Ruby at School

by Mrs. George A. Paull

  CHAPTER XXIII.

  GETTING READY FOR CHRISTMAS.

  All the girls had a great deal of Christmas preparation. In theevenings they were busy making their Christmas presents for theirfriends at home, and Ruby was delighted when her Aunt Emma taught herhow to knit wristlets. She was very proud when she had finished thefirst pair for her mother. They had pretty red edges and the rest wasknitted of chinchilla wool.

  Perhaps you would laugh at Ruby if I should tell you quite how much sheadmired them. When she first began to knit she wished that she neednot practise nor study nor do anything else, she enjoyed her newoccupation so much; and she carried her wristlet around in her pocket,wrapped up in a piece of paper, so that it should not become soiled,and every little while she would take it out and look at it lovingly.

  She could imagine her mother's surprise and pleasure when she shouldgive them to her, and tell her that her little girl had knitted everystitch of them for her. There were a great many stitches in thewristlets, and before the first pair was finished Ruby had grown verytired of knitting; but she was willing to persevere when she thought ofthe pleasure it would be to give them to her mother as her very ownChristmas gift to her.

  The pair she was making for her father did not take her nearly so longto make, even although they were larger, for she had learned to knit somuch more quickly; and she was quite proud of the way in which theneedles flashed in her busy little fingers.

  Ruby had brought her doll to school with her, and she found her greatcompany when she went up to her room, although she was such a busylittle maiden that she did not find much time in which to play withher. Sometimes she would take her over to Miss Ketchum's room andleave her for a few days, so that when she went there for a littlevisit she would find her doll waiting for her, but generally Ruby hadso many other things in which she was interested that she did not findtime to play with her child.

  But she was making something for Ruthy's Christmas present in which sheneeded her doll's help very much. Aunt Emma was showing Ruby how tocrochet the dearest little baby sacque and hood, for a gift to Ruthy,and as Ruthy's doll was just exactly the same size as Ruby's, Rubycould try the sacque upon her own doll every now and then, and be quitesure that she was getting it the right size.

  It was a pretty little white sacque with a rose-colored border, and itwas so very pretty that Ruby made up her mind that after Christmas,when she should not have so much to do, she would make another justlike it for her own doll. The hood was made to match the sacque, andRuby could hardly wait for Christmas to come when she thought of thehappiness her gifts would give. She was impatient to hear Ruthyexclaim with admiration over the beautiful sacque and hood, and to seehow proud her father and mother would be when she slipped the wristletsupon their hands, and told them that she had taken every stitch forthem with her own fingers.

  But besides these home preparations, there was to be a littleentertainment given at Christmas by the scholars, to which some of thepeople of the village were always invited, besides the friends of theday-scholars, and those of the boarding-scholars who could come. Thisentertainment was given the evening before the girls left for theirChristmas holidays, so very often their parents came a day earlier totake them home, in order to be present at this entertainment.

  It was given to show the improvement of the scholars during the term,and all the girls had some part to take in it.

  To some of them this was a great trial, but Ruby delighted in showingoff, and she was perfectly happy when she found that she was to takepart three times. It added to her pleasure to have her father writethat he would surely be there, for he was coming to bring her home, asAunt Emma was going somewhere else for her Christmas holidays. So Rubypractised and studied with all her might, as happy and as good a littlegirl as you could find anywhere, enjoying school-life more every day.

  Ruby was to play the bass part in a duet with one of the older girls,and she had taken lessons such a little while that this seemed a verygreat thing to her. She was always ready to practise, so that sheshould be sure to know her part perfectly, and she went about the househumming the tune, until Aunt Emma declared laughingly that she fullyexpected to hear Ruby singing it in her sleep.

  Besides this, Ruby was to recite a piece alone, and to take part in adialogue; so you can see that she had quite a good deal to do. Shewould have been quite willing to do more, however, and she lookedforward very eagerly to the evening of the entertainment.

  The dialogue was quite a long one, and Ruby studied it every morningwhile she was getting dressed, pretending that her aunt and the stovewere the other two characters in the piece. To be sure, neither ofthem said anything, for Aunt Emma was busy getting dressed, and thestove was silent, of course; but Ruby knew what they should say, forshe had studied the piece so much that she knew the other parts nearlyas well as her own; so she said for them what should be said when theirpart came, and then repeated her own speeches. There was no dangerthat Ruby would not be fully prepared when the great evening came.

  It did not seem possible, now that she looked backward, that she hadreally been away from home so long. Each day had been so full ofduties and pleasures, and had passed so rapidly, that they had gonealmost before Ruby knew that they had commenced, and now there wereonly very few marks left to be scratched out upon the girls' calendars.

  Ruby was very sorry for Agnes. Her mother lived so far away that itwas not possible for her to go home until the long summer vacationcame, so Agnes had to spend her Christmas at school.

  The teachers did all they could to make the day a happy one for her,and her mother sent her a box of presents, but still that was not ofcourse anything like a home Christmas, and it generally made Agnes feelvery badly when she heard the other girls talking about the good timesthey expected to have at Christmas.

  "It is n't only the parties and the Christmas trees and the goodtimes," she said to Ruby one day. "It is being away from mother thatis the hardest part of it all. I always put her picture on the tablewhen I open the box and look at the presents she has sent me, and tryto pretend that she is giving them to me; but it is n't of much use. Iknow all the time that she is hundreds of miles away, and that shewants to see me just as much as I want to see her."

  It was just one week before Christmas that a very beautiful idea cameinto Ruby's mind, and she was so pleased that she jumped up and spunaround like a top, and caught Agnes by the waist and made her spinaround, too, until both the little girls tumbled down in a heap on thefloor.

  "Why, Ruby, are you crazy?" asked Agnes, laughingly. They had beensitting before the fire in Miss Ketchum's room, eating chestnuts andtalking about the evening of the entertainment, and both of the girlshad been quiet for a little while, Agnes thinking how much she wouldlike to have her mother at the school that night, and Ruby thinking ofthe pleasure with which she would watch her father while she wasreciting her piece, when all at once she jumped up in this state ofexcitement.

  READING THE INVITATION TO AGNES (missing from book)]

  "What is the matter?" asked Agnes again; but Ruby would n't tell her."It is just the most beautiful idea in all the world," she exclaimed;"but it is something about you, Agnes, and I don't want to tell youuntil I am quite sure how it is going to turn out. No, you need n'task me. I shall not tell you one single word of it. I can keep asecret when I want to, and I don't mean to tell you this one. I willonly tell you that if it turns out all right you will like it as muchas I do, I think. Oh, I am so full of it that I must go over and tellAunt Emma about it; but you must not ask me to tell you, for indeed Iwill not."

  And Ruby did not, although you may imagine that Agnes was very curiousto know what it could be over which Ruby was so excited, and whichconcerned herself.

  Ruby would only answer, "Wait and see."

  It had occurred to her that perhaps her mother would be willing to lether invite Agnes to come home with her for her Christmas holidays.Ruby knew that her mother was very much better now, and she wa
s almostsure that she would not feel as if company would tire her too much.Ruby and Agnes had been such friends, and Ruby had told Agnes so muchabout her home and mother and Ruthy, that she was sure that next bestto going to her own home and seeing her own mother, would be going toRuby's home and spending Christmas with Ruby's mother.

  Aunt Emma thought that it was a very nice plan, and Ruby wrote thatvery afternoon to ask her mother about it.

  It seemed to the impatient little girl as if the answer would nevercome; and every day she watched when the mail came to see if there wasa letter for her; but in three days it came, and she was delighted tofind that a little letter was enclosed for Agnes, giving her a verycordial invitation to come home with Ruby to spend her Christmasholidays.

  Ruby's mother was very much pleased with the idea, and glad that herlittle daughter had thought of inviting her lonely schoolmate home withher; and if anything could have made Ruby happier than she was already,it was her mother's approval of her plan.

  You may be sure that Agnes was delighted. It seemed almost too good tobe true, at first; and when she read the kind letter from Ruby'smother, and Miss Chapman gave her permission to accept the invitation,she began to look forward to the holidays quite as eagerly as any ofthe other girls.

  Besides the pleasure with which Ruby looked forward to Christmas on herown account, she looked forward to the pleasure she expected to giveothers, and I need not tell you that that is the secret of the greatesthappiness in all the wide world. And so the days flew on, each onebringing the joyous home-going nearer.

  CHAPTER XXIV.

  FINIS.

  There came a morning when the very last mark was scratched off thecalendars that hung in every room in the school, and the girls knewthat, long as it had been in coming, the last day before the holidayshad really come.

  It was a delightful day, for there was so much pleasant preparationgoing on.

  "It is just lovely to have such a higgledy-piggledy day," Rubyexclaimed with a rapturous sigh of delight. There was a rehearsal inthe morning, to make sure that all the girls were ready for theevening's entertainment; and some of the girls who were not quiteperfect in their pieces of music or their recitations, had to study andpractise a little while; but beyond that, there was nothing but themost delightful chaos of packing trunks, laying out dresses, andtalking over plans for the next day. Every little while some one wouldring the bell, and the girls would rush to see which happy girl wasgreeting her father or mother.

  Ruby's father came about noon, and she was very much surprised, for shehad not expected him until afternoon, on the same train in which shehad come.

  When she heard there was a gentleman downstairs to see Miss RubyHarper, she rushed downstairs so fast that she nearly tumbled down, andran into the parlor, quite sure that she would find her father's armswaiting to clasp her.

  For a moment she did not see any one else, and she fairly cried, verymuch to her surprise, she was so glad to see her dear father and feelherself nestled in his arms. Then some one said,--

  "Don't you see me, Ruby?" and Ruby looked around to find Ruthy, allsmiles, watching to see her surprise.

  "Why, Ruthy Warren!"--and Ruby fairly screamed with delight. "I never,never thought of your coming. Why, it is too splendid for anything!How did you ever come to think of it, and why did n't you tell me, andare n't you glad you came?"

  "I never thought of it at all," Ruthy answered. "It was all yourpapa's thought, and I never knew I was coming till last night when hecame over to ask mamma if I could come with him. I could hardly sleep,I was so glad, for it seemed so long to wait to see you, and it wassuch fun to come to travel home with you."

  Perhaps there was a happier little girl in the school than Ruby thatday, but I do not know how it could have been possible.

  She was going home the next day to see her dear mother. She had herpapa and her little friend Ruthy with her, to sympathize in her joy andbe proud of her success that evening, and when she should go away inthe morning she would not have to leave her new friend Agnes alone atschool, but she would belong to the happy party that were going to havea delightful Christmas at Ruby's home.

  Altogether I do not know what could have been added to her pleasure.The day passed very quickly, and Ruby took her papa and Ruthy for along walk in the afternoon to show them everything pretty in thevillage. Her tongue went like a mill-wheel, for she had so much totell them that she could not get the words out fast enough.

  At last it was supper-time, and then began the important operation ofdressing for the evening. The girls might wear their hair any way theyliked this last evening, and Maude was delighted when she looked in theglass and saw her hair floating about her shoulders once more. Maude'smother was not coming till the next day, so she was not quite as happyas Ruby was.

  The girls were all very much excited by the time the company began toarrive. The long school-room had seats placed in one end of it for theaudience, and at the other end were seats for the scholars, for theteachers, and the piano upon which the girls were to play.

  Ruby was fairly radiant with delight when the moment to begin came, andshe was not troubled by any of the doubts that the other girls had thatthey might fail. She was quite sure that she knew her pieces soperfectly that she could not possibly forget anything; and companynever frightened her, it only stimulated her to do her best.

  She was so glad her papa was there, for it was so delightful to lookinto his pleased, proud face when she recited her piece. She could notlook at him during the dialogue, but she was quite sure that his eyeswere following her, and the moment she had finished she looked at himand saw how pleased his face was, and how proud he looked.

  Then came the duet. Agnes and Ruby were to play this together, andthey had practised it so much that they were both sure that they couldplay it without the music. If any one had told Ruby that in this verypiece she would make the only mistake of the evening, she would nothave believed it possible, and yet that was the thing that reallyhappened.

  The first bar Agnes had to play alone, then she struck a chord withRuby and then had a little run of several notes by herself. Ruby feltvery grand when the duet was announced and she walked to the piano withAgnes and seated herself. She was sorry that she was on the side awayfrom the audience, because then her father could not see her quite aswell, but then he was so tall that perhaps he could see past Agnes andwatch her.

  They were both ready, and Aunt Emma stood by the piano with the littleblack baton with which she beat time.

  Ruby counted softly under her breath so she should be sure not to makea mistake. Agnes played her first notes, then Ruby came in promptlywith her chord, and then, oh, Ruby wished that the floor might open andlet her go through into the cellar,--she forgot that she had to wait abar for Agnes to play her little run, and began on her bass.

  It was Agnes's quick wit that saved Ruby from mortification that shewould have found it hard ever to forget.

  "Keep right on, Ruby. Don't stop for anything," she whispered softly.

  Ruby's first impulse had been to take her hands off the keys, andperhaps run away as she liked to do when things went wrong; but Agnes'whisper reassured her, and she kept steadily on. Agnes left the runout, and started in with the air, and so no one but Miss Emma, Agues,and Ruby knew that any one had made a mistake. Of course it would havebeen prettier if the little run that Agnes had practised so faithfullyfor weeks might have been played where it belonged, but it did notreally spoil the piece, and Ruby breathed a sigh of relief when theleaf was turned over, and she found that everything was going smoothly.

  "You were so good, Agnes," she whispered, when they went back to theirseats. "I thought that I might just as well stop as not, when I hadmade such a perfectly dreadful mistake. I wonder if every one knew it."

  "No, I am sure no one suspected it," Agnes returned comfortingly. "Noone but your aunt knew, and she could see how it happened, and I amsure she liked it a great deal better than having us stop and st
art allover again."

  All the rest of the evening's exercises passed off very smoothly; thegirls presented Miss Chapman with a handsome inkstand, and sheexpressed her approval of their faithfulness in study during the fallmonths, and then presented the prizes, and then came the part of theentertainment that most of the girls liked the best of all,--therefreshments.

  Ruby was not at all sleepy when bed-time came, and she wished that shecould start for home at once without waiting for morning to come, butsure as she was that she should not go to sleep all night, but that sheshould lie awake and talk to Ruthy, she had hardly put her head on herpillow before her eyes closed and she was sound asleep.

  The next thing she knew was that her aunt was trying to waken her, andtelling her that they must hurry to be ready for the train, as they hadseveral things to do before they could start.

  It did not take long to waken Ruby then, you may be sure.

  And so she went home again, to find her dear mother looking almost aswell as ever, and so glad to see her dear little daughter again; andshe was just as happy as Ruby herself when she saw the pretty book thatRuby had won as the prize for deportment. That assured her that Rubyhad indeed faithfully kept her promise of trying to be good, and thatshe had succeeded.

  Such a happy home-coming as it was; and Agnes had so warm a welcomethat she felt almost as if she belonged to the family.

  But we must say good-by to Ruby here, and leave her enjoying the happyholidays which she had earned by faithful study, by trying to pleaseher teachers in every way, and by trying to make the very best ofherself and make others happy; and I am sure when you say good-by toRuby this time, you will agree with me that she is a far more lovablelittle girl than she was when she tried first of all to please Rubyherself.

  THE END.