CHRISTMAS EVE
AND
CHRISTMAS DAY.

DAILY BREAD.—Page 120.

Christmas Eve

AND

Christmas Day.


Ten Christmas Stories.


By EDWARD E. HALE,
AUTHOR OF "TEN TIMES ONE IS TEN," ETC.



WITH ILLUSTRATION BY F. O. C.DARLEY.



BOSTON:
ROBERTS BROTHERS.
1873.

Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1872, by

EDWARD E. HALE,

In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington.



CAMBRIDGE:
PRESS OF JOHN WILSON AND SON.

PREFACE.

This is a collection of ten Christmas Stories, some of which have beenpublished before. I have added a little essay, written on the occasionof the first Christmas celebrated by the King of Italy in Rome.

The first story has never before been published.

It is but fair to say that I have not drawn on imagination for Laura'snight duty, alone upon her island. This is simply the account of what abrave New-England woman did, under like circumstances, because it wasthe duty next her hand.

If any reader observes a resemblance between her position and that of aboy in another story in this volume, I must disarm censure, by saying,that she had never heard of him when she was called to this duty, andthat I had never heard of her when I wrote his story.

E. E. H.

CONTENTS.