The Schoolteacher’s Christmas

It was Millie Cavanaugh’s first Christmas alone. She didn’t regret the absence of her foster family — she was glad to be free of the teasing and the borrowed clothes. But it was just a little lonely to be all alone at Christmas time. Her parents had died when she was very young, and she had been brought up by a well-meaning, but not very caring or kind, family. 


She was excited to be working as a teacher, to finally be on her own, and to be able to pay back the family who raised her. She had just taken up a position as the schoolteacher in a small pioneer town. She lived in the small teacherage next to the schoolhouse. She was thankful for the well-stocked pantry and woodpile, and some of the farmers had supplied her with produce, meat, milk, and eggs as part of their payment. 


She had made small preparations for Christmas — her Christmas dinner alone, a tiny tree, and small gifts that she had made for the missionary box at church. She had decided that since she had no one to receive presents from, or to give to, she would make presents for the missionary box, and enjoy opening them on Christmas morning, and then take them to the church later that day. It was a little silly, she knew, but no one else would know. 


Christmas Eve was a short school day. Millie was about to dismiss her students to go home and celebrate with their families when a blizzard struck. Once it became obvious that no one would be able to get home for Christmas, they made plans to celebrate together in the tiny teacherage. They used the clothesline and went out in the blizzard to make a life line back to the house. They bundled up the little ones and all worked together to get safely back to the house.


Millie and the older children did all they could to ensure that the young ones would have a fun Christmas. They prepared Christmas dinner and decorated the tree. They read the story together by firelight. Even the most hardened, difficult boys started to soften as the evening went along. 


The boys camped out in the sitting room, and the girls joined Millie in her tiny bedroom. In the morning, Millie was able to find a present for each one out of the gifts she had made for the missionary box. The children lamented that they had no present for her. But as Millie looked around at the smiling faces, she realized that they were a better present than she could have ever expected.

 

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