It was quite an important occasion for Prudy, who always liked to be the centre of attraction.
"O, mamma," said she, closing her eyes languidly, "when the room makes believe whirl round, does it _truly_ whirl round?"
The truth was, she felt faint and dizzy, though only for a short time.
"I wish," said she, "it had been somebody else that fell down stairs, and not me, for I didn't go down easy! The _prongs_ of the chair pushed right into my side."
But it did not appear that Prudy was much injured, after all. In a few minutes she was skipping about the room almost as nimbly as ever, only stopping to groan every now and then, when she happened to think of it.
"It is a wonder," said Mr. Parlin, "that more children are not lamed for life by such accidents."
"I have often thought of it," said aunt Madge. "Some little ones seem to be making hair-breadth escapes almost every day of their lives. I believe Prudy would have been in her grave long ago, if it had not been for her guardian angel."
The long-expected Christmas had come at last, and Prudy had stumbled into it, as she stumbled into everything else. But it is an ill wind which blows no good to anybody; and it so happened that in all this confusion Susy was able to "wish a Merry Christmas" to Norah, and to the whole family besides.
When Mrs. Parlin found that the children were too thoroughly awake to go to sleep again that morning, she told them they might dress themselves in the parlor if they would keep as quiet as possible, and let the rest of the household take another nap.
It all seemed very strange and delightful to the little girls. It was like another sort of life, this new arrangement of stealing about the house in the silent hours before daybreak. Susy thought she should like to sit up all night, and sleep all day, if the mayor would only hush the streets; it would be so odd!
"O, how dark the clouds are!" said Prudy, peeping out of the window; "it _fogs_ so I can't see a single thing. Susy, I'm going to keep _at watch_ of the sky. Don't you s'pose, though, 'twill be Christmas all the same, if there's a snow storm?"
"There's been snow," said Susy, "all in the night. Look down at the pavement. Don't you wish that was frosted cake?"