CHAPTER VII.

THE UNCLE AND THE NEPHEW.

Tr any one of my young friends now around me has ever

cut himself with glass, which he has most likely done in the
days of his disobedience, he must know by experience that °
it 1s a particularly disagreeable kind of cut, because it is so
long in healing. Mary was, therefore, forced to stay a whole
week in bed; for she always felt giddy whenever she tried
to getup. But at last she got well altogether, and was able
to skip about the room as she was wont to do.

You would not do my little heroine the injustice to sup-
pose that her first visit was to any other place than the glass
cupboard, which now seemed quite charming to look at. A
new pane had been put in; and all the windows had been
so well cleaned by Miss Trudchen, that all the trees, houses,
dolls, and other toys of the Christmas eve seemed quite new,
gay, and polished. But in the midst of all the treasures of
her little kingdom, and before all other things, Mary per-

Reese! A ceived her Nut-cracker smiling upon

il Ady | oe her from the second shelf where he
| jeer . was placed, and with his teeth all in
eas Ve |

 
     
 

as good order as ever they were.

While thus joyfully examining her
favourite, an idea which had more
_ than once presented itself to the mind
of Mary touched her to the quick.
i ' She was persuaded that all Godfather
H.W S) Se 3a Drosselmayer had told her was not
i ee ee a mere fable, but the true history of
era 5a Pe the disagreement between the Nut-
cracker on one side, and the late queen of the mice and her

 

 

 

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