{{betlep129.png}} Chapter IX Mysteries, Preparations And A "Trade-Last" It was characteristic of Betty's rushing life, a life she loved, by the way, that she should be whisked from Lucia's woes and the glimpse of life at the Murchison home to the problems of Doris, in her own well ordered home, and then to the pushing program of school, with the last Christmas preparations. Plenty of sleep at night, on which Betty's parents insisted as a rule, gave Betty energy for every day's full pro- gram. There is no time so full of joyous anticipa- tions, merriment and human kindness as that just before Christmas. Temporarily Betty was in charge of a Sunday school class of children, little girls whose teacher was ill. These she was teaching Luke's beautiful Christmas story and to sing out sweetly "It came upon the mid- night clear, That glorious song of old," for they were to sing that in their Christmas celebration. Betty herself was to be an angel in the Christ- mas pageant at the church and had finally a [[129]]