Christmas with Grandma Elsie

by Martha Finley

  CHAPTER XIII.

  "Lu! Lu! five o'clock, time to get up!" called a harsh voice in loud,shrill tones.

  "Who, who was calling?" asked Eva starting out of sleep.

  "Only Polly," laughed Lulu.

  "Get up, get up!" screamed the bird. "Time for breakfast. Polly wantsher coffee. Polly wants a cracker."

  "What a smart parrot! how plainly she talks," said Eva.

  "Yes; but so loud. I'm afraid she will wake everybody in the house."

  "How has she learned your name so soon?" asked Eva.

  "I don't think she has," said Lulu. "Papa says there was a girl namedLouisa in the place where Polly used to live, that everybody called Lu,and the parrot learned to call her so too."

  "Happy New Year!" screamed Polly.

  "Oh just hear her!" cried Lulu in delight. "Papa must have been teachingher that, or having somebody else do it, while we were away. I thinkshe's going to make a great deal of fun for us all. Happy New Year toyou, Eva dear," giving her friend a hug, as they lay side by side inthe bed.

  "The same to you, dear Lu," returned Eva. "How nice it is to be herewith you lying on this easy couch with this down cover and these softblankets over us. I never lay on a more delightful bed. Everything aboutit is beautiful and luxurious too."

  "Papa was very particular to get the very best of springs and mattressesfor all our beds," replied Lulu. "Oh but he is a dear, good father,always careful for the comfort and happiness of all his children!"

  "And of his wife?"

  "Oh yes indeed! I'm quite sure no man could take better care of hiswife, or be more loving and kind to her, than papa is to Mamma Vi. AndI'm pretty sure he was just the same to my mother; he says he loved hervery dearly and loves his children--I mean Max and Gracie andme--because they were hers as well as because they are his very own."

  "Lu! Lu! get up! Time for breakfast!" screamed Polly again.

  "I suppose it is morning, or she wouldn't be making such a fuss," saidLulu.

  "Yes," said Eva, "I see a little light coming in at the window."

  "I'll light the gas in the sitting-room, and give her a cracker to stopher screaming," said Lulu, getting out of bed and feeling about for herwarm slippers and dressing gown. "Then I'll run and catch papa andGracie."

  "Lulu," said the captain's voice from Gracie's room.

  "I'm here, papa. Oh a happy New Year to you!"

  "Thank you, dear child. I wish you the same; but I want you to givePolly a cracker as quickly as you can to stop her screaming; for I fearshe will wake both guests and babies."

  "Yes, sir; I will. I was just going to," replied the little girl. "Thenshall I stay up?"

  "I think you may as well go back to bed and try to take another nap," heanswered. "It is very early yet."

  Lulu hurried into the sitting-room where Polly's cage was hanging, andstruck a light.

  "What you 'bout? Where you been?" demanded the parrot.

  "Sleeping in my bed as I have a right to, Miss Saucebox," returned Lulu,laughing as she opened a cupboard door and brought out a paper ofcrackers. "There, take that and see if you can hold your tongue tillfolks are ready to get up."

  The bird took the offered cracker and began eating it, standing on onefoot, on its perch, and holding the food in the claws of the other,while it bit off a little at a time, Lulu looking on with interest.

  "You'll have to behave better than this, or you'll get banished to theattic, or the kitchen, or some other far-off place," she said, shakingher finger threateningly at Poll.

  Then, after turning down the light, she ran back to bed.

  "Are you asleep, Eva?" she asked in a whisper.

  "No dear; wide awake."

  "Then let's talk; for I'm as wide awake as I can be."

  "But didn't your father say you were to try for another nap?"

  "I understood him to mean only that I might if I chose, not that I must;but perhaps he meant that he wanted me to; so I'll keep quiet and try."

  She did so, saying to herself, "I just know it's no use, for I was neverwider awake in my life," but to her great astonishment the next thingshe knew it was broad daylight and Eva up and brushing out her hairbefore the mirror over the bureau.

  "Why, I've been asleep and I hadn't the least idea of such a thing!"cried Lulu springing out upon the floor and beginning to dress in allhaste.

  "Oh, you've had a nice nap and will feel the better for it all day, I'msure," returned Eva laughing in a kindly way; "and that is your rewardfor trying to do as your papa probably wished you to. But need you hurryso? isn't it a good while to breakfast time?"

  "Yes, but I have to dress and say my prayers; and I always like so muchto have a little time to chat with papa before the bell rings."

  "Lu! Lu!" screamed the parrot, "time for breakfast! Polly wants hercoffee."

  "Just hear Polly," exclaimed Lulu; "it does seem as if she must havesense. I suppose she does think it's time for breakfast."

  "Does she drink coffee?" asked Eva.

  "Yes; she is very fond of it. She gets a cup every morning."

  "She's a very amusing pet, I think," remarked Evelyn. "What fun it willbe to teach her to say all sorts of cute things!"

  "Yes," sighed Lulu, "but papa says if she should hear angry, passionate,or willful words from my lips she may learn and repeat them to my shameand sorrow. But oh I hope I never shall let her hear such!"

  "I don't believe you ever will say such words any more, dear Lu," Evasaid with an affectionate look into her friend's face. "I don't believeyou have ever been in a passion since--since the time that little Elsiehad that sad fall."

  "No, I have not been in a rage, but I have said some angry words a fewtimes, and oh--as you must remember that I told you--some veryrebellious and insolent ones to my dear papa--not so long ago. Oh dear,I'm afraid my tongue can never be tamed!

  "Papa made me learn that third chapter of James that says 'the tongue isa fire, a world of iniquity and that no man can tame it.' Then he talkedto me so nicely and kindly about learning to rule my tongue and make italways speak as it ought--wise, kind, pleasant words. And he told me theonly way to do it was by getting my heart right--by God's help--because,as the Bible tells us in another place, it is out of the abundance ofthe heart that the mouth speaketh."

  "Your father takes a great deal of pains to teach and help you, dear Lu,doesn't he?" said Eva.

  "Yes, yes, indeed!" returned Lulu, with warmth; "all his children, butespecially me, I think, because I'm the naughtiest and have the hardestwork trying to be good. I'm often surprised at papa's patience with meand the trouble he takes to help me in my hard fight with my passionate,wilful temper."

  Just then Grace's voice was heard at the door, "Happy New Year, Eva andLu! May I come in?"

  "Yes, come. Happy New Year to you," cried both girls, Lulu running andtaking her sister in her arms to hug and kiss her.

  "You darling child! You look bright and well. Are you?"

  "Yes, you old woman," laughed Gracie, returning the hug and kisses; "andI'm all ready for breakfast. Are you?"

  "No, not quite."

  "I am," said Eva. "Shall we go into the sitting-room, Gracie, and waitthere for Lu?"

  "Yes," answered Grace, leading the way; "and I'll be learning my Bibleverse while we wait for her and papa and the breakfast bell."

  Lulu and her father joined them at the same moment.

  The captain kissed the little girls all around and presented each with apretty little portemonnaie.

  Eva thanked him with smiles, blushes and appreciative words; his own twowith hugs and kisses in addition to the thanks given in words.

  "Mine's ever so pretty, papa," Lulu said, turning it about in her hands.

  "I am glad you are pleased with it," he said, smiling, "but are yougoing to be satisfied with looking at the outside? don't you want toexamine the lining also?"

  "Why, yes, sir?" opening it. "Oh, oh, it isn't empty!" she laughed,beginning to take out the contents--two clean, crisp one d
ollar notes,and a handful of bright new quarters, dimes and five cent pieces. "Papa,how kind and generous you are to me!"

  Grace had her purse open by this time and found it lined in like mannerwith Lulu's. "Dear papa, thank you ever so much," she said, looking upinto his face with eyes full of love and gratitude. "It's a great dealfor me to have beside all the rest you gave me."

  "You are both as welcome as possible, my darlings; only make good use ofit, remembering that money is one of the talents for which we must giveaccount to God at last," he answered to both.

  "Eva, my dear," turning to her, "you will find the same in yours, and Ihope will accept it from me as though you were one of my daughters. Dome the kindness to let me be in some respects, a father to you; sinceyour own is absent in the happy home to which I trust we are alltraveling."

  She was standing near, the present he had given her in her hand. She hadbeen looking from it to Lulu and Grace, thinking the while how good itwas in the captain to treat her so much like one of his own, and now atthese kind words spoken in tender fatherly tones, both heart and eyesgrew full to overflowing.

  He saw that she could not speak for emotion, and taking her hand, drewher to his knee and kissed her, saying, "Don't try to thank me in words,my dear; your speaking countenance tells me all you would say."

  "What you 'bout?" screamed Polly at that instant, just as if she werecalling the captain to account for his actions.

  That made them all laugh; even Evelyn, who had been just ready to cry.Then the breakfast bell rang and everybody hastened to obey its summons.

  Many a "Happy New Year," was exchanged among them as they gathered--abright faced, cheerful set--in the pleasant breakfast-room and about itsbountiful table.

  Each had a gift to show, for all had been remembered in that way byeither the captain or Violet, some by both, and each one had received ordid now receive, something from Grandma Elsie--a book, toy or game.

  The gifts seemed to give universal satisfaction and all were in gayestspirits.

  Shortly after breakfast--almost before the children had done withcomparing and talking about their presents--the other guests began toarrive, and by ten o'clock everybody who had been invited was there.

  Then began the fun of arranging themselves in groups and havingphotographs taken; after that the acting of the charades.

  The picture suggested by Violet was taken first. In it Grandma Elsiewas seated between her father on one side, and her namesake daughter onthe other, Mrs. Leland having her babe in her arms, while little Nedleaned confidingly against his great-grandfather's knee.

  The captain and Violet, with their two little ones, made another prettypicture. Then the captain was taken again with his older three groupedabout him. Then Grandma Elsie again with her son Edward and his Zoe,standing behind her, Rosie and Walter one on each side.

  She thought this quite enough, but her college boys insisted on havingher taken again, seated between them.

  It was then proposed that the other members of the company should betaken in turn--singly or in groups;--but all declined, expressing adecided preference for spending the time in a more amusing manner, suchas forming tableaux and acting charades.

  The older people took possession of a large parlor and sat thereconversing, while the younger ones consulted together and made theirarrangements in the library.

  Misconstrue was the first word chosen. Presently Evelyn walked into theparlor, followed almost immediately by Harold with a book in his hand.

  "You are here, Miss?" he said glancing at Evelyn. "And you, Miss?" asSydney Dinsmore came tripping in from the hall.

  "Yes; and here comes another Miss;" she replied, as Lulu appeared in theopen doorway.

  "I too, am a miss; there are four of us here now," said Rosie, coming upbehind Lulu.

  "I am a miss," proclaimed Maud Dinsmore, stepping in after Rosie.

  "And I am a miss," echoed Lora Howard, coming after her.

  "Well, stand up in a row and let us see if you can say your lessonwithout a miss," said Harold.

  "Oh it's a spelling school--all of girls!" remarked Grace in a low asideto her little friend Rosie Lacey; they two having chosen a place amongthe spectators rather than with the actors on this occasion.

  "Yes," returned Rosie; "I wonder why they don't have some of the boys inthe class too."

  "When did Columbus discover America, Miss Maud?" asked Harold.

  "In 1942," returned Maud with the air of one who is quite confident ofthe correctness of her reply.

  "A miss for you," said Harold. "Next. When did Columbus discoverAmerica?"

  "In 1620, just after the landing of the pilgrims," answered Sydney.

  "Another miss," said Harold. "Next."

  "Something happened in 1775," said Eva meditatively.

  "Oh!" cried Rosie, "Columbus' discovery was long before that--somewhereabout the year 1000, was it not, Mr. Travilla?"

  "A miss for each of you," replied Harold, shaking his head. "What yearwas it, Lulu?"

  "It must have been before I was born," she answered slowly, as if notentirely certain--"Yes, I'm quite sure it was, and I can't rememberbefore I was born."

  "A miss for you too," said Harold. "You have every one missed and willhave to con your task over again."

  At that each girl opened a book which she held in her hand, and forseveral minutes they all seemed to be studying diligently.

  "Ah, ha! ah ha! um h'm! mis-con," murmured Cousin Ronald, half-aloud;"vara weel done, lads and lasses. What's the next syllable? strue? Ahha, um h'm! we shall see presently," as the books were closed and theyoung actors vanished through the door into the hall.

  They were hardly gone when Zoe entered, carrying a small basket filledwith flowers which she began to strew here and there over the floor.

  "Ah ha! ah ha! um h'm!" cried Cousin Ronald, "she strews the flowers;misconstrue is the word na doot."

  "Ah Cousin Ronald, somebody must have told you," laughed Zoe, trippingfrom the room.

  "Oh!" cried Rosie Lacey, "I see now why the boys didn't take part thistime; because they couldn't be miss."

  "Here they come now, boys and girls too," exclaimed Grace. "Why howthey're laughing! I wonder what's the joke?"

  They were all laughing as at something very amusing, and after enteringthe room did nothing but sit or stand about laughing all the time;fairly shaking with laughter, laughing, laughing till the tears cameinto their eyes, and the older people joined in without in the leastknowing the exciting cause of so much mirth.

  "Come, children, tell us the joke," said Mr. Dinsmore at length.

  "O grandpa, can't you see?" asked Rosie Travilla, and they all hurriedfrom the room, to return presently in a procession, each carryingsomething in his or her hand.

  Harold had a log of wood, Herbert a post, Max a block, Frank the woodenpart of an old musket, while Chester, though empty-handed, wore an oldfashioned stock or cravat and held his head very stiffly.

  Maud, dressed as a huckster, had a basket filled with apples, oranges,nuts and candies. Sydney, wearing an old cloak and straw hat, had abasket on her arm in which were needles, tapes, buttons, pins, andother small wares such as are often hawked about the streets.

  Lulu and Eva brought up the rear, carrying the parrot and Gracie'skitten.

  Maud and Sydney made the circuit of the room, the one crying, "Applesand Oranges! buy any apples and oranges?" the other asking, "Want anypins to-day? needles, buttons, shoe-strings?"

  "No," said Grandma Rose, "Have you nothing else to offer?"

  "No, ma'am, this is my whole stock in trade," replied Sydney.

  "I laid in a fresh stock of fruit this morning, ma'am, and it's goodenough for anybody," sniffed Maud, with indignant air.

  "Do you call that a musket, sir?" asked Chester of Frank.

  "No, sir; I called it the stock of one."

  "Lulu and Eva, why bring those creatures in here?" asked Herbert,elevating his eyebrows as in astonishment.

  "Because they're o
ur live stock," replied Lulu.

  Now Frank began to play the part of a clown or buffoon, acting in a verysilly and stupid manner, while the others looked on laughing andpointing their fingers at him in derision.

  "Frank, can't you behave yourself?" exclaimed Maud. "It mortifies me tosee you making yourself the laughing-stock of the whole company."

  "Laughing-stock--laughing-stock," said several voices among thespectators, the captain adding, "Very well done indeed!"

  "Thank you, sir," said Harold. "If the company are not tired we willgive them one more."

  "Let us have it," said his grandfather.

  Some of the girls now joined the spectators, while Harold drew out alittle stand, and he, Chester, and Herbert seated themselves about itwith paper and pencils before them, assuming a very business-like air.

  Frank had stepped out to the hall. In a minute or two he returned andwalked up to the others, hat in hand.

  Bowing low, but awkwardly, "You're the school committee I understand,gents?" he remarked inquiringly.

  "Yes," said Harold, "and we want a teacher for the school at Sharon.Have you come to apply for the situation?"

  "Yes, sir; I heered tell ye was wantin' a superior kind o' male man totake the school fer the winter, and bein' as I was out o' a job, Ithought I mout as well try my hand at that as enny thin' else."

  "Take a seat and let us inquire into your qualifications," said Herbert,waving his hand in the direction of a vacant chair. "But first tell usyour name and where you are from."

  "My name, sir, is Peter Bones, and I come from the town o' Hardtack inthe next county; jest beyant the hill yander. I've a good eddication o'me own, too, though I never rubbed my back agin a college," remarked theapplicant, sitting down and tilting his chair back on its hind legs,retaining his balance by holding on to the one occupied by Herbert. "Ikin spell the spellin' book right straight through, sir, from kiver tokiver."

  "But spelling is not the only branch to be taught in the Sharon school,"said Chester. "What else do you know."

  "The three r's, sir; reading, 'ritin,' and 'rithmetic."

  "You are acquainted with mathematics!"

  "Well, no, not so much with Mathy as with his brother Bill; but I knowhim like a book; fact I might say like several books."

  "Like several books, eh?" echoed Chester in a sarcastic tone; "but howwell may you be acquainted with the books? What's the meaning ofpathology?"

  "The science of road making of course, sir; enny fool could answer sucha question as that."

  "Could he, indeed? Well you've made a miss, for your answer is wide ofthe mark."

  "How wide is the Atlantic ocean?" asked Herbert.

  "'Bout a thousand miles."

  "Another miss; it's three thousand."

  "I know it useter to be, years ago, but they've got to crossin' it soquick now that you needn't tell me it's more'n a thousand."

  "In what year was the Declaration of Independence signed?" asked Harold.

  "Wall now, I don't jist remember," returned the applicant, thrustingboth hands deep into his pockets and gazing down meditatively at thecarpet, "somewheres 'bout 1860, wuzn't it? no, come to think, I guess'twas '63."

  "No, no, no! you are thinking of the proclamation of emancipation.Another miss. We don't find you qualified for the situation; so wish yougood day, sir."

  "Ah, ah! ah, ah! um h'm, um h'm! so I should say," soliloquized Mr.Lilburn, leaning on his goldheaded cane and watching the four lads asthey scattered and left the room; "and so this is the end of act thefirst, I suppose. Miss, miss, miss, ah that's the syllable that beginsthe new word."

  Evelyn now came in with an umbrella in her hand, Grace and Rose Laceywalking a little in her rear. Evelyn raised the umbrella and turning tothe little girls, said pleasantly, "Come under, children, I can't keepthe rain off you unless you are under the umbrella." They accepted theinvitation and the three moved slowly back and forth across the roomseveral times.

  "It's a nice sort of shelter to be under when it rains," remarked RoseLacey.

  "Yes, I like to be under it," said Grace.

  "But it is wearisome to walk all the time; let us stand still for alittle," proposed Evelyn.

  "Yes; by that stand yonder," said Grace.

  They went to it and stationed themselves there for a moment; then Gracestepped from under the umbrella and seated herself on the carpet underthe stand.

  "Look, look!" laughed Rose Lacey, "there's Miss Grace Raymond under thestand; a miss-under-stand."

  A storm of applause, and cries of "Well done, little ones! Very prettilydone indeed!" and Gracie, rosy with blushes, came out from her retreatand ran to hide her face on her father's shoulder, while he held herclose with one arm, softly smoothing her curls with the other hand.

  "Don't be disturbed, darling," he said; "it is only kind commendation ofthe way in which Rosie and you have acted your parts."

  "Why you should feel proud and happy, Gracie," said Zoe, drawing near."We are going to have that tableau now in which you are to be a littleflower girl. So come, won't you? and let me help you dress."

  Tableaux filled up the rest of the morning.

  After dinner Harold and Herbert gave an exhibition of tricks oflegerdemain, which even the older people found interesting and amusing.The little ones were particularly delighted with a marvellous shower ofcandy that ended the performance.

  Some of Cousin Ronald's stories of the heroes of Scottish history andsong made the evening pass delightfully.

  But at an early hour the whole company, led by Grandpa Dinsmore, unitedin a short service of prayer, praise, and the reading of the scriptures,and at its close the guests bade good-bye and scattered to their homes.

  "Well," said Max, following the rest of the family into the parlor,after they had seen the last guest depart, "I never had a pleasanter NewYear's day."

  "Nor I either," said Lulu; "and we had such a delightful time last yeartoo, that I really don't know which I enjoyed the most."

  "And we have good times all the time since we have a home of our ownwith our dear father in it," remarked Grace, taking his hand andcarrying it to her lips, while her sweet azure eyes looked up lovinglyinto his face.

  An emphatic endorsement of that sentiment from both Max and Lulu. Thenthe captain, smiling tenderly upon them, said, "I dearly love to giveyou pleasure, my darlings, my heart's desire is for my children'shappiness in this world and the next; but life can not be all play; solessons must be taken up again to-morrow morning, and I hope to find youall in an industrious and tractable mood."

  "I should hope so indeed, papa," returned Max; "if we are not bothobedient and industrious we will deserve to be called an ungratefulset."