One Christmas Time by Eleanora H. Stooke
On a damp, chilly London evening shortly before Christmas, a young medical student named Jim Blewett pauses outside a toy shop window filled with dolls. He notices a poorly dressed young girl gazing wistfully at the display and, in his characteristically warm and impulsive manner, takes her inside and purchases her a rosy-cheeked doll in an amber gown for half a crown. The girl, Maggie Blundell, runs home to her garret room to give the doll to her bedridden elder sister Annie, who suffers from a spinal injury caused by an accident in infancy when their now-deceased, alcoholic father had dropped her. Their widowed mother, Mrs. Blundell, supports the two children by working as a button-hole maker until her eyes ache, barely managing to keep the family fed and housed. Jim lodges with a cheerful, hardworking widow named Mrs. Metherell, who embodies the same generous Christian spirit as her tenant. As Christmas draws near, Mrs. Metherell organises a modest Christmas Eve party for a group of impoverished local children. She and Jim together decorate a Christmas tree, and Jim contributes a turkey and large cake sent to him by family in Cornwall. The party proves a great success, filled with good food, games, and genuine warmth. Maggie Blundell is among the guests, and she and Jim recognise each other, leading Maggie to tell him about her sick sister, their hardworking mother, and the difficult circumstances of their life. Jim visits the Blundell family and examines Annie's back. He arranges for a senior house surgeon to assess her condition, and the verdict is cautiously hopeful: with fresh country air and proper care, Annie may in time recover considerably. Jim also notices that Mrs. Blundell's face is familiar and, on learning her maiden name was Dinah Mudford, recalls her as a former parlour-maid in his family's household in Cornwall. Mrs. Blundell had married against her father's wishes, been abandoned to poverty after her husband's decline into drink and subsequent death, and had been too ashamed and afraid to contact her estranged father, old John Mudford, a self-made dairy farmer of some modest means. Jim, true to his nature of involving himself helpfully in others' affairs, writes directly to John Mudford, plainly stating his daughter's circumstances and urging him to act. Rather than reply by letter, the old man travels to London at once. Jim introduces him to Mrs. Metherell, who has known Mrs. Blundell for years, and then escorts him up the dark staircase to the garret. The reunion between father and daughter is deeply emotional, and the old man's hardness has long since given way to genuine Christian repentance and longing. He offers immediate forgiveness and invites his daughter and both grandchildren to return with him to Cornwall. The family accepts, and in the wholesome country air, Mrs. Blundell recovers her health and spirits, Maggie flourishes, and Annie gradually gains strength, eventually becoming able to move about. Jim Blewett, meanwhile, is appointed junior house surgeon at his London hospital, suggesting his future lies in the city rather than the countryside he had once imagined returning to. Mrs. Metherell continues running her lodging house with Clara at her side. The doll in the amber gown, named Rose by the children, is kept as a treasured possession and a reminder of the chain of small, kindly acts that, beginning with a simple Christmas gift to a poor child on a wet London street, brought together estranged family members, restored health and hope, and delivered unexpected joy to those who had known mostly hardship.
By Eleanora H. Stooke · First published 1903 · Genre: Holiday Fiction, Domestic Fiction, Contemporary Fiction · 8 chapters · 14,475 words
First lines
IT was a wretched evening, only a few days before the joyful Christmas season. The weather was damp and chill, and the London streets were slippery and comfortless. Pale, shivering forms sheltered themselves in every conceivable nook which was safe, for a time at any rate, from the keen scrutiny of the police; business men and women were wending their different ways homewards from the City, and the theatres and other places of amusement were not yet open. The shops were with enticing articles displayed to the best advantage, and many a poor child stood wistfully gazing at the fruit in the grocers' windows, so temptingly set out, as though to purposely tantalize hungry eyes.
What this Textopian page supports
One Christmas Time is listed on Textopian as a short story by Eleanora H. Stooke, dated 1903 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Eleanora H. Stooke
- Date: 1903 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Holiday Fiction, Domestic Fiction, Contemporary Fiction, Sentimental Fiction, Coming-of-Age
- Length: 14,475 words
- Structure: 8 chapters, 352 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for One Christmas Time by Eleanora H. Stooke
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Genres
- Holiday Fiction — The title explicitly references Christmas, indicating the central seasonal theme and setting that defines the narrative.
- Domestic Fiction — The intimate, personal nature suggested by the title implies focus on family relationships and household experiences during the holiday period.
- Contemporary Fiction — The straightforward, modern title suggests a realistic portrayal of Christmas experiences in contemporary settings.
- Sentimental Fiction — Christmas-themed narratives typically emphasize emotional warmth, nostalgia, and meaningful human connections.
Tags
Christmas · holiday fiction · children's literature · juvenile fiction · family · winter · festive traditions · Christian themes · kindness · generosity · friendship · home life
Contents
- Concerning a Doll in an Amber-Coloured Gown
- How the Doll was Received in the Blundell Family
- Concerning Jim Blewett and his Landlady
- Maggie is Invited to a Party
- Preparing for Mrs. Metherell's Party
- Mrs. Metherell's Party
- Jim Blewett Visits the Blundells, and Interferes in their Concerns
- The Results of Jim Blewett's Interference