CHAPTER VI.
Capt. Raymond, going into Gracie's room to fulfil his promise to giveher a good night kiss, found Lulu there also; the two lying clasped ineach other's arms.
"We thought we'd sleep together to-night, papa," said Lulu, "if you'rewilling."
"I have no objection," he answered. "Gracie was a little afraid toreceive Santa Claus alone, was she?" looking down at them with ahumorous smile as he stood by the bedside.
"Oh no, papa! I'm pretty sure I know who he is, and I'm not one bitafraid of him," answered the little girl, with a merry laugh, catchinghis hand and carrying it to her lips.
"Ah! then it was Lulu who was afraid, was it?"
"Oh no, sir! Lu's never afraid of anything."
"Indeed; you seem to have a high opinion of her courage! You need never,either of you, be afraid or ashamed of anything but sin, my darlings,"he added, more gravely. "If you are God's children, nothing can harmyou. He will watch over us through the dark and silent night while weare wrapped in slumber. 'Behold he that keepeth Israel shall neitherslumber or sleep.'"
"I'm so glad the Bible tells us that, papa," she said; "but I'm glad,too, that you sleep in the next room, and have the door open always atnight, so that if I should want you, you could easily hear me call, andcome to me."
"Yes," he said, "and neither of my little girls need ever hesitate for amoment to call for their father if they are ill or troubled in any way.
"Ah I see the stockings hanging one on each side of the fire place. Buthow is Santa Claus to tell which is Lulu's and which Gracie's?"
"Why we never thought of that!" exclaimed Lulu, laughing. "But mine's alittle the largest, and it's red and Gracie's is blue. Don't yousuppose, papa, that he'll be smart enough to guess which is which?"
"I think it is likely, but you will have to take the risk," replied herfather. Then with a good night kiss he left them to their slumbers.
Day was faintly dawning when Lulu awoke. "Merry Christmas, Gracie!" shewhispered in her sister's ear. "I'm going to get our stockings and seeif there is anything in 'em," and with a bound she was out on the floorand stealing across it to the fireplace, with care to make no noise.
She could not refrain, however, from a delighted "Oh!" as she laid holdof the stockings and felt that they were stuffed full of something.
"Did he come? is there something in 'em?" whispered Grace, as Lulu cameback to the bedside.
"Yes, yes, indeed! they're just as full as they can be! I've brought'em; here's yours," putting it into Gracie's hands and getting into bedagain. "Let's pull the things out and feel what they are, though wecan't see much till it gets lighter."
"Yes, let's," said Grace; "I couldn't bear to wait."
They thought they were keeping very quiet, but Lu's "Oh!" had wakenedher father and Violet and they were lying quietly listening and laughingsoftly to themselves.
There was a rustle of paper, then Gracie's voice in a loud whisper, "Ohanother dolly for me! and I just know it's lovely! I can feel its hair,and its dress; it's all dressed!"
Then Lulu's, "A potato! just a horrid, raw Irish potato! What do I wantwith that?"
"And I've got one too!" from Grace. "Oh well, I s'pose that was to fillup, and maybe there's something nice lower down."
"A sweet potato or a parsnip or something of that kind in mine," saidLulu, some slight vexation in her tone. "Oh well, I've had so many nicethings, and this is only for fun."
"And here are some candies in mine," said Grace. "Haven't you got some?"
"Yes, oh yes! and nuts and raisins. I'd like to taste them; but I thinkwe'd better leave them till after breakfast. I'm pretty sure papa wouldsay so."
"Yes, 'course he would; so we'll wait."
"Good obedient children; aren't they?" the captain said in a gratifiedwhisper to Violet.
"Very; I'm proud of them," she responded.
It was growing light and Lulu, taking up the despised potato, examinedit more critically. Presently she uttered an exclamation,
"O Gracie, see! It opens and there's something inside!"
The captain and Violet listened intently for what might come next.
"More candies and--something wrapped up in soft paper. O Gracie! it's alovely little breastpin!"
"Oh, oh, how pretty!" cried Grace. "I wonder if I have one too!" Intheir excitement they were forgetting the danger of disturbing othersand talking quite loud.
"Yes, mine opens," Grace went on, "and--oh yes, I've got candies andsomething with paper round it and--oh yes, yes, it is a pin! Not quitelike yours, but just every bit as pretty!"
"I think they are having a merry Christmas," said the captain, a happylight in his eyes, "and, my love, I wish you the same."
Violet returned the wish; but the children were talking again and theykept quiet to hearken.
"Oh this sweet potato opens too," Lulu was saying, "and there'ssomething that feels like a stick. O Gracie, Gracie, look! it's a goldpencil, a lovely little gold pencil! Have you one?"
"No; but you haven't a doll."
"Well, I think Santa Claus has been very generous and kind to us."
"Just as good and kind as if he was our own papa," Gracie said, with asweet silvery laugh.
"The dear, grateful darlings!" exclaimed the captain, his tone halftremulous with feeling. "I sometimes fear I am almost too indulgent; butit is such a dear delight to give them pleasure."
"And I don't believe it does them the least harm, so long as you do notindulge them in any wrong doing," said Violet. "Love never hurtsanybody."
"Merry Christmas, my darlings," he called to them. "Did Santa Claus fillyour stockings?"
"Oh merry, merry Christmas, papa!" they answered. "Yes, sir, SantaClaus or somebody did, and gave us lovely things. We're very muchobliged to him."
As they spoke the door into their little sitting-room opened and Max putin his head, crying in his turn, "Merry Christmas to you all--papa andMamma Vi, Lulu and Gracie."
A chorus of merry Christmases answered him; then Lulu asked, "What didSanta Claus put in your stocking, Maxie?"
"A good deal: about as much as could be crammed into it; some handsomeneckties, candies and nuts and a gold pencil."
"Very nice," commented Lulu, and she and Grace, both talking at once,gave a gleeful account of their discoveries in searching theirstockings.
They had hardly finished their narrative when a glad shout from thenursery interrupted them.
"There! little Elsie has found her stocking, I do believe," said Lulu,starting up to a sitting posture that she might look through the opendoor into the next room. As she did so a tiny toddling figure clothed ina white night dress, and with a well filled stocking in its arms emergedfrom the nursery door and ran across the room to the bedside, cryinggleefully, "See mamma, papa, Elsie got."
"What have you got pet?" asked her father, picking her up and settingher in the bed. "There, pull out the things and let papa and mamma seewhat they are."
"Mayn't we come and see too?" asked the other children.
"Yes," he said, "you can come and peep in at the door, but first put onyour warm slippers and dressing gowns, that you may not take cold."
Baby Elsie was a merry, demonstrative little thing, and it was great funfor them all to watch her and hear her shouts of delight as she cameupon one treasure after another;--tiny, gaily dressed dolls of bothsexes, and other toys suited to her years.
It did not take her very long to empty the stocking, and then thecaptain said to the older ones, "Now you may close the door, my dears,and get yourselves dressed and ready for the duties and pleasures of theday. I shall be in presently for our usual chat before breakfast."
They made haste with their dressing, and were quite ready for theirfather when he came in some half hour later. They were verylight-hearted and gay and full of gratitude for all they had received.
"Dear papa, you are so good to us," they said, twining their arms abouthis neck, as they sat one upon each knee.
"I want to b
e," he said, caressing them in turn, "I have no greaterpleasure than I find in making my children happy. And your gratefulappreciation of my efforts makes me very happy."
"But, papa, I--" began Lulu, then paused hesitatingly.
"Well, daughter, don't be afraid to let me know the thought in yourmind," he said kindly.
"I was just wondering why it's right for me to have so many otherthings, and would be wrong for me to have that ring I wanted so badly.But please, papa," she added quickly and with a vivid blush, "don'tthink I mean to be naughty about it, or want you to spend any more moneyon me."
"No, dear child, I could not think so ill of you. I did not think itright or wise to buy you the ring, because it would have been spending agreat deal for something quite useless, and very unsuitable for mylittle girl. The things I have given you I considered it right to buybecause they will all be useful to you in one way or another."
"The games and storybooks, papa?" asked Grace with a look of surprise.
"Yes, daughter; people--and especially little folks like Max and Luluand you--need amusement as a change and rest from work; we can do allthe more work in the end if we take time for needed rest andrecreation."
"So it won't be time wasted to have our Christmas holidays?" remarkedLulu, half inquiringly.
"No, I think not," her father answered.
"Shall we take our new games to Ion with us, papa?" she asked.
"If you wish. I presume Grandma Elsie will not object to your taking anyof your possessions with you that you think will be useful or enjoyableto yourselves or others."
"I'm just sure she won't; 'cause she's so kind," said Grace. "But Is'pose it won't do to take our live new pets?"
"No; but you may safely leave them in Christine's care."
Breakfast and family worship were over, such of their effects as theywould be likely to need during the few days of their expected stay atIon, had been packed and sent, the family carriage was at the door, andevery body nearly ready to get into it, when there was an arrival.
Harold and Herbert had come over on horseback, Rosie and Evelyn in theIon carriage.
They came running in with their "Merry Christmases and Happy New Years,"to receive a return in kind.
"Don't think for a moment that we have come to prevent you fromaccepting your invitation to Ion as promptly as possible," said Herbertgaily; "we've come after you, and are glad to perceive, in your attire,signs of readiness to depart."
"But we want to peep at your tree first," put in Rosie, "that's onething that brought us."
"And we've a proposal to make," said Harold; "namely that you allaccompany us to the Oaks for a short call on Uncle Horace and therest--and their Christmas tree of course--before going over to Ion. Theair is delightfully bracing, the roads are good, and if we find there istime, perhaps we might as well extend our ride to the Laurels, and giveAunt Rose a call, in case we reach there before the family have lefthome for Ion. What do you say captain? and you Vi?"
Both approved, and the children were much pleased with the idea. Butthey wanted first to have time to show their presents to Rosie andEvelyn.
That was granted, the callers were all taken in to see the tree, dog,bird and pussy were exhibited, the pretty things found in the stockingsalso, and when all had been duly admired they set out upon their jaunt.
The four little girls, Rosie, Evelyn, Lulu and Grace, had the Ioncarriage to themselves, and full of life and spirits, enjoyed theirdrive extremely.
Both calls were made, only a short time spent at each place--hardly morethan enough for an exchange of greetings and a hasty examination, ofthe Christmas trees and gifts--then they drove on to Ion, and theholiday festivities so long looked forward to by the young people withsuch eager expectation and delight, began.
The first thing of course was to take a view of the Christmas tree andthe presents.
Rosie and Evelyn had declined to tell what they were until they couldshow them, even refusing to answer Lulu's eager query, put while theywere driving to the Oaks, "O Rosie, did your mamma give you the set ofpearls you wanted so badly?"
"Wait till we get to Ion and I'll show you all my presents; I received agood many and ought not to fret if I did not get everything I wanted,"was what Rosie said in reply, and Lulu, understanding it to mean thatthere was some disappointment, concluded that the pearls had not beengiven.
She was the more convinced of it when the presents on and about the treehad been displayed and no pearls among them.
Rosie seemed in excellent spirits, however, and Lulu thought she hadgood reason to be, for the gifts she showed as hers were many anddesirable.
The guests, all relatives or connections, arrived within a few minutesof each other and for a little while were all gathered together in thetree room--as the children called it for the time--and a very merry,lively set they were.
But presently they scattered to their respective rooms to dress fordinner, or at least to remove their outside garments.
The Raymonds were given the same apartments that had been appropriatedto them when living at Ion; Gracie sharing Lulu's room, whichcommunicated directly with the one where the captain and Violet wouldsleep.
Rosie went with the little girls to their room, to see that they hadeverything to make them comfortable, because, as she said, they were herguests this time.
"You don't need to change your dresses, I am sure," she remarked as theythrew off their coats.
"No," replied Lulu, "these are what papa told us to wear for the rest ofthe day, and they are as suitable and pretty as any we have."
"Yes, they're lovely," said Rosie; "your papa does dress youbeautifully. I, too, am dressed for the day, and I'd like you both tocome to my room for a while. Eva is there taking off her things; she'sto share my room while the house is so full. I thought you would wantEva for your bedfellow, but mamma said your father would want his twolittle girls close beside him."
"Yes, and that's where we like to be," Lulu answered quickly and in avery pleasant tone. "It seems like home here in this room, too. Nowwe're ready to go with you, Rosie; we've got our things off and seenthat our hair is all right."
Rosie led the way to her room where they found, not Eva only, but allthe little girl cousins, having a chat while waiting for the summons todinner.
Rosie hastily threw off her coat and hat, then opening a bureau drawer,took from it a jewel case saying with a look of exultation, "I havesomething to show you, girls, mamma's Christmas gift to me;" and raisingthe lid she displayed a beautiful pearl necklace and bracelets.
"So she did give them to you!" they exclaimed in surprised chorus, forthey had supposed all the presents had been already shown them. "ORosie, how lovely!"
"I'm ever so glad for you Rosie," said Lulu; "but I'd about made up mymind that Grandma Elsie thought about buying the pearls for you as papadid about the ring I wanted."
"Mamma didn't buy them," explained Rosie; "they are a set grandpa gaveher when she was a little girl; and I think they are as handsome as anyshe could have found any where. She said she valued them very highly ashis gift, but would never wear them again, and as I am her own littlegirl, she was willing to give them to me."
"I think you're pretty big, Rosie," remarked Grace.
"Yes; in my fifteenth year; almost a woman, as grandpa tells mesometimes--when he wants to make me ashamed of not being wiser andbetter I suppose," returned Rosie with a laugh, closing the casket andreturning it to the drawer, just as Betty, the little maid, showed herblack face and woolly head at the half open door with the announcement,"Dinnah's ready, Miss Rosie; an' all de folks gwine into de dinnin'room."
"Very well; we're not sorry to hear it, are we girls? Let us pair offand go down at once to secure our fair share," said Rosie gaily."There's just an even number of us--Maud and Lora, Lulu and Eva, Graceand Rosie Lacey, Sydney and I. We're to have a table to ourselves; Iasked mamma if we might, and she gave consent."
"I like that," remarked Sydney with satisfaction; "we can have
our ownfun and eat what we please without anybody to trouble us withsuggestions that perhaps such and such articles of food may not agreewith us."
"But we'll be in the same room with the older folks and they canoverlook us if they see fit," said Rosie.
"And I'd rather have papa to tell me what to eat," said Grace.
They were hurrying down the stairs as they talked and reached thedining room just in time to take their places before the blessing wasasked--by Mr. Dinsmore at the larger table.
It was a grand dinner of many courses, and a good deal of time,enlivened by cheerful chat, was spent at the table.
Quiet games--mirth provoking, yet requiring little exertion of mind orbody--filled up the remainder of the afternoon.
After tea they had romping games, but at nine o'clock were calledtogether for family worship; then the younger ones, including Lulu andGrace, went to their beds; very willingly too, for the day--begun soearly because of their eagerness to examine their stockings--had been anunusually long and exciting one; so that they felt ready for rest.
Grace indeed was so weary that her father carried her up to her room,and did not leave her till she was snug in bed.
She dropped asleep the instant her head touched the pillow and he stoodfor a moment gazing a little anxiously at her pale face.
"You don't think Gracie's sick, papa, do you?" asked Lulu softly.
"No, I trust she will be all right in the morning--the darling! but sheseems quite worn out now," he sighed.
Then sitting down he drew Lulu into his arms. "Has it been a happy daywith you, dear child?" he asked.
"Yes, papa, very; just full of pleasure; and now that night has come,I'm so glad that I have my own dear papa to hug me up close, and thathe's going to sleep in the next room to Gracie and me."
"I'm glad too," he said. "Yes, we have a great deal to be thankfulfor--you and I. Most of all for God's unspeakable gift--the dear Saviourwhose birth and life and death have bought all our other blessings forus.
"My child, try to keep in mind always, even when engaged in your sports,that you are his and must so act and speak as to bring no disgrace uponhis cause; make it your constant endeavor to honor him in all your wordsand ways."
"I do mean to, papa; but oh it is so easy to forget!"
"I know it, my darling; I find it so too; but we must watch and pray,asking God earnestly night and morning, on our knees, to keep us fromtemptation and from sin, and often sending up a swift, silent petitionfrom our hearts at other times when we feel that we need help toovercome.
"I want you, my little daughter, to be particularly on the watch againstyour besetting sin--an inclination to sudden outbursts of passion. Itis not to be expected that everything will move on as smoothly, with somany children and young people together, every day, as they have to-day,and I fear you will be strongly tempted at times to give way to yournaturally quick temper."
"Oh I am afraid so too papa; and it would be perfectly dreadful if Ishould!" she said with a half shudder, twining her arm round his neckand hiding her face on his shoulder. "Oh won't you ask God to help me tokeep from it?"
"Yes, I shall, I do every night and morning, and we will ask himtogether now."