CHAPTER X
CAROLS
A crystal star over the central entrance of the high schoolbuilding, and within, gave evidence that the school, teachers andpupils, were making much of the season. It contained small electricbulbs of different colors, harmoniously selected, and gave beauty tothe large square hall as well as a thrill to some of the pupils. Thebulbs were glowing this last morning, and beneath their radiance,the boys and girls, visitors, parents and friends entered to see theplay and the last assembly of the year; for before school met insession again a new year would be ushered in.
Betty had merely reported at her home room, for the dramaticdirector had urged every one to "hurry into costume," as the playwould begin at once. There was not a long wait. The older classeswere admitted to the auditorium first. The rest and the junior highwould see the second performance. No change of scenery hampered thestage directors, for the play was the effective "Why the ChimesBang," with the old but always beautiful motive of the strangerentertained who proved to be the Christ-child in disguise.
Carolyn had promised to tell Betty exactly "how everything went off"and sat with Kathryn and Mary Emma well toward the front and on thejunior aisle nearest the middle of the auditorium. But Betty herselfwas peeping from the rear of the auditorium, or just outside one ofthe doors. The senior boy who took the part of the unselfish ladthat gives up going to the cathedral, in order to welcome and carefor the unexpected guest, Betty did not know very well, but sheadmired his playing of the part and was horrified when a laugh wentover the audience at one moment.
"There! I knew they'd do that," said a senior girl beside her. "It'sonly because it's so funny to have Jean almost faint in his arms.You see we know everybody! And those bowls they have the porridge inlook too new!"
But the audience, who had, it must be said, been warned that theymust be a part of the play, behaved most circumspectly when laterthe walls of the woodchopper's hut parted to reveal a cathedralshrine or altar. From the rear of the auditorium, now supposed to bethe cathedral, came the choir, chanting as the organ notes filledthe room. Betty was one of the choir.
Up the aisle, up the steps made for the purpose, they went and stoodin their places singing. One by one, unhurriedly, up the differentaisles, past the quiet students and visitors, came rich man, richwoman, courtier, girl, sage and king, with gifts for the priest tooffer. The medieval costumes were impressive. Then, from his placein the background, the lad, urged by the old woman, went forwardwith his small gift, all he had; and the fabled chimes that had rungfor no other, rang for him, as the guest disappeared.
As the organ played the chimes and the lovely girl who was the angelspoke, Betty saw her mother's handkerchief come out to clear mistyeyes. There was the hush that meant the success of a message. In afew moments the curtains were drawn to again, and the audience wasdismissed.
But as Betty went back to the rear again, to be in readiness for thechoir's entrance in the second and last performance, she noticedthat her mother remained for that performance, too, though she hadnot expressed any such intention, and "lo and behold," as her seniorfriend Lilian said to her, there entered her father, with Mr.Murchison and the countess. "Oh, Lucia, look!" cried Betty, leaningaround a group of costumed players to speak to Lucia, who was in thegroup, as she added her youthful contralto to the choir.
Lucia smiled and nodded. "I knew they were coming," she said.
Perhaps it was due to the inspiration or presence of CountessColetti, but the second performance, according to Mrs. Lee,surpassed the first. Restless little junior high pupils appreciatedthe privilege of this assembly and were still at all the properplaces. No wrongly timed giggles of laughter disturbed the play,which went through, without seeming hurried, in a shorter time. Itwas one of the things that one hated to have over, according toBetty, though she was glad that she did not have to pose as long asdid the "angel."
"What are you going to do tonight after the carols, Betty?" askedthe countess, who had come back to see Lucia a moment after theplay.
"Just go home," replied Betty, simply. "It's Christmas Eve, youknow."
"Indeed I do know, Betty," returned the countess gravely. "It isgoing to be a little hard for Lucia tonight. It was last year. Ithought I would ask your father and mother and the children over, ifthey did not think it would be too late. Will you have to trim yourChristmas tree at the last minute, or something like that?"
"I don't think so. We still hang up stockings, though chiefly forAmy Lou now! and this year we have just a little tree that she is tohelp trim after dinner tonight."
The countess smiled. "I will ask your mother at least. Perhaps Iought not. What do you think, Betty?" The Countess Coletti, spoileddaughter and wife, but gifted and attractive woman, looked wistfullyat Betty, whose heart was always warm enough to respond to someone's need. In a moment she realized that for some reason thecountess wanted them there.
"Why, of course, Countess Coletti--if Mother can manage it and youwant us, she will come."
"If the child should grow sleepy, she could rest as well with us andthe car is warm--to take her home."
The countess spoke reflectively, but now hurried away with a warmsmile for Betty, not missed by several of the girls who werechanging costumes for school dresses.
But there was no time for Betty to think of anything except thepresent. Joy of joys, the teachers did not have regular recitations.They played funny games and sang carols. Betty had missed some, butin Miss Heath's class they sang Latin hymns and songs, the _AdesteFidelis_, familiar to the Catholic girls in the Latin words, andeven "Silent Night," put into "not very good Latin" according toMiss Heath, but offered for their interest. The board was "coveredwith Latin poetry," said Carolyn.
School was dismissed at twelve-thirty, Carolyn and Betty saying anaffectionate good-bye, for Carolyn was going away for the vacation."It's a shame you aren't going to _your_ grandmother's," saidCarolyn. "I may get out to the carols tonight, Betty, but it's morethan likely that I can't. I think we'll start tonight. Mother wasn'tsure. Have a good time and don't forget your old Carolyn. MerryChristmas!"
The girls exchanged their greetings thus and Betty slipped a smallpackage into Carolyn's hand. "Now don't open it till Christmas,Carolyn--tomorrow morning! Oh, is it really here?"
"It doesn't seem possible does it? But if we go tonight, mayn't Iopen it? It's Christmas Eve."
"Sure enough. And lots of people have their gifts on Christmas Eve.Of course you may. But I have your pretty Christmasy package alltucked away, ready to open Christmas morning. I'm sorry to be solate with mine; but you see I just finished it."
Carolyn laughed. "How you ever had time to _make anything_, I don'tsee, but I'll appreciate it all the more."
"It isn't much, but I hope you'll like it. Yes, we almost ought tobe with Grandma tomorrow, but you see she is going away herself.She's already gone. They're packing her off to Florida for her owngood, though some one is with her. Well, Merry Christmas, Carolyn,and I'll _never_ forget you. Couldn't if I tried!"
Excited and hungry, the Lee children reached home for a late lunchtogether. Dick and Doris "gabbled" so fast Amy Lou couldn't tell athing, she said, and they had had such a beautiful Christmas morningat their school. Amy Lou almost felt hurt that her mother had goneto the high school instead, or that she could not have gone withher; but Mrs. Lee reminded her that she had visited her school whenthey had their "great Christmas program" and Amy Lou had "spoken apiece," for that was what they called it in the old days when _she_was a little girl.
"_We_ read things," importantly said Amy Lou, "or have a 'number.'"After that she took her dolls into the front room to play school andstood up for half an hour singing all about "good Saint Nick" withan "Oh, oh, oh, who wouldn't go?" and the rest of it, varied with"Jingle Bells," "Holy Night," and songs new and old, learned atschool and Sunday school, where music made an especial appeal tolittle Amy Lou.
"She is entertained for th
e next hour," said Mrs. Lee, as she andBetty cleared the table after lunch. The little maid, who had beenbaking and cooking all morning, was excused for the afternoon andevening, but would come to help with the Christmas dinner.
"And we have an invitation for the evening, Betty. The countess saidshe had spoken to you."
"Yes'm. Are we going?"
"Yes. I scarcely thought at first that I could manage about Amy Lou,since Lena ought to have her evening this time; but the countesswanted us to bring her and thinks that she 'will enjoy it.' I wasquite surprised, but the countess said that she would appreciate ourcoming, that it was not like a regular invitation to a party, just asudden wanting to have good friends there. Grandma Ferris is not sowell, Betty."
"Oh! Will you mind, Mother?"
"No. If I am needed anywhere, that is where I want to be. But besure not to worry, Betty. Christmas Eve must be a beautiful time andif Grandmother Ferris should slip away, it will only be ahomecoming."
"Funny she wants _you_ Mumsy, when she has so many older friends."But Betty said this with an affectionate smile. It was not new thather mother should be wanted when people were in trouble. Well, Luciawanted _her_; perhaps she could be like her mother some day! But oh,what a lovely time Christmas was. And wouldn't Amy Lou love the dollthey had for her! She was glad Amy Lou liked dolls. She still didherself, though she had stopped playing with them--oh, very longago, it seemed.
The dinner was an oven dinner, already prepared for cooking and easyto watch while they did something else. The last packages were tiedup in tissue paper of the newer gay sort, Mrs. Lee helping differentones as this one or that one must not see. Amy Lou was allowed tohelp Doris and Betty with packages for their father and mother. Dickas usual had disappeared, not to turn up till mealtime. But Mrs. Leeknew where he was, safely working on an aeroplane in the heatedthird floor attic of a boy friend. It would probably revolutionizeaeronautics, Mr. Lee declared; but Dick good-humoredly took theteasing.
Then the little tree was brought in and it was decided to trim itthen and there, instead or waiting till after dinner. Amy Lou wasmuch excited when all the trimmings were brought out. But she sighedas she recognized some favorite decorations saved from the old daysin the village. "And I used to think that Santa Claus brought them!"she said with some regret.
"Don't you believe in Santa Claus now?" asked Doris.
"No. Do you?"
"Mother says Santa Claus is the 'Spirit of Christmas,'" returnedDoris.
"Yes. But it would have been so nice if he could have been justhimself and really, you know, come down the chimneys."
"Oh, well, we'll keep on pretending, and hang up our stockings justthe same."
"Yes," brightly Amy Lou answered. "It's just as true as it ever was,I suppose."
Mrs. Lee and Betty, who were listening, turned aside to hide theirsmiles at Amy Lou's philosophy. "Poor little soul!" whispered Betty."But she will be happy when she sees all we have for her!"
They need not have pitied Amy Lou at all, for her sturdy little soulhad met her first disillusionment at school, at the hands of someother little girls, before whom she would not have shown any deepdisappointment over finding Santa a myth. She thought it all overand accepted it; for she could recall a number of facts that seemedto bear out the truth!
And happy they all were that night. No tragedy met them at theMurchison home, whither all except Betty drove after dinner and areasonable interval. Betty met Lucia and the other girls, who weretaking part in the carols, at the big "Y" building.
Lovely, lovely Christmas Eve! So thought Betty as they started inthe machines for the different points at which they were to sing"especially," though the voices rang out all along the way in thebeautiful Christmas music. It was still snowing by fits and starts,though not enough to cover the ground as yet. The lights of thecity, the soft flakes of snow, and a bright sky above, helped makethe Christmas atmosphere; for there were only drifting clouds as yetand behind them, beyond them, or through them shone the starlight.
They stopped at one place where there was a sanitarium in the poorerpart of the city. Windows came up a little to make the words andmusic more clear to the listeners, not only where invalids werelying in their cots, but in the houses nearby. Betty saw a lightflash out from a first floor window and glancing in she could see adelicate hand manipulating a lamp, adjusting its wick to the properheight. No gas or electricity there!
The light outlined clearly the head and face of the young woman whowas bending over a table, then turning to speak to someone, forwhom, perhaps, the light was made. Black hair was gathered into alow knot. Large black eyes looked toward the window. A gay scarf orsmall shawl of some sort lay on the table. Catching up this, thegirl came to the window, threw it up, tossed the scarf around herhead and shoulders, drawing it tightly around her face, and lookedout.
The glare from a street light fell upon her face for a moment.Sober, almost tragic, the big eyes looked out upon the singers.
They had been singing several short carols but were giving theChristmas hymn beginning,
"Thou didst leave thy throne and thy kingly crown When thou camestto earth for me."
And now, as the girl from the rickety lower window of a talltenement looked out, Betty thought how appropriate, some way, wasthe stanza they were singing then, here where the people had solittle. Lucia's rich contralto joined Betty's sweet voice, as theywere close to each other, and made the words as distinct as possiblefor a group to make them:
"The foxes found rest, and the bird their nest In the shade of the forest tree; But thy couch was the sod, O thou Son of God, In the deserts of Galilee. O come to my heart, Lord Jesus! There is room in my heart for thee."
Betty felt that she was singing to that girl in the window andLucia, too, was seeing her. But she listened only to the close ofthat stanza then put down the window; and before the young singershad finished, the light in the room had been extinguished.
"Did you see that _tr-ragic_ face, Betty?" asked Lucia, rolling her"r" in the Italian way, as they were speeding along toward the Y. W.C. A. again. It was late and the carols were over.
"Yes. The girl that looked out of the first floor window, you mean?"
"Yes. She was beautiful, too, wasn't she?" And as Betty assented,Lucia added, "Oh, Betty, I'm learning things!"
Lucia did not explain, but Betty knew that the sorrows of othersmeant more to Lucia than they ever had meant before. There was"room" in her heart, too! And to Betty the sordid poverty of a citywas new. They had always "helped the poor" at home, but there werenot so many. The distress could be met. Here it seemed endless Yeton this lovely night it seemed that there was hope for every one inthe greatest of Gifts, of whom they had been singing.
The girls grew gay with the Christmas joy as they chatted with theirfriends. At the "Y" Lucia telephoned. Then they took a car to acertain corner where the Murchison car would meet them. Everythingwent as arranged and Betty soon found herself in the midst of theprettiest Christmas decoration she had known. A lighted Christmastree with the gayest of colors stood outside under the stars, wherea little more snow was adding itself to the more artificial burdensof the tree. Within were gay holly and mistletoe and brightpoinsettia plants in bloom.
Mr. Murchison led both girls under the mistletoe which hung from asparkling, old-fashioned chandelier, and laughingly saluted theircheeks. "There!" he cried. "For lack of younger cavaliers, I shalldo my duty!"
Amy Lou had succumbed to sleep, though not without a strong effortto keep awake. The countess took Betty by the arm and led her tolook at her small sister, peacefully sleeping on a divan in whatBetty called the back parlor. She was covered with a gay steamer rugand clasped tightly in her arms a large doll.
"Oh, you gave that to her, Countess Coletti!" exclaimed Betty,though in a subdued tone.
"Yes. I never can resist a pretty doll, so I bought one for Amy Lou.She seemed to like it."
Smilingly Co
untess Coletti looked down upon the pretty, sleepingchild. The countess herself was lovely tonight in a plainly cutblack velvet evening dress. A diamond clasp was her only ornament inthe way of jewels, but she wore a few crimson roses that became herwell. Mrs. Lee did not wear an evening dress, but Betty thought that"Mamma" was very pretty in her "stylish" silk frock. Some otherfriends had called up, the countess said, and were coming over. In ashort time the main drawing room was full of guests and presently adelicious light supper was served. It seemed the easiest thing inthe world in this house for little tables to be arranged andeverything lovely to appear as if by magic. But when Betty said asmuch to her mother afterward, her mother smiled. "It is goodplanning, Betty, but also competent help, trained to service," shesaid.
Amy Lou woke up and behaved like an angel, according to Doris, whodid not realize that Amy Lou was now a properly trained littleschool girl, not a baby any longer. Doris, very much impressed withher surroundings, had been quietly engaged with some books duringthe first part of the evening. Then the arrival of a friend of thecountess, with a girl of about the same age and a boy a little olderthan Dick, had put the finishing touch to the visit. There had beenmusic and games, while Lucia and Betty had been carolling.
Countess Coletti explained to Mrs. Lee, as Betty learned on the wayhome. "She told me, Betty, that she had felt the need of us as wellas liking to entertain us on Christmas Eve, but that when she foundher fears about Mrs. Ferris were unnecessary--she was so muchbetter--she decided to make it a gayer occasion than it might havebeen. Friends called up and she took the opportunity to invite themin, adding a few others also. It was a very delightful evening foreverybody, I think."
"Don't you believe, Mother," said Doris, "that Mr. Murchison isinterested in that pretty widow--I've forgotten her name?"
"I shouldn't be surprised, Doris; but we must not say anything, youknow."
"Oh, not for worlds!" cried Doris. "With Father's being in thebusiness and our knowing them so well----." Doris trailed off hersentence unfinished, but was probably taking satisfaction in thoughtinduced by that last expression of hers. Betty wanted to laugh, butbless her "dear old Doris," she would not.
"I have no doubt that the countess and Lucia are missing the countat this season," said Mr. Lee. "I hope that that family will betogether another Christmas."
It had been a very unusual Christmas Eve for the Lee family, and itwas followed by an unusual Christmas morning, for Amy Lou announcedthat she "might not get up" as early as usual on Christmas. Shewanted "to see everything just as much," but she was afraid shemight sleep too late.
That suggestion was welcomed most heartily by the rest of thefamily. "I'll put your stocking by your bed, dear," said her mother,"and everything else; so if you do wake up, you can have them."
Thus it happened that everything was different, but just as happy.The turkey had been prepared and went into the oven promptly as soonas Mrs. Lee wakened. Breakfast was very, very light, not to spoilthe dinner which would be on time. Presents were "just what theywanted" and the little tree shone with its electric lights, gaydecorations and little Christmas angel, which Amy Lou and the otherchildren remembered from earliest years. Christmas cards and giftsfrom absent friends, including "Grandma," made their hearts warm.And that they were all together, well, sheltered, blessed and happy,Mr. Lee gave thanks before he carved the turkey.