CHAPTER X
CHRISTMAS EVE
As Patty stepped out of her room into the hall the next morning, ateight o'clock, she found Hal Ferris already tiptoeing down the stairs.He put his finger to his lip with a great show of secrecy, which madePatty laugh.
"Why must we be so careful?" she whispered. "We're not doing anythingwrong."
"No; but it's so much more fun to pretend we are. Let's pretend we'reon a mysterious mission, and if we are discovered we're lost!"
So they crept downstairs silently, and reached the breakfast-room,without seeing any one except one or two of the maids, who weredusting about.
Patty had on a trim, short skirt of white cloth and a blouse of softwhite silk. Over this she wore a scarlet coat, and her golden curlswere tucked into a little scarlet skating cap with a saucy, waggingtassel.
But in the warm, cheery breakfast-room she threw off her coat and satdown at the table.
"I didn't intend to eat anything," she said; "but the coffee smells sogood, I think I'll have a cup of it, with a roll." She smiled at thewaitress, who stood ready to attend to her wishes, and Hal took a seatbeside her, saying he would have some coffee also.
"We won't eat our breakfast now, you know," he went on; "but we'llcome back with raging appetites and eat anything we can find. I say,this is jolly cosy, having coffee here together like this! I s'poseyou won't come down every morning?"
"No, indeed," and Patty laughed. "I don't mind admitting I hate to getup early. I usually breakfast in my room and dawdle around until allhours."
"Just like a girl!" said Hal, sniffing a little.
"Well, I _am_ a girl," retorted Patty.
"You sure are! _Some_ girl, I should say! Well, now, Girl, if you'reready, let's start."
He held Patty's scarlet coat for her while she slipped in her arms.
Then he disappeared for a moment, and returned wearing a dark redsweater, which was very becoming to his athletic figure and broadshoulders.
"Come on, Girl," he said, gathering up their skates, and off theystarted.
"It's nearly half a mile to the lake. Are you good for that muchwalk?" Ferris asked, as they swung along at a brisk pace.
"Oh, yes, indeed, I like to walk; and I like to skate, but I like bestof all to dance."
"I should think you would,--you're a ripping dancer. You know,to-night we'll have 'Sir Roger de Coverley' and old-fashioned danceslike that. You like them?"
"Yes, for a change; but I like the new ones best. Are we going to haveany dressing up to-night? I do love dressing up."
"Glad rags, do you mean?"
"No; I mean fancy costumes."
"Oh, that. Well, old Jim's going to be Santa Claus. I don't thinkanybody else will wear uncivilised clothes."
"But I want to. Can't you and I rig up in something, just for fun?"
"Oh, I say! that would be fun. What can we be? Romeo and Juliet, orJack and Jill?"
"Oh, no, nothing like that. Something more like Christmas, you know.Well, I'll think it over through the day, and we'll fix it up."
Skating on the lake so early in the morning proved to be gloriousexercise. The ice was perfect, and the crisp, clear air filled themwith exhilaration.
Both were good skaters, and though they did not attempt fancy figures,they spent nearly an hour skating around the lake.
"That's the best skate I ever had!" declared Hal, when they concludedto return home.
"It certainly was fine," declared Patty, "and by the time we've walkedback to the house, I shall be quite ready for some eggs and bacon."
"And toast and marmalade," supplemented Ferris.
"I wonder if Daisy will be down. Does she come down to breakfastusually?"
"Sometimes and sometimes not," answered Ferris, carelessly. "She's alaw unto herself, is Daisy Dow."
"You've known her a long time, haven't you?"
"Just about all our lives. Used to go to school together, and we werealways scrapping. Daisy's a nice girl, and a pretty girl, but she surehas got a temper."
"And a good thing to have sometimes. I often wish I had more."
"Nonsense! you're perfect just as you are."
"Oh, what a pretty speech! If you're going to talk like that, I shalltake the longest way home."
"I'd willingly agree to that, but I don't believe you're in need offurther exercise just now. Come, own up you're a little bit tired."
"Hardly enough to call it tired, but if there is a short cut homelet's take it."
"And what about the pretty speeches I'm to make to you?"
"Leave those till after breakfast. Or leave them till this evening andgive them to me for a Christmas gift."
"Under the mistletoe?" and Ferris looked mischievous.
"Certainly not," said Patty, with great dignity. "I'm too grown-up forsuch foolishness as that!"
"Oh, I don't know," said Ferris.
* * * * *
The appearance of the two runaways in the breakfast-room was greetedwith shouts of surprise.
Adele knew they had gone skating, but no one else did, and it wassupposed they hadn't yet come downstairs.
Patty's glowing cheeks were almost as scarlet as her coat and cap,while Ferris was grinning with boyish enthusiasm.
"Top o' the morning to you all," he cried. "Me and Miss Fairfield,we've been skating for an hour."
"On the lake?" cried Daisy, in surprise. "Why, you must have startedbefore sunrise."
"Oh, no, not that," declared Patty, as, throwing off her wraps, shetook a seat next to Adele; "but long enough to get up a ravenousappetite. I hope the Kenerley larder is well stocked."
"Why didn't you let us all in on this game?" asked the host. "I thinka morning skating party would be just about right."
"All right," said Patty. "We'll have one any morning you say. I shallbe here for a fortnight, and I'll go any morning you like."
"I won't go," declared Mona. "I hate skating, and I hate getting upearly, so count me out."
"I doubt if any one goes very soon," said Adele, "for I think there'sa storm coming. It looks bright out of doors, but it feels like snowin the air."
"It does," agreed her brother; "and I hope it will snow. I'd like areal good, old-fashioned snowstorm for Christmas."
"Well, I hope it won't begin before night," said Adele. "We've a lotto do to-day. I want you all to help me decorate the tree and fix thepresents."
"Of course we will," said Patty. "But, if I may, I want to skip overto the village on an errand. Can some one take me over, Adele, ormust I walk?"
"I'll go with you," said Daisy, who was of no mind to be left out ofPatty's escapades, if she could help it.
"All right, Daisy, but you mustn't tell what I buy, because it's asecret."
"Everything's a secret at Christmas time," said Mr. Kenerley; "but,Patty, you can have the small motor, and go over to the village anytime you like."
As there was room for them all, Daisy and Mona both accompanied Pattyon her trip to the village, and Hal Ferris volunteered to drive thecar. But when they reached the country shop, Patty laughingly refusedto let any of the party go inside with her, saying that her purchaseswould be a Christmas secret.
She bought a great many yards of the material known as Turkey red, andalso a whole piece of white illusion. Some gilt paper completed herlist, and she ran back to the car, the shopkeeper following with herbundles. They attended to some errands for Adele, and then whizzedback to the house just in time to see the Christmas tree being putinto place.
"We're going to have the tree at five o'clock," said Adele, "onaccount of baby May. It's really for her, you know, and so I have itbefore dinner."
"Fine!" declared Patty. "And where do we put our presents?"
"On these tables," and Adele pointed to several small stands alreadywell heaped with tissue-papered parcels.
"Very well, I'll get mine," and Patty went flying up to her room. Monafollowed, and the two girls returned laden with the
ir bundles.
"What fascinating looking parcels," said Adele, as she helped toplace them where they belonged. "Now, Patty, about the tree; would youhave bayberry candles on it, or only the electric lights?"
"Oh, have the candles. They're so nice and traditional, you know.Unless you're afraid of fire."
"No; all the decorations are fireproof. Jim would have them so. See,we've lots of this Niagara Falls stuff."
Adele referred to a decoration of spun glass, which was thrown allover the tree in cascades, looking almost like the foam of awaterfall. This would not burn, even if the flame of a candle wereheld to it.
"It's perfectly beautiful!" exclaimed Patty. "I never saw anythinglike it before."
They scattered it all over the tree, the men going up on step-laddersto reach the top branches.
The tree was set in the great, high-vaulted hall, and was a noblespecimen of an evergreen. Hundreds of electric lights were fastened toits branches; and the thick bayberry candles were placed by means ofholders that clasped the tree trunk, and so were held firmly and safe.
Adele's prognostications had been correct. For, soon after luncheon,it began to snow. Fine flakes at first, but with a steadiness thatbetokened a real snowstorm.
"I'm so glad," exclaimed Patty, dancing about. "I do love a whiteChristmas. It won't interfere with your guests, will it, Adele?"
"No; if Mr. Van Reypen and Mr. Farrington get up from New York withouthaving their trains blocked by snowdrifts, I imagine our Fern Fallspeople will be able to get here for the dinner and the dance."
The two men arrived during the afternoon, and came in laden withparcels and looking almost like Santa Claus himself.
"Had to bring all this stuff with us," explained Roger, "for fear ofdelays with expresses and things. Presents for everybody,--and thensome. Where shall we put them?"
Adele superintended the placing of the parcels, and the men threw offtheir overcoats, and they all gathered round the blazing fire in thehall.
"This is right down jolly!" declared Philip Van Reypen. "I haven't hada real country Christmas since I was a boy. And this big fire and thetree and the snowstorm outside make it just perfect."
"I ordered the snowstorm," said Adele. "I like to have any littlething that will give my guests pleasure."
"Awfully good of you, Mrs. Kenerley," said Philip. "I wanted toflatter myself that I brought it with me, but it seems not. Have you ahill anywhere near? Perhaps we can go coasting to-morrow."
"Plenty of hills; but I don't believe there's a sled about theplace--is there, Jim?"
"We'll find some, somehow, if there's any coasting. We may have to putone of the motor cars on runners and try that."
"They had sleds at the country store. I saw them this morning," saidPatty. "And that reminds me I have a little work to do on a Christmassecret, so if you'll excuse me, I'll run away."
Patty ran away to the nursery, where Fraeulein, the baby's governess,was working away at the materials Patty had brought home that morning.
"Yes, that's right," said Patty, as she closed the door behind her."You've caught my idea exactly, Fraeulein. Now, I'll try on mine, andthen, afterward, we'll call up Mr. Ferris to try on his."
* * * * *
At five o'clock the sounding of a Chinese gong called everybody tocome to the Christmas tree.
The grown people arrived first, as the principal part of the fun wasto see the surprise and delight of baby May when she should see thetree.
"Let me sit by you, Patty," said Philip Van Reypen, as they found aplace on one of the fireside benches. "I've missed you awfully sinceyou left New York."
"Huh," said Patty, "I've only been gone twenty-four hours."
"Twenty-four hours seems like a lifetime when _you're_ not in NewYork."
"Hush your foolishness; here comes the baby."
The tree had been illuminated; the electric lights were shining andthe candles twinkling, when little May came toddling into the hall.She was a dear baby, and her pretty hair lay in soft ringlets all overthe little head. Her dainty white frock was short, and she wore littlewhite socks and slippers. She came forward a few steps, and then spiedthe tree and stood stock still.
"What a booful!" she exclaimed, "oh, _what_ a booful!"
Then she went up near the tree, sat down on the floor in front of it,clasped her little fat hands in her lap, and just stared at it.
"I yike to yook at it!" she said, turning to smile at Patty, in afriendly way. "It's so booful!" she further explained.
"Don't you want something off it?" asked Patty, who was now sitting onthe floor beside the baby.
"Zes; all of ze fings. Zey is all for me! all for baby May!"
As a matter of fact, there were no gifts on the tree, only decorationsand lights, but Patty took one or two little trinkets from thebranches, and put them in the baby's lap. "There," she said. "How doyou like those, baby May?"
"Booful, booful," said the child, whose vocabulary seemed limited byreason of her excited delight.
And then a jingle, as of tiny sleighbells, was heard outside. The doorflew open, and in came a personage whom May recognised at once.
"Santa Claus!" she cried. "Oh, Santa Claus!" And jumping up from thefloor, she ran to meet him as fast as her little fat legs could carryher.
"Down on the floor!" she cried, tugging at his red coat. "Baby May'sSanta Claus! Sit down on floor by baby May!"
Jim Kenerley, who was arrayed in the regulation garb of a St.Nicholas, sat down beside his little girl, and taking his pack fromhis back, placed it in front of her.
"All for baby May!" she said, appreciating the situation at once.
"Yes, all for baby May," returned her mother, for in the pack wereonly the child's presents.
One by one the little hands took the gifts from their wrappings, andsoon the baby herself was almost lost sight of in a helter-skeltercollection of dolls and teddy bears and woolly dogs and baa lambs andmore dolls. To say nothing of kittens and candies, and balls, andevery sort of a toy that was nice and soft and pleasant.
The doll Patty had brought, with its wonderful wardrobe, pleased thebaby especially, and she declared at once that the doll's name shouldbe Patty.
Having undone all her treasures, the baby elected to have a generalromp with Santa Claus, whom she well knew to be her father. Jim hadmade no attempt to disguise lest it should frighten the child, and sohis own gay young face looked out from a voluminous snow-white wig andlong white beard. His costume was the conventional red, belted coat,edged with white fur, and a fur-trimmed red cap with a bobbing tassel.
Among the toys was a pair of horse lines with bells on it, and soonMay had her good-natured father transformed into a riding-horse andgalloping madly round the hall.
Then all present must needs play games suited to the calibre of thelittle one, and Ring around a Rosy and London Bridge proved to be herfavourites.
After these unwonted exertions, everybody was ready for tea, which wasthen brought in. As a special dispensation, May was allowed to haveher bread and milk at the same time, with the added indulgence of afew little cakes.
"Isn't she a perfect dear?" said Patty, as she stood with the baby inher arms, after tea was finished.
"She is," declared Philip, who stood near. "I'm not much up onkiddies, but she's about the best-natured little piece I ever saw. Ithought they always cried after a big racket like this."
"She must say good-night now," said Adele. "It's quite time, andbeside, I want her to go away while her reputation is good. Now,Maisie May, go to Fraeulein and go beddy."
"Patty take May beddy."
"No, dear, Patty must stay here with mother."
"Patty take May beddy! _Zes!_" The finality of this decision wasunmistakable. The most casual observer could see that unless it werecomplied with the scene might lose something of its sunshine andmerriment.
"I should say," judicially observed Philip, "that unless Miss May hasher way this time, there wi
ll be one large and elegant ruction."
"But I _must_ make her obey me," said Adele, a little uncertainly.
"Fiddlestrings, Adele," returned Patty; "this is no time fordiscipline. The poor baby is about worn out with fatigue andexcitement. You know, it has been her busy day. Let's humour her thistime. I'll take her away, and I'll return anon."
"Anon isn't a very long time, is it?" said Adele, laughing, and Halremarked, "If it is, we'll all come after you, Miss Fairfield."
So Patty went away, carrying the now smiling baby, and Fraeulein wentalong with her, knowing the little thing would soon drop to sleep,anyway, from sheer fatigue.
Patty's Social Season Page 10