Explore "The Poor Count's Christmas" by Frank R. Stockton on Textopian. Read with annotations and highlights.
Very many years ago there lived a noble Count, who was one of the kindest and best-hearted men in the world. Every day in the year he gave to the poor and helped the friendless, but it was at the merry Christmas-time that his goodness shone brightest. He had even vowed a vow that, as far as he was able to make them so, every child he knew should be happy Christmas-day.
Early every Christmas morning each boy and girl in the neighborhood who was old enough, and not too old, came to the castle of the Count Cormo, and there the Count and Countess welcomed them all, rich or poor, and through the whole day there were games, and festive merry-making, and good things to eat, and fun of every kind, and besides all this, there was a grand Christmas-tree, with a present on it for each of the eager, happy youngsters who stood around it.