Aunt Vic spread open the Bible to where the red ribbon was
showing and then stepped to one side so she could hold up the
lamp. "Is this all right, Captain Jones?"
"Yes, Miss Vic, I can see fine, thank you."
"At this time, Captain Jones will read for us, as he has
these many years." Aunt Vic lifted the lamp a little higher.
When Captain Jones had straightened the nose piece of his
glasses, he began reading:
And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a
decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be
taxed....
That wasn't anything for me to listen to, I could tell, for I
didn't even know Caesar Augustus. I wished Aunt Vic would hurry
and say, "At this time, we will start taking presents off the
tree." But I knew it would be hours before she got around to
saying that.
Then, I made another wish: I wished that one of the popcorn
balls would fall to the floor and that Mama would let me eat it
up! But, none fell. They just stayed still, hanging there on the
holly limbs, as if they too were waiting.
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