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XVI.
_SHOPPING FOR CHRISTMAS._
ON Monday afternoon Aunt Annie came for the children, according topromise, and Aunt Helen was with her.
"For I have a little business with Maggie," said Mrs. Duncan; "butno one else is to know what it is, so mamma and Bessie are to ask noquestions."
This was delightfully mysterious.
"Nobody is to ask questions at Christmas-time," said Bessie, gravely."Mamma made that yule."
"And it is a wise one too," said Aunt Helen.
"How long do you suppose our Meg can keep a secret, Aunt Helen?" askedFred.
"I know she has kept one for three months so well, that I am going totrust her with a second."
"Pretty good for Midget," said Fred.
It was indeed a triumph for heedless Maggie. So carefully had shekept the secret of the picture, not even saying, "I know something,"or, "Something is going to happen," that mamma suspected nothing; andthough Bessie knew there _was_ a secret, she had not the least ideawhat it might be.
Aunt Helen started first with Maggie, telling her sister Annie andBessie to meet them in a certain book-store.
"Now, Maggie," she said when they were in the street. "I am going toreward you for keeping our secret by letting you choose the frame forthe picture."
The little girl was delighted, but when they reached the store, and shesaw frames of all kinds and sizes, she became confused, and could nottell which to decide upon.
"That one is too large," said Mrs. Duncan, as Maggie pointed out oneshe thought she should like. "No, dear, that is too small again.There," and her aunt laid four or five of the proper size, in front ofthe child; "any of those will do; suppose you choose one from amongthem."
So, after some more hesitation, Maggie chose a dark walnut frame, withsilver nails; and Aunt Helen said she had shown very good taste. ThenMrs. Duncan gave the man directions about the picture, which she hadsent to him in the morning. He bowed and wrote them down, and thensaid, looking at the rosy, happy face which was peeping at him over thecounter, "'Tis a capital likeness too, ma'am; never saw a better."
"Aunt Helen," said Maggie, as they left the store, "did that man meanhe knew our Bessie, and thought you made a good picture of her?"
"I thought you were to ask no questions at Christmas-time," said Mrs.Duncan.
"Oh!" said Maggie. "I did not know I must not ask about things likethat; I thought mamma meant bundles and work, and such things."
Aunt Helen only laughed, and began to talk of something else, andpresently they came to the book-store, where Annie and Bessie werewaiting for them.
At the lower end of this store was a large table, and upon it were anumber of beautiful and useful things intended for presents. There werewriting-cases and work-boxes, paper-cutters and weights, beautifulpictures and all kinds of knick-knacks.
"Aunt Helen," said Maggie, eagerly, "do you not think we could findsomething on that table that would make nice presents for papa andmamma?"
"I do not doubt it," said Mrs. Duncan, "if you could pay for them; butI fear, dear Maggie, all those pretty things are quite too expensivefor you to buy."
"Well," said the little girl, with a sigh, "I suppose we may look atthem while you and Aunt Annie buy your books; may we not?"
"If I thought I could trust you not to touch anything, you might. Butsome of those things are very costly, and you might do much mischief ifyou meddled with them."
"Aunt Helen," said Bessie, looking up with a very sober face, "we nevermeddle when we go shopping. Mamma has taught us that, and gen-yally weyemember what she tells us."
"I believe you do," said Mrs. Duncan, smiling. "Well, then, I willtrust you;" and she and her sister walked to the other end of the storeto look at some books, leaving the children to amuse themselves.
A gentleman was sitting near the table reading a newspaper, and whenBessie had spoken out so solemnly, he had looked up with a twinklein his eye. The little girls did not notice him, however, nor did heseem to be paying attention to them. They walked round and round, nowpeeping at this thing, now at that, but never offering to lay a fingerupon one.
"Oh," said Maggie. "I do wish, I do wish we could buy some of thesebeautiful things for papa and mamma! But I suppose we'll have to waittill we're quite grown up, and then perhaps they will all be gone. Justsee this paper-weight, Bessie. Would it not be nice for papa? But Ithink it costs a great deal, and I can only afford twenty cents."
"And see this lovely little picture, Maggie. Mamma would like it so, Iknow. See, it has the cross and a pretty vine all around it, and somewords. Can you yead it?"
"S-i-m--sim," spelt Maggie, "p-l-y--ply, simply--to--thy--cross--Oh! itmust be 'Simply to thy cross I cling.'"
"Yes," said Bessie, "it's out of 'Yock of Ages,' and mamma loves thathymn so much. Oh! I do want it for her! Do you think twenty cents willbuy it, Maggie?"
"I guess not; but we'll ask. I'd like to be grown up for two things, soI'd never have to go to bed till I chose, and so I could have plenty ofmoney to give everybody everything they wanted. Just see that pictureof a dog, Bessie. Does it not look like our Flossy? I wish it wasnearer, so we could see it better."
"I can't see it at all," said Bessie, raising herself on tiptoe, togain a view of the picture which was in the centre of the table. "Iwish it was nearer, but we must not touch."
"I'd like to see him better, too," said Maggie. "I want to know if hereally is like Flossy, or if he just looks so 'cause he is so far off;I know I wouldn't break it either if I moved it; but then--we promised."
"And mamma said we were _never_ to touch without permission," saidBessie; "and we're trusted."
They both stood for some minutes, Maggie looking wishfully at the dog,Bessie still stretching up her neck in a vain attempt to see him, whenMaggie suddenly said, "Bessie, mamma said it was not right to putourselves in the way of temptation, and I think I am doing it. This wasjust the way I did the day I meddled with papa's inkstand. I stoodlooking at it, and looking at it, and wishing I had it, till at last Itouched it, and did such a lot of mischief. I sha'n't look at the dogany more, and let's go to the other side, and we wont think about it."
As they turned to do as Maggie proposed, they saw a miserable-lookingface peeping in at the glass door. It was that of a boy about eightyears old, poor, and in rags, his features all pinched with coldand hunger. He was gazing wistfully at the pretty things and thecomfortably-dressed people who were within, and perhaps wishing thatChristmas brought such happiness to him. As one after another passed inand out, he held up his thin hand and asked for help, but few heededhim.
"See that poor boy," said Bessie; "I don't believe he has any money tobuy Christmas presents."
"I'm afraid not," said Maggie; "I guess he has not enough to buy breadand fire; he looks so cold and thin, and what dreadful old clothes hehas!"
"Poor fellow!" said Bessie, in a pitying voice. "I s'pose he would likesome money very much. Do you think we could spare him a little of ours,Maggie?"
"If we do, we can't spend so much for our presents," answered Maggie,pulling out her portmonnaie from her muff and looking doubtfully at it.
"Do you think papa and mamma would mind it, Maggie, if we each gave theboy five cents, and did not spend quite twenty for them?"
"I don't like to take it off papa's and mamma's presents," said Maggie."They are so very good to us, I want to give them all we can; but,Bessie, I'll tell you. You know I was going to spend ten cents for you,and you ten cents for me. Now we might only spend five cents for eachother, and then we can each give five to the boy. I don't mind, if youdon't, Bessie."
"No, Maggie, I'd yather give it to him, and then maybe he'll look alittle glad."
So each taking five cents from her pocket-book, they ran to the doorand put the money into the poor boy's hand, who did indeed look "alittle glad" as he received it.
When they came back to the table, the picture of the dog stood justin front, where not only Maggi
e but Bessie, also, could see it quiteplainly.
"I hope nobody will think we meddled with that picture," said Bessie.
"No one shall think so," said the gentleman, who had been sitting near,as he rose and threw down his paper. "I moved it myself."
"Then, if you please, sir," said Bessie, "will you tell the storepeople you did it? I s'pose they wouldn't think you were naughty,'cause you're big; but we are forbidden to touch, and we were trusted."
"And I see you are fit to be trusted," said the gentleman, smiling;"and I have a right to touch what I please here, for the store and allthe things in it belong to me. Is there nothing upon the table whichyou would like to buy?"
"Yes, sir," said Bessie, while Maggie was hanging her head in aterrible fit of shyness at being talked to by this stranger, "if wecould afford it; but we think all these things cost too much. We havenot a very great deal of money."
"Let me hear what you would like to have, and I can tell you theprice," said the gentleman.
"How much is that paper-weight?" asked Bessie.
"Fifteen cents."
Bessie's eyes sparkled, and Maggie looked up in great surprise.
"And this cross, sir, how much is that?" said Bessie.
"That, also, is fifteen cents."
"Then we'll take them both for papa and mamma. I think you are a verycheap gentleman, sir. We thought they would be too 'spensive for usto buy," said the little girl. "Mamma will be very pleased with thislovely picture."
"I hope so," said the gentleman. "Such a good mamma as you havedeserves to have a present that will please her."
"Do you know my mamma, sir?" asked Bessie, as she handed him the priceof her picture.
"No, but I am sure your mamma is a lady and a good woman, although I donot know her, and I am sure, also, that she has taught you well, andthat you have paid heed to her lessons."
Bessie was herself quite certain of all this, but she wondered how thegentleman could know it when he was a stranger to her mother. Perhapsyou and I may be able to guess.
"And papa deserves a nice present, too," she said; "he is an excellentgentleman."
"I have not a doubt of it," said her new friend. "And now I suppose youwould like to have your purchases wrapped up, so that your papa andmamma may not see them before the proper time."
"We would like to show them to our aunt first," said Bessie; and sheand Maggie scampered off with their treasures.
But when Aunt Helen saw them, she said there must be some mistake."Those things are worth much more than you have paid for them, mydarlings, you have misunderstood; or some one has been joking with you."
"Indeed, indeed, Aunt Helen, we did not make a mistake, and thegentleman was quite sober," said Maggie.
"Who sold them to you?" asked Mrs. Duncan.
Bessie pointed out the person, and Mrs. Duncan went to speak to him.Her little nieces looked after her with anxious eyes, fearing lest theymight have made some mistake, and that their new treasures would betaken from them, and Bessie ran up just in time to hear the gentlemansay, with a laugh, "Surely, I may put what price I please upon thearticles I have for sale."
Mrs. Duncan laughed, too, and said, "Yes, certainly, but--"
"I assure you, I have been amply paid, madam," said the gentleman, "andI beg you will consider the matter settled. It is all right, littleone," laying his hand on Bessie's head as she looked up at him; "youhave made no mistake;" and then taking the paper-weight and picture, hewrapped them in paper and returned them to the children.
From this store they went to another, where they were a long timechoosing the ribbon for their book-marks, while Aunt Helen and Anniewaited with wonderful patience till they had decided this importantquestion. Here, also, a pincushion was bought for nurse, and anemery-bag for Jane. Then Maggie, coming back from a show-case, aboutwhich she had been spying, begged Aunt Annie to go to the other end ofthe store, and on no account to turn her head. Aunt Helen was taken tothe case, and a box was pointed out which Maggie thought would be thevery thing for a ribbon-box.
"But you cannot buy that, dear," said Mrs. Duncan; "it is tooexpensive."
"Oh, no, Aunt Helen! it is marked five cents,--just see," said Maggie.
"My poor pet, that is five dollars, not five cents."
This was a great disappointment, for Maggie had quite set her heart onthe box; but, of course, she and Bessie could not give five dollars,since they had not the half of that to spend.
"It's real mean," she said, angrily, "to go and cheat children so, andmake them think it's five cents when it's five dollars."
"Do not speak so, dear," said her aunt; "'cheat' is not a pretty wordfor you to use, and those numbers mean five dollars very plainly to anyone who can read them. Ask papa to teach you about that to-night."
"Let's go back and buy all our presents of that gentleman," saidMaggie. "He knows how to keep store a great deal better than thesepeople."
"Better for your purses than for his own, I think," said Mrs. Duncan,laughing. "No, dear, we have bought enough there for this time. We willfind something else for Aunt Annie."
"Maggie, Maggie," called Bessie, "come and look at the cunningest glassanimals you ever saw in your life."
Maggie's displeasure was quite forgotten as she saw the pretty toys,and as she and Bessie were looking at them, Aunt Annie joined them.
"What a beautiful glass cat!" she said. "I wish Santa Claus wouldhave one like it on the Christmas-tree for me. I should put it on mywhat-not, and I do not believe that a mouse would dare to show so muchas the tip of his tail in my room, if I had this pussy to guard me."
"Oh, Aunt Annie," said Maggie; "just as if a mouse would be afraid ofsuch a mite of a glass kitty! He would know it could not hurt him."
"Well," said Annie, "if you see Santa Claus, just tell him I would liketo have it."
Maggie turned and looked at Bessie with a shake of her head, and eyeswhich very plainly asked the question. "Shall we buy it for her?" andBessie answered with a nod which said quite as plainly, "By all means."
So they begged Aunt Annie to walk away once more, a request which shehad quite expected, and she went off laughing. Bessie asked the priceof the cat, and was told, "six cents," so there was no difficulty aboutthat, and pussy was bought. Then, after some whispering, Mrs. Duncanwas sent after Annie, and a glass deer was bought for her _etagere_.The woman who served the children brought a small box, and putting somecotton in it, laid the deer and the cat upon it, and gave the box intoMaggie's hand, saying that she could carry them safely in this way.Maggie told Bessie that the woman knew how to keep store pretty well,after all.
One or two more small purchases were made, and then they went home.They went shopping several times with mamma or their aunts before alltheir presents were bought; but two days before Christmas everythingwas ready,--the book-marks with, "To my dear Father," and "To my dearMother," as well as those for Colonel and Mrs. Rush, a watchman'srattle for noisy Fred, and for Harry, since he was fond of birds, ayellow wooden canary in a pewter cage. It would take too long to nameeach article, and the person for whom it was intended; but not oneof the family, or of their intimate friends, was forgotten. Papa andmamma, brothers and sisters, aunts, uncle, and cousins, grandmamma andthe two grandpapas, Colonel and Mrs. Rush, Jemmy and Mary Bent, andeven each servant in the house were remembered and provided for; andthe older people were quite astonished to see how much the children haddone with the two dollars and sixty cents with which they had started.
And now began the grand preparations for the important day. TheChristmas-tree in its square green box came home, and was carriedinto the library, where the children were now forbidden to go. The"grown-upers," as Fred called them, were passing in and out all thetime, going in laden with parcels of all shapes and sizes, and comingout empty-handed. But if the older people had their secrets, thechildren, also, had theirs, not the least of which was one in which thefour eldest were engaged, and which was carried on for a while in theboys' room.
Th
e tree was not to be displayed until the evening of Christmas-day,when there was to be a large family dinner at Mrs. Bradford's, to whichColonel and Mrs. Rush were invited.
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