CHAPTER V.
Grandma Elsie's college boys, Harold and Herbert Travilla, had come homefor the holidays, arriving the latter part of the previous week. Thismorning they had come over to Woodburn, very soon after breakfast, "tohave a chat with Vi while they could catch her alone," they said, "forwith all the company that was to be entertained at Ion they might nothave so good a chance again."
They stood with her at the window watching the carriage as it drove awaywith the captain and his children. It had hardly reached the gateleading into the high road when Harold turned to his sister with theremark,
"Well, Vi, we've had quite a satisfactory talk; and now for action. As Ioverheard the captain say to the children, 'there's no time to lose.'"
"No; we will begin at once," returned Violet, leading the way to thelarge room where the Christmas tree had been set up last year.
A couple of negro men were carrying in its counterpart at one door, asViolet and her brother entered at the other.
"Ah that's a fine tree, Jack!" she said addressing one of them; "thecaptain selected it, I suppose?"
"Yes, Miss Wi'let, de cap'n done say dis hyar one was for de Woodburnchillen; an' we's to watch an' fotch 'em in soon's dey's clar gone outob sight."
"Yes," she said, "we want to give them a pleasant surprise. I think theyare doubtful as to whether their father intends that they shall have atree this year," she added, aside to her brothers.
"Then the surprise will be the greater," Harold returned; "and it ishalf the fun. I supposed they were pretty certain of the tree, and wouldbe surprised only by the nature of the gifts."
"They will have a goodly supply of those," Violet said, with a pleasedlook, glancing in the direction of a table heaped with packages ofvarious sizes and shapes. "Do you know, boys, when Christmas times comeround I always feel glad I married a man with children; it's such a deardelight to lay plans for their enjoyment and to carry them out."
"Just like you, Vi," said Herbert, "and I like to hear you talk in thatway; but you have your own two."
"Yes; but even Elsie is hardly old enough yet to care very much for suchthings."
The tree was now in place and the work of trimming it began.
"It's very good in you boys to come here and help me instead of joiningin the fun they are doubtless having at the school-house," remarkedViolet, as she handed a glittering fairy to Harold who was mounted upona step-ladder alongside of the tree. "There, I think that will look wellperched on that topmost bough."
"Our tastes agree," he said, fastening the fairy in the designated spot.
"Yes, I think Herbie and I are entitled to any amount of gratitude onyour part, for the great self-denial we are practicing, and thewonderful exertions we shall put forth in carrying out your wishes anddirections in regard to this difficult and irksome business."
"And the fine phrases and well turned periods contained in the remarksbestowed upon your unsophisticated country sister," laughed Violet.
"Of course they must not be forgotten in the reckoning up of your causesfor gratitude. Ah, Vi, how my heart goes out in pity and sympathy foryou when I reflect that you not only never have shared in theinestimable privileges and delights of college boy life, but are, in thevery nature of things, forever debarred from participation in them!"
"I entirely appreciate your feelings on the subject," she said, withmock gravity, "but would advise that for the present you forget them,and give your undivided attention to the business in hand. That secondfairy does not maintain a very graceful attitude."
"True enough," he said, promptly altering its position. "There, how'sthat for high?"
"Is it possible I hear such slang from the educated tongue of a collegeboy?" she exclaimed with a gesture of astonishment and dismay.
"She's high enough," said Herbert, gazing scrutinizingly at the fairy,"but there'd better be more work and less talk if we are to get throughbefore the captain and his party come home."
"Herbert, when Mrs. Raymond and I have reached your venerable age youmay expect to find us as sedate and industrious as you are now,"remarked Harold, proceeding to hang upon the tree various ornaments, asHerbert handed them to him.
"And in Harold's case due allowance must be made for the exuberance ofspirits of a boy just let out of school," added Violet.
"And in your case, my dear madam, for what? a youthful flow of spiritsconsequent upon a temporary release from the heavy responsibilities ofwifehood and motherhood?"
"Very temporary," laughed Violet; "my husband will be here again in afew hours, and the call to attend to my babies may come at any moment."
"I daresay if the captain had consulted only his own inclination hewould be here now, overseeing this job," remarked Harold, halfinterrogatively.
"Yes," replied Violet; "but he thought his duty called him to the otherplaces; and I think my good husband never fails to go where duty calls.We talked it over and concluded that the best plan we could hit upon wasfor me to stay at home and see to this work, while he should take hischildren and assist at the decoration of the school-houses."
"To secure you an opportunity to prepare a pleasant surprise for them,"supplemented Harold.
Their work was finished, its results surveyed with satisfaction, and thedoor of the room closed and locked upon it, before the return of thecarriage bringing Capt. Raymond and his merry, happy little flock.
Dinner filled up the greater part of the interval between theirhome-coming and return to the school-house on the corner of the estate,to witness the distribution of gifts to the poor whites of theneighborhood; and by a little management on the part of their father,Violet and her brothers, they were kept from the vicinity of the roomwhere the Christmas tree stood, and got no hint of its existence.
Their thoughts were full of the doings of the morning and the comingevents of the afternoon, and their tongues ran fast on the two subjects.Their father had to remind them once or twice that older people must beallowed a chance to talk as well as themselves; but his tone was notstern, and the slight reproof, though sufficient to produce the desiredeffect, threw no damper upon their youthful spirits.
They were in the carriage again soon after leaving the table, Violetwith them this time, Harold and Herbert riding on horseback alongside ofthe vehicle, for they desired a share in witnessing the bestowal of thegifts.
They found teacher and pupils there before them; every face bright withpleasurable anticipation.
The Jones children, whose mother had died the year before, and who hadcontinued to find a good friend in Capt. Raymond, were among the number.
Grandma Elsie, Zoe, Rosie, Walter and Evelyn Leland arrived in a bodysoon after the Woodburn family, and then the exercises began.
The captain offered a short prayer, and made a little addressappropriate to the occasion; teacher and scholars sang a hymn, aChristmas carol; then the tree was unveiled amid murmurs of admirationand delight, and the distribution of the gifts began.
Every child received a suit of warm, comfortable clothes, a book, a bagof candy, a sandwich or two, some cakes and fruit.
The tree was hung with rosy-cheeked apples, oranges, bananas, bunches ofgrapes and strings of popcorn. There were bright tinsel ornaments too,and a goodly array of gaily dressed paper dolls, mostly Gracie'scontribution.
She had given up all her store for the gratification of the poorchildren.
"I've had such good times myself, playing with them and dressing them,that I do believe the poor children, that don't have half the pleasuresI do, will enjoy them too, and I can do very well without," she said toLulu on deciding to make the sacrifice.
So she told her father they were not to be used merely as a temporaryornament for the tree, but to be given away to some of the younger girlsattending the school.
They, along with other pretty things, were taken from the tree andpresented last of all, and the delight manifested by the recipients morethan made amends to Gracie for her self-denial.
From the Woodburn school
-house our friends all repaired to the one atIon, and a similar scene was enacted there. The exercises and the giftsto the children were very nearly the same, but there were olderpeople--house servants and laborers on the estates--to whom were givenmore substantial gifts in money and provisions for the support of theirfamilies.
The afternoon was waning when the Raymonds again entered their familycarriage and the captain gave the order, "Home to Woodburn."
And now the children began to think of the home celebration of Christmaseve, and to renew their wonderings as to what arrangements might havebeen made for their own enjoyment of its return. Still they asked noquestion on the subject, but they sobered down and were very quietduring the short drive.
"Tired, children?" queried their father, putting an arm round Grace asshe leaned confidingly up against him, and smiling affectionately uponthem all.
"Oh, no, sir, not at all!" replied Max, quickly, straightening himselfwith the air of one who had no thought of fatigue.
"Not at all, papa," echoed Lulu.
"Only just a little bit, papa," Grace said with cheerful look and tone."We have had such a nice day."
"Giving pleasure to others," he remarked, patting the rosy cheek restingagainst his shoulder; "there is nothing more enjoyable. The littlegirls were very glad to get your dollies."
"Yes, sir; I'm so glad I gave them."
The carriage stopped. They were at their own door. In another minutethey had all alighted and the children were following their father andViolet into the house.
A Newfoundland dog, a magnificent specimen of his race, met them almostat the threshold.
"Oh!" cried the children, in excited chorus, "where, did he come from?Whose dog is he?"
"Max's; a Christmas gift from papa," answered the captain.
"Oh!" exclaimed Max, his face sparkling all over with delight, "what asplendid fellow! Papa, thank you ever so much! You couldn't have givenme a more acceptable present."
"Ah? I'm glad you like him. But come into the library, all of you, for amoment. It is not quite tea time yet."
The captain led the way as he spoke, everybody else following.
"Howdy do? Where you been?" called out a rather harsh voice, and sendinga surprised, inquiring glance about in search of the speaker, thechildren presently spied a cage with a parrot in it; an African parrot;grey, with a scarlet tail.
"Polly wants a cracker!" screamed the bird. "Time for breakfast, Lu!Where you been?"
"How will Polly suit you for a Christmas gift, Lulu?" asked the captain,smiling down into the flushed, delighted face of his eldest daughter.
"O papa, is it for me?" she cried half breathlessly.
"Yes, if you want it, though I fear she may prove a rather troublesomepet. Here is Gracie's gift from papa," he added, pointing to a beautifulMaltese kitten curled upon the rug before the fire. "We mustn't letMax's big gift swallow your little one. I trust that in time we canteach them to be friends."
Grace loved kittens and was no less delighted with her present than herbrother and sister with theirs.
"O the pretty pet!" she exclaimed, dropping down on the rug beside itand gently stroking its soft fur. "I'd like to take you on my lap,pretty pussy, but you're fast asleep, and I won't wake you."
"That is right, my darling; I am glad to see my little girl thoughtfulof the comfort of even a cat," her father said, bending down to strokeGracie's hair with tenderly caressing hand.
"I s'pose they have feelings as well as other folks, papa," she said,smiling up affectionately into his face. "I mean to be very kind to thispretty pussy; and oh I'm ever so much obliged to you for her!"
His reply was prevented by a sudden, loud bark from the dog, as he spiedpussy on the rug.
"Turn him out into the hall, May," the captain said, hastily stepping inbetween dog and cat. "Don't be alarmed for your pet, Gracie; he shallnot be permitted to harm her."
"Nor my Polly either, shall he, papa?" asked Lulu, who was trying tomake acquaintance with her new possession.
"No; certainly not. But take care of your fingers, daughter; she maysnap at them and give you a bite that you will remember for a longwhile. Now go and get yourselves ready for tea. It is almost time forthe bell to ring."
The children made haste to obey. The captain and Violet lingered behindfor a moment.
"How pleased they are!" she said with a joyous look up into herhusband's face. "It's a perfect treat to witness their delight on suchoccasions. I can hardly wait to show them the tree with all itstreasures."
"Dear wife, your affection for my darlings is a well-spring of joy tome," he said with tender look and smile; "and theirs for you no less so.I am sure you have completely won their hearts."
"You make me very happy," she responded, her eyes shining with joy andlove. "But there! do you hear little Elsie calling for papa and mamma?"
The faces that surrounded the tea table that evening were very bright,though the children had no expectation of the treat in store for them;each had had a present from papa, and that was almost more than they hadventured to hope for.
But they were in gay spirits, looking forward to a time of rareenjoyment in spending the Christmas holidays with Grandma Elsie, at Ion.
"We'll be glad to go," remarked Lulu, "and then glad to come back to ourown dear home."
"So you will be twice glad," said her father.
"Yes, that is just the way I feel about it," Violet said. "Mamma's housewill always be a home to me--a dear home; and yet my husband's doublyso."
"It should, seeing that it is quite as much yours as his," he said, witha gratified smile. "Well, my dear, I see we have all finished eating.Shall we go now?"
"Yes, sir; if you please. Our little girls will want to take anotherpeep at their new pets," she said, rising and slipping her hand into hisarm.
They passed out of the room together, the children following.
But on reaching the hall, instead of going into the library they turnedtoward the parlor on the other side of it, in which, as the childrenwell remembered, last year's Christmas tree had been set up.
The captain threw open the door, and then stood a larger and finer treeblazing with lights from many tapers and colored lamps, and loaded withbeautiful things.
"Oh! oh! what a beauty! what a splendid tree!" cried the children,dancing about and clapping their hands in delight. "And we didn't knowwe were to have any at all. Mamma Vi you must have had it set up, andtrimmed it while we were gone this morning. Didn't you? Oh thank youever so much!"
"Your father provided it, and your thanks are due to him far more thanto me," Violet replied, with a smiling-glance in his direction.
At that they crowded about him, Max putting a hand affectionately intohis and thanking him with hearty words of appreciation, while the littlegirls hugged and kissed him to his heart's content.
The servants had gathered about the door, little Elsie's mammy amongthem, with her nursling in her arms.
"Oh pretty, pretty!" shouted the little one, clapping her hands in anecstacy of delight. "Let Elsie down, mammy."
"Come to papa," the captain said, and taking her in his arms carriedher to the tree and all around it, pointing out the pretty things.
"What would you like to have?" he asked. "What shall papa give you offthis beautiful tree?"
"Dolly," she said, reaching out for a lovely bisque doll seated in atiny chair attached to one of the lower branches.
"You shall have it; it was put there on purpose for papa's baby girl,"he said, taking it up carefully and putting it into her arms. "Now letus see what we can find for mamma and your brother and sisters."
His gift to Violet was some beautiful lace selected with the help of hermother. He had contrived to add it to the adornments of the tree withouther knowledge. She was greatly pleased when he detached and handed it toher.
Max was delighted to receive a Magic lantern and a Sleight of Handoutfit, Lulu a game of Lawn and Parlor Ring Toss, and a handsome ToiletCase. Grace had the same
and beside a brass bedstead for her dolls, withmattress and pillows, and a large and complete assortment of everythingneeded for making and dressing paper dolls. That last was from Lulu.
There were books, periodicals, a type writer and games to be shared byall three, beside other less important gifts from one to the other, andfrom outside friends.
The servants too, were remembered with gifts suited to their needs andtastes, and there were fruits and confections for all.
Examining their own and each other's gifts, peeping into the new books,trying the new games, with papa and mamma helping, the children foundthe evening pass very quickly and delightfully.
"We were going to hang up our stockings," Grace remarked as the goodnights were being said, "but we've had so many nice things already thatit does seem as if we oughtn't to do it."
"Oh yes, hang them up," said her father laughingly. "Santa Claus won'tfeel obliged to put anything into them."
"And perhaps if he doesn't find them hanging up he may feel hurt at yourlow opinion of his generosity," laughed Violet.
"Oh I wouldn't like to hurt his feelings, 'cause I'm sure he must be avery nice old fellow," returned the little girl with an arch look andsmile. "So I'll hang mine up."
"And I mine," said Lulu, twining her arms about her father's neck andlooking up lovingly into his face, "for I know he's nice, and generous,and good as gold, though he isn't old or the sort of person to be calleda fellow."
"Indeed! one might infer that you were quite well acquainted with him,"laughed the captain, giving her a hug and kiss. "Yes, hang it up. And,Max, if you don't feel it beneath the dignity of a lad of your size,there will be no harm in your trying the same experiment."
"I'm ashamed to think of it, sir, only because I've already had somuch," said Max.
"But you are always safe in following your father's advice," remarkedViolet.
"Oh yes, I know that, and I'll do it, Mamma Vi," returned the boy, withill-concealed satisfaction.
"Now all three of you get to bed and to sleep as soon as you can, inorder to give the old fellow a chance to pay his visit," said thecaptain; "for I have always understood that he never does so till allthe children in the house are asleep. I'll go in to kiss my little girlsgood-night after they are snug in bed, but we will reserve our talk tillmorning."
"Yes, papa, we will," they said and hastened away to do his bidding.
At Ion too, there was a beautiful Christmas tree, bearing fruit not verydissimilar to that of the one at Woodburn. It had been the occasion ofmuch mirth and rejoicing on the part of the children, and pleasure tothe older people: the gifts had been apportioned, those of the servantsbestowed and carried away, but most of those belonging to the family,and all the ornaments, were left upon it that the guests of to-morrowmight be treated to the spectacle of its beauty.
Christmas with Grandma Elsie Page 5