CHAPTER XVI
A VALENTINE PARTY
At four o'clock the "party" came. Midget and Delight, watching from thewindow, saw James and Thomas come across the street, bringing betweenthem a great big something, all wrapped in white tissue paper. They lefttheir burden, whatever it was, on the porch, rang the door-bell, and wentaway.
The children flew to the door, and, with the help of Mary and Miss Hart,they brought the big thing in.
Though bulky, it was not heavy, and they set it in the library andproceeded to take off the wrappings. As the last sheet of tissue paperwas removed, shrieks of admiration went up from the girls, and Mrs.Spencer came running in to see what the excitement was about.
She saw a large heart, about five feet high, made on a light wood frame,which was covered with red crepe paper. It was bordered with red andwhite gilt flowers, also made of paper, and at the top was a big bow ofred ribbon, with long fluttering streamers. On top of the heart, ofeither _shoulder_, sat two beautiful white doves which were real doves,stuffed, and they held in their beaks envelopes, one marked Delight andone Marjorie.
The whole affair had a back stay, and stood up on the floor like aneasel. The paper that covered the heart was put on in folds, like tucksupside down, and in the folds were thrust many envelopes, that doubtlesscontained valentines. Between and among these were little cupids anddoves fastened on, also nosegays of flowers and fluttering ribbons, andhearts pierced with darts, and the whole effect was like one great bigvalentine.
Before touching the envelopes, Delight and Marjorie sat on the floor,their arms round each other, and gazed at the pretty sight.
"Did your father make it?" asked Delight.
"He planned it, I'm sure," replied Marjorie. "But they all helped makeit, I know. I suppose Father had the frame made somewhere, then he andMother covered it, and Kit and King helped make the flowers and things.Oh, I wish I'd been there!"
"Then they wouldn't have made it!" said Delight, quickly, and Midgelaughed, and said:
"No, I suppose not. Well, shall we begin to read the valentines?"
"Yes, but let's take them out slowly, and make it last a long while."
"Yes, for this is our 'party,' you know. Oh, see, these envelopes in thedoves' bills say on them, 'To be opened last.' So we'll begin with theseothers. You take one with your name on, first."
So Delight pulled out an envelope that was addressed to her.
It contained a valentine of which the principal figure was a prettylittle girl, something like Delight herself. Inside was written:
"Flossy Flouncy, fair and fine, Let me be your Valentine. Here's my heart laid at your feet, Flossy Flouncy, fair and sweet."
"I know King wrote that!" cried Midget; "he always calls you FlossyFlouncy. You don't mind, do you?"
"No, indeed! I think it's fun. I'm going to call him Old King Cole. Thatis, if I ever see him again."
"Oh, pshaw! We'll be out of this prison next week. The doctor said so.And you must come and make me a visit to even things up."
"Mother wouldn't let me go to your house to stay, I'm sure; but I can goover afternoons or Saturdays."
"Yes, and you'll get to know King better. He's an awful nice boy."
"I'm sure he is. Now you take a valentine."
Midget pulled out the biggest one that was addressed to her. It held abeautiful, large valentine, not home-made, but of most elaborate design.
On its back, though, was a verse written, that Midge knew at once wasdone by her father. It said:
"Marjorie Midget Mopsy Mops, I have looked through all the shops, Searching for a Valentine Good enough for Midget Mine. This is the best that I could do, So here it is with my love so true."
"Isn't it a beauty!" cried Midge; "I never had such a handsome onebefore. See how the flowers are tied with real ribbons, and the birds hopin and out of their cages."
"It's splendid!" said Delight, "and here's a big one for me too!"
She pulled out a large envelope, addressed to herself, and found avalentine quite as beautiful as Marjorie's and almost exactly like it. Itwas from her father, and as Mr. Spencer didn't have the knack of rhymingas well as Mr. Maynard, he had written on the back:
"Dear Delight, I can't write, But I send you Affection true, Yankee Doodle Doo!"
"I think that's funny!" cried Marjorie. "I love funny valentines."
"So do I," agreed Delight; "and I didn't know father could make rhymes aswell as that. He must have learned from your father."
"I 'spect he did. Everybody makes verses at our house."
Marjorie smiled to think of the grave and dignified Mr. Spencer learningto write funny rhymes, but she was glad Delight had a big valentine likehers.
Then they pulled out the others, by turns. Some were lovely ones that hadbeen bought; some were home-made ones; some were funny, but the funnyones were home-made, they were not the dreadful things that are called"comic" valentines.
Then there were valentines from Gladys and her brother Dick, which hadbeen delivered by the postman at Marjorie's home, and sent over with theothers. There was one from each of the home servants, who were all fondof Midget, and glad to send her a token of remembrance. And among thebest of all were valentines from Grandma Sherwood and Uncle Steve.
Uncle Steve was especially clever at writing verses, and he sent severalvalentines to both the girls.
One bore a picture of two weeping maidens, behind barred windows in acastle tower. The verses ran thus:
"Two Princesses locked in a tower, Alas, alas for they! I would they need not stay an hour, Nor yet another day. But to a lovely rosy bower The two might fly away.
"I would I were a birdie fleet That I might wing a flight, And bear to them a message sweet Each morning, noon and night. Twould be to me a perfect treat To see their faces bright.
"But, no, in their far home they stay, And I must stay in mine; But though we are so far away Our thoughts we may entwine. And I will send this little lay From your fond
"VALENTINE."
"That's lovely," said Delight, "and it's for me as much as you. Whatjolly relatives you have."
"Oh, Uncle Steve is wonderful. He can do anything. Sometime perhaps youcan go to his house with me, then you'll see. Oh, here's a pretty one,listen."
Midge read aloud:
"What is a Valentine? Tell me, pray. Only a fanciful roundelay Bearing a message from one to another (This time, to a dear little girl from her mother). Message of love and affection true; This is a Valentine, I LOVE YOU!"
"That's sweet. Did your mother write it?"
"Yes, Mother makes lovely poetry. Here's a ridiculous one from Kit."
"Marjorie, Parjorie, Pudding and Pie, Hurry up home, or I'll have to cry. Since you've been gone I've grown so thin I'm nothing at all but bone and skin. So hurry up home if you have any pity For your poor little lonesome sister
"KITTY."
"Why, I thought people never signed valentines," said Delight, laughingat Kitty's effusion.
"They don't, real ones. But of course these are just nonsense ones, andanyway I know Kit's writing, so it doesn't matter."
There were lots of others, and through Marjorie, naturally, had more thanDelight, yet there were plenty for both girls, and set out on two tablesthey made a goodly show. Miss Hart was called in to see them, but sheanswered that she was busy in the dining-room just then, and would comein a few moments.
The big heart that had held the valentines was not at all marred, butrather improved by their removal, and, the girls admired it more thanever.
"But we haven't taken the last ones yet," said Delight, looking at thetwo envelopes in the bills of the doves. They took them at the same time,and opened them simultaneously.
Each contained a valentine and a tiny parcel. The valentines were exactlyalike, and their verses read the same:
"This is a Ring Dove, fair and white That brings this gift to you to-night.
But why a Ring Dove, you may ask; The answer is an easy task. Look in this tiny box and see What has the Ring Dove brought to thee!"
Eagerly the girls opened the boxes, and inside, on a bit of cotton wool,lay two lovely rings exactly alike. They were set with a little heartmade of tiny pearls and turquoises, and they just fitted the fingers ofthe two little girls.
"Aren't they exquisite!" cried Delight, who loved pretty things.
"Beautiful!" agreed Midge, who thought more of the ring as a souvenir."We can always remember to-day by them. I suppose your father sent yoursand my father sent mine."
"Yes, of course they did. Oh, Miss Hart, do look at our rings andvalentines!"
Miss Hart came in, smiling, and proved an interested audience of one, asshe examined all the pretty trifles.
"And now," said Miss Hart, at last, "there's more to your valentineparty. Will you come out to the dining-room and see it?"
Wondering, the two girls followed Miss Hart to the dining-room, andfairly stood still in astonishment at the scene. As it was well afterdusk now, the shades had been drawn, and the lights turned on. The tablewas set as if for a real party, and the decorations were all of pink andwhite.
Pink candles with pretty pink shades cast a soft light, and pink andwhite flowers were beautifully arranged. In the centre was a waxen cupidwith gilt wings, whose outstretched hands bore two large hearts suspendedby ribbons. These hearts were most elaborate satin boxes, one havingMarjorie on it in gilt letters and the other Delight. As it turned out,they were to be kept as jewel boxes, or boxes for any little trinkets,but now they were filled with delicious bon-bons, the satin lining beingprotected by tinfoil and lace paper.
The table was laid for four, and at each place was a valentine.
Mrs. Spencer and Miss Hart took their seats, but, at first, the girlswere too bewildered to understand.
"It's your party, Marjorie," said Miss Hart, smiling. "Your father andmother sent it all over,--everything, even the candles and flowers. Allwe've done is to arrange it on the table. So you must sit at the head, asyou're hostess."
So Midget took her place at the head of the table, with Delight opposite.
Each person had a parcel at their plate, daintily tied up in pink paperand white ribbon, and sealed with little gold hearts.
Mrs. Spencer said they would not open these until after the feast, soafter they had looked a few moments longer on the pretty things all aboutthe table, Mary brought in the first course, and the party began.
First there was fruit, and this consisted of a slice of pineapple cut ina heart shape, and surrounded on the plate by strawberries and candiedcherries. This dainty arrangement, on lace paper, was so pretty thatDelight said it was too bad to disturb it.
"It's too good not to be disturbed," said Marjorie, and as it was reallydinner time, and the girls were hungry, the lovely fruit course soondisappeared.
"This isn't dinner," said Mrs. Spencer, "it's a party supper. Your party,you know, Marjorie."
"Yes'm; I didn't see how Father could send me a party without people. Buthe did his part, didn't he?"
"Yes, indeed; and we're doing ours. We've all the people that we canhave, and so we'll make the best of it."
"I think it's a lovely party," said Delight, "the best one I ever wentto. Oh, what are these?"
For Mary was just passing the most fascinating looking dish. It wasoyster croquettes, carefully moulded in heart shapes, accompanied byFrench fried potatoes also cut into little hearts.
"Ellen cut these, I know she did," said Marjorie. "She's such a clevercook, and she loves to make fancy things."
"Your mother is very fortunate with her servants," said Mrs. Spencer,with a little sigh.
And then came lovely brown bread sandwiches, of course they were heartshaped too, and Marjorie declared she'd have heart-disease if thesethings kept on!
But they did keep on. Next came jellied chicken that had been moulded inheart forms, and lettuce salad with red hearts cut from beets among thecrisp yellow leaves.
Then came dessert, and it was a bewildering array of heart ice creams,and heart cakes, and heart bon-bons, and heart shaped forms of jelly.
"Only one of each, to-night," said Mrs. Spencer, smiling. "I don't wanttwo invalids for valentines, I can assure you."
So lots of the good things were left over for next day, and Marjorieremarked that she thought the next day's feast was always about as muchfun as the party any way.
"Now for our presents," said Delight, as the last plates were removed,and they sat round the table still feasting their eyes on the prettytrinkets that decorated it.
So Mrs. Spencer opened her parcel first.
She found a silver photograph frame shaped like a heart. Of course, Mr.Spencer had sent it, and the pretty card with it read:
"As at my verse I'm sure you'd sniff, I simply send this little gift.
"VALENTINE."
The Spencers seemed to think this a fine poem but Marjorie secretlywondered if a grown-up man could think those words rhymed!
Miss Hart opened her box next, and found a heart-shaped filigree goldbrooch of great beauty. The Maynards had sent her this, not only as avalentine, but as a token of gratitude for her kindness to Marjorie.
These verses were written on a fancy card:
"Hearts to Miss Hart So I bring you a heart. Your name is fine For a Valentine. Though this trinket small Can't tell you all 'Twill give you a hint That hearts are not flint; And when this one of gold Our good wishes has told, May it brightly shine As your valentine."
"It's just a darling!" exclaimed Miss Hart, looking at the welcome gift."Your parents are too good to me, Marjorie."
"I'm glad of it," said Midge, simply, "you're too good to me!"
She smiled at Miss Hart, and then she and Delight opened their boxestogether.
Their gifts were just alike, and were pink and gold cups and saucers. Thechina and decoration were exquisite, and both cup and saucer were heartshaped. Not the most convenient shape to drink from, perhaps, but lovelyfor a souvenir of Valentine's Day.
Then they took the boxes held out by the wax cupid, and admired thetufted satin and the painted garlands.
"Let's take the candies out and put them in other boxes," said Delight,"so there'll be no danger of getting a bit of chocolate on the satin."
This was a good idea, and then they took all the pretty ornaments intothe library and set them around on tables.
"It's like Christmas," said Delight, with a little sigh of happiness. "Ido love pretty things."
"Then you ought to be happy now," said Miss Hart, "for I never saw suchan array of favors."
And indeed the room looked like a valentine shop, with its flowers andgifts and cupids and valentines, and the big heart standing in front ofthe mantel.
Then Miss Hart spent the evening playing games with the children, andafter an enthusiastic telephone conversation with the people opposite,Marjorie and Delight went upstairs, agreeing that nobody had ever hadsuch a lovely Valentine party.