The elderly shopkeeper watched her out of the corner of one eye. while pretending to be concentrating on his ledger . It had always been his dream to run a toy shop of the kind that he had enjoyed going to when he was young. Now he was retired and had the money to indulge himself he could do just that. There were the  new and expensive toys from which he made his money, and second hand ones priced for the children to buy. He knew that  the brand new  dolls house she had been admiring for weeks and weeks had gone- she had been saving her pocket money but it had not been nearly enough. The little girl stood for a moment longer  with her nose pressed against the window. She was so disappointed.   She could picture it now - there had been shutters on the windows which you opened to see inside. There had even been a family of dolls whose home it had been and a lot of furniture inside. Ah well....

The door bell rang as she went into the shop anyway - just to look. The toyshop man didn't mind children who were just looking . He even kept a small jar of sweets for what he termed his favourite customers, "Hello my dear" " I'm afraid the dolls house was sold earlier today. It's for a little girl who isn't very well and can't get out much. Her daddy hopes that this will perhaps cheer her up. I know you had rather had your heart set on it." "Have you seen this?" " It was brought in to me today by an old gentleman. He says that it used to belong to  his father and grandfather before him but that the time has now come for it to go to someone young who will appreciate it.

Unwrapping the paper which was covering the object revealed an old fashioned toy theatre which looked just like the real thing. She remembered the only time she had been to see a pantomime - could almost smell the atmosphere.   "It comes with scenery, and there is the script for Cinderella . Do you see how it works?  He stopped there because she was busy exploring everything, and thinking. " I would love to have it. I like writing stories, and I could maybe write some more scripts and -but is it very expensive? "

He looked at his ledger in which he recorded details of all his pocket money savers, and, finding her name, said " You have £2 10shillings. I think that would be enough" "Would you be willing to do me a small service in return? When you know how to work everything and are ready, come and entertain some visitors who would love to see it working. I will talk to your Mummy and Daddy- maybe they could come too".

 The parcel was carefully wrapped, and she stepped out into the street again -  smiling at the people in the street as she walked home.

His wife who had been listening to all this from the back of the shop said " You do like to play at  being Santa Claus don't you- you loved that theatre and it would have made a small fortune if you had sold it at the right price."

"Well I think that's what Christmas is all about- not just about making a profit. Children find out soon enough that life is not a bed of roses, so if I can help at all I do like to do it".

He put the shop closed sign up and walked into the small sitting room at the back of the shop. " Put the kettle on love" " You know that she reminds me of our Molly all these years ago, don't you? She would have approved, I'm sure!"

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New Year's Eve

"Grandpa, grandpa" said a little voice, tugging impatiently at his sleeve. The old man wakened with a start, to find his grand daughter  who he was supposed to be looking after at his side trying to attract his attention. "Grandpa there is something scratching at the door. Can you open the door please - I can't reach the key!" There was a whine, and more scratching, then a series of short barks which got increasingly desperate. Slowly he got to his feet, and went to do as she asked. A little dog stood shivering there and not just with the cold but anxiety as to his welcome.  Outside nothing else was stirring and the pavements were covered in a hoar frost . His was the only light on in the street as all the other shopkeepers had given up for the day and gone home.

He found some food, and a bowl for water. The dog was a small crossbreed with no collar, whose coat was dirty and unkempt. He was so grateful for the shelter that he wrapped himself around the old man's feet and licked his hands over and over again.

The old man thought he detected a note of relief in the warm brown eyes: I don't want much, just a place to rest  and your love. If you love me, I will defend you and love you and your family in return.

We'll see, he said to himself. Perhaps .... oh dear, what would his wife say.

By the time his wife returned, she found all three cuddled up together on the sofa and fast asleep. She smiled to herself. Whatever next!