VI
"WHEN THE PIE WAS OPENED,THE BIRDS BEGAN TO SING!"
The children went out of the back door quietly, and were presentlylost to sight, Sarah Maud slipping and stumbling alongabsent-mindedly, as she recited rapidly under her breath,"Itwassuchapleasantevenin'n'suchashortwalk, thatwethoughtwe'dleaveourhatstohome.--Itwassuchapleasantevenin'n'suchashortwalk,thatwethoughtwe'd leaveourhatstohome."
Peter rang the door-bell, and presently a servant admitted them, and,whispering something in Sarah's ear, drew her downstairs into thekitchen. The other Ruggleses stood in horror-stricken groups as the doorclosed behind their commanding officer; but there was no time forreflection, for a voice from above was heard, saying, "Come right upstairs, please!"
"Theirs not to make reply, Theirs not to reason why, Theirs but to do or die."
Accordingly they walked upstairs, and Elfrida, the nurse, ushered theminto a room more splendid than anything they had ever seen. But, oh woe!where was Sarah Maud! and was it Fate that Mrs. Bird should say, atonce, "Did you lay your hats in the hall?" Peter felt himself elected bycircumstance the head of the family, and, casting one imploring look attongue-tied Susan, standing next him, said huskily, "It was so verypleasant--that--that"----"That we hadn't good hats enough to go 'round,"put in little Susan, bravely, to help him out, and then froze withhorror that the ill-fated words had slipped off her tongue.
However, Mrs. Bird said, pleasantly, "Of course you wouldn't wear hatssuch a short distance--I forgot when I asked. Now will you come right into Miss Carol's room? She is so anxious to see you."
Just then Sarah Maud came up the back stairs, so radiant with joy fromher secret interview with the cook that Peter could have pinched herwith a clear conscience; and Carol gave them a joyful welcome. "Butwhere is Baby Larry?" she cried, looking over the group with searchingeye. "Didn't he come?"
"Larry! Larry!" Good gracious, where was Larry? They were all sure thathe had come in with them, for Susan remembered scolding him for trippingover the door-mat. Uncle Jack went into convulsions of laughter. "Areyou sure there were nine of you?" he asked, merrily.
"I think so, sir," said Peoria, timidly; "but anyhow, there was Larry;"and she showed signs of weeping.
"Oh, well, cheer up!" cried Uncle Jack. "Probably he's not lost--onlymislaid. I'll go and find him before you can say Jack Robinson!"
"I'll go, too, if you please, sir," said Sarah Maud, "for it was myplace to mind him, an' if he's lost I can't relish my vittles!"
The other Ruggleses stood rooted to the floor. Was this a dinner-party,forsooth; and if so, why were such things ever spoken of as festiveoccasions?
Sarah Maud went out through the hall, calling, "Larry! Larry!" andwithout any interval of suspense a thin voice piped up from below, "HereI be!"
The truth was that Larry, being deserted by his natural guardian,dropped behind the rest, and wriggled into the hat-tree to wait for her,having no notion of walking unprotected into the jaws of a fashionableentertainment. Finding that she did not come, he tried to crawl from hisrefuge and call somebody, when--dark and dreadful ending to a tragicday--he found that he was too much intertwined with umbrellas and canesto move a single step. He was afraid to yell (when I have said this ofLarry Ruggles I have pictured a state of helpless terror that ought towring tears from every eye); and the sound of Sarah Maud's belovedvoice, some seconds later, was like a strain of angel music in his ears.Uncle Jack dried his tears, carried him upstairs, and soon had him inbreathless fits of laughter, while Carol so made the other Rugglesesforget themselves that they were presently talking like accomplisheddiners-out.
Carol's bed had been moved into the farthest corner of the room, and shewas lying on the outside, dressed in a wonderful dressing-gown thatlooked like a fleecy cloud. Her golden hair fell in fluffy curls overher white forehead and neck, her cheeks flushed delicately, her eyesbeamed with joy, and the children told their mother, afterwards, thatshe looked as beautiful as the angels in the picture books.
There was a great bustle behind a huge screen in another part of theroom, and at half past five this was taken away, and the Christmasdinner-table stood revealed. What a wonderful sight it was to the poorlittle Ruggles children, who ate their sometimes scanty meals on thekitchen table! It blazed with tall colored candles, it gleamed withglass and silver, it blushed with flowers, it groaned with good thingsto eat; so it was not strange that the Ruggleses, forgetting altogetherthat their mother was a McGrill, shrieked in admiration of the fairyspectacle. But Larry's behavior was the most disgraceful, for he stoodnot upon the order of his going, but went at once for a high chair thatpointed unmistakably to him, climbed up like a squirrel, gave acomprehensive look at the turkey, clapped his hands in ecstasy, restedhis fat arms on the table, and cried with joy, "I beat the hull lot o'yer!" Carol laughed until she cried, giving orders, meanwhile,--"UncleJack, please sit at the head, Sarah Maud at the foot, and that willleave four on each side; Mamma is going to help Elfrida, so that thechildren need not look after each other, but just have a good time."
A sprig of holly lay by each plate, and nothing would do but each littleRuggles must leave his seat and have it pinned on by Carol, and as eachcourse was served, one of them pleaded to take something to her. Therewas hurrying to and fro, I can assure you, for it is quite a difficultmatter to serve a Christmas dinner on the third floor of a great cityhouse; but if it had been necessary to carry every dish up a rope ladderthe servants would gladly have done so. There were turkey and chicken,with delicious gravy and stuffing, and there were half a dozenvegetables, with cranberry jelly, and celery, and pickles; and as forthe way these delicacies were served, the Ruggleses never forgot it aslong as they lived.
Peter nudged Kitty, who sat next him, and said, "Look, will yer, ev'ryfeller's got his own partic'lar butter; I s'pose that's to show you caneat that 'n' no more. No, it ain't either, for that pig of a Peory'sjust gettin' another helpin'!"
"Yes," whispered Kitty, "an' the napkins is marked with big red letters!I wonder if that's so nobody'll nip 'em; an' oh, Peter, look at thepictures stickin' right on ter the dishes! Did yee ever?"
"The plums is all took out o' my cramb'ry sarse an' it's friz to a stiffjell'!" whispered Peoria, in wild excitement.
"Hi--yah! I got a wish-bone!" sang Larry, regardless of Sarah Maud'sfrown; after which she asked to have his seat changed, giving as excusethat he "gen'ally set beside her, an' would feel strange;" the truereason being that she desired to kick him gently, under the table,whenever he passed what might be termed "the McGrill line."
"I declare to goodness," murmured Susan, on the other side, "there's somuch to look at I can't scarcely eat nothin'!"
"Bet yer life I can!" said Peter, who had kept one servant busilyemployed ever since he sat down; for, luckily, no one was asked by UncleJack whether he would have a second helping, but the dishes were quietlypassed under their noses, and not a single Ruggles refused anything thatwas offered him, even unto the seventh time.
Then, when Carol and Uncle Jack perceived that more turkey was aphysical impossibility, the meats were taken off and the dessert wasbrought in--a dessert that would have frightened a strong man after sucha dinner as had preceded it. Not so the Ruggleses--for a strong man isnothing to a small boy--and they kindled to the dessert as if the turkeyhad been a dream and the six vegetables an optical delusion. There wereplum-pudding, mince-pie, and ice-cream; and there were nuts, andraisins, and oranges. Kitty chose ice-cream, explaining that she knewit "by sight, though she hadn't never tasted none;" but all the resttook the entire variety, without any regard to consequences.
"THE RUGGLESES NEVER FORGOT IT"]
"My dear child," whispered Uncle Jack, as he took Carol an orange,"there is no doubt about the necessity of this feast, but I do adviseyou after this to have them twice a year, or quarterly perhaps, for theway these children eat is positively dangerous; I assure you I tremblefor that terrible Peoria. I'm going to run races with her after dinner."
; "Never mind," laughed Carol; "let them have enough for once; it does myheart good to see them, and they shall come oftener next year."
The feast being over, the Ruggleses lay back in their chairs languidly,like little gorged boa-constrictors, and the table was cleared in atrice. Then a door was opened into the next room, and there, in a cornerfacing Carol's bed, which had been wheeled as close as possible, stoodthe brilliantly lighted Christmas tree, glittering with gilded walnutsand tiny silver balloons, and wreathed with snowy chains of pop-corn.The presents had been bought mostly with Carol's story-money, and wereselected after long consultations with Mrs. Bird. Each girl had a blueknitted hood, and each boy a red crocheted comforter, all made by Mamma,Carol, and Elfrida. ("Because if you buy everything, it doesn't show somuch love," said Carol.) Then every girl had a pretty plaid dress of adifferent color, and every boy a warm coat of the right size. Here theuseful presents stopped, and they were quite enough; but Carol hadpleaded to give them something "for fun." "I know they need theclothes," she had said, when they were talking over the matter justafter Thanksgiving, "but they don't care much for them, after all. Now,Papa, won't you _please_ let me go without part of my presents thisyear, and give me the money they would cost, to buy something to amusethe Ruggleses?"
"You can have both," said Mr. Bird, promptly; "is there any need of mylittle girl's going without her own Christmas, I should like to know?Spend all the money you like."
"But that isn't the thing," objected Carol, nestling close to herfather; "it wouldn't be mine. What is the use? Haven't I almosteverything already, and am I not the happiest girl in the world thisyear, with Uncle Jack and Donald at home? You know very well it is moreblessed to give than to receive; so why won't you let me do it? Younever look half as happy when you are getting your presents as when youare giving us ours. Now, Papa, submit, or I shall have to be very firmand disagreeable with you!"
"Very well, your Highness, I surrender."
"That's a dear Papa! Now what were you going to give me? Confess!"
"A bronze figure of Santa Claus; and in the 'little round belly thatshakes when he laughs like a bowlful of jelly,' is a wonderfulclock--oh, you would never give it up if you could see it!"
"Nonsense," laughed Carol; "as I never have to get up to breakfast, norgo to bed, nor catch trains, I think my old clock will do very well!Now, Mamma, what were you going to give me?"
"Oh, I hadn't decided. A few more books, and a gold thimble, and asmelling-bottle, and a music-box, perhaps."
"Poor Carol," laughed the child, merrily, "she can afford to give upthese lovely things, for there will still be left Uncle Jack, andDonald, and Paul, and Hugh, and Uncle Rob, and Aunt Elsie, and a dozenother people to fill her Christmas stocking!"
So Carol had her way, as she generally did; but it was usually a goodway, which was fortunate, under the circumstances; and Sarah Maud had aset of Miss Alcott's books, and Peter a modest silver watch, Corneliusa tool-chest, Clement a dog-house for his lame puppy, Larry amagnificent Noah's ark, and each of the younger girls a beautiful doll.
You can well believe that everybody was very merry and very thankful.All the family, from Mr. Bird down to the cook, said that they had neverseen so much happiness in the space of three hours; but it had to end,as all things do. The candles flickered and went out, the tree was leftalone with its gilded ornaments, and Mrs. Bird sent the childrendownstairs at half past eight, thinking that Carol looked tired.
"Now, my darling, you have done quite enough for one day," said Mrs.Bird, getting Carol into her little nightgown. "I'm afraid you will feelworse tomorrow, and that would be a sad ending to such a charmingevening."
"Oh, wasn't it a lovely, lovely time," sighed Carol. "From first tolast, everything was just right. I shall never forget Larry's face whenhe looked at the turkey; nor Peter's when he saw his watch; nor thatsweet, sweet Kitty's smile when she kissed her dolly; nor the tears inpoor, dull Sarah Maud's eyes when she thanked me for her books; nor"--
"But we mustn't talk any longer about it tonight," said Mrs. Bird,anxiously; "you are too tired, dear."
"I am not so very tired, Mamma. I have felt well all day; not a bit ofpain anywhere. Perhaps this has done me good."
"Perhaps; I hope so. There was no noise or confusion; it was just amerry time. Now, may I close the door and leave you alone, dear? Papaand I will steal in softly by and by to see if you are all right; but Ithink you need to be very quiet."
"Oh, I'm willing to stay by myself; but I am not sleepy yet, and I amgoing to hear the music, you know."
"Yes, I have opened the window a little, and put the screen in front ofit, so that you won't feel the air."
"Can I have the shutters open? and won't you turn my bed, please? Thismorning I woke ever so early, and one bright, beautiful star shone inthat eastern window. I never noticed it before, and I thought of theStar in the East, that guided the wise men to the place where the babyJesus was. Good-night, Mamma. Such a happy, happy day!"
"Good-night, my precious Christmas Carol--mother's blessed Christmaschild."
"Bend your head a minute, mother dear," whispered Carol, calling hermother back. "Mamma, dear, I do think that we have kept Christ'sbirthday this time just as He would like it. Don't you?"
"I am sure of it," said Mrs. Bird, softly.