CHAPTER III.
SUSY'S CHRISTMAS.
It was bright and beautiful all day, and then, when no one couldpossibly wait any longer, it was Christmas evening. The coal glowed inthe grate with a splendid blaze: all the gas-burners were lighted, andso were everybody's eyes. If one had listened, one might have heard,from out of doors, a joyful tinkling of sleigh-bells; yet I fancy nobodycould have told whether the streets were still or noisy, or whether thesky had a moon in it or not; for nobody was quiet long enough to notice.
But by and by, when the right time had come, the folding-doors wereopened, just like the two covers to a Christmas fairy book. Then, in asecond, it was so still you might have heard a pin drop.
Such a funny little old gentleman had arrived: his face alive withdimples, and smiles, and wrinkles. His cheeks were as red and round aswinter apples, and where there wasn't a wrinkle there was a dimple; andno doubt there was a dimple in his chin, and his chin maybe was double,only you couldn't tell, for it was hidden ever so deep under a beard aswhite as a snow-drift.
He walked along, tottering under the weight of a huge pack full ofpresents. He extended his small arms towards the audience mostaffectionately, and you could see that his antiquated coat-sleeves werebristling with toys and glistening with ornaments. His eyes twinkledwith fun, and his mouth, which seemed nearly worn out with laughing,grew bigger every minute.
It took the dear old gentleman some time to clear his throat; but whenhe had found his voice, which at first was as fine as a knitting-needle,and all of a tremble, he made
THE SPEECH OF SANTA CLAUS.
"How do, my darlings? How do, all round? Bless your little hearts, howdo you all do? Did they tell ye Santa wasn't a-comin', my dears? Didyour grandpas and grandmas say, 'Humph! there isn't any such a person.'My love to the good old people. I know they mean all right; but tellthem they'll have to give it up now!"
(Here Santa Claus made a low bow. Everybody laughed and clapped; butPrudy whispered, "O, don't he look old all over? What has he done withhis _teeth_? O, dear, has anybody pulled 'em out?")
"Yes, my dears," continued the old gentleman, encouraged by theapplause,--"yes, my dears, here I am, as jolly as ever! But bless yoursweet little hearts, I've had a terrible time getting here! The wind hasbeen blowin' me up as fierce as you please, and I've been shook roundas if I wasn't of more account than a kernel of corn in a popper!
"O, O, I've been ducked up to the chin in some awful deep snow-drifts,up there by the North Pole! This is the very first time the storms havecome so heavy as to cover over the end of the North Pole! But this yearthey had to dig three days before they could find it. O, ho!
"I was a-wanderin' round all last night; a real shivery night, too! Gotso _broke up_, there's nothing left of me but small pieces. O, hum!
"Such a time as I had in some of those chimneys, you haven't any idee!Why, if you'll believe me, over there in Iceland somebody forgot toclear out the chimney, and there I stuck fast, like a fish-bone in yourthroat; couldn't be picked out, couldn't be swallowed!
"The funniest time that was! How I laughed! And then the children'smother woke up, and, 'O, dear,' said she; 'hear the wind sigh down thechimney!' 'Only me,' says I; 'and I've caught you napping this time!'She helped me out, and when I had caught my breath, I climbed out thewindow; but, deary me, I shouldn't wonder if that very woman went tosleep again, and thought it was all a dream! Heigh-ho! that's the waythey always treat poor Santa Claus nowadays."
(Here the children laughed, and Susy said, "I guess he must have bumpedhis nose against that chimney: see what a hump!")
"O, O, don't you make sport of me, children! My nose is big, to be sure,but I'm going to keep it and make the best of it! If you love Santa ashe loves you, you wouldn't mind the looks. I _was_ going to change mycoat and dickey; but then, thinks I, I'll come just as I am! I pattedmyself on the shoulder, and says I, 'Santa Claus, don't you fret if you_are_ growin' old! You may look a little dried up, but your heart isn'twrinkled; O no!' You see father Adam and me was very near of an age, butsomehow I never growed up! I always thought big folks did very well intheir place; but for my part, give me the children. Hurrah for thechildren!"
(Great clapping and laughing.)
"I tell you, darlings, I haven't forgot a single one of you. My pocketsare running over. I've been preparing presents for you ever since lastfall, when the birds broke up housekeeping.
"Here's a tippet for the Prudy girl, and she may have it for nothing;and they are cheaper 'n that, if you take 'em by the quantity.
"I'm a walkin' book-case. Why, I've brought stories and histories enoughto set up a store! I've got more nuts than you can shake a hammer at;but I think there's more bark to 'em than there is bite. O, O, I find Ican't crack 'em with my teeth, as I used to a hundred years ago!
"But my dear, sweet, cunning little hearers, I must be a-goin'. QueenVictoria, said she to me, said she, 'Now, Santa, my love, do you hurryback to fill my children's stockings before the clock strikes twelve.'Queen Vic is an excellent woman, and is left a poor widow; so I can'tdisappoint her, poor soul!
"I must be a-goin'! Would like to hug and kiss you all round, but can'tstop. (Kisses his hand and bows.) A Merry Christmas to you all, and aHappy New Year."
So saying, Santa Claus suddenly disappeared at the hall door, droppinghis heavy pack upon the table.
In another minute the lively old gentleman was in the front parlorwithout any mask, and of course it was nobody but cousin Percy "with hisface off."
Then they all fell to work sorting out presents. Prudy seized her furtippet, and put it on at once.
"O, how pretty I look," said she; "just like a little cat! _Ain't_ Icunning?"
But nobody could pause to attend to Prudy, though she chatted very fast,without commas or periods, and held up to view a large wax doll which"would be alive if it could talk." They all had gifts as well as Prudy,and wished to talk rather than to listen. They asked questions withoutwaiting for answers, and did not mind interrupting one another, andtalking all at once, like a party of school children.
All this was hardly polite, it is true; but people are sometimessurprised out of their good manners on Christmas evenings, and must beforgiven for it, as such a good time happens but once a year.
Percy broke in with an old song, and went through with a whole stanza ofit, although no one listened to a word:--
"Good luck unto old Christmas, And long life let us sing, For he doeth more good unto the poor Than many a crowned king."
"My beautiful books!" cried aunt Madge; "Russia morocco."
"My writing-desk,--has any one looked at it?" said Mrs. Parlin;"rose-wood, inlaid with brass."
"My skates!" broke in Susy, at the top of her voice.
"Hush!" screamed cousin Percy; "won't anybody please notice my drum? Ifyou won't look, then look out for a drum in each ear!"
And as nobody would look or pay the slightest attention, they all had tohear "Dixie" pounded out in true martial style, till they held on totheir ears.
"Rattlety bang!" went the drum. "Tweet, tweet," whistled the littlemusical instruments which the children were blowing.
"Have pity on us!" cried aunt Madge; "I am bewildered; my head isfloating like a Chinese garden."
"Order!" shouted Mr. Parlin, laughing.
"O, yes, sir," said Percy, seizing Susy and whirling her round."Children, why don't you try to preserve order? My nerves are strung uplike violin-strings! I've got a pound of headache to every ounce ofbrains. Susy Parlin, do try to keep still!"
"Thee needn't pretend it is all Susan," said grandma Read, smiling."Thee and little Prudence are the noisiest of the whole!"
In fact, they raised such a din, that after a while poor grandma Readsmoothed the Quaker cap over her smiling face, and stole off into herown chamber, where she could "settle down into quietness." Much noisealways confused grandma Read.
But in a very few moments, when the excitement began to die out, therewas a season
of overwhelming gratitude. Everybody had to thank everybodyelse; and Mr. Parlin, who had a beautiful dressing-gown to be gratefulfor, nevertheless found time to tell Susy, over and over again, howdelighted he was with her book-mark, made, by her own fingers, of threewide strips of velvet ribbon; on the ends of which were fastened across, a star, and an anchor, of card-board.
"Papa, one ribbon is to keep your place in the Old Testament," saidSusy; "one is to stay in the middle, at the births and marriages; andthe other one is for our chapter in the New Testament, you know."
"I think my lamp-mat is very pretty," said aunt Madge, kissing Susy;"every bit as pretty as if Prudy hadn't 'been and told.'"
Prudy had bought a shawl-pin for her mother, a fierce little woodensoldier for aunt Madge, and something for everybody else but Susy. Notthat she forgot Susy. O, no! but one's money does not always hold out,even at Christmas time.
"Why," said Mr. Parlin, "what is this sticking fast to the sole of mynew slipper? Molasses candy, I do believe."
"Yes sir; that's for Susy," cried Prudy, suddenly remembering how shehad tucked it in at the last moment, when she could not stop to find anywrapping-paper. "It isn't so big as it was, but it's the biggest piece Ihad in this world. I saved it last night. Susy likes 'lasses candy, andI couldn't think of nothin' else."
It was a wonder that Prudy's candy had not spoiled some of the nicepresents.
Susy received several pretty things; and though she did not talk quiteso much as Prudy, she was just as happy. For one thing, she had what shehad not dreamed was possible for a little girl--a bottle of otto ofrose; "just like a young lady."
This was a real delight to Susy: but Prudy, sniffing at it, said,coolly, "O, ho! it smells 's if it didn't cost more'n a cent! 'Tisn'thalf so sweet as pep'mint!"
Before Dotty could be put to bed, she had contrived to break severaltoys, all of which happened to be Susy's--a sugar temple, a glasspitcher, and a small vase.
This was an evening long to be remembered; but the most remarkable eventof all was to come.
"Susy, my daughter," said Mr. Parlin, "have you been wondering why youdon't see a present from me?"
Susy blushed. She had certainly expected something handsome this yearfrom her father.
"I haven't forgotten you, my dear; but the present I have chosenwouldn't sit very well on the shoulders of such a little fellow as SantaClaus."
Percy laughed. "Wouldn't it have been a load, uncle?"
"Hush!" whispered aunt Madge; "she isn't to know till morning."
"But, papa," said Susy, her eyes shining with excitement, "why couldn'tyou bring it in here now?"
"It is better off out of doors. Indeed, to tell the truth, my child, itis hardly suitable for the parlor."
"Now, Miss Susy," said Percy, measuring off his words on the tips of hisfingers, "I'm authorized to tell you it's something you mustn't take inyour lap, mustn't hang on a nail; if you do, you'll lose it. I'm sure'twill please you, Susy, because it's a mute, and can't speak. You--"
"O, hush talking about dumb people! I shouldn't think you'd make sportof Freddy Jackson! If _you_ was a little _deaf-and-dumber_ than you arenow, I'd like you better!
"O, dear, dear!" cried she, dancing about the room; "what can it be? Ican't wait!"
"Only think; all night before I'll know," thought she, as she touchedher pillow. "O, Prudy, to-morrow morning! Only think of to-morrowmorning I All my other presents are just nothing at all. Anything is_so_ much nicer when you don't know what it is!"