And she told him stories of his grandfather and his father.

Then Jules found that this Aunt Desire had known his mother; had once sat on the vine-covered porch while he ran after fireflies on the lawn in his little white dress; had heard the song the voice still sang to him in his dreams: "Till the stars and the angels come to keep Their watch where my baby lies fast asleep." When she told him this, with her hand stroking his and folding it tight with many tender little claspings, he felt that he had found a part of his old home, too, as well as Aunt Desire.
One by one the tapers began to glow on the great tree, and when it was all ablaze the doors were opened for the children to flock in.

They stood about the room, bewildered at first, for not one of them had ever seen such a sight before; a tree that glittered and sparkled and shone, that bore stars and rainbows and snow wreaths and gay toys.

At first they only drew deep, wondering breaths, and looked at each other with shining eyes.

It was all so beautiful and so strange.
Joyce flew here and there, helping to distribute the gifts, feeling her heart grow warmer and warmer as she watched the happy children.