THE HISTORY OF A NUT-CRACKER. 9

like a flood of golden light
upon a vase of alabaster. She
was sweet, amiable, bashful,
and kind to all who were in
sorrow, even to her dolls:
she was very obedient to her
mamma, and never contra-
dicted her governess, Miss
Trudchen; so that Mary was
beloved by every one.

Now, the 24th of Decem-
ber, 17..., had arrived. You
all know, my dear young 2
friends, that the 24th of De- =
cember is called Christmas ~
Eve, being the day before
the one on which the Re-
deemer Jesus was born.

But I must now explain something to you. You have
all heard, perhaps, that every country has its peculiar customs;
and the best read amongst you are aware that Nuremberg,
in Germany, is a town famous for its toys, puppets, and
playthings, of which it exports great
quantities to other countries. You will
admit, therefore, that the little boys
and girls of Nuremberg ought to be
the happiest children in the world,
unless, indeed, they are like the in-
habitants of Ostend, who seem only to
delight in their oysters for the purpose
of sending them to foreign markets,
Germany, being quite a different
country from England, has altogether
= other customs. In England, New
- Year’s Day is the grand day for
making presents, so that many parents