four o'clock the day before
Christmas
Samuel , wo n't it be fun ? '' And to hear her one would have thought her seventeen instead of seventy-three . * * * * * A week before Christmas Samuel Bertram 's only daughter , Ella , wrote this letter to each of her brothers : It has occurred to me that it might be an excellent idea if we would plan to spend a little more time this year with Father and Mother when we go for our usual Christmas visit ; and what kind of a scheme do you think it would be for us to take the children , and make a real family reunion of it ? I figure that we could all get there by four o'clock the day before Christmas , if we planned for it ; and by staying perhaps two days after Christmas we could make quite a visit . What do you say ? You see Father and Mother are getting old , and we ca n't have them with us many more years , anyway ; and I 'm sure this would please them -- only we must be very careful not to make it too exciting for them . The letters were dispatched with haste , and almost by return mail came the answers ; an emphatic approval , and a promise of hearty cooperation signed `` Frank '' and `` Ned . ''