Chapter 13

THE HARP MAN'S BENEFIT.

"Where is my wig?"

"I have lost my banner!"

"Tell Ikey to hurry, he has to go on first. Do you think that chimney will stand?"

There was such confusion behind the scenes on New Year's eve that Cousin Helen put her hands over her ears when she came in.

"It is time to begin," she said. "Ikey and Helen are first."

The performers had advertised their entertainment very thoroughly, and as a result a large and interested audience of young people had assembled before eight o'clock.

When at length the curtain rose in response to vigorous clapping, it brought to view a fine stage, on which was a cottage with a window and door and a lifelike chimney, and everything was covered with glistening snow. After the audience had had time to admire this scene sufficiently, a boy and girl entered, dressed in outdoor costume. They looked sad, and the girl took her handkerchief from her muff and held it to her eyes. Her companion begged her not to cry, for Father Time would surely help them. Then he knocked at the door of the cottage. It opened at once and out came a veritable Father Time, leaning on his staff. His long white beard, his scythe and hourglass, all proved his identity. Looking at the children he asked:

"Who is it knocks at my door to-day? Speak to me quickly, I cannot stay."

The little girl replied:

"Dear Father Time, we've come to you, Perhaps you'll tell us what to do. Our teacher says that in the year Too many holidays appear. She says we must at least drop one, And she'd be glad if there were none."

And the boy added:

"It is hard to know what day to choose, When there isn't one you care to lose."

In great astonishment Father Time exclaimed:

"To drop a holiday! Absurd! Impossible! Upon my word! Affairs like this belong to me, As I'll soon let this teacher see."

He rapped on the ground with his staff and a small page appeared, wearing a pointed cap and carrying a tin horn. Bowing low before Father Time, he was instructed to call the Holidays together. He withdrew and was heard blowing his horn in the distance. Presently music sounded, and the eight Holidays came marching in, with banners, singing:

"Joyous Holidays, Full of gayety, Bringing happy hours, Merry days are we.

"Children love us well, Surely they have reason. Happiness and mirth Bring we every season.

"Father Time, we've come, Answering to your call, Glad to do your will Are we one and all."

After marching twice around the stage they took their stand in a semicircle before Father Time and the children.

Father Time: "These children have come to me in deep distress, because their teacher (a most singular person) says there are too many Holidays, and one of them must be given up. I have sent for you to reassure them; speak for yourselves."

The Holidays looked at each other in dismay, and exclaimed:

"Holidays are we, And we've come to stay, Caring not a whit What such people say."

Boy and girl (clapping their hands): "Oh, dear Holidays, we are so glad! But are you _sure_ she can't send any of you away?"

New Year's day now stepped forward. It was Jim Carter, whose suit of cotton batting, decorated with tinsel and cedar, was most becoming. Banner in hand he recited:

"First upon the list, I'd be greatly missed. Pages fresh and new, Resolutions true, Wishes for good cheer In the coming year, Where would these all be, Were it not for me?"

Both children:

"No matter what the teachers say, We can't give up our New Year's Day."

Next came Elsie, looking exceedingly like a valentine in her gauzy dress, her fair hair waving over her shoulders. In her own airy way she recited:

"Surely you know, if you are not quite stupid, That I belong to that gay god Cupid. Send me away and I very much fear You'll find him infesting each day of the year."

Both children:

"We never could endure to part From you who lie so near our heart."

The next Holiday excited great laughter and applause as he came forward. It was Aleck, in powdered wig, velvet coat, knee breeches, silk stockings, and shining shoe-buckles. In one hand he carried a small hatchet. The occasion was almost too much for him, and he spoke his lines with difficulty:

"My very great importance To see you cannot fail, I point a useful moral And adorn a thrilling tale. And with my honored hatchet I'm sure you'll ever find I make a good impression Upon the youthful mind."

Girl and boy:

"Indeed, we do not doubt you; We could never do without you."

Washington's Birthday was of course followed by April Fool's Day. This part was taken by Fred Ames, in a suit of figured chintz, with cap and bells. He recited:

"Don't think I'm the one to be laid on the shelf; I have a few words now to say for myself. To nonsense each one at some time must give vent; To furnish you with an excuse I am sent. To give you a day without precept or rule, In which you may each be a gay April Fool."

The children:

"Though not the most important on the list, We know, dear April Fool, you would be missed."

Next came Constance, with a garland of roses on her head, and her white dress trimmed with flowers. She recited:

"When first the flowers begin to show Their happy little faces, And tiny leaves begin to grow, To make us shady places, 'Tis then I sing in merry tune-- Sweet Summer's coming very soon."

The children:

"Pretty May-Day must not go, We have always loved her so."

After Constance came Louise, who made a charming Goddess of Liberty, dressed in stars and stripes, with a flag in her hand. She said:

"I come to tell the story Of the birthday of our land, To remind you of her glory, And to help you understand How by good men, brave and true, This great land was won for you."

The children:

"Dear Fourth, we love your fun and noise, You're ever dear to girls and boys."

Thanksgiving Day was represented by Dora, dressed as a Puritan maiden, carrying a basket of apples and a sheaf of wheat. She made a pleasant picture as she recited:

"When wintry days once more appear, I come well laden with good cheer. You can't lose _me_ at any rate, For I'm appointed by the State."

The children:

"As long as we're living We'll keep dear Thanksgiving."

Last of all came Christmas Day. This was Carl, in white, like New Year's, with trimmings of holly and mistletoe. A brave young Holiday he looked, as he repeated:

"Last comes to you the merry day O'er which St. Nicholas holds sway; A day that's sent your hearts to fill With peace and joy and glad goodwill. And down through all the centuries long Echo the angel words and song, And every year again I tell The old sweet story, loved so well."

As he finished, the children said eagerly:

"Dear Holidays, we love you all; You're good and true and gay, And we hope, as you have said, That all have come to stay. But though we value all the rest, 'Tis Christmas Day we love the best."

At this the other Holidays stepped out, and bowing to Christmas, said:

"We all unite in words of praise, And crown him king of Holidays."

Then New Year's Day placed a crown on his head, May-Day gave him a rose, Fourth of July, a flag, Thanksgiving, an apple, Washington's Birthday offered his hatchet, and St. Valentine gave him a sugar heart; and joining hands the children and the Holidays danced around him, singing:

"We all unite in words of praise, And crown him king of Holidays."

The curtain fell on a tableau: the Holidays, with their flags and banners, old Father Time, and the happy children.

The applause was so vehement it had to rise again for a moment, and then there was an intermission while some of the actors changed their costumes.

When the curtain went up for the last time the cottage was gone, and in its place appeared a row of high-backed chairs on which were seated five little ladies in the quaintest of short-waisted gowns, each with a reticule on her arm, from which she took her needles and began to knit. Then Bess, who sat at one end of the line, looked up, and said in her own sweet little way:

"We're learning to knit, you see, because We wish to be nice grandmammas; You would not care, I'm sure, a bit For a grandmamma who couldn't knit."

Dora, who came next, continued:

"How daintily warm, how soft and sweet, The tiny socks for baby's feet. Nothing you'll find in all the land Fashioned like these by grandma's hand."

Here Elsie took it up:

"All the older children too can tell How grandma's stockings wear so well, And how she makes, with greatest pains, Comforters, afghans, balls, and reins."

Louise had just made a discovery that surprised her, and with shining eyes she recited:

"There's nothing so good, the children know, As grandmamma's stories of long ago. Empty-handed she could not tell All the dear old stories half so well."

Constance sat at the end of the row, and looking at the others she said:

"When she was a girl like you and me, 'Twas then she learned to knit, you see. So like her now we must begin Carefully putting the stitches in."

Then together they recited:

"Our shining needles we gayly ply, Getting ready for by and by. Aren't you glad to know there'll be Five old ladies as nice as we?"

At the last line they rose, each dropped a profound courtesy and marched from the stage. The enthusiastic audience recalled them half a dozen times, till Mr. Hazeltine was obliged to announce that the entertainment was over.

No one had enjoyed it more than a person who sat in an easy-chair, where without any effort she could see all that went on.

Here the children gathered when it was over, exclaiming, "Why, Miss Brown, we did not know you were coming! How did you get here, and how did you like it?"

It was of no use to try to answer so many questions, so she only laughed and said she had enjoyed herself immensely.

Then they must rush off to see how much money had been taken in.

Mr. Caruth, who had been pressed into service as doorkeeper by Cousin Helen, was in the hall with Aunt Zelie.

"Here are nine dollars and a half for you, Grandma," he said, putting a box into Louise's hands.

"Oh, thank you! Then that will be enough with the basket money. Don't you think our entertainment was pretty good, Mr. Caruth?" she asked.

"Delightful! I was just telling Mrs. Howard that it was a star performance," he answered.

"I don't know what that is, but Aunt Zelie and Cousin Helen made it all up, every bit," Bess said proudly.

The performers were so enchanted with the evening's fun that they refused to take off their gay costumes, and declared one and all that they meant to see the old year out.

The Father of his Country forgot his dignity, and cut up all sorts of antics with April Fool's Day. Even Father Time joined in the fun, and Christmas and New Year bestrewed the floor with cotton batting as they danced with the old ladies.

But they were tired out before midnight, and when the city bells rang in the new year they were all sound asleep and heard not a bit of it.

And this is what came of it:

Of course in the first place the harp was mended and paid for, and its owner was able once more to earn something for his family. With her burden thus made lighter, Marie worked away cheerfully at her embroidery, and Tina went happily to school in the warm dress Mrs. Howard gave her. Many were the blessings invoked on the heads of the young people who had helped them!

"But after all," said Bess, "it was only fun for us."

In the second place Uncle William was so pleased with the five old ladies that a charming idea came into his head. After a consultation with Miss Brown, he sent them one Saturday afternoon a note and a big bundle. Here is the note:

MY DEAR LITTLE FRIENDS: I was delighted the other night to find that your small fingers were already learning to be useful, and I take the liberty of giving them some more work to do. I know an old colored woman who, after spending most of her life in taking care of little children, is now paralyzed, and can only lie in bed. Nothing pleases her so much as bright colors, so I want you to make her a gay afghan. She will not mind any uneven stitches if they happen to put in, and will be very proud of it.

I send the yarn of which to make it. There are to be five stripes, one for each of you.

Hoping that you will enjoy the work, and at the same time the thought that it is to please a poor old invalid, I am affectionately your friend,

WILLIAM S. HAZELTINE.

The bundle when it was unrolled was found to contain some of the oddest-looking balls of yarn that ever were seen.

"I think he must have wound them himself," remarked Louise, shaking her head over the lumpy, unsymmetrical ball she held.

However, Miss Brown said the shape did not matter, and work was begun, with great interest. Dora was the first to make a discovery, perhaps because she could knit more rapidly than the others. One of the lumps in her ball proved to be caused by something rolled in tissue paper. Feeling sure that this was the key to one of Uncle William's surprises, they looked on eagerly while she pulled the paper off and found a gold thimble with her name on it. Not long after Elsie found a tiny pair of scissors. Never had any work been so delightful! It usually happened that some one of the gay balls yielded a prize each Saturday afternoon. Sometimes only a big sugar plum, but oftener something pretty and useful. A tiny book of texts, a dainty handkerchief rolled into smallest compass, rings of twisted gold with the letters M.K. on bangles attached to them,--these were some of the things found in the wonder balls, for that is what they are called in Germany, where Mr. Hazeltine first heard of them.

"It is so exactly like him, I thought he must have invented it himself," said Dora.