Jack and Jill

by Louisa May Alcott

  Chapter V. Secrets

  There were a great many clubs in Harmony Village, but as we intend tointerest ourselves with the affairs of the young folks only, we neednot dwell upon the intellectual amusements of the elders. In summer, theboys devoted themselves to baseball, the girls to boating, and all gotrosy, stout, and strong, in these healthful exercises. In winter,the lads had their debating club, the lasses a dramatic ditto. Atthe former, astonishing bursts of oratory were heard; at the latter,everything was boldly attempted, from Romeo and Juliet to Mother Goose'simmortal melodies. The two clubs frequently met and mingled theirattractions in a really entertaining manner, for the speakers made goodactors, and the young actresses were most appreciative listeners to theeloquence of each budding Demosthenes.

  Great plans had been afoot for Christmas or New Year, but when the grandcatastrophe put an end to the career of one of the best "spouters," andcaused the retirement of the favorite "singing chambermaid," the affairwas postponed till February, when Washington's birthday was alwayscelebrated by the patriotic town, where the father of his country onceput on his nightcap, or took off his boots, as that ubiquitous heroappears to have done in every part of the United States.

  Meantime the boys were studying Revolutionary characters, and the girlsrehearsing such dramatic scenes as they thought most appropriate andeffective for the 22d. In both of these attempts they were much helpedby the sense and spirit of Ralph Evans, a youth of nineteen, who wasa great favorite with the young folks, not only because he was a good,industrious fellow, who supported his grandmother, but also full oftalent, fun, and ingenuity. It was no wonder every one who really knewhim liked him, for he could turn his hand to anything, and loved to doit. If the girls were in despair about a fire-place when acting "TheCricket on the Hearth," he painted one, and put a gas-log in it thatmade the kettle really boil, to their great delight. If the boys foundthe interest of their club flagging, Ralph would convulse them byimitations of the "Member from Cranberry Centre," or fire them withspeeches of famous statesmen. Charity fairs could not get on withouthim, and in the store where he worked he did many an ingenious job,which made him valued for his mechanical skill, as well as for hisenergy and integrity.

  Mrs. Minot liked to have him with her sons, because they also were topaddle their own canoes by and by, and she believed that, rich or poor,boys make better men for learning to use the talents they possess, notmerely as ornaments, but tools with which to carve their own fortunes;and the best help toward this end is an example of faithful work, highaims, and honest living. So Ralph came often, and in times of troublewas a real rainy-day friend. Jack grew very fond of him duringhis imprisonment, for the good youth ran in every evening to getcommissions, amuse the boy with droll accounts of the day's adventures,or invent lifts, bed-tables, and foot-rests for the impatient invalid.Frank found him a sure guide through the mechanical mysteries which heloved, and spent many a useful half-hour discussing cylinders, pistons,valves, and balance-wheels. Jill also came in for her share of care andcomfort; the poor little back lay all the easier for the air-cushionRalph got her, and the weary headaches found relief from the sprayatomizer, which softly distilled its scented dew on the hot foreheadtill she fell asleep.

  Round the beds of Jack and Jill met and mingled the schoolmates of whomour story treats. Never, probably, did invalids have gayer times thanour two, after a week of solitary confinement; for school gossip creptin, games could not be prevented, and Christmas secrets were concoctedin those rooms till they were regular conspirators' dens, when they werenot little Bedlams.

  After the horn and bead labors were over, the stringing of pop-corn onred, and cranberries on white, threads, came next, and Jack and Jilloften looked like a new kind of spider in the pretty webs hung aboutthem, till reeled off to bide their time in the Christmas closet. Paperflowers followed, and gay garlands and bouquets blossomed, regardless ofthe snow and frost without. Then there was a great scribbling of names,verses, and notes to accompany the steadily increasing store of oddparcels which were collected at the Minots', for gifts from every onewere to ornament the tree, and contributions poured in as the day drewnear.

  But the secret which most excited the young people was the deep mysteryof certain proceedings at the Minot house. No one but Frank, Ralph,and Mamma knew what it was, and the two boys nearly drove the othersdistracted by the tantalizing way in which they hinted at joys to come,talked strangely about birds, went measuring round with foot-rules, andshut themselves up in the Boys' Den, as a certain large room was called.This seemed to be the centre of operations, but beyond the fact ofthe promised tree no ray of light was permitted to pass the jealouslyguarded doors. Strange men with paste-pots and ladders went in,furniture was dragged about, and all sorts of boyish lumber was sentup garret and down cellar. Mrs. Minot was seen pondering over heapsof green stuff, hammering was heard, singular bundles were smuggledupstairs, flowering plants betrayed their presence by whiffs offragrance when the door was opened, and Mrs. Pecq was caught smiling allby herself in a back bedroom, which usually was shut up in winter.

  "They are going to have a play, after all, and that green stuff was thecurtain," said Molly Loo, as the girls talked it over one day, when theysat with their backs turned to one another, putting last stitches incertain bits of work which had to be concealed from all eyes, thoughit was found convenient to ask one another's taste as to the color,materials, and sizes of these mysterious articles.

  "I think it is going to be a dance. I heard the boys doing their stepswhen I went in last evening to find out whether Jack liked blue oryellow best, so I could put the bow on his pen-wiper," declared Merry,knitting briskly away at the last of the pair of pretty white bed-socksshe was making for Jill right under her inquisitive little nose.

  "They wouldn't have a party of that kind without Jack and me. It is onlyan extra nice tree, you see if it isn't," answered Jill from behind thepillows which made a temporary screen to hide the toilet mats she waspreparing for all her friends.

  "Every one of you is wrong, and you'd better rest easy, for you won'tfind out the best part of it, try as you may." And Mrs. Pecq actuallychuckled as she, too, worked away at some bits of muslin, with her backturned to the very unsocial-looking group.

  "Well, I don't care, we've got a secret all our own, and won't evertell, will we?" cried Jill, falling back on the Home Missionary Society,though it was not yet begun.

  "Never!" answered the girls, and all took great comfort in the idea thatone mystery would not be cleared up, even at Christmas.

  Jack gave up guessing, in despair, after he had suggested a newdining-room where he could eat with the family, a private schoolin which his lessons might go on with a tutor, or a theatre for theproduction of the farces in which he delighted.

  "It is going to be used to keep something in that you are very fond of,"said Mamma, taking pity on him at last.

  "Ducks?" asked Jack, with a half pleased, half puzzled air, not quiteseeing where the water was to come from.

  Frank exploded at the idea, and added to the mystification by saying,--

  "There will be one little duck and one great donkey in it." Then,fearing he had told the secret, he ran off, quacking and brayingderisively.

  "It is to be used for creatures that I, too, am fond of, and you knowneither donkeys nor ducks are favorites of mine," said Mamma, with ademure expression, as she sat turning over old clothes for the bundlesthat always went to poor neighbors, with a little store of goodies, atthis time of the year.

  "I know! I know! It is to be a new ward for more sick folks, isn't it,now?" cried Jack, with what he thought a great proof of shrewdness.

  "I don't see how I could attend to many more patients till this one isoff my hands," answered Mamma, with a queer smile, adding quickly, as ifshe too was afraid of letting the cat out of the bag: "That reminds meof a Christmas I once spent among the hospitals and poor-houses ofa great city with a good lady who, for thirty years, had made it hermission to see that these poor little s
ouls had one merry day. We gaveaway two hundred dolls, several great boxes of candy and toys, besidesgay pictures, and new clothes to orphan children, sick babies, andhalf-grown innocents. Ah, my boy, that was a day to remember all mylife, to make me doubly grateful for my blessings, and very glad toserve the helpless and afflicted, as that dear woman did."

  The look and tone with which the last words were uttered effectuallyturned Jack's thoughts from the great secret, and started another smallone, for he fell to planning what he would buy with his pocket-money tosurprise the little Pats and Biddies who were to have no Christmas tree.