CHAPTER XVITHE CHRISTMAS PRESENT
Godfrey didn't return to school at all. He fancied that it would bemore aristocratic to go to a boarding school, and, his motherconcurring in this view, he was entered as a scholar at the MelvilleAcademy, situated in Melville, twelve miles distant. Once a fortnighthe came home to spend the Sunday. On these occasions he flourishedabout with a tiny cane, and put on more airs than ever. No one missedhim much, outside of his own family. Andy found the schoolconsiderably more agreeable after his departure.
We will now suppose twelve months to have passed. During this timeAndy has grown considerably, and is now quite a stout boy. He hasimproved also in education. The Misses Grant, taking a kind interestin his progress, managed to spare him half the day in succeedingterms, so that he continued to attend school. Knowing that he had butthree hours to learn, when the others had six, he was all the morediligent, and was quite up to the average standard for boys of hisage. The fact is, Andy was an observing boy, and he realized thateducation was essential to success in life. Mr. Stone, before goingaway, talked with him on this subject and gave him some advice, whichAndy determined to follow.
As may be inferred from what I have said, Andy was still working forthe Misses Grant. He had grown accustomed to their ways, and succeededin giving them perfect satisfaction, and accomplished quite as muchwork as John, his predecessor, though the latter was a man.
As Christmas approached, Miss Priscilla said one day to her sister:
"Don't you think, Sophia, it would be well to give Andrew a Christmaspresent?"
"Just so," returned Sophia, approvingly.
"He has been very faithful and obliging all the time he has been withus."
"Just so."
"I have been thinking what would be a good thing to give him."
"A pair of spectacles," suggested Sophia, rather absent-mindedly.
"Sophia, you are a goose."
"Just so," acquiesced her sister, meekly.
"Such a gift would be very inappropriate."
"Just so."
"A pair of boots," was the next suggestion.
"That would be better. Boots would be very useful, but I think itwould be well to give him something that would contribute to hisamusement. Of course, we must consult his taste, and not out own. Weare not boys."
"Just so," said Sophia, promptly. "And he is not a lady," she added,enlarging upon the idea.
"Of course not. Now, the question is, what do boys like?"
"Just so," said Sophia, but this admission did not throw much lightupon the character of the present to be bought.
Just then Andy himself helped them to a decision. He entered, cap inhand, and said:
"If you can spare me, Miss Grant, I would like to go skating on thepond."
"Have you a pair of skates, Andrew?"
"No, ma'am," said Andy; "but one of the boys will lend me a pair."
"Yes, Andrew; you can go, if you will be home early."
"Yes, ma'am--thank you."
As he went out, Miss Priscilla said:
"I have it."
"What?" asked Sophia, alarmed.
"I mean that I have found out what to give to Andrew."
"What is it?"
"A pair of skates."
"Just so," said Sophia. "He will like them."
"So I think. Suppose we go to the store while he is away, and buy hima pair."
"Won't he need to try them on?" asked her sister.
"No," said Priscilla. "They don't need to fit as exactly as boots."
So the two sisters made their way to the village store, and asked tolook at their stock of skates.
"Are you going to skate, Miss Priscilla?" asked the shopkeeper,jocosely.
"No; they are for Sophia," answered Priscilla, who could jokeoccasionally.
"Oh, Priscilla," answered the matter-of-fact Sophia, "you didn't tellme about that. I am sure I could not skate. You said they were forAndrew."
"Sophia, you are a goose."
"Just so."
"It was only a joke."
"Just so."
The ladies, who never did things by halves, selected the best pair inthe store, and paid for them. When Andy had returned from skating,Priscilla said: "How did you like the skating, Andrew?"
"It was bully," said Andrew, enthusiastically.
"Whose skates did you borrow?"
"Alfred Parker's. They were too small for me, but I made them do."
"I should suppose you would like to have a pair of your own."
"So I should, but I can't afford to buy a pair, just yet.
"I'll tell you what I want to do, and maybe you'll help me aboutbuyin' it."
"What is it, Andrew?"
"You know Christmas is comin', ma'am, and I want to buy my mother anice dress for a Christmas present--not a calico one, but a thick onefor winter."
"Alpaca or de laine?"
"I expect so; I don't know the name of what I want, but you do. Howmuch would it cost?"
"I think you could get a good de laine for fifty cents a yard. I sawsome at the store this afternoon."
"And about how many yards would be wanted, ma'am?"
"About twelve, I should think."
"Then it would be six dollars."
"Just so," said Sophia, who thought it about time she took part in theconversation.
"I've got the money, ma'am, and I'll give it to you, if you and MissSophia will be kind enough to buy it for me."
"To be sure we will, Andrew," said Priscilla, kindly. "I am glad youare such a good son."
"Just so, Andrew."
"You see," said Andy, "mother won't buy anything for herself. Shealways wants to buy things for Mary and me. She wants us to bewell-dressed, but she goes with the same old clothes. So I want her tohave a new dress."
"You want her to have it at Christmas, then?"
"Yes, ma'am, if it won't be too much trouble."
"That is in two days. To-morrow, Sophia and I will buy the dress."
"Thank you. Here's the money," and Andy counted out six dollars inbills, of which Miss Priscilla took charge.
The next day they fulfilled their commission, and purchased a finedress pattern at the village store. It cost rather more than sixdollars, but this they paid out of their own pockets, and did notreport to Andy. Just after supper, as he was about to go home to spendChristmas Eve, they placed the bundle in his hands.
"Isn't it beautiful!" he exclaimed, with delight. "Won't mother beglad to get it?"
"She'll think she has a good son, Andrew."
"Shure, I ought to be good to her, for she's a jewel of a mother."
"That is right, Andrew. I always like to hear a boy speak well of hismother. It is a great pleasure to a mother to have a good son."
"Shure, ma'am," said Andy, with more kindness of heart thandiscretion, "I hope you'll have one yourself."
"Just so," said Sophia, with the forced habit upon her.
"Sophia, you are a goose!" said Priscilla, blushing a little.
"Just so, Priscilla."
"We are too old to marry, Andrew," said Priscilla; "but we thank youfor your wish."
"Shure, ma'am, you are only in the prime of life."
"Just so," said Sophia, brightening up.
"I shall be sixty next spring. That can hardly be in the prime oflife."
"I was readin' of a lady that got married at seventy-nine, ma'am."
"Just so," said Sophia, eagerly.
Miss Priscilla did not care to pursue the subject.
"We have thought of you," she continued, "and, as you have been veryobliging, we have bought you a Christmas present. Here it is."
Andy no sooner saw the skates than his face brightened up with themost evident satisfaction.
"It's just what I wanted," he said, joyfully. "They're regularbeauties! I'm ever so much obliged to you."
"Sophia wanted to get you a pair of spectacles, but I thought thesewould suit you better."
Andy went off into
a fit of laughter at the idea, in which both theladies joined him. Then, after thanking them again, he hurried home,hardly knowing which gave him greater pleasure, his own present, orhis mother's.
I will not stop to describe Andy's Christmas, for this is only aretrospect, but carry my reader forward to the next September, whenAndy met with an adventure, which eventually had a considerable effectupon his fortunes.