Chapter 12

CEDAR AND HOLLY.

One Saturday afternoon, about three weeks before Christmas, the boys marched triumphantly into Miss Brown's sitting-room with a large tissue-paper parcel. When this was undone, before the eager eyes of the M.Ks., there were four beautiful fragrant little baskets with tops of bright-colored silk.

"How pretty!"--"How lovely!"--"Where did you get them?"--"Surely you did not make them?"--"What are you going to do with them?"

"Why didn't we make them, I'd like to know?" asked Ikey proudly.

Certainly the boys had reason to be satisfied at the praise their work received.

"I know you did not sew on the silk," said Dora, examining one closely.

"Oh, well, Aunt Zelie and Cousin Helen did the sewing, of course, but we did all the rest," said Carl.

"And what do you mean to do with them?" asked Elsie.

"Sell them and give the money to the harp man."

They were so pretty there proved to be no trouble in disposing of them. Aunt Marcia, who was superintending a Christmas bazaar, offered to put them on one of her tables, where they sold the first evening for a dollar and a half apiece.

After this the meetings of the G.N. club had to give way to rehearsals for what Cousin Helen called "The Harp Man's Benefit," which was to occur on New Year's eve. In the meantime Uncle William had interested himself in the matter, and, through a friend who was a music dealer, a harp was lent to Mr. Finnelli till his own could be repaired.

"So we feel more comfortable about it now," said Louise, "and we think we'll make at least ten dollars at our entertainment."

Late in the afternoon of the day before Christmas Aunt Zelie sat alone in the library taking a moment's rest.

The sound of happy voices came through the open door. It was a custom in the family to decorate the hall on Christmas eve, and the children had been making wreaths and festoons of cedar, and having any amount of fun. They were now having a merry time over Ikey's suggestion to hang a holly wreath above the Big Front Door. From the top of the ladder Carl began:

"'Twas the night before Christmas,"

and the others chimed in:

"and all through the house Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse."

A moment later Aunt Zelie's quiet was invaded.

"Nothing makes me feel more like Christmas than that old rhyme," she said, as the laughing children gathered around her.

"Talk to us about Christmas, Auntie, please," said Louise.

"Could you possibly talk about anything else?" she asked. "What is it that makes this such a happy time?"

"Why," answered Carl, "it is because it is such fun to give presents to people, and know you are sure to get a lot yourself."

"Yes, it is because every one tries to make some one else happy. Why do we keep Christ's birthday in this way?"

"Because he came to make us happy, I suppose," said Bess.

"Don't you wish you could have heard the angels sing? I like that part of the story best where the shepherds are out in the fields," said Louise.

"I like the wise men seeing the star and bringing gifts," said Carl.

"It is beautiful from beginning to end, and it is a true story, that is what makes it so dear to us," Aunt Zelie said, looking into the fire.

"I wish it came oftener, a whole year is so long to wait," sighed Bess.

"Dear me," laughed her aunt, "I don't. It would take all my time to get ready. I have ever so many things to do after you are snugly tucked in bed."

"I think I'll not go to bed to-night," remarked Carl.

Even he was tired, however, after they had helped their father and Uncle William trim the hall. So many small fingers were sometimes a hindrance, but then it was "such fun."

"Christmas belongs to the children, so let them have a good time in their own way," said their uncle.

To the older people the season was full of memories of those who used to take part in the happy festival, but were there no longer; for the children's sake, however, no difference was made in the old customs.

All was done at last, even to fastening the mistletoe in the chandelier, and it only remained to hang the stockings beside the nursery fireplace. Carie's was already there and she herself safe in dreamland.

"I just can't wait till morning," said Bess, as she put up her own.

"It is nice to know it is coming, I think," and Louise twirled around on her toes and dropped her stocking into the grate.

"What will Santa Claus put your things in now?" laughed Carl.

"It is only scorched," she said, snatching it from the fire, which was fortunately low.

After some laughing and whispering over a plan for waking before any one else, they separated and were soon so soundly asleep that even Christmas was forgotten.

It was beginning to be light next morning when Louise opened her eyes to find Carl standing beside her.

"How hard you are to wake," he said. "It is daylight, and everybody will be up directly."

They aroused Bess, and the three ran first to their father's door, then to Aunt Zelie's, giving half a dozen hearty raps, and calling "Merry Christmas" at the tops of their voices.

When Mrs. Howard opened her door she saw three airily attired figures flying up the third-story stairs.

Hurrying into her dressing-gown, she followed. She found them in the star chamber with the window wide open, shouting themselves hoarse at Ikey, who had been awakened by the telephone bell.

"You crazy children, you will take cold! Put the window down at once."

"Oh, Auntie, it was such fun! Ikey was so surprised!" they cried.

"I should imagine so," severely.

"You needn't pretend to look cross, Aunt Zelie, for you just can't," laughed Carl.

"Now for our stockings!" cried Bess, and there was a rush for the nursery.

Such laughing, such squeals of delight, such cries of admiration, as were to be heard there for the next half hour!

Carie in her long night-gown pranced wildly around a wonderful white bear, which moved its head and growled in a most natural manner when Carl wound it up. Helen hugged in one arm the beautiful doll Cousin Helen had dressed for her, while she dived into the toe of her stocking. Bess and Louise sat on their new sled and turned the pages of a story-book. Carie brought matters to a climax by backing into her bath-tub, which Aunt Sukey had just brought in and placed by the fire. She was rescued, dripping and somewhat aggrieved, amid great laughter. Such an every-day matter as breakfast was hardly worth thinking of, there was so much else in prospect. All the uncles and aunts and cousins were coming to dinner, and after that the tree! There was enough to keep them in a gale of excitement.

Bess and Louise had a plan of their own which no one else knew about, and after breakfast they stole off together.

Going into her little study not long after, Aunt Zelie found them there. Bess stood on a chair holding a vase which she had just filled with white roses; Louise stood beside her with some others in her hand.

"Oh, Auntie!" they both exclaimed, "we didn't want you to come till it was all done."

"Shall I go away?" she asked, smiling.

"We'll tell you about it now, shan't we, Bess?" said Louise. "You know," she continued, as her sister nodded approval, "we thought perhaps Uncle Carl would be glad if we remembered him on Christmas, and we couldn't think of anything but flowers."

Bess had placed the vase on a bracket beneath her uncle's portrait, and now came down from the chair, adding anxiously, "You like it, don't you, Aunt Zelie?"

"The vase wouldn't hold them all, so you must wear the rest," and Louise put them into her hand.

Aunt Zelie silently kissed them both.

There was something about this kiss that for a moment clouded the brightness of the day for Bess. "I wish people did not die," she exclaimed with almost a sob, as they went downstairs.

"What makes you look so sober, I should like to know?" demanded Uncle William, who, with Aunt Marcia, was the first of the guests to arrive.

"I was just thinking," she replied, and then, as Aunt Zelie came in with her usual bright face and the roses on her breast, she felt reassured and danced away to be as merry as anybody.

Dora and Ikey were the only outsiders invited to the tree, which was much like other trees, and so does not need to be described. It was perfectly satisfactory, however, and they all had exactly what they wanted. Dora was amazed at the number of things that fell to her share, most of all at a small gold bracelet with a daisy on the clasp, from Aunt Marcia.

"You may be sure she likes you after that," whispered Aleck.

"Let's go over and wish Miss Brown a Merry Christmas," proposed Carl, when the candles began to burn low.

"We will storm Nottingham castle!" cried Ikey. "Come on!"

They received a cordial welcome. "What good children you are to think of me to-day!" she said, laying down her book.

"We have had such a beautiful time we thought we would finish it by coming to see you," said Dora.

"And thank you for our work-bags," added Bess.

"You need not think you have had all the Christmas on your side of the street," said Miss Brown, pointing to a rose-bush in bloom in the window and to some new books on her table. "And I should like to know," she continued, "how five little girls happened to guess what would please me most."

The M.Ks., after much discussion about their gift to Miss Brown, had accepted Aunt Zelie's advice and had themselves photographed in a group.

"I shall never be lonely again with these bright faces to look at," she said, lifting the picture from the floor beside her sofa.

"Did you have Christmas trees when you were a little girl, Miss Brown?" Louise asked.

"No, my grandmother used to celebrate New Year's day as the great holiday; we had gifts then, but not a tree."

"I haven't had one since I was a very little girl," said Dora; and Ikey added, "And neither have I."

"Did you have one when you were a little girl, Ikey?" asked Aleck gravely, making everybody laugh.

After they were gone Miss Brown sat alone in the firelight, thinking that of all the blessings the year had brought her, not the least was the friendship of these girls and boys.

Of all the young people invited to Uncle William's party, no one was in such a flutter of delight as Dora. Affairs of this kind were new to her, and as the Hazeltines had talked so much about it, it was no wonder she felt eager and excited as she dressed next evening.

"I suppose Elsie wouldn't go if she had to wear such plain things as mine," she thought as she took out her white dress. "Louise said they were going to wear white. Oh, dear! I should like to have nice clothes, but I can't bother mamma about it." Dora sighed, for she liked pretty things as much as anybody.

All trace of anything like discontent had disappeared when she stood before her mother to have her sash tied.

"You should have had a new dress, poor child," Mrs. Warner said sadly.

"No, Mamma dear," was the cheerful answer, "you must not mind. It does not matter what I wear; I shall have a good time."

"How fortunate it is that Dora cares so little about dress!" her mother thought as her daughter kissed her and ran down to the parlor, where Carl was waiting with a bunch of roses which he presented with much grace. The girls were in the carriage outside, and the drive through the streets, where the electric lights were just appearing, was no small part of the pleasure. Helen said it was like grown people going to a party. "But it is more fun to be children, I think," said Dora, burying her face in her flowers.

It was not quite like a grown-up party, for Uncle William's guests were invited to come at the sensible hour of six o'clock, but the beautiful house was all thrown open for their entertainment.

Dora forgot her dress as they went up the steps and were ushered into the brilliantly lighted hall.

They were the first arrivals, for the Hazeltine children were to assist in receiving the others, so when they came downstairs there were only Aunt Marcia, handsome and stately as usual, and Cousin Helen, looking exceedingly pretty in her pale-blue gown. The next comer was a tall gentleman whom Bess and Louise seemed to know very well. They called him Mr. Caruth, and were evidently delighted to see him.

"I am glad you came home in time for the party," Louise said to him; and Carl with an eye to business added, "You must come to our entertainment on New Year's eve, Mr. Caruth."

"What do you charge for reserved seats?" asked the gentleman, laughing.

"Suppose we give him an arm-chair and make him pay a dollar for it," suggested Miss Hazeltine.

"He is a very nice man," Bess whispered to Dora. "We wish he would marry Cousin Helen, for then he would be related to us."

"Upon my word!" Miss Hazeltine exclaimed, so suddenly that Bess gave a guilty start, "I have forgotten my office; come here and be decorated before any more arrive." From a basket she took a handful of badges.

"What are these for?" Louise asked as her cousin pinned one on her shoulder.

"You will find out by and by," said Uncle William, coming in with a red rose in his buttonhole.

And now the fun began. The children came in so rapidly that Cousin Helen had to have an assistant to fasten on the badges, and Mr. Hazeltine was here, there, and everywhere, seeing that no one was left out of the good time. They played games and danced, grown people and all, and later in the evening Mr. Frank Hazeltine actually induced Aunt Marcia to take part in "Tucker," to the delight of her young relatives.

It was particularly exciting when Uncle William was "Tucker." They came through the grand right and left positively breathless, and everybody was glad of a few minutes' rest before supper.

"Isn't it strange that Dora does not have prettier dresses?" Elsie Morris whispered to the girl next her. "I like her ever so much, but she wears the plainest clothes."

As she spoke Dora passed to join Bess, who was beckoning to her from the other side of the room. She heard enough of what was said to make her color deepen as she went straight on.

"Elsie, she knew you were talking about her," cried Constance Myer.

"No, she didn't," Elsie insisted, feeling very much ashamed.

"She won't have any use for you after this," remarked Jim Carter, who was standing near. He found that he was mistaken, however. When they were decorating themselves with the tissue-paper caps and favors found in the bonbons, Elsie, who was a most fastidious little mortal, exclaimed, "I wish my cap was not green. I can't wear it with a blue dress."

"I'll change with you, for mine is blue and I like green quite as well."

It was Dora who stood beside her, holding out the cap. Poor Elsie was greatly abashed and couldn't say a word, but Dora insisted.

"Please take it; I want you to have it, you will look so pretty in it."

She was exceedingly surprised when Elsie put her arms around her neck and kissed her, saying:

"You are the best girl in the world."

It was a small thing, for Dora had spoken truly when she said that she liked one as well as the other, but it made a deep impression upon two people. Elsie began from that moment to be more careful and kind in her criticisms, and Jim rather reluctantly came to the conclusion that this was better and finer than showing resentment.

When supper was over the company was pervaded by a feeling that something interesting was about to happen.

"What is on hand, Louise, do you know?" Aleck asked, and at that moment Uncle William was heard making an announcement. He had had an interview with Santa Claus, he said, as the old gentleman was passing through the city in a hurry to get home, and after some persuasion he had prevailed upon him to wait over and receive any of the young people present who cared to call on him.

This occasioned great applause, and all were eager to pay their respects to jolly St. Nicholas.

Half a dozen at a time, according to the numbers on their badges, were conducted to a curtained doorway and told to enter. They all seemed to enjoy the interview, for they came out with smiling faces, and not empty-handed either.

The children of the family were, of course, the last to go in, and Dora waited for them.

The room was one which Uncle William called his den, and the figure in the arm-chair would have been recognized anywhere by his rosy countenance and long white beard. He wore his fur great-coat, and his cap and gloves lay on the table.

He gave them a friendly greeting, saying, "So you are the last? It is a fortunate thing, for if I wait much longer I shall miss my train."

"I did not know you travelled in that way," said Carl mischievously.

"Dear me, boy! How could I manage with a sleigh and reindeer in this mud? I save those for colder climates. Now, before I am off, I think I have something left in my bag."

Opening a large satchel, he brought out half a dozen packages, and then taking up his cap and gloves and wishing them a Happy New Year, he was off before they could say "Jack Robinson."

"He is a fine old fellow," said Carl, examining the gun he had been wishing for.

"Indeed he is!" echoed Dora, taking a peep at the beautiful illustrated copy of "Little Women," and then she was called to lead in the closing Virginia reel with Uncle William.

"Well, how did you like the party?" Carl asked her as they drove home.

"I have had the best time I ever had in my life," she answered with a happy laugh.