Chapter X Sara's Day
Something told Sara, the next morning, to take every one of her dolls.And the minute she entered the Garden she was glad that she had.
It was clear that something very unusual was afoot. She had never seenher dear Garden look so festive. It was lavishly decorated withsun-shafts and rainbows, and everywhere waved streamers of pinksunrise and violet mist. Over the fountain, in front of the tree wherethe Plynck sat, had been stretched a large electric sign. It read,
"In Honor of Sara. Because She is Older than the Snoodle!"
It was made of white and pink gum-drops, and they told her afterwardthat the Snimmy had sat up all night to weep them. The Plynckfurnished the electricity by smiling every little while. This lit upthe pink and white gum-drops, till they looked like the tiny globes onthe Wooded Island at the Park. Of course this was in the daytime, butthe Plynck's smile was so much stronger than ordinary electricity thateven in daytime it shone with quite a dazzling effect.
All of her friends were there except Avrillia. Pirlaps had come andbrought all seventy of the children; he said Avrillia was coming on ina moment, and kept looking down the path for her. The minute theKewpie saw Avrillia's children, he slid out of Sara's arms and ran tothem; and all that day Sara could hardly pick him out from the rest ofthem. The Baby, too, kicked and cried and stretched out his handsuntil one of the older children came and took him; and all day longthey passed him, too, from one to another, and he seemed perfectlycontented. The Teddy-Bear sat down in a quiet corner and shaded hiseyes from the lights; the Billiken strolled about with his hands inhis pockets, smiling at everything; and the Japanese doll went overand took a seat on the steps of the prose-bush, where he was soondiscussing with Mrs. Snimmy the best way to stew onions.
There were so many of Avrillia's children and so many of the Gunkithat the Garden had a delightfully animated appearance. Yassuh wasthere, carrying Pirlaps' step and the hand-bag with his shaving-thingsand extra trousers; but as Avrillia hadn't come yet he hadn't used hisstep, and his clothes were quite immaculate.
He now stepped up to Sara, who stood looking about her with surpriseand wonder, and said, "Well, Sara, this is your day. You are the guestof honor, and we're all proud of you. We hope you'll have thepleasantest time you ever had."
Sara was as charmed as she was bewildered. She didn't say anything atfirst, because she didn't want them to know that she didn't quiteunderstand what it was all about. But presently she couldn't stand notknowing any longer, so she whispered to Pirlaps,
"Is--is it a sort of birthday?"
"Well,--yes, I suppose you might call it that," answered Pirlaps,looking at her in the kind, indulgent way he had when she showed herodd little ideas and her inexperience. "Didn't you announce yesterdaythat you were older than the Snoodle?"
For a moment Sara felt as if she ought to explain that that was onlythe beginning of her speech, and that, if they had not interrupted her,she had meant to tell them that she was sorry that she had not takenmore responsibility for the Snoodle, and reminded him to askpermission from the Snimmy's wife before he left the Garden. But, onreflection, she realized that they did not blame her in the least, sothere was no need to make excuses; and they all seemed so delighted tofind that she was older than the Snoodle! A birthday is too charming athing to refuse, even if it's a special sort of birthday one doesn'texactly understand; so Sara decided to accept hers with a thankfulheart. Besides, it must be confessed that she had caught glimpses ofparcels here and there. The Plynck, she was sure, had one under herright wing; and there was no doubt that one was sticking out fromunder the coat-tails of the First Gunkus.
"We are to celebrate all day in your honor, Sara," added Pirlaps. "Andthis evening, when you are ready to go home, Schlorge will made you anaddress of welcome. But what can be keeping Avrillia?"
They all looked down the pathway, but no Avrillia was in sight.Suddenly the Echo of the Plynck spoke from the pool.
"The guest of honor always goes and fetches anybody who doesn't come,"she said.
"Does she?" asked Sara, opening her eyes wide; but Pirlaps said, "Tobe sure! I had forgotten. Come on, Sara. Let's go bring Avrillia."
Sara was always glad to go to Avrillia's lovely house, though shecouldn't help thinking as she ran that this was one manner Motherfailed to remind her of, whenever she was overhauling her manners forany especial use.
All was still about the beautiful little house where Avrillia lived,and Sara looked at it lovingly, for she had a sort of feelingsomewhere deep under her little apron that she would not see it againfor a long while. Pirlaps, who knew Avrillia pretty well, did not lookin the pink bed-room, or the kitchen, or the sitting-room; no, he wentstraight to the balcony. And there sat Avrillia, in a mist of herbright, wild hair, so intent upon her writing that she did not seethem, or hear them speak.
"Sh--sh--" said Pirlaps, in a low tone, when he saw how absorbed shewas. "We'll wait till she finishes that one. Why didn't I bring mystep?"
As he didn't have it, however, he leaned against the alabaster wall,and waited patiently; though Sara, it must be confessed, was quiterestless. After what seemed to her a very long time, Avrillia drew adeep breath and shook back her golden hair, and moving like a lostbird to the balustrade, leaned far out and let her new poem flutterfrom her hand. For another long time she did not move, straining hereyes down into the abyss. At last she straightened up with a long sigh,and, seeing them, smiled.
"Did it stick?" asked Pirlaps, eagerly.
"No," was all Avrillia said, but her voice made Sara's heart quiver,for in the sound of it she seemed to hear the temple-bells, and thefairy hand-organ she had heard in the steep street at Zinariola, andthe drowsy tinkle of the fountain in the Butterfly Palace, and thelittle Laughs that leaped about the mountain, and the morning andevening sheep-bells, all gathered together into one sound that seemedto say that presently she would have to say good-by to Avrillia. ButAvrillia, seeing her suddenly sad little face, stooped and kissed heras she had done that other morning, and patted her cheek, and said,"Oh, but I have a present for you, Sara! This is your day--we must allbe very merry!" And with that she picked up something that was wrappedin several layers of silver fog and tied with a ripple, and seizingthem both by the arm, went dancing with them down the path to theGarden.
Everybody applauded when they saw Pirlaps and the guest of honorreturning with Avrillia; and the Teacup, unable longer to restrain herexcitement, fluttered down to the rim of the pool and cried excitedly,"Now let's give the presents!"
Then something happened that came near turning the fete into a tragedy;for the Teacup lost her balance in the excitement, and splashed rightover into the pool! The Plynck screamed, Schlorge whistled, the Gunkicame running from every direction; but it was the Echo who saved theTeacup's life. With great presence of mind she spread out her ceruleanplumes so that the Teacup settled upon them harmlessly, instead ofcrashing down upon the hard emerald bottom and shattering to bits.Then, of course, Schlorge could very easily reach down and draw herout.
The poor Teacup was naturally very much upset. "If my handle had notbeen so consanguineous--" she quavered, again and again. But, on thewhole, considering her age and her timid disposition, they were allrather surprised at her fortitude.
Schlorge, who was still holding her, was looking very grave. "Sarawill have to frown on her," he said, "as she did on the Zizz."
"But I can't frown, today," cried Sara, in dismay.
"I know it's hard," said Schlorge.
"Or at the Teacup!" pleaded Sara.
"It's your duty, Sara," said the Echo.
"Oh, dear, it's putting off the presents!" sighed one of the oldest ofAvrillia's children; then, as she looked at the poor little gentle,bedraggled Teacup, with her consanguineous handle, she felt ashamed ofherself, and hid behind her mother's drapery.
As for Sara, she was indeed in distress. "If some of you would onlythink of something to m
ake me frown--I can't even think of anydisagreeable things today!"
"You're frowning now!" suddenly cried the First Gunkus, waving hisshoe; and they all forgave him his lack of respectfulness, because hewas plainly so excited.
"Hold her up, Schlorge!" cried Pirlaps, running forward."There--Sara--hold that expression--just a moment. Fix your eyeshere--on this leaf! And keep your mind firmly on this thought: 'TheDisagreeable Necessity of Frowning in the Presence of Presents.'"
Sara remembered how brave and useful she had been the day before, andconcentrated her mind by a really tremendous effort. And she was soonrewarded; for in a few minutes everybody was clapping hands and wavinghandkerchiefs and crying, "She's dry! She's dry! Three cheers forSara!"
Sure enough, the little Teacup was dry enough to flutter back to herperch, on which she sat throwing kisses to Sara. And then Pirlaps cameforward, and taking Sara by the hand, said, "Come, Sara."
He then began leading her in a sort of triumphal march around the pool,while the rest fell in behind them and formed a procession. As therewere so many of the Gunki and Avrillia's children it was quite a longprocession, so that the only way they could tell the head from thetail of it was by remembering that Sara was the head and that theSnimmy's wife was the tail. The Echo, who could not leave the pool tomarch, spread out the lyre-shaped feathers on the top of her head andplayed the most beautiful rippling chords for them to march by.
And suddenly, when they had gone three times around the fountain,Pirlaps said, "Take the seat of honor, Sara, and receive our gifts."And there, in front of the Gugollaph-tree, was an enormous frostedcake, as big around as a wagon-wheel. Sara was sure it had not beenthere when the march began. She would have rubbed her eyes, had shenot felt that such a conventional proceeding would be whollyinadequate.
"Take your seat, Sara," said Pirlaps kindly, enjoying her delight andastonishment.
Sara came to herself with a start. "Wh-where?" she asked. She wasanxious not to appear awkward, but she did not see any particularplace to sit.
"On the cake, dear, of course," said Pirlaps, who seemed never to tireof smiling at her odd little questions.
Sara had never done this before, but she was willing to try; and shewas just about to climb upon the cake when another thought deterredher.
"But the candles? Won't my dress catch?"
"Try and see," said Pirlaps; but Avrillia whispered in her ear, "Theyaren't flames, dear: they're only colored perfumes."
So, reassured, Sara took her seat on the cake; and at once she sawthat it made a very nice sort of throne. The frosting was resilient,but firm; and she now saw that the candles were arranged so that theymade a sort of semicircle about her. Just as Avrillia had said, shecould pass her hands across their wicks without being burned at all;they only winked and breathed out sweet odors--each flame a differentcolor and scent. They were as tall as her head, as she sat among them;and the one at her right ear was of isthagaria, while the one on theleft faintly suggested tinnulalia-flowers.
Before she had finished examining the candles, the Plynck flew downwith the first present. "A lock of my hair," she said, looking eager,but a little embarrassed; and she actually perched on the rim of thepool while Sara unwrapped it, so that she might see whether or not shewas pleased. But I do not need to tell you that Sara was; for it wasone of her loveliest tail-feathers, a rich, curling plume of thedeepest rose, from which sweet odors were shaken out as Sara lifted itto the light. Weeks afterward, when Sara astonished her mother bybegging for the pink plume on her prettiest hat, what she was reallypining for was a lock of the Plynck's hair.
Avrillia came next with her present. It was a little urn of jade andivory, and it was full to the top of dried poems written onrose-leaves. Have you ever seen the quaint rose-jars someold-fashioned ladies have in their parlors? Well, some one of them,when she was little, saw one of Avrillia's poem-jars; and she madethese others in a homesick effort to imitate it. And thefragrance--like nothing else you ever smelled--is the perfume ofAvrillia's poems, as nearly as that little old-fashioned lady, aftershe grew up, could remember it.
You would not expect me to remember all of the presents Sara got thatday. But a good many I can remember. Pirlaps brought her a picture hehad painted; a very beautiful view of Nothing from Avrillia's balcony.Yassuh brought her a delicious Crumb; it was wrapped in a sticky papercovered with his finger-prints, but inside the paper was one ofAvrillia's exquisite napkins of embroidered mist. The First Gunkus,remembering how she had loved the mountain, brought her a little liveLaugh. He had climbed the mountain and trapped it for her, and madeher a little cage to take it home with. It was very funny to hear ittittering about inside. The rest of the Gunki had clubbed together andbought her a gold-headed tuning-fork, so that she might be sure theiranswers were in tune. The Snimmy's wife brought her three large onions,neatly hemmed and tied in a bouquet with purple ribbon; the Snimmyhimself a striped paper bag full of gum-drops. And the Snoodle'spresent was too cunning for anything! It was a little silverplum-extractor. With it a child could extract all the fattest raisinsfrom her piece of mince-pie or portion of rice pudding without havingto bother with the uninteresting remainder and being reprimanded; forthe ingenious little instrument was invisible to adults. All the otherpresents were marked "For Sara, with our congratulations, because sheis older than the Snoodle." But this one was marked, in a round,childish hand, "For my dear Sara--because she is older than me."
But the grand surprise came when, near the last, four Gunki hurried inbearing a large chest, which they placed at Sara's feet. "It came bythe Gahoppigas Express, Miss, with no message," they explained. Andwhen Sara opened it she found that it was full of butterfly money--theloveliest pieces of gold and silver that the frittilaries and papilioshad collected from their own wings. Just inside the lid was a lilyleaf bearing the inscription,
"For Sara, from a grateful Nation, Because she is older than the Snoodle."
The Garden of the Plynck Page 15