and Dot curled up in a big cosy comfortable at bed-time. They had to have a very special dispensation from Mother. She said that the Surprise Book story that came on Christmas Eve might keep the bed-time light lit till it was finished. So Marjorie read aloud, “The Telephone Santa Claus.”_
The shops were full of Christmas toys. There were Christmas greens and fir trees everywhere. Big ribbon-trimmed holly wreaths began to appear in front windows and everybody in the streets carried Christmas bundles. At this time, too, Mary Louise, who lived in the large and beautiful house with mother and daddy, and who was the only little girl they had, began to plan what she should ask Santa Claus to bring her.