XI
THE TWO BIRTHDAYS IN OLD HOLLAND
And Polly never knew about a certain shelf in Grandpapa's closet, norhow full it was getting, when Jasper ran every now and then to add thegifts as fast as the different members of the party picked up prettythings in the shops for the coming birthday--now very near. And sheactually forgot all about the birthday itself; all her mind being seton the Henderson box, so soon to sail off over the sea.
And Mother Fisher would look over at her absorbed face, and smile, towatch her in the shops, picking out things for the Henderson boys; andold Mr. King would send many a keen glance at her, and Jasper had hardwork not to exclaim, "Oh, Polly, father has got you a--" And then he'dpull himself up, and rush off into some great plan to buy PeletiahHenderson something that a Badgertown boy ought to have. And Phronsiewas carefully guarded on all sides these days, lest she should let outthe great secret, for, of course, she ought to be in the very centre ofall these preparations to celebrate Polly's birthday in Old Amsterdam,so she knew everything just as soon as it was planned. But sometimes,with all this care, the whole thing nearly popped out.
"Mr. King!" It was Mother Fisher who called after him, and her voicedidn't sound like hers, for it had an excited little ring. "Oh, are yougoing out?" for she didn't see that he held his hat in his hand till heturned in the corridor.
"I can wait just as well if it's anything you want, Mrs. Fisher," hesaid gladly, controlling his surprise at her unusual manner. "I wasonly about to run down to the Kalver-straat for a little matter I justthought of for the birthday. Can I do anything for you?" he begged.
"Yes, it's just that," said Mrs. Fisher, hurriedly; "it's about thebirthday--I must speak quickly--I've just found out,--" she glanced upand down the corridor as if fully expecting to see Polly dash around acorner,--"that Adela Gray's birthday is to-morrow--"
"The dickens! You don't say so!" exploded Mr. King. "Well, now, I callthat very clever on your part to have found it out. Very clever indeed,Mrs. Fisher," he repeated, beaming at her. "And just in time, for itwould have been a dreadful thing, indeed, to have had that poor littlegirl left out, and her birthday too! Dear me!"
"It would, indeed," said Mrs. Fisher, heartily, with a shiver at themere thought.
"And we might as well have had no celebration in such a case, for Pollywouldn't have enjoyed a single bit of it--not an atom!" declared oldMr. King, bringing his walking stick heavily down on the floor.
"What is it--oh, Grandpapa, what is it?" and Polly came hurrying alongthe corridor, and Jasper after her.
"Here she comes!" exclaimed Grandpapa, in a fright. "Glad you toldme--Hush--O dear me--I'll take care of the gifts."
"And I'm to do the rest--just the same--Doctor Fisher and I. Remember!"It was all Mrs. Fisher had time to utter. Even then, Polly caught thelast words in the flurry.
"Oh, what is it, Mamsie--Is anything the matter with Papa-Doctor?" Andher brown eyes filled with alarm at her mother's unusual manner.
"Polly," Mrs. Fisher looked into the brown eyes with a steady glance,and all the hurry was gone out of her voice, "your father is all right.And now, run away, you and Jasper." She looked over Polly's shoulder athim as she spoke. "No, not another word, child." And away Mrs. Fisherhurried, while old Mr. King slipped off in the opposite direction.
"How funnily they act," said Polly, looking first after one and thenanother, with a puzzled face. "What can it be, Jasper?"
"Oh, well, I suppose they are in a hurry," said Jasper, as carelesslyas he could. "Never mind, Polly, everything is all right. Oh, I say,let's fix our stamp books."
"But I was going to ask Grandpapa to go out with us, and now he's goneby himself," and Polly's face grew more puzzled than ever.
"Polly," said Jasper, desperately, "I really think we ought to fix ourstamp books. I really do," and he took her hand. "My stamps are all inheaps in the envelopes, and in a mess generally. Come, let's beginnow--do." And he led her back down the corridor.
"I suppose so," said Polly, with a reluctant little sigh, as they wentoff.
And that afternoon, there was another narrow escape, when it seemed asif the secret really must pop out. Polly, rushing along to the readingroom opposite the big dining room, saw Mother Fisher in consultationwith the head waiter, and he was saying "cake," and then he stoppedsuddenly, and Mrs. Fisher turned and saw her. And Mamsie came acrossthe hall, and into the reading room, and sat there a bit, while Pollytossed off a letter to Alexia Rhys, that had been worrying her fordays. And there was a funny little smile tucked away in the corners ofMother Fisher's mouth, and Polly thought that things were gettingqueerer than ever.
"I am glad you are writing that letter," said Mrs. Fisher, with anapproving smile that chased the funny little one all around thestrongly curved mouth, "for Alexia will feel badly not to hear oftenfrom you, Polly."
"I know it," said Polly, wrinkling her brows, "and I didn't mean to letthis wait so long," scribbling away as fast as she could.
"Take care, Polly," warned her mother; "a carelessly written letter isno compliment, and it gets you in a bad way. Don't hurry so, child," asPolly's pen went scratching across the paper at a fearful rate.
"But there are so many letters to write to all the girls," said Polly,stopping a minute to look at her mother, "and I've only just got allthe letters in my steamer mail-bag answered. I _must_ write to Cathieand Philena, and Amy Garrett too, to-day, Mamsie," she added, indistress.
"Polly," said Mother Fisher, looking into the flushed face, "I tell youwhat would be the best way for you to do. All the letters in yourmail-bag are answered, you said?"
"Yes, indeed," declared Polly. "Oh, Mamsie, you didn't think I couldput those off?" she asked reproachfully.
"No, Polly, I really didn't," Mrs. Fisher made haste to assure her."Well, now, mother will tell you what will be the best way for you todo. Write as good a letter as you can to Alexia, and tell her to sendit around to all the girls, for a kind of a bulletin, and--"
"Oh, Mamsie Fisher," cried Polly, not stopping to hear the rest, butdeserting the writing table to run and throw her arms around hermother's neck, "you're the bestest, dearest mother in all thisworld--oh--oh! Now I sha'n't have but one letter to write! How fine!"
"And you must write that one letter very nicely, Polly, and take everso much pains with it," said Mother Fisher, her black eyes shining atthe happy solution; "and that is much better than to hurry off a goodmany slovenly ones. Besides, it is not well to take your time andstrength for too much letter writing, for there are the boys, and Mrs.Whitney and--"
"Grandma Bascom and dear Mrs. Beebe," finished Polly. "Oh, I couldn'tever forget them, Mamsie, in all this world." She stopped cuddlingMother Fisher's neck, to peer into the black eyes.
"No, you mustn't ever forget them," repeated Mrs. Fisher, emphatically,"in all this world, Polly. Well, get to work now over your one letterthat's to be a bulletin!"
"I shall tear this one up," declared Polly, running back to get intoher chair again. "O dear me, what a horrible old scrawl," she cried,with a very red face. "I didn't know it did look so bad" And she toreit clear across the page, and then snipped it into very little bits.
"That's the result of hurry," observed Mother Fisher, wisely, "and Iwould begin all over again, Polly."
So Polly took a fresh sheet and set to work; and Mrs. Fisher, seeingher so busily occupied, soon stole out. And there was the head waiterwaiting for her in the dining room, and Polly never heard a word theysaid, although "cake" was mentioned a great many times, and severalother things too.
But the next morning Polly Pepper woke up to the fact that it was herbirthday. For there was Mamsie leaning over her pillow, the first thingshe saw the minute her eyes were opened. And Phronsie was sitting onthe end of the bed with her hands folded in her lap.
When she saw Polly's eyes open, she gave a little crow and dartedforward. "Oh, I thought you never would wake up, Polly," she said,throwing her arms around Polly's neck.
"Yes, this child
has been sitting there a whole hour, Polly." MotherFisher gave a merry little laugh, and then she began to drop kisses onPolly's rosy cheek--ever so many of them.
Polly's dewy eyes opened wide.
"It's your birthday, don't you know!" exclaimed Phronsie, trying todrop as many kisses and as fast, on Polly's other cheek, and to talk atthe same time.
"Mamsie Fisher!" cried Polly, springing up straight in the middle ofthe bed, nearly knocking Phronsie over. "Why, so it is. Oh, how could Iforget--and sleep over. And I'm fifteen!"
"You're fifteen," repeated Mother Fisher, setting the last little kisson Polly's cheek,--"and it's the best thing you could possibly do, tosleep over, child. Now, then, Phronsie, let us help her to get dressed."
Wasn't there a merry time, though, for the next half-hour, till Pollyhad had her bath, and was arrayed, Mother Fisher and Phronsie here,there, and everywhere, helping to tie and to hook Polly'sclothes--Phronsie bringing her little silver button-hook that AuntieWhitney gave her, declaring that she should button Polly's boots.
"Oh, no, child," protested Polly. "I'll button them myself," flying offfor the boots.
But Phronsie piped out, hurrying after her, "I have them, Polly," and,sure enough, there they were, one under each arm; "do let me,Polly--do, please!" she begged.
"I would, Polly," advised Mrs. Fisher, "for Phronsie really has set herheart on doing it."
So Polly sat down in the low chair, and put out her foot, feeling veryqueer indeed, and as if she ought to be doing up Phronsie's bootsinstead. And Phronsie curled up on the floor, and patiently drew everyone of the buttons into place, and buttoned them fast. And then on withthe other boot.
"There, now, I did do them all by myself," she announced, getting upfrom the floor, and smoothing down her gown with much importance. "Idid truly, Polly."
"So you did, Pet," cried Polly, sticking out both feet to look at them."You buttoned every single one of those buttons up splendidly, PhronsiePepper. Now my toes will be just as happy all day; oh, you can't thinkhow happy they'll be." And she seized her, half smothering her withkisses.
"Will they?" cried Phronsie, coming out of the embrace to peer up intoPolly's face, in a transport. "Will your toes really and truly behappy, Polly?"
"They'll be so happy," declared Polly, with a little wriggle of eachfoot, "that they'll want to sing, only they can't," and she burst outinto a little laugh.
"Put on your blue dress, Polly," said Mother Fisher, coming out of thecloset to hurry operations a bit.
"Oh, Mamsie," begged Phronsie, "mayn't Polly wear her white one? Do,Mamsie, please!" She ran up to her mother pleadingly.
"Polly will wear a white gown to-night," said Mother Fisher, her eyesshining, and the same funny little smile hiding in the corners of hermouth; "but this morning she would better put on her blue gingham."
"Yes, that's best," said Polly, reassuringly, running off to get it outof the big bureau drawer. "It's all done up spick and span," drawing itout. "Mamsie, don't these Dutch women do up things well, though?"
"They do, indeed," assented Mrs. Fisher, with a critical eye for theblue gingham; "but I really suppose the Swiss beat them, Polly."
"Well, they must be just perfect, then," said Polly, putting the bluegown carefully over her head. "Mamsie, I just love this dress."
"Yes, it is pretty," said Mother Fisher, with an approving eye for thedainty ruffles, "and you keep your clothes cleaner than you used to,Polly; you're improving."
"I used to get them all mussed up just as soon as could be," mournedPolly, her cheeks rosy at the remembrance. "Mamsie, how much troubleI've made you." She stopped dressing, and sprang over to Mrs. Fisher.Phronsie, trying to button on the waistband, and clinging to it, wentstumbling after.
"Take care," warned Mrs. Fisher, "don't muss it; it looks so nice now."
"There, there, Phronsie, I'll do that," said Polly, a trifleimpatiently, looking over her shoulder.
"Oh, I want to, Polly," said Phronsie, fumbling for the button. "Do letme; I want to."
"No, I can do it myself," said Polly, trying to whirl off from the busylittle fingers.
"Polly," began Mother Fisher, who saw what Polly couldn't, Phronsie'slittle face very red with her exertion, and the brown eyes filling withtears.
"Well, I declare," cried Polly, at sound of her mother's tone; "so youshall, Phronsie. Now I'll stand just as still as a mouse, and you shallmake that old button fly into its hole."
"So he shall, old button fly into his hole," laughed Phronsie throughher tears. And presently she declared it was done. And with a finalpat, this time from Mother Fisher's fingers, Polly was released, andthe rest of the dressing was soon done.
And there, waiting at the end of their corridor, was Jasper, in everyconceivable way trying to get the better of his impatience. When he didfinally see Polly, he dashed up to her. "Well, are you really here?"
"Yes," cried Polly, scampering on, with Phronsie clinging to her hand,"I really believe I am, Jasper. But don't let's go faster than Mamsie,"looking back for her.
"You all run on," said Mother Fisher, laughing, "I shall get theresoon; and really, Mr. King has waited long enough," she added toherself.
And, indeed, Mr. King thought so too, and he couldn't control hisdelight when the three danced into the little private parlour, openingout from his bedroom, and came up to his side.
"I slept over," said Polly, in a shamefaced little way; "I'm sorry,Grandpapa dear."
"You needn't be; not a bit of it," declared Grandpapa, holding her offat arm's length to scan her rosy face; "the best thing you couldpossibly do"--Mamsie's very words. So Polly felt relieved at once. "Andnow we will wait for Mrs. Fisher," he added, with a glance at the door.
"Here she is," piped Phronsie, who had been regarding the dooranxiously.
"Yes, here she is," repeated old Mr. King, in great satisfaction,holding Polly fast. "Well, now, Mrs. Fisher, that you have come, we'llbegin our festivities. Our Polly, here, is fifteen years oldto-day--only think of that!" Still he held her fast, and bent hiscourtly white head to kiss her brown hair.
Polly clung to his other hand. "It can't be a house celebration, Polly,my dear, with a party and all that, but we'll do the best we can. Andto add to our pleasure, and to be company for you" (not a suggestion ofthe pleasure he was to give), "why, we've another little girl with uswho has chosen this very day for her birthday, too. Adela, come here."
Adela Gray, who had been standing silently, looking on with a sad heartat finding herself with a birthday on her hands, and no one tocelebrate it with her, though for that matter all her birthdays hadbeen rather dismal affairs at the best, in the Paris school, now shrankback at Mr. King's sudden summons, and hid behind her grandmother'sblack gown.
"Come, Adela," commanded Mr. King, in a tone that brooked no furtherdelay. So she crept out, and stood in front of him.
"Oh, Adela!" exclaimed Polly, in a transport, drawing her up by herother hand, for still Grandpapa held her fast. "Is it your birthdaytoo? How perfectly elegant! oh, oh!"
And everybody said, "How fine!" And they all were smiling at her. AndAdela found herself, before she knew it, coming up out of her olddespair into brightness and warmth and joy. And she never knew when oldMr. King proclaimed her fourteen years old, and dropped a kiss--yes, heactually did--on her head. And then she found herself on his otherside, by the big centre table, that was covered with a large cloth. AndPolly made her put her hand under it first, saying, "Oh, no, Grandpapa,please let Adela pull out the first parcel." And lo, and behold--sheheld a neat little white-papered bundle tied with a blue ribbon.
"Open it," cried Jasper, as she stood stupidly staring at it, in herhand. "Don't you see it's got your name on it?" But Adela didn't seeanything, she was so dazed. So Jasper had to open it for her. "We maythank our stars the first parcel happened to be for her," he wasthinking busily all the time he was untying the ribbon. And there wasjust what she had wanted for, oh, so long--Mrs. Jameson's little bookson Art--her very own, she
saw as soon as her trembling fingers openedthe cover.
After that, the skies might rain down anything in the shape of gifts,as it seemed to be doing for Polly and for her; it didn't matter toAdela; and she found herself, finally, looking over a heap of whitepapers and tangled ribbons, at Polly Pepper, who was dancing about, andthanking everybody to right and to left.
"Why don't--why don't--you--thank him?" old Mrs. Gray mumbled in herear, while the tears were running down her wrinkled cheeks.
"Let her alone," said old Mr. King, hearing her. "She's thanked meenough. Now then, to breakfast, all of us! Come, Polly--come,Adela--Jasper, you take Mrs. Gray," and the others falling in, awaythey all went down to the big dining room, to their own special tablein the centre.
"I do so love what Joey sent me, and Ben and Davie," breathed Polly,for about the fiftieth time, patting her little money-bag which she hadhung on her belt. Then she looked at the new ring on her finger verylovingly, and the other hand stole up to pinch the pin on her trimnecktie, and see if it were really there. "Oh, Jasper, if the boys wereonly here!" she whispered, under cover of the chatter and bustle aroundthe table.
"Don't let us think of that, Polly," Jasper made haste to say; "it willmake father feel so badly if he thinks you are worrying."
"I know it," said Polly, pulling herself out of her gloom in aninstant, to be as gay as ever, till the big sombre dining room seemedinstinct with life, and the cheeriest place imaginable.
"What good times Americans do have!" exclaimed a lady, passing thedoor, and sending an envious glance within.
"Yes, if they're the right kind of Americans," said her companion,wisely.
All that wonderful day the sun seemed to shine more brightly than onany other day in the whole long year. And the two girls who had thebirthday together, went here and there, arm in arm, to gladden all thetired, and often discontented, eyes of the fellow-travellers theychanced to meet. And when finally it came to the dusk, and Polly andAdela were obliged to say, "Our birthday is almost all over," why then,that was just the very time when Mother Fisher and the little doctor(for he was in the plan, you may be very sure, only he wanted her tomake all the arrangements, "It's more in a woman's way, my dear," hehad said),--well, then, that was their turn to celebrate the doublebirthday!
"Where are those girls?" cried the little doctor, fidgeting about, andknocking down a little table in his prancing across the room. Jasperran and picked it up. "No harm done," he declared, setting the booksstraight again.
"O dear, did I knock that over?" asked Dr. Fisher, whirling around tolook at the result of his progress. "Bless me, did I really do that?"
"It's all right now," said Jasper, with a laugh at the doctor's face."Lucky there wasn't anything that could break on the table."
"I should say so," declared the little doctor; "still, I'm sorry Ifloored these," with a rueful hand on the books. "I'd rather smash someother things that I know of than to hurt the feelings of a book. Dearme!"
"So had I," agreed Jasper, "to tell you the truth; but these aren'thurt; not a bit." He took up each volume, and carefully examined thebinding.
When he saw that this was so, the little doctor began to fidget again,and to wonder where the girls were, and in his impatience he was on thepoint of prancing off once more across the room, when Jasper said, "Letus go and find them--you and I."
"An excellent plan," said Dr. Fisher, hooking his arm into Jasper's andskipping off, Jasper having hard work to keep up with him.
"Here--where are you two going?" called Mr. King after them. And thishindered them so that Polly and Adela ran in unnoticed. And there theywere on time after all; for it turned out that the little doctor'swatch was five minutes ahead.
Well, and then they all filed into the big dining room, and there, tobe sure, was their special table in the centre, and in the middle of itwas a tall Dutch cake, ornamented with all sorts of nuts and fruits andcandies, and gay with layers of frosting, edged and trimmed withcoloured devices, and on the very tip-top of all was an elaboratefigure in sugar of a little Dutch shepherdess. And around thiswonderful cake were plates of mottoes, all trimmed in the Dutchfashion--in pink and green and yellow--while two big bunches of posies,lay one at each plate, of the two girls who had a birthday together inOld Amsterdam.
"Oh--oh!" cried Polly, seizing her bunch before she looked at the hugeDutch cake, and burying her nose deep among the big fragrant roses,"how perfectly lovely! Who did do this?"
But no one said a word. And the little doctor was as sober as a judge.He only glared at them over his spectacles.
"Grandpapa," gasped Polly, "you did."
"Guess again," advised Grandpapa. "Mamsie--" Polly gave one radiantlook at Mother Fisher's face.
Then Dr. Fisher broke out into a hearty laugh. "You've guessed it thistime, Polly, my girl," he said, "your mother is the one."
"Your father really did it," corrected Mother Fisher. "Yes, Adoniram,you did,--only I saw to things a little, that's all."
"Which means that pretty much the whole business was hers," added thelittle doctor, possessing himself of her hand under cover of the table."Well, girls, if you like your birthday party fixings, that's all yourmother and I ask. It's Dutch, anyway, and what you won't be likely toget at home; there's so much to be said for it."