Ben Pepper

by Margaret Sidney

  XXII

  AROUND THE CHRISTMAS TREE

  And the young minister came hurrying down on the mountain express train,reaching there in the "very nick of time," as Madam Van Ruypen observed.She was thus able to appear with him at the grand dinner at the Kinghousehold, where she was to preside at one of the small round tables,for the big state dining table was to be discarded for this Christmasnight, and the assembled company were to meet around little tables; thishad been decided upon after an important conference held by Grandpapa,Aunty Whitney, and Polly.

  So now, much to her great satisfaction, Madam Van Ruypen looked around,as she sat up, resplendent in black velvet, lace, and gems, in herlittle company. There was the young minister--of course he had the seaton her right hand. Ben, equally of course, had the other side, and, aslong as Ben was there, why, Polly must be; and then there was Jasper.Well, everybody wanted him, but he said, "Oh, I'll sit with Polly andBen;" so he had a particularly soft and easy seat, with sofa cushionspiled back of him, for it would be truly dreadful if he should get tootired! And then Alexia sat down before anybody asked her, and she lookedso horror-stricken at the idea of being at any other table than the onewhere Polly Pepper sat, that Madam Van Ruypen laughed and saidindulgently, "Oh, let her stay," for which Alexia loved her ever after.

  And then Pickering Dodge was discovered in a corner, with such a longingeye that Polly cried out in the kindness of her heart,--

  "Oh, do let Pick come to this table," so there he was, and that madeseven.

  "A very comfortable number," observed Madam Van Ruypen, shaking out hernapkin with a happy hand, so that all the jewels on her fingers fell totrembling and shining at a great rate. Just then Pip rushed up and flunghimself against Ben's chair, holding on with excited fingers.

  "Let me, Ben," he cried, "sit with you!" his little pale face all aglow.

  "Oh, we can't have that boy," said Madam Van Ruypen, decidedly.

  Ben's ruddy face went quite pale. "I wish we might," he said, fixing hisblue eyes on the Roman nose and white puffs.

  "Oh, no, indeed," said Madam Van Ruypen, shaking the big white puffsmore decidedly yet. "You see for yourself there are seven seats. Anymore would be quite uncomfortable."

  "I don't need so much room," said Ben, shoving his chair.

  "Nor I," said Jasper. "Dear me, it isn't necessary that I have thisgreat big thing. It's that which takes up so much room."

  "Oh, yes, you do, Jasper," said Polly, quite alarmed at his efforts tomove; "you must keep that chair, at any rate."

  Ben looked over at Pickering in great trouble. Meantime he held Pip'snervous fingers fast.

  "I don't see," said Pickering, swallowing something that seemed to chokein his throat, "why we can't all move up, just a bit, you know,"beginning on his own chair--"or else, why, I'll quit and go to anothertable."

  "Oh, no, you shan't, Pick," declared Jasper, "not a bit of it;" helooked so distressed at the mere thought that Polly beseechingly raisedher eyes to the stately, forbidding old face.

  "Oh, if you all like to be crowded," said the old lady, meeting Polly'sbrown eyes, "why, I am sure I don't care." So, the butler bringing asmall chair, Pip crowded in next to Ben, and everything was merry oncemore.

  And the young minister proved to be quite nice, and Madam Van Ruypenfairly beamed at him as the feast went on. And Pickering Dodge and hestruck up quite a friendship across the table, and even made plans for askating match on the morrow.

  "Now tell me," at last said the old lady, when the talk ran a bit low,"what can I do with the boys? And that girl--" she glanced to the end ofthe room, where Elvira, despite her disappointment at not being atJoel's table, was comforting herself as best she might by givingundivided attention to a chicken wing, which she held in both fingers.

  "You better send them to school," said Mr. St. John, quickly. "And justas soon as you can get them there."

  "Will the mother allow it?" asked the old lady, brightening up.

  "Will she allow it? My dear madam," the minister straightened up andforgot how afraid of her he was, when she sat, a formidable figure inthe little mountain church of a summer Sunday, and how very much he haddisliked her, albeit her generous contributions whenever the plate wentaround--and now he smiled broadly, "if you could only have seen her whenthat box--"

  "Never mind that," said Madam Van Ruypen, abruptly, and waving her handwith authority. "The question is, Will she allow me to send thesechildren to school?"

  "I think there's no doubt about it," said Mr. St. John, determined tofind his own way to tell the story as he wanted it to appear. "Well, asI was saying, that cabin--why, we didn't any of us know what that poorwoman was suffering. I blame myself," his head dropped and he drummed onthe table with his fingers.

  "Nonsense!" exclaimed the old lady, "you're not to blame." Then sheadded, with a remembrance of the summers spent in the mountain nook,"I'm sure I should have known."

  "My dear madam," exclaimed the young minister, very much shocked tothink that in the face of all her generosity he should have thrust aquestion for reproach, "you have been so very good, and have saved themall."

  "Perhaps so," said the old lady, grimly. "But it wouldn't have been abad idea if it had happened earlier, I'm thinking."

  "But just think, if it hadn't gone to them just when it did," continuedthe young minister, determined to have the benefaction receive its fullmeasure of appreciation. "Why, that poor mother was hurrying down totell the selectman she could do nothing more,--the children werestarving, and he must take them to the poorhouse,--when she met JohnBramble, the expressman, you know, with the box in his cart."

  Madam Van Ruypen laid down her fork and made a violent effort to get herhandkerchief out of the velvet and jet bag that dangled from her waist.As for Polly and the others, they never thought of eating, but listened,with their eyes fastened on the young minister's face.

  "I never supposed it was as bad as that," said the old lady, brokenly;at last, with her fingers on her handkerchief, beginning to feel alittle bit better.

  "Nor did any of us," said Mr. St. John. "Why, John Bramble hasn't gotover it yet. And I don't know that he ever will. Well, the misery isover now, thanks to you."

  "All the thanks necessary to be expressed," said Madam Van Ruypen, quiterecovering herself and laying a hand on Ben's arm, to pull him forwardinto notice, "are due to this lad here."

  Ben slunk back covered with confusion, and wished for nothing quite somuch as to roll under the table quite out of sight. Seeing which Jasperspoke up: "Oh, it would be fine to have them go to school, wouldn't it?"and diverted attention so that it gave Ben time to breathe freely oncemore.

  "Yes, indeed," said the minister; "it would be the making of them. Andthen that would give you a chance to have Luke and Matilda and Jane comedown for a visit, maybe," and he laughed--he couldn't help it--at theface before him.

  "I think not," said the old lady, dryly. "At least for a spell, until Iget a little rested from Elvira," and then they all laughed. But themain thing was settled: the mountain children were to go to school.

  Ben could hardly believe his ears; and he forgot to eat his dinner,while he gazed across the room where Matthew and Mark were placidlyengaged at that pleasing occupation at a table with Joel and a wholecompany of other boys. Matthew had finally been induced to have his redtippet taken off, but insisted on keeping it across the back of hischair, where in the intervals of the dinner he could now and then feelof it. "Oh!" Ben gave a long sigh of satisfaction.

  "What's the matter?" cried Madam Van Ruypen, turning off from the youngminister; then she glanced at Ben's full plate. "This lad would ratherlook out for those boys than to eat his dinner," she said, which madeBen feel so ashamed again that he picked up his knife and fork and, witha very red face, plied them briskly.

  Well, at last, as everything must have an ending sometime, thatdelightful dinner drew to a close. And then Grandpapa, who sat at thetable of honor in the centre of the spacious apartment, with Phronsie athis
side, rose and made them all a little speech, and said that althoughthe Christmas this year came a little late, it found them all veryhappy, as, please God, the sick one was well, and they had so many newfriends to make good cheer with them. And he wished every one the verymerriest of all Merry Christmases!

  And then there was a great burst of music out in the hall, and a bigorchestra, cleverly concealed in a thicket of palms and ferns, struck uptheir liveliest march. And all the company, Grandpapa and Phronsie, ofcourse, leading the way, set forth in a procession that finally wound upin the big playroom to circle around the Christmas tree, still under itswhite cloud.

  And then, in the beautiful rose-colored light streaming from the longlines of candles in their red shades, the choir boys from St. Stephen'smarched in and around the white-enfolded tree, singing their beautifulcarol.

  Pip, clinging to Ben's hand, started forward, entranced, his littlepasty-colored face looking keen and alight. And as the choir boys sangon and on, Madam Van Ruypen found herself strangely drawn to it. "I mustask Mr. King who that boy is," she said to herself.

  But she didn't have a chance to hear any recital that evening. Dear me,who could expect it, with a Christmas-tree party in full blast! And thenthe tree was unveiled, to stand forth in all its glory. Oh, such abrilliant sight! And they all took hold of hands, forming in a big, bigcircle, and marched around it a couple of times.

  And then, a smart jingling of sleigh bells was heard.

  "Oh, he's coming! he's coming!" screamed Phronsie, clapping her handsand dancing, little Dick doing the same.

  "Who?" It was Elvira who picked Phronsie's little muslin sleeve.

  "Santa Claus," said Phronsie, turning a happy face with dewy eyes. "Heis! He is coming!" and she danced harder than ever.

  "Who's Santa Claus?" demanded Elvira, but nobody heard her, for thejingling sleigh bells suddenly paused, and in he popped, the old sainthimself, right through the window!

  Now, although Miss Mary Taylor was there, nobody thought to ask herwhere Mr. Hamilton Dyce was, except when Phronsie piped out, "I wanthim," and ran up to Miss Taylor, who blushed and looked prettier thanever. But after the presents had all been given out and Santa Claus hadbowed and disappeared to get into his sleigh and drive off with hisreindeer, Mr. Hamilton Dyce made his appearance in the midst of thefestivities, wiping his forehead and looking very hot, but smiling allover his face.

  At sight of him Phronsie dropped Grandpapa's hand, and ran up to him. "Iwanted you," she said, "and you didn't come."

  "But I'm here now, Phronsie," said Mr. Dyce, swinging her to hisshoulder.

  "Yes, you are here now," repeated Phronsie, folding her hands in greatsatisfaction, and surveying the company from her high perch. "But youdidn't see Santa Claus," and she gave a little sigh.

  "Oh, well, I saw him out there," Mr. Dyce bobbed his head toward thehall.

  "Did you?" cried Phronsie, in great delight; "and wasn't he a nice SantaClaus?" She bent down to gaze into the face beneath her, whose cheek shepatted.

  "I'm glad you liked him," said Mr. Dyce, laughing.

  "And did he get into his sleigh?" cried Phronsie, in great excitement."I heard the bells. Oh, I should so very much like to see him once driveoff."

  "Oh, I didn't see him get into his sleigh, Phronsie," said Mr. Dyce.

  "Didn't you?" said Phronsie, much disappointed.

  "Well, now we ought to go over and see what Grandpapa wants," said Mr.Dyce, catching sight of the old gentleman's face.

  "And there are such a many presents for you," said Phronsie, in a happylittle tone, and patting the broad back.

  "You don't say so!" cried Mr. Dyce.

  "Yes, oh, such a many; do hurry and get them," gurgled Phronsie, as offhe pranced with her on his shoulder.

  Presents? Well, if Mr. Hamilton Dyce had many, what can be said of thegifts that had been rained down on all sides for every one else in thebig room! And the best of it all was that each one seemed to think thatnothing ever could be happier, as a selection of gifts, and that noSanta Claus who would understand them better, could by any means havevisited them.

  "But I like this best," said Matthew, and he laid his hand on the redwoollen tippet.

  Ben and he happened to be alone in a corner. "Do you, though?" said Ben,his eyes lighting.

  "Yes, I've always wanted one," said Matthew.