CHAPTER XIII: THE FAIR
SAVE YOUR PENNIES A CHRISTMAS FAIR WILL BE HELD IN THIS SHOP THE SATURDAY BEFORE CHRISTMAS DELICIOUS CANDIES MADE BY MISS ROSIE BRINE PAPER GOODS DESIGNED AND EXECUTED BY MASTER RICHARD DORE WOOD CARVING DESIGNED AND EXECUTED BY MASTER ARTHUR DUNCAN DON'T MISS IT!
This sign hung in Maida's window for a week. Billy made it. Thelettering was red and gold. In one corner, he painted a picture of alittle boy and girl in their nightgowns peeking up a chimney-placehung with stockings. In the other corner, the full-moon face of aSanta Claus popped like a jolly jack-in-the-box from a chimney-top.A troop of reindeer, dragging a sleigh full of toys, scurriedthrough the printing. The whole thing was enclosed in a wreath ofholly.
The sign attracted a great deal of attention. Children were alwaysstopping to admire it and even grown-people paused now and then.There was such a falling-off of Maida's trade that she guessed thatthe children were really saving their pennies for the fair. Thisdelighted her.
The W.M.N.T.'s wasted no time that last week in spite of a veryenticing snowstorm. Maida, of course, had nothing to do on her ownaccount, but she worked with Dicky, morning and afternoon.
Rosie could not make candy until the last two or three days for fearit would get stale. Then she set to like a little whirlwind.
"My face is almost tanned from bending over the stove," she said toMaida; "Aunt Theresa says if I cook another batch of candy, I'llhave a crop of freckles."
Arthur seemed to work the hardest of all because his work was somuch more difficult. It took a great deal of time and strength andyet nobody could help him in it. The sound of his hammering cameinto Maida's room early in the morning. It came in sometimes late atnight when, cuddling between her blankets, she thought what a happygirl she was.
"I niver saw such foine, busy little folks," Granny said approvinglyagain and again. "It moinds me av me own Annie. Niver a moment butthat lass was working at some t'ing. Oh, I wonder what she's doun'and finking this Christmas."
"Don't you worry," Maida always said. "Billy'll find her for youyet--he said he would."
Maida, herself, was giving, for the first time in her experience, agood deal of thought to Christmas time.
In the first place, she had sent the following invitation to everychild in Primrose Court:
"Will you please come to my Christmas Tree to be given ChristmasNight in the 'Little Shop.' Maida."
In the second place, she was spying on all her friends, listening totheir talk, watching them closely in work and play to find just theright thing to give them.
"Do you know, I never made a Christmas present in my life," she saidone day to Rosie.
"You never made a Christmas present?" Rosie repeated.
Maida's quick perception sensed in Rosie's face an unspokenaccusation of selfishness.
"It wasn't because I didn't want to, Rosie dear," Maida hastened toexplain. "It was because I was too sick. You see, I was always inbed. I was too weak to make anything and I could not go out and buypresents as other children did. But people used to give me theloveliest things."
"What did they give you?" Rosie asked curiously.
"Oh, all kinds of things. Father's given me an automobile and a pairof Shetland ponies and a family of twenty dolls and my weight insilver dollars. I can't remember half the things I've had."
"A pair of Shetland ponies, an automobile, a family of twenty dolls,your weight in silver dollars," Rosie repeated after her. "Why,Maida, you're dreaming or you're out of your head."
"Out of my head! Why, Rosie you're out of _your_ head. Don't yousuppose I know what I got for Christmas?" Maida's eyes began toflash and her lips to tremble.
"Well, now, Maida, just think of it," Rosie said in her mostreasonable voice. "Here you are a little girl just like anybody elseonly you're running a shop. Now just as if you could afford to havean automobile! Why, my father knows a man who knows another man whobought an automobile and it cost nine hundred dollars. What didyours cost?"
"Two thousand dollars." Maida said this with a guilty air in spiteof her knowledge of her own truth.
Rosie smiled roguishly. "Maida, dear," she coaxed, "you dreamed it."
Maida started to her feet. For a moment she came near sayingsomething very saucy indeed. But she remembered in time. Of coursenobody in the neighborhood knew that she was "Buffalo" Westabrook'sdaughter. It was impossible for her to prove any of her statements.The flash died out of her eyes. But another flash came into hercheeks--the flash of dimples.
"Well, perhaps I _did_ dream it, Rosie," she said archly. "But Idon't think I did," she added in a quiet voice.
Rosie turned the subject tactfully. "What are you going to give yourfather?" she asked.
"That's bothering me dreadfully," Maida sighed; "I can't think ofanything he needs."
"Why don't you buy him the same thing I'm going to get my papa,"Rosie suggested eagerly. "That is, I'm going to buy it if I makeenough money at the fair. Does your father shave himself?"
"Oh, Adolph, his valet, always shaves him," Maida answered.
Rosie's brow knit over the word _valet_--but Maida was alwayspuzzling the neighborhood with strange expressions. Then her browlightened. "My father goes to a barber, too," she said. "I've heardhim complaining lots of times how expensive it is. And the other dayArthur told me about a razor his father uses. He says it's just likea lawn-mower or a carpet-sweeper. You don't have to have anybodyshave you if you have one of them. You run it right over your faceand it takes all the beard off and doesn't cut or anything. Now,wouldn't you think that would be fun?"
"I should think it would be just lovely," Maida agreed. "That's justthe thing for papa--for he is so busy. How much does it cost, Rosie?"
"About a dollar, Arthur thought. I never paid so much for aChristmas present in my life. And I'm not sure yet that I can getone. But if I do sell two dollars worth of candy, I can buysomething perfectly beautiful for both father and mother."
"Oh, Rosie," Maida asked breathlessly, "do you mean that yourmother's come back?"
Rosie's face changed. "Don't you think I'd tell you that the firstthing? No, she hasn't come back and they don't say anything abouther coming back. But if she ever does come, I guess I'm going tohave her Christmas present all ready for her."
Maida patted her hand. "She's coming back," she said; "I know it."
Rosie sighed. "You come down Main Street the night before Christmas.Dicky and I are going to buy our Christmas presents then and we canshow you where to get the little razor."
"I'd love to." Maida beamed. And indeed, it seemed the mostfascinating prospect in the world to her. Every night after she wentto bed, she thought it over. She was really going to buy Christmaspresents without any grown-up person about to interfere. It wasrapture.
The night before the fair, the children worked even harder than thenight before Halloween, for there were so many things to display. Itwas evident that the stock would overflow windows and shelves andshow cases.
"We'll bring the long kitchen table in for your things, Arthur,"Maida decided after a perplexed consideration of the subject."Dicky's and Rosie's things ought to go on the shelves and into theshow cases where nobody can handle them."
They tugged the table into the shop and covered it with a beautifulold blue counter-pane.
"That's fine!" Arthur approved, unpacking his handicraft from thebushel-baskets in which he brought them.
The others stood round admiring the treasures and helping him toarrange them prettily. A fleet of graceful little boats occupied oneend of the table, piles of bread-boards, rolling-pins and "cats,"the other. In the center lay a bowl filled with tiny baskets, carvedfro
m peach-stones. From the molding hung a fringe of hockey-sticks.
Having arranged all Arthur's things, the quartette filed upstairs tothe closet where Dicky's paper-work was kept.
"Gracious, I didn't realize there were so many," Rosie said.
"Sure, the lad has worked day and night," Granny said, pattingDicky's thin cheek.
They filled Arthur's baskets and trooped back to the shop. Theylined show case and shelves with the glittering things--boxes, bigand little, gorgeously ornamented with stars and moons, caps of goldand silver, flying gay plumes, rainbow boats too beautiful to sailon anything but fairy seas, miniature jackets and trousers that onlya circus rider would wear.
"Dicky, I never did see anything look so lovely," Maida said,shaking her hands with delight. "I really didn't realize how prettythey were."
Dicky's big eyes glowed with satisfaction. "Nor me neither," heconfessed.
"And now," Maida said, bubbling over with suppressed importance,"Rosie's candies--I've saved that until the last." She pulled out oneof the drawers under the show case and lifted it on to the counter.It was filled with candy-boxes of paper, prettily decorated withflower patterns on the outside, with fringes of lace paper on theinside. "I ordered these boxes for you, Rosie," she explained. "Iknew your candy would sell better if it was put up nicely. I thoughtthe little ones could be five-cent size, the middle-sized onesten-cent size, and the big ones twenty-five cent size."
Rosie was dancing up and down with delight. "They're just lovely,Maida, and how sweet you were to think of it. But it was just likeyou."
"Now we must pack them," Maida said.
Four pairs of hands made light work of this. By nine o'clock all theboxes were filled and spread out temptingly in the show case. By aquarter past nine, three of the W.M.N.T.'s were in bed trying hardto get to sleep. But Maida stayed up. The boxes were not her onlysurprise.
After the others had gone, she and Granny worked for half an hour inthe little shop.
The Saturday before Christmas dawned clear and fair. Rosie hallooedfor Dicky and Arthur as she came out of doors at half-past seven andall three arrived at the shop together. Their faces took on such acomic look of surprise that Maida burst out laughing.
"But where did it all come from?" Rosie asked in bewilderment."Maida, you slyboots, you must have done all this after we left."
Maida nodded.
But all Arthur and Dicky said was "Gee!" and "Jiminy crickets!" ButMaida found these exclamatives quite as expressive as Rosie's hugs.And, indeed, she herself thought the place worthy of any degree ofadmiring enthusiasm.
The shop was so strung with garlands of Christmas green that itlooked like a bower. Bunches of mistletoe and holly added theircolors to the holiday cheer. Red Christmas bells hung everywhere.
"My goodness, I never passed such a day in my life," Maida said thatnight at dinner. She was telling it all to Granny, who had been awayon mysterious business of her own. "It's been like a beehive hereever since eight o'clock this morning. If we'd each of us had anextra pair of hands at our knees and another at our waists, perhapswe could have begun to wait on all the people."
"Sure 'twas no more than you deserved for being such busy littlebees," Granny approved.
"The only trouble was," Maida went on smilingly, "that they likedeverything so much that they could not decide which they wantedmost. Of course, the boys preferred Arthur's carvings and the girlsRosie's candy. But it was hard to say who liked Dicky's things thebest."
Granny twinkled with delight. She had never told Maida, but she didnot need to tell her, that Dicky was her favorite.
"And then the grown people who came, Granny! First Arthur's fatheron his way to work, then Mrs. Lathrop and Laura--they bought loads ofthings, and Mrs. Clark and Mrs. Doyle and even Mr. Flanagan bought ahockey-stick. He said," Maida dimpled with delight, "he said hebought it to use on Arthur and Rosie if they ever hooked jack again.Poor Miss Allison bought one of Arthur's 'cats'--what do you supposefor?"
Granny had no idea.
"To wind her wool on. Then Billy came at the last minute and boughteverything that was left. And just think, Granny, there was a crowdof little boys and girls who had stood about watching all daywithout any money to spend and Billy divided among them all thethings he bought. Guess how much money they made!"
Granny guessed three sums, and each time Maida said, triumphantly,"More!" At last Granny had to give it up.
"Arthur made five dollars and thirty cents. Dicky made three dollarsand eighty-seven cents. Rosie made two dollars and seventy cents."
After dinner that night, Maida accompanied Rosie and Dicky on theChristmas-shopping expedition.
They went first to a big dry goods store with Dicky. They helpedDicky to pick out a fur collar for his mother from a counter markedconspicuously $2.98. The one they selected was of gray and brownfur. It was Maida's opinion that it was sable and chinchilla mixed.
Dicky's face shone with delight when at last he tucked the big roundbox safely under his arm. "Just think, I've been planning to do thisfor three years," he said, "and I never could have done it now if ithadn't been for you, Maida."
Next Dicky took the two little girls where they could buy razors."The kind that goes like a lawn-mower," Rosie explained to theproprietor. The man stared hard before he showed them his stock. Buthe was very kind and explained to them exactly how the wonderfullittle machine worked.
Maida noticed that Rosie examined very carefully all the thingsdisplayed in windows and on counters. But nothing she saw seemed tosatisfy her, for she did not buy.
"What is it, Rosie?" Maida asked after a while.
"I'm looking for something for my mother."
"I'll help you," Maida said. She took Rosie's hand, and, thus linkedtogether, the two little girls discussed everything that they saw.
Suddenly, Rosie uttered a little cry of joy and stopped at ajeweler's window. A tray with the label, "SOLID SILVER, $1,"overflowed with little heart-shaped pendants.
"Mama'd love one of those," Rosie said. "She just loved things shecould hang round her neck."
They went inside. "It's just what I want," Rosie declared. "But Iwish I had a little silver chain for it. I can't afford one though,"she concluded wistfully.
"Oh, I know what to do," Maida said. "Buy a piece of narrow blackvelvet ribbon. Once my father gave my mother a beautiful diamondheart. Mother used to wear it on a black velvet ribbon. Afterwardspapa bought her a chain of diamonds. But she always liked the blackvelvet best and so did papa and so did I. Papa said it made her necklook whiter."
The other three children looked curiously at Maida when she said,"diamond heart." When she said, "string of diamonds," they looked ateach other.
"Was that another of your dreams, Maida?" Rosie asked mischievously.
"Dreams!" Maida repeated, firing up. But before she could sayanything that she would regret, the dimples came. "Perhaps it was adream," she said prettily. "But if it was, then everything's adream."
"I believe every word that Maida says," Dicky protested stoutly.
"I believe that Maida believes it," Arthur said with a smile.
They all stopped with Rosie while she bought the black velvet ribbonand strung the heart on it. She packed it neatly away in the glossybox in which the jeweler had done it up.
"If my mama doesn't come back to wear that heart, nobody else everwill," she said passionately. "Never--never--never--unless I have alittle girl of my own some day."
"Your mother'll come back," Maida said.
CHAPTER XIV: CHRISTMAS HAPPENINGS
Maida was awakened early Christmas morning by a long, wild peal ofthe bell. Before she could collect her scattered wits, she heardRosie's voice, "Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas!Oh, Granny, won't you please let me run upstairs and wake Maida?I've got something dreadfully important to tell her."
Maida heard Granny's bewildered "All roight, child," heard Rosie'srush through the living-room and then she bounded out of
bed,prickling all over with excitement.
"Maida," Rosie called from the stairs, "wake up! I've somethingwonderful to tell you."
But Maida had guessed it.
"I know," she cried, as Rosie burst into the room. "Your mother'scome home."
"My mother's come home," Rosie echoed.
The two little girls seized each other and hopped around the room ina mad dance, Maida chanting in a deep sing-song, "Your mother's comehome!" and Rosie screaming at the top of her lungs, "My mother'scome home!" After a few moments of this, they sank exhausted on thebed.
"Tell me all about it," Maida gasped. "Begin at the very beginningand don't leave anything out."
"Well, then," Rosie began, "I will. When I went to bed last nightafter leaving you, I got to thinking of my mother and pretty soon Iwas so sad that I nearly cried my eyes out. Well, after a long whileI got to sleep and I guess I must have been very tired, for I didn'twake up the way I do generally of my own accord. Aunt Theresa had towake me. She put on my best dress and did my hair this new way andeven let me put cologne on. I couldn't think why, because I neverdress up until afternoons. Once when I looked at her, I saw therewere tears in her eyes and, oh, Maida, it made me feel somethingawful, for I thought she was going to tell me that my mother wasdead. When I came downstairs, my father hugged me and kissed me andsat with me while I ate my breakfast. Oh, I was so afraid he wasgoing to tell me that mother was dead! But he didn't! After awhile,he said, 'Your Christmas presents are all up in your mother'sbedroom, Rosie.' So I skipped up there. My father and Aunt Theresadidn't come with me, but I noticed they stood downstairs andlistened. I opened the door."
Rosie stopped for breath.
"Go on," Maida entreated; "oh, do hurry."
"Well, there, lying on the bed was my mother. Maida, I felt so queerthat I couldn't move. My feet wouldn't walk---just like in a dream.My mother said, 'Come here, my precious little girl,' but it soundedas if it came from way, way, way off. And Maida _then_ I could move.I ran across the room and hugged her and kissed her until I couldn'tbreathe. Then she said, 'I have a beautiful Christmas gift for you,little daughter,' and she pulled something over towards me that lay,all wrapped up, in a shawl on the bed. What do you think it was?"
"I don't know. Oh, tell me, Rosie!"
"Guess," Rosie insisted, her eyes dancing.
"Rosie, if you don't tell me this minute, I'll pinch you."
"It was a baby--a little baby brother."
"A baby! Oh, Rosie!"
The two little girls hopped about the room in another mad dance.
"Maida, he's the darlingest baby that ever was in the whole wideworld! His name is Edward. He's only six weeks old and _he cansmile_."
"Smile, Rosie?"
"He can--I saw him--and sneeze!"
"Sneeze, Rosie?"
"That's not all," said Rosie proudly. "He can wink his eyes anddouble up his fists--and--and--and a whole lot of things. There's nodoubt that he's a remarkable baby. My mother says so. And prettyas--oh, he's prettier than any puppy I ever saw. He's a little toopink in the face and he hasn't much hair yet--there's a funny spot inthe top of his head that goes up and down all the time that you haveto be dreadfully careful about. But he certainly is the loveliestbaby I ever saw. What do you think my mother let me do?"
"Oh, what?"
"She let me rock him for a moment. And I asked her if you could rockhim some day and she said you could."
"Oh! oh!"
"And what else do you think she's going to let me do?"
"I can't guess. Oh, tell me quick, Rosie."
"She says she's going to let me give him his bath Saturdays andSundays and wheel him out every day in his carriage."
"Rosie," Maida said impressively, "you ought to be the happiestlittle girl in the world. Think of having a baby brother for aChristmas present. You will let me wheel him sometimes, won't you?"
"Of course I will. I shall divide him exactly in half with you."
"Where has your mother been all this time?" Maida asked.
"Oh, she's been dreadfully sick in a hospital. She was sick afterthe baby came to her--so sick that she couldn't even take care ofhim. She said they were afraid she was going to die. But she's allright now. Father bought her for Christmas a beautiful, long,red-silk dress that's just to lie down in. She looks like a queenin it, and yet she looks like a little girl, too, for her hair is donein two braids. Her hair comes way down below her waist like yourmother's hair. And when I gave her the little silver heart, she wasso pleased with it. She put it right on and it looked sweet. Shesaid she would much rather wear it on a black velvet ribbon than ona silver chain."
"Everything's come out all right, hasn't it?" Maida said withecstasy.
"I guess it has. Now I must go. I want to be sure to be there whenthe baby wakes up. I asked my mother when you could see the baby,Maida, and she said to-morrow. I can't wait to show you its feet--younever did see such little toes in your life."
Exciting as this event was, it was as nothing to what followed.
Granny and Maida were still talking about Rosie's happiness whenBilly Potter suddenly came marching through the shop and into theliving-room.
"Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas!" they all saidat once.
"Granny," Billy asked immediately, "if you could have your choice ofall the Christmas gifts in the world, which one would you choose?"
An expression of bewilderment came into Granny's bright blue eyes.
"A Christmas gift, Misther Billy," she said in an uncertain tone; "Icudn't t'ink of a t'ing as long as Oi can't have me little Annie widme."
Maida saw Billy's eyes snap and sparkle at the word Annie. Shewondered what--Could it be possible that--She began to tremble.
"And so you'd choose your daughter, Granny?" Billy questioned.
"Choose my daughter. Av coorse Oi wud!" Granny stopped to stare inastonishment at Billy. "Oh, Misther Billy, if you cud only foindher!" She gazed imploringly at him. Billy continued to smile at her,his eyes all "skrinkled up." Granny jumped to her feet. She seizedBilly's arm. "Oh, Misther Billy, you _have_ found her," shequavered.
Billy nodded. "I've found her, Granny! I told you I would and Ihave. Now don't get excited. She's all right and you're all rightand everything's all right. She'll be here just as soon as you'reready to see her."
For a moment Maida was afraid Granny was going to faint, for shedropped back into her chair and her eyes filled with tears. But atBilly's last words the old fire came back to her eyes, the color toher cheeks. "Oi want to see her at wance," she said with spirit.
"Listen," Billy said. "Last night I happened to fall intoconversation with a young Irishman who had come to read thegas-meter in my house. I asked him where he came from. He said,'Aldigarey, County Sligo.' I asked him if he knew Annie Flynn.'Sure, didn't she marry my cousin? She lives--' Well, the short of itis that I went right over to see her, though it was late then. Ifound her a widow with two children. She nearly went crazy at theprospect of seeing her mother again, but we agreed that we must waituntil morning. We planned--oh, come in, Annie," he called suddenly.
At his call, the shop door opened and shut. There was a rush of twopairs of feet through the shop. In the doorway appeared a youngwoman carrying a baby. Behind her came a little boy on crutches.Granny stood like a marble statue, staring. But Maida screamed.
Who do you suppose they were?
They were Mrs. Dore and Delia and Dicky.
"Oh, my mother!" Mrs. Dore said.
"My little Annie--my little girl," Granny murmured. The tears beganto stream down her cheeks.
Followed kissings and huggings by the dozen. Followed questions andanswers by the score.
"And to t'ink you've been living forninst us all this time," Grannysaid after the excitement had died down. She was sitting on thecouch now, with Delia asleep in her lap, Mrs. Dore on one side andDicky on the other. "And sure, me own hearrt was telling me thetrut' all the toime did Oi but listhen to ut--for 'twas loving
thisfoine little lad ivry minut av the day." She patted Dicky's head."And me niver seeing the baby that had me own name!" She cuddledDelia close. "OI'm the happiest woman in the whole woide wurrld thisday."
It was arranged that the two families were to have Christmas dinnertogether. Dicky and Mrs. Dore hurried back for a few moments tobring their turkey to the feast.
"Granny, will you love me just the same now that you've got Dickyand Delia?" Maida said wistfully.
"Love you, my lamb? Sure, I'll love you all the more for 'twast'rough you I met Misther Billy and t'rough Misther Billy I found meAnnie. Ah, Misther Billy, 'tis the grand man you make for such a b'ythat you are!"
"Yes, m'm," said Billy.
When Mrs. Dore returned, mother and daughter went to work on thedinner, while Billy and Maida and Dicky trimmed the tree. When thedoor opened, they caught bits of conversation, Granny's broguegrowing thicker and thicker in her excitement, and Mrs. Dorerelapsing, under its influence, into old-country speech. At suchtimes, Maida noticed that Billy's eyes always "skrinkled up."
They were just putting the finishing touches to the tree when thewindow darkened suddenly. Maida looked up in surprise. And then,"Oh, my papa's come!" she screamed; "my papa's come to my Christmastree after all!"
There is so much to tell about the Christmas tree that I don't knowwhere to begin.
First of all came Laura and Harold. Mrs. Lathrop stopped with themfor a moment to congratulate Mrs. Dore on finding her mother.
"Mrs. Lathrop, permit me to introduce my father, Mr. Westabrook,"Maida said.
Mrs. Lathrop was very gracious. "The neighborhood have accepted yourdaughter as Mrs. Flynn's grandchild, Mr. Westabrook. But I guessedthe truth from the first. I believed, however, that you wished thematter kept a secret and I have said nothing of it to anybody."
"I thank you, madam," said "Buffalo" Westabrook, bending on her oneof his piercing scrutinies. "How ever the neighborhood accepted her,they have given her back her health. I can never be too grateful tothem."
Came Rosie next with a, "Oh, Maida, if you could only have seenEdward when my mother bathed him to-night!" Came Arthur, came theDoyles, came the Clark twins with Betsy tagging at their heels. Lastof all, to Maida's great delight, came Dr. Pierce.
Nobody was allowed to go into the shop where the tree stood untilthe last guest had arrived. But in spite of their impatience theyhad a gay half hour of waiting. Billy amused them with all kinds ofgames and tricks and jokes, and when he tired, Dr. Pierce, who soonbecame a great favorite, took them in hand.
Dr. Pierce sat, most of the evening, holding Betsy in his lap,listening to her funny baby chatter and roaring at her escapades. Hetook a great fancy to the Clark twins and made all manner of fun forthe children by pretending that there was only one of them."Goodness; how you do fly about!" he would say ruefully to Dorothy,"An instant ago you were standing close beside me," or "How can yoube here on the couch," he would say to Mabel, "when there you are asplain as a pikestaff standing up in the corner?"
"What can you do about that leg, Eli?" Mr. Westabrook asked Dr.Pierce once when Dicky swung across the room.
"I've been thinking about that," Dr. Pierce answered briskly. "Iguess Granny and Annie will have to let me take Dicky for a while. Afew months in my hospital and he'll be jumping round here like afrog with the toothache."
"Oh, Dr. Pierce, do you think you can cure him?" Mrs. Dore asked,clasping her hands.
"Cure him!" Dr. Pierce answered with his jolliest laugh. "Of coursewe can. He's not in half so bad a condition as Maida was when westraightened her out. Greinschmidt taught us a whole bag of tricks.Dicky could almost mend himself if he'd only stay still long enough.Look at Maida. Would you ever think she'd been much worse thanDicky?"
Everybody stared hard at Maida, seated on her father's knee, and shedimpled and blushed under the observation. She was dressed all inwhite--white ribbons, white sash, white socks and shoes, the softest,filmiest white cobweb dress. Her hair streamed loose--a cascade ofdelicate, clinging ringlets of the palest gold. Her big, gray eyes,soft with the happiness of the long day, reflected the firelight.Her cheeks had grown round as well as pink and dimpled.
She did not look sick.
"Oh, Dicky," she cried, "just think, you're going to be cured.Didn't I tell you when my father saw you, he'd fix it all right? Myfather's a magician!"
But Dicky could not answer. He was gulping furiously to keep backthe tears of delight. But he smiled his radiant smile. Billy tookeverybody's attention away from him by turning an unexpectedcartwheel in the middle of the floor.
Finally, Maida announced that it was time for the tree. They formedin line and marched into the shop to a tune that Billy thumped outof the silver-toned old spinet.
I wish you could have heard the things the children said.
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The tree went close to the ceiling. Just above it, with armsoutstretched, swung a beautiful Christmas angel. Hanging from itwere all kinds of glittery, quivery, sparkly things in silver andgold. Festooned about it were strings of pop corn and cranberries.At every branch-tip glistened a long glass icicle. And the wholething was ablaze with candles and veiled in a mist of gold andsilver.
At the foot of the tree, groups of tiny figures in painted plastertold the whole Christmas Day story from the moment of the firstsight of the star by the shepherds who watched their flocks to thearrival, at the manger, of the Wise Men, bearing gold, frankincenseand myrrh.
Billy Potter disappeared for a moment and came in, presently, themost chubby and pink-faced and blue-eyed of Santa Clauses, in purplevelvet trimmed with ermine, with long white hair and a long whitebeard.
I can't begin to name to you all the fruits of that magic tree. FromMaida, there came to Rosie a big golden cage with a pair of canarybirds, to Arthur a chest of wonderful tools, to Dicky a littlebookcase full of beautiful books, to Laura a collection of sashesand ribbons, to Harold a long train of cars. For Molly, Betsy andthe Clark twins came so many gifts that you could hardly count themall--dolls and dolls' wardrobes, tiny doll-houses and tinierdoll-furniture. For Tim came a sled and bicycle.
To Maida came a wonderful set of paper boxes from Dicky, a longnecklace of carved beads from Arthur, a beautiful blank-book, withall her candy recipes, beautifully written out, from Rosie, a warmlittle pair of knitted bed-shoes from Granny, a quaint, little,old-fashioned locket from Dr. Pierce--he said it had once belonged toanother little sick girl who died.
From Billy came a book. Perhaps you can fancy how Maida jumped whenshe read "The Crystal Ball," by William Potter, on the cover. But Ido not think you can imagine how pleased she looked when inside sheread the printed dedication, "To Petronilla."
From her father came a beautiful miniature of her mother, painted onivory. The children crowded about her to see the beautiful face ofwhich Maida had told them so much. There was the mass of golden hairwhich she had described so proudly. There, too, was a heart-shapedpendant of diamonds, suspended from a black velvet ribbon tied closeto the white throat.
The children looked at the picture. Then they looked at each other.
But Maida did not notice. She was watching eagerly while Dr. Pierceand Billy and her father opened her gifts to them.
She was afraid they would not understand. "They're to save time, yousee, when you want to shave in a hurry," she explained.
"Maida," her father said gravely, "that is a very thoughtful gift.It's strange when you come to think of it, as busy a man as I am andwith all the friends I have, nobody has ever thought to give me asafety razor."
"I don't know how I ever managed to get along without one," Dr.Pierce declared, his curls bobbing.
"As for me--I shall probably save about a third of my income in thefuture," Billy announced.
All three were so pleased that they laughed for a long time.
"I'm going to give you another Christmas present, Maida," Mr.Westabrook said suddenly, "I'm going to give us both one--a vacat
ion.We're going to start for Europe, week after next."
"Oh, papa, papa, how lovely!" Maida said. "Shall we see Veniceagain? But how can I give up my little shop and my friends?"
"Maida going away!" the children exclaimed. "Oh, dear! oh, dear!""But Mr. Westabrook, isn't Maida coming back again?" Rosie asked."How I shall miss her!" Laura chimed in.
"Take my lamb away," Granny wailed. "Sure, she'll be tuk sick inthose woild counthries! You'll have to take me wid you, MistherWestabrook--only--only--" She did not finish her sentence but her eyeswent anxiously to her daughter's face.
"No, Granny, you're not to go," Mr. Westabrook said decisively;"You're to stay right here with your daughter and her children.You're all to run the shop and live over it. Maida's old enough andwell enough to take care of herself now. And I think she'd betterbegin to take care of me as well. Don't you think so, Maida?"
"Of course I do, papa. If you need me, I want to."
"Mr. Westabrook," Molly broke into the conversation determinedly,"did you ever give Maida a pair of Shetland ponies?"
Mr. Westabrook bent on the Robin the most amused of his smiles.
"Yes," he said.
"And an automobile?" Tim asked.
Mr. Westabrook turned to the Bogle. "Yes," he said, a littlepuzzled.
"And did Maida's mother have a gold brush with her initials indiamonds on it?" Rosie asked.
Mr. Westabrook roared. "Yes," he said.
"And have you got twelve peacocks, two of them white?" Arthur asked.
"Yes."
"And has Maida a little theater of her own and a doll-house as bigas a cottage?" Laura asked.
"Yes."
"And did she have a May-party last year that she invited over fourhundred children to?" Harold asked.
"Yes."
"And did you give her her weight in silver dollars once?" Mabelasked.
"Yes."
"And a family of twenty dolls?" Dorothy asked.
"Yes, you shall see all these things when we come back," Mr.Westabrook promised.
"Then why did she run away?" Betsy asked solemnly.
Everybody laughed.
"I always said Maida was a princess in disguise," Dicky maintained,"and now I suppose she's going back and be a princess again."
"Dicky was the first friend I made, papa," Maida said, smiling ather first friend.
"But you'll come back some time, won't you, Maida?" Dicky begged.
"Yes, Dicky," Maida answered, "_I'll_ come back."
Yes, Maida did come back. And what fun they all have, the Little Sixin their private quarters, and the Big Six with their picnics, andtheir adventures with the Gypsies, is told in _Maida's LittleHouse_.
THE END
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THE CAROLYN WELLS BOOKS FOR GIRLS
Fresh, spirited stories that the modern small girl will take to herheart these well known books by a famous author have won animportant place in the field of juvenile fiction.
THE FAMOUS "PATTY" BOOKS
Patty Fairfield Patty at Home Patty in the City Patty's Summer DaysPatty in Paris Patty's Friend Patty's Pleasure Trip Patty's SuccessPatty's Motor Car Patty's Butterfly Days Patty's Social SeasonPatty's Suitors Patty's Romance Patty's Fortune Patty BlossomPatty--Bride Patty and Azalea
THE MARJORIE BOOKS
Marjorie's Vacation Marjorie's Busy Days Marjorie's New FriendMarjorie in Command Marjorie's Maytime Marjorie at Seacote
TWO LITTLE WOMEN SERIES
Two Little Women Two Little Women and Treasure House Two LittleWomen on a Holiday
DORRANCE SERIES
The Dorrance Domain Dorrance Doings
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THE MARY JANE SERIES By CLARA INGRAM JUDSON
Each Volume Complete in Itself.
Take a trip with Mary Jane. She is the heroine of this popularseries for young girls. You'll find her a charming travelingcompanion. Her good nature, her abounding interest in her friendsand surroundings, and her fascinating adventures both at home andabroad have endeared her to thousands all over the country.
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THE BEVERLY GRAY STORIES _by_ CLAIR BLANK
These stories, full of the fun and thrills of college life, with anexciting mystery in each, have unusual appeal for the modern girl.
BEVERLY GRAY, FRESHMANBEVERLY GRAY, SOPHOMOREBEVERLY GRAY, JUNIORBEVERLY GRAY, SENIORBEVERLY GRAY'S CAREERBEVERLY GRAY ON A WORLD CRUISEBEVERLY GRAY IN THE ORIENTBEVERLY GRAY ON A TREASURE HUNTBEVERLY GRAY'S RETURNBEVERLY GRAY, REPORTERBEVERLY GRAY'S ROMANCE
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MELODY LANE MYSTERY STORIES By LILIAN GARIS
Thrills, secrets, ghosts--adventures that will fascinate you seem tosurround pretty Carol Duncan. A vivid, plucky girl, her clevernessat solving mysteries will captivate and thrill every mystery fan.
THE GHOST OF MELODY LANE Three people see the "ghost" that wanders in the grove carrying a waxy white rose. And in the end Carol finds the rose and the ghost too!
THE FORBIDDEN TRAIL Carol has several bad frights before she clears up the mystery that keeps the family at Splatter Castle unhappy and afraid.
THE TOWER SECRET The winking lights from the old tower defy explanation. Had the engaging circus family anything to do with them?
THE WILD WARNING What power did the strange, wild warning in the woods have over Polly Flinders? Carol brings happiness to three families when she solves this mystery.
THE TERROR AT MOANING CLIFF Carol finally tracks the uncanny "haunts" in the great, bleak house on "moaning cliff" to their source.
THE DRAGON OF THE HILLS When Carol runs a tea shop for a friend, a baffling mystery comes to her with her first customer.
THE MYSTERY OF STINGYMAN'S ALLEY An adorable child is left at the day nursery where Carol works--who are all the mysterious people trying to claim her?
THE SECRET OF THE KASHMIR SHAWL _A sequel to _"The Wild Warning" A shawl brought from Egypt brings with it an absorbing mystery which Cecy, with the aid of Polly Flinders, finally solves.
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FAIRY TALES _and tales of wonder that are favorites of young people the world over_
ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE Miss MulockANDERSEN'S FAIRY TALES Hans Christian AndersenAT THE BACK OF THE NORTH George MacDonaldWIND THE BLUE FAIRY BOOK Andrew LangENGLISH FAIRY TALES Joseph JacobsGRANNY'S WONDERFUL CHAIR Frances BrowneGRIMM'S FAIRY TALES The Brothers GrimmJAPANESE FAIRY TALES Yei Theadora OzakiTHE LITTLE LAME PRINCE Miss MulockPINOCCHIO C. CollodiTHE PRINCESS AND CURDIE George MacDonaldTHE PRINCESS AND THE GOBLIN George MacDonald THE RED FAIRY BOOK Andrew LangTHE WATER BABIES Charles Kingsley
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GROSSET &. DUNLAP PUBLISHERS NEW YORK
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