CHAPTER IV
CHRISTMAS, AND AN INVITATION
IN the week that intervened between the opening of the tea room andChristmas, the Patty-Pans girls found their new enterprise developingfrom a sort of glorified doll's house, in which they could fulfil theirfavorite childish play of "helping mother," into a stern reality. EvenHappie came home at night silent and white, Laura openly bemoanedher fate, while Margery and Gretta palely and limply betrayed theirindifference to everything but bed and sleep.
Of course it was delightful to be so successful as they were; that is,it was delightful to review the success of each day from the vantageground of the following morning. But at night, when feet ached, headwas tired, hands weary and patience tried by a succession of women,themselves too tired from shopping to be courteous, then the tea roomlost all semblance of a frolic and became a stern fact.
Christmas eve came at last, just as the girls had had faith to believeit would come, on the twenty-fourth. Everybody seemed to be too busy todrink tea, so it was an easy day, and Happie, Laura and Polly came homeearly, in good spirits, when Bob called for them. Margery and Grettahad been at home all day, for it would never do for them all todesert the Patty-Pans on Christmas eve.
"THE TEA ROOM ... BECAME A STERN FACT"]
"I have a Christmas present!" Bob announced jubilantly the momentthe quartette got inside the little parlor. "I was bursting to tellHappie--and Laura and Polly, of course--on the way home, but I kept itto tell all of you together. It's from Mr. Felton. What do you guess,girls?"
"A nice dog," cried Penny, inspired by her secret desire.
"A gold watch," hazarded Polly.
"Money," said Laura.
"Oh, they've guessed everything!" Happie began, but Margery cried:"Promotion! Nothing that was for himself alone could make dear old Boblook so glad."
"Oh, say, Margery!" protested Bob. "But you guessed right. Mr. Feltonsaid--well, he said I was useful to him, and he liked to have a fellow'round whom he could trust, and he is going to give me charge of someof his inside business, rentals and things of that sort, in the office,you know, instead of sending me out. I'm to start in on ten dollars aweek."
"Oh, Bob, dear!" cried Mrs. Scollard.
"Well, he'd better appreciate you!" declared Happie, rushing to proveher appreciation of Bob by choking him.
"I'm so glad, you best of brothers!" murmured Margery, with eyesalight.
"There's no one like Bob," said Gretta, to every one's surprise and herown consternation.
"Here's where having a family comes in. You all think it's my justdues, but I can tell you I'm as pleased as Punch over it," said Bob."Mother, you may plume yourself on this promotion. If I weren't a goodaccountant Mr. Felton couldn't have given me my chance, and you are myteacher. You'll get twice as much income as you've been having out ofyour investment in me. That strikes me as the main point."
Fine Bob's eyes were moist. He was not quite seventeen, and it had beenlong weary waiting for the day when he could do a fraction of what hewanted to do for the brave mother who had struggled on alone while herchildren were small. Here was his foot placed on the lower rung of theladder by his Christmas promotion, and he had always been sure that,given the first rung, he could climb.
Mrs. Scollard understood what was in Bob's heart. She slipped her handthrough the boy's arm, going down the tiny hall to his room.
"It is not I who have done it, my Robert," she whispered. "It's yourown upright, truthful honesty and industry; your sterling self. I know,my son, and I'm thankful that my one boy is what he is."
"The Scollards are getting rich!" cried Happie rapturously rumpling upher bronze hair, already sufficiently disordered by the wind. "Margery,shall we take a house on the Plaza or Fifth Avenue next year? I alwaysliked North Washington Square best of all New York."
"Don't make your disobedient hair any worse, Hapsie!" protestedMargery. "You look as if you were likely to take a padded cell." Butshe was not less delighted than Happie, and sang like a whole field oflarks, as she helped get the dinner on the table.
The Scollards kept to the fashion of giving Christmas gifts onChristmas eve, and when the girls got the dinner out of the way and itsconsequent work done, they brought out the presents they had long beenmaking and treasuring up for one another.
Gretta, who had learned the family custom during the summer, hadprepared in Crestville for this night. She now brought forth bags andfeather-stitched aprons, made of materials familiar to the girls fromfrequently seeing them in the all-sorts store to which black Don Dolorused to take them down the mountain road. And after these had beenproduced, Gretta brought forth sunbonnets made like her own in whichHappie had found her lonely, painting the fence on her cousins' farm,where she had been tolerated almost intolerantly.
Gretta looked ashamed of her gifts, though they were the best she couldfind or afford to buy. Her cousins had allowed her no money; in the olddays she had had none except what she could earn in small ways, and thestock of the Crestville shop was not varied. There was no mistaking thefact, however, that the Scollards liked Gretta's gifts. They broughtback the summer days, the pleasant Ark, the glorious mountains and thefunny, homelike little store.
Happie put on her pink sunbonnet at once, and the others followed herexample. Thus Crestville crowned, they proceeded to open the New Yorkpackages with which each lap was filled. They were not costly presents,but there was nothing that did not represent time, thought, affection,and which did not fit the receiver's needs and tastes. Consequentlymuch laughter and more pleasure accompanied the opening of everytightly tied package.
At one of the gifts Happie looked gloomy. Margery had received by maila dear little soft leather book of sonnets, and it seemed to Happiethat she stroked it as she handled it. Now, even an enthusiasticbook-lover hardly pets his books, and so it seemed to Happie toargue--however, this was Christmas eve, and good will to man mustinclude, by an effort, Robert Gaston.
A messenger brought a packet from Miss Bradbury. Mrs. Scollard signedfor it, and came back with it to her children. "From Aunt Keren!" shesaid.
Margery opened it, being the eldest. It contained six mistletoelace pins of green enamel and pearls, beautiful pins in design andworkmanship. They held the holly-red ribbon around a long envelopeaddressed to "The Six Tea Maidens." When this envelope was torn open byHappie it proved to contain the receipt for six months' rent of thetea room! Kind Aunt Keren, who went about regardless of fashion, yetdid so much for others in her abrupt way!
A scarf pin in its own white box, for Bob, was a slender circle ofolivines, their green tint exquisite against the white satin.
"For my all-round man, gardener, coachman, farmer and guardian in lastsummer's green fields," the card said.
Mrs. Scollard silently held up a little book and a piece of yellow lace.
"My mother's little hymn book, and dear Miss Keren's own mother'slace," she said, as she read a brief note and laid it inside the book.
There were many small gifts from friends. Happie's three E's, Edith,Elsie and Eleanor, remembered her--Laura looked as though she found ithard to be the third girl, and not as rich in friends as the two olderones. But Gretta's face was a study as she handled first one and thenanother of her gifts. It was her first experience of a home Christmas,and it bewildered her with a sense of its sweetness.
"I wonder how Rosie likes her box?" she said, looking up. Rosie Gruber,left in charge of the Ark, had not been forgotten. Miss Bradbury andthe Scollards had sent her up such a provision for the feast as wouldbe the talk of the township for days.
"Think of Eunice and Reba sitting all alone to-night, after scoldingeach other all day it's likely! No wonder they are cross!" saidGretta, with a sudden pity for the two women who had embittered herchildhood springing from the warmth of her present happiness.
"No, they're in bed, Gretta," laughed Happie, who found it harder toforgive Gretta's cousins than Gretta did.
"Yes
, Gretta, pitying thoughts of the unloving ones to-night!" saidMrs. Scollard with a smile for Gretta. "It's so horrible to lovenothing; worse than not to be loved, could the two conditions beseparated. Now the Christmas hymns, Laura, and then to sleep, for Pennyis drooping, and she must be up bright and early, because Santa Clauscomes to her in the morning."
Laura went to the piano and all the others stood around her. They allsang, more or less; Margery's voice was an unfailing joy, and theharmony of the little family choir was rather remarkable.
"Ralph and Snigs! Quick, Bob, fetch them!" cried Happie. And Lauraimprovised a medley of Christmas airs while they waited. It was notlong; the Gordon boys came only too gladly, and their mother with them.They brought more thrilling little white packages tied with hollyribbon, and the hymns had to wait a while longer. Ralph handed Happieher gift with a funny bow and a bashful look unlike "Ralph the Ready,"as the Scollards called him.
"Your mother will let you wear it because there isn't any etiquetteabout a gift from a boy; it's only young ladies who can't take presentsfrom young men. And--and I'd like a great deal to have you wear it,Happiness," Ralph said.
It was a delicate hoop of gold for her left wrist. Happie caught it upwith a cry of pleasure. "I've been wanting a bangle; you need one withshort sleeves, and this is so slender it's lovely. Of course I'll wearit, and of course mamma will let me! Thank you heaps, Ralph. Here, youwish it on!"
She held out her hand all folded up for Ralph to slip the bangle overit. He did so, scarlet even to his ears, as Bob watched him gravely andSnigs poked Laura in the most unmistakable manner.
"Now it's on and I won't take it off till you say the time for the wishis up. I hope it's a good wish, Ralph! Thank you and thank you!" saidHappie wholly unembarrassed.
They sang hymns until the clock warned them of half-past ten and Pennywas carried by Bob into her mother's room, fast asleep.
"A dear Christmas eve somehow; so quiet and nothing-special, onlydear," said Happie, thoughtfully, brushing her hair preparatory tobraiding it for the night. Gretta sighed contently. "It's my first one.I've seen fifteen twenty-fourth of Decembers, but never a Christmas evebefore. I don't see how it could have been nicer."
"And six months rent of the tea room! Dear Auntie Keren. I don't liketo take it; I'm sure she has to go without lots of things to give usthat. It isn't as though she were rich," said Margery, slipping akimono over her white gown and turning the pages of the little greenleather book.
"You aren't going to sit up to read that book, Margery!" protestedHappie. "Just a book from almost a stranger, a boy you hardly know!"
Margery laughed. "I knew him rather well in those long weeks at BarHarbor, Sister Keren," she said. "And he is twenty-four years old. Nowyour bangle is from a boy! Almost a stranger too! We didn't know theGordons last Christmas."
"Mamma said she wouldn't have let you keep a bangle from any other boy,but it was almost like a present from a cousin, Ralph runs in and outso, and she thought it would be spoiling your nice friendship to objectin his case," said Laura, who loved to slip in to share the three oldergirls' cozy talks in the intimacy of getting ready for the night. Shequoted her mother with a primness of lip and manner of which Mrs.Scollard was incapable.
"Oh, of course, I knew that in a minute," said Happie easily. "It's alovely little bangle. I do like ornaments that seem to say: 'She didn'tput me on to have you notice me; she put me on because she liked meherself!' And that's what this bangle hints. Of course Ralphy doesn'tcount." It sounded ungrateful, but it was pure sisterly affection.
Christmas morning's mail brought pleasant greetings and a few smallgifts to the Patty-Pans. It also brought Happie an envelope that borethe word, "Invitation" as plain to be seen--though invisible--as washer name and address.
"Elsie's going to have something!" exclaimed Happie as she recognizedElsie Barker's heraldic seal. It was over this seal that Happie andElsie had had their one falling-out, when Happie had irreverentlysuggested that Elsie use a dog's head instead of a coat-of-arms, sincethat represented the oldest family of Barkers.
Happie tore open the envelope now, always ready to hail the chance ofa party, and found the invitation for which she looked, an invitationto a "Noel Party" of old-time games and merrymaking on New Year's eve.With the invitation was an informal note. "Dear Hap," Elsie wrote."I've asked you and Laura and Bob, and left Margery out because she'solder than any of the guests, and I'm going to make this a young party.But I wish you'd tell Margery that I'd like to have her come if shedoesn't scorn my sixteen years' old limit. I'd like to invite yourfriends, the Gordons, if I knew them. I'm hard up for nice boys ourage. Couldn't you ask me down to meet them in a day or two? Then I'dinvite them. I'm going to have a dandy party; just you wait till yousee it! Merry Christmas! Yours in a rush, Elsie."
"Scrumptious!" cried Happie. "You're asked, Laura; so's Bob, and Elsiesays she'd ask Margery, if she'd like to come, and----" Happie stoppedsuddenly, and began reading the invitation, then the note, then turnedeach sheet of paper over as if something might have escaped. "Well!"she exclaimed.
"What's the matter?" asked Gretta. "How queer you look! And you were sopleased at first!"
"Yes; nothing's the matter. I'm going to tell Margery--and mother,"Happie said hurrying out to the dining-room, catching up Jeunesse Doreeon the way to save herself from tripping over him.
"Just look here, mamma and Margery," she began in an excited whisper."Here's an invitation from Elsie for all of us--not the little ones, ofcourse, but Laura, and she's left out Gretta! And what makes it worseis that she wants to be asked down here to meet the Gordons, so she caninvite Ralph and Snigs! I didn't see at first that Gretta was left out,and I was crazy to go. But I wouldn't go if Elsie did that purposely.She knows Gretta is here; she must have meant it, don't you think so?"
"Yes, of course," said Margery.
"Well, dear Happie, Elsie probably feels that Gretta wouldn't quitefit in with all those girls, and that you'd understand it," said Mrs.Scollard. "I don't believe Gretta would care about it."
"She ought to have the invitation all the same," said decided Happie."She can refuse it if she wants to. Of course I know she's a countrygirl, never has seen society--but, my goodness! I've told the girlsall about her, how handsome and nice she is, and I should think Elsiemight risk her getting on! I'm sure Elsie knows lots of girls that havebad enough manners! Gretta hasn't bad manners; she only isn't used tothings. And talk about society! Elsie says it's to be a young party--itisn't the cotillion, or anything like that. I should think Gretta mightget on among girls of fifteen, if Elsie means what she says aboutgiving sort of an old-fashioned Christmas merrymaking. At any rateshe's my friend, staying here with us, and I know enough of societycustoms to know Elsie has no business to slight my guest when she asksthis family, and I won't have her slighted. I'm going up this afternoonto see Elsie and find out if she could have forgotten Gretta, and ifshe left her out purposely I won't go to her party; neither will Bob,and I don't imagine Elsie will care what Laura does, because she's onlythirteen--anyhow, I don't see how she could go without us."
Happie turned indignantly to walk away, but paused as her mother said:
"Dear Happie, you can't make the world over. People won't acceptothers on their merits. We love Gretta, and we see her precisely asshe is, and we know that her little lacks come from the one lack ofopportunity. But you can't alter social conditions, dear, and it iswise to take the world as you find it."
"Mother, do you mean that you want me to accept an invitation thatslights Gretta? It isn't as though we were women grown; we are onlyschoolgirls. And you hear stories all the time of the funny thingswomen do when they have money that takes them into society--I meanvulgar, new-rich women, not used to nice people. Gretta would nevermake mistakes that came from vulgarity. Do we have to accept quitehorrid people, because they've money, and let a refined young girl beslighted, because she has only a little bit of money, and is from thecountry? Do you think it would be nice in me to
go to Elsie's partyif she won't ask Gretta?" Happie poured out her eloquence with thepassionate protest of a big nature in its first, youthful encounterwith the inconsistencies and injustice of which hearts that feel andeyes that see find the world too full. She had yet to learn thatcustoms have grown out of an average of experience, and that, on thewhole, life would not be happier for any one concerned if socialstandards were different.
"Dear little Hapsie, no, I would not approve of your accepting aninvitation that slighted your guest," said Mrs. Scollard laying herhand on Happie's shoulder. "You owe something to Gretta; you mustdefend her because she has come into our family as she has. But I amonly trying to point out to you that Elsie feels as most people would,and does not consider herself called upon to investigate the merits ofa particular case. Dear, you will learn to be patient with an absurdworld as years go on. I love you for being loyal and for hating shamsand injustice, but be just to the other side also. Social customsare no more consistent than are the human beings who made them. Idon't want you to beat yourself too fiercely against the barriers; itwould wound you, not them. Only in heaven, Hapsie, can real standardsprevail. You must expect the world to worship the idols itself sets up."
"There's no one like you, motherums, so gently firm, so patiently inearnest," said Happie. "I'll try to stand by Gretta without beingfierce to Elsie."
"Run down to Elsie's now, dear, and remember she has a right to chooseher guests," said Mrs. Scollard, kissing the flushed face turned up tohers.
Happie hurried on her coat and hat and flew down to the Barkers' forfive minutes with Elsie in her room, as she prepared for a greatfamily dinner at her grandmother's, who adhered to the older fashionof festival dinners at one o'clock, like the solemn Sunday of hergeneration.
"Yes, Happie, I did mean to leave out your Pennsylvania Dutch girl, orwhatever she is," Elsie replied firmly to Happie's direct question."It's all very well for you to have her in your flat, and very likelyshe is pretty, and not rough, but I can't ask her into my set--youought to see that."
"You are not obliged to ask her, Elsie. I don't see how you can tellwhether you can ask her or not unless you meet her--as you wanted tomeet the boys," said Happie with a quiet manner and a home thrust. Itwas evidently not dangerous to risk boys on Happie's guarantee! Elsieflushed as she recognized Happie's advantage. "But, on the other hand,we Scollards can't accept your invitation, Elsie. It's all right, onlyBob and I won't come, thank you," Happie continued.
"If you want to be a goose," said Elsie much annoyed, "I can't help it.You are not in society yourself, Happie, so you don't understand."
The blood of Happie's ancestors, Signers and Puritans, involuntarilyarose in her at this hint, forcing her to say, forgetful of theChristmas spirit: "Edith wouldn't have slighted Gretta, but theCharlefords can afford to ask whom they please."
She took her departure on the heels of this remark, which she repentedbefore she had walked a block. For the Charlefords were genuinearistocrats, while the Barkers were "new people." But it was true thatEdith would not have slighted Gretta.