Welcome to Sleep Stories with Steph,
Your go-to podcast that offers you a calm and relaxing transition into a great night's sleep.
It is time to relax and fully let go.
There is nothing you need to be doing now,
And nowhere you need to go.
Close your eyes and feel yourself sink into the support beneath you and let all the worries of the day drift away.
This is your time and your space.
Take a deep breath in through your nose and let it out with a long sigh.
There is nothing you need to be doing now,
And nowhere you need to go.
Happy listening.
Chapter 2 A Merry Christmas Joe was the first to wake in the grey dawn of Christmas morning.
No stockings hung at the fireplace,
And for a moment she felt as much disappointed as she did long ago when her little sock fell down because it was so crammed with goodies.
Then she remembered her mother's promise and,
Slipping her hand under her pillow,
Drew out a little crimson-covered book.
She knew it very well,
For it was that beautiful old story of the best life ever lived,
And Joe felt it was a true guidebook for any pilgrim going the long journey.
She woke Meg with a Merry Christmas and bade her see what was under the pillow.
A green-covered book appeared with the same picture inside,
And a few words written by their mother which made their one present very precious in their eyes.
Presently Beth and Amy woke to rummage and find their little books too,
One dove-coloured and the other blue,
And they all sat looking and talking about them while the east grew rosy with the coming day.
In spite of her small vanities,
Margaret had a sweet and pious nature which unconsciously influenced her sisters,
Especially Joe,
Who loved her very tenderly and obeyed her because her advice was so gently given.
Girls,
Said Meg seriously,
Looking from the tumbled head beside her to the two little night-capped one in the room beyond.
Mother wants us to read and love and mine these books,
And we must begin at once.
We used to be faithful about it,
But since father went away and all this war trouble unsettled us,
We've neglected many things.
You can do as you please,
But I shall keep my book on the table here and read a little every morning as soon as I wake,
For I know it will do me good and help me through the day.
Then she opened a new book and began to read.
Joe put her arm around her and,
Leaning cheek to cheek,
Read also,
With a quiet expression so seldom seen on her restless face.
How good Meg is,
Whispered Beth,
Very much impressed by the pretty books and her sister's example.
Come,
Amy,
Let's do as they do.
I'll help you with the hard words,
And they'll explain things if we don't understand.
I'm glad mine is blue,
Said Amy,
And then the rooms were very still while the pages were softly turned,
And the winter sunshine crept in to touch the bright heads and serious faces with a Christmas greeting.
Where is Mother?
Asked Meg,
As she and Joe ran down to thank her for the gifts half an hour later.
Goodness only knows,
Replied Hannah,
Who'd lived with the family since Meg was born and considered by them all as more a friend than a servant.
Some cruel creature came begging and your Ma went straight off to see what was needed.
There never was such a woman for giving away vittles and drink,
Clothes and firing.
She'll be back soon,
I think,
So fry your cake and have everything ready,
Said Meg,
Looking over the presents which were collected in a basket and kept under the sofa,
Ready to be produced at the proper time.
Where's Amy's bottle of cologne,
She added,
As the little flask did not appear.
She took it out a minute or so ago and went off with it to put a ribbon on it or some such notion,
Replied Joe,
Dancing about the room to take the first stiffness off the new army slippers.
How nice my handkerchiefs look,
Don't they,
Said Beth.
Hannah washed and ironed them for me and I marked them all myself.
She looked proudly at the somewhat uneven letters which had cost her such labour.
Bless the child,
She's gone and put Mother on them instead of M.
Marsh.
How funny,
Cried Joe,
Taking up one.
Isn't it right?
I thought it was better to do that because Meg's initials are M.
M.
I don't want anyone to use these but Mommy,
Said Beth,
Looking troubled.
It's quite all right,
Dear,
And a very pretty idea,
Quite sensible too,
For no one can ever mistake it now,
Said Meg,
With a frown for Joe and a smile for Beth.
Look,
There's Mother,
Hide the basket quick,
Cried Joe,
As a door slammed and steps sounded in the hall.
Amy came in hastily and looked rather abashed when she saw her sisters all waiting for her.
Where have you been and what are you hiding behind you,
Asked Meg,
Surprised to see by her hood and cloak that lazy Amy had been out so early.
Don't laugh at me,
Joe,
I didn't mean anyone should know till the time came.
I only meant to change the little bottle for a big one and I gave all my money to get it and I'm truly trying not to be selfish anymore.
As she spoke,
Amy showed the handsome flask which replaced the cheap one and she looked so earnest and humble in her little effort to forget herself that Meg hugged her on the spot and Joe pronounced her a trump while Beth ran to the window and picked her finest rose to ornament the stately bottle.
You see,
I felt ashamed of my present after reading and talking about being good this morning,
Said Amy,
So I ran around the corner and changed it the minute I was up and I'm so glad for mine is the handsomest now.
Another bang of the street door sent the basket under the sofa and the girls to the table eager for breakfast.
Merry Christmas,
Mommy,
Many of them,
They cried.
Thank you for our books.
We read some and mean to every day.
Merry Christmas,
Little daughters.
I'm glad you began at once and I hope you will keep on.
But I want to say one word before we sit down.
Not far away from here lies a poor woman with a new little born baby.
Six children are huddled into one bed to keep from freezing but they've got no fire.
There is nothing to eat over there and the oldest boy came to tell me they were suffering hunger and cold.
My girls,
Will you give them your breakfast as a Christmas present?
The girls were all unusually hungry having waited nearly an hour and for a minute no one spoke.
But only a minute for Joe exclaimed impetuously,
I'm so glad you came before we began.
May I go and help carry the things to the poor little children,
Said Beth eagerly.
I shall take up the cream and the muffins,
Added Amy heroically,
Giving up the article she most liked.
Meg was already covering the buckwheats and piling the bread into one big plate.
I thought you'd do it,
Said Mrs Marsh smiling as if satisfied.
You shall all go and help me and when we come back we will have bread and milk for breakfast and make it up at dinner time.
They were soon ready and the procession set out.
Fortunately it was early and they went through back streets so that few people saw them and no one laughed at the queer party.
A poor,
Bare,
Miserable room it was with broken windows,
No fire,
Ragged bedclothes,
A sick mother,
Wailing baby and a group of pale,
Hungry children cuddled under one old quilt trying to keep warm.
How the big eyes stared and blue lips smiled as the girls went in.
It is good angels came to us,
Said the poor woman crying for joy.
Funny angels in hoods and mittens,
Said Joe and set them all laughing.
In a few minutes it really did seem as if kind spirits had been at work.
Hannah who had carried wood made a fire and stopped up the broken panes with an old hat and her own cloak.
Mrs Marsh gave the mother tea and gruel and comforted her with promises of help while she dressed the little baby as tenderly as if it had been her own.
The girls,
Meantime,
Spread the table,
Set the children round the fire and fed them like so many hungry birds,
Laughing,
Talking and trying to understand the funny,
Broken English.
That is good,
The angels,
Cried the poor things as they ate and warmed their purple hands at the comfortable blaze.
The girls had never been called angel children before.
They thought it very agreeable,
Especially Joe who had been considered a Sancho ever since she was born.
It was a very happy breakfast that Christmas,
Even though they didn't get any of it.
And when at last they went away,
Leaving comfort behind,
I think there were not in all the city four merrier people than the hungry little girls who gave away their breakfasts and contented themselves with bread and milk on Christmas morning.
