_Hallowe’en._
“THE twins have come back and we have found Little Breeches,” he cried
joyfully, fairly hopping up and down with excitement. And sure enough,
there were the twins, having returned that very morning even as they
went, in Papa Doctor’s big pockets. Disgusted with life in a sphere
that gave them such small scope for the exercise of their talents,
they had seized upon an opportunity to leave Mrs. Gray’s, and right
glad they were to be at home again and in the bosom of a family that
received them with frantic rejoicings. Had Teddy bears been fond of
veal, no doubt an unlimited supply could have been provided, for surely
never were returned prodigals received with such acclaim.
Sally almost wept for joy while she listened to Peter Pan’s voluble
explanations.
Jimmy-boy had so far improved under Dr. North’s treatment that for
some time he had gone about on crutches and latterly had been able
to take a few steps alone. Dr. North had decided to send him and
his mother to the farm for a few weeks, or until the end of Indian
Summer, where plenty of good food and the pure country air would lend
great assistance toward the little fellow’s recovery. The cubs had
found nothing at all to their liking in the tiny flat, where there was
practically nothing to do, nothing to eat and a continual menace to
their life and liberty from Billy, the Coon Cat. Consequently they had
sought and found an opportunity of escape. Opportunity is often easy
of access if one only goes about it the right way. And the twins after
several anxious days found their occasion for escape.
Little Breeches had been discovered in the soiled clothes hamper, where
nobody had thought for a moment of searching and from which he had
finally ventured forth heartily disgusted with his marooned condition.
Joy unconfined reigned in the nursery and Sally declared that she had
never been so glad over anything in her whole life.
Having gloated over the delighted spectacle of the reunited Teddy bear
family in each other’s arms, she quickly ran to find Bob in order to
inform him of the splendid news. Bob was equally pleased over the
fortunate turn that affairs had taken. And then the two children,
having made ready for the Hallowe’en festivities that were to take
place after dinner, sat quietly down and enjoyed afternoon tea which
was presently served by nurse before the crackling fire in the nursery.
Afternoon tea was not an habitual function, but was rather a movable
feast, served in the nursery whenever especially desired by the little
folk. To-day it was set out on a delightful little round table drawn
close to the fire of cannel coal that snapped and cracked cheerfully,
and furnished forth with all the delicious china of wonderful Dutch
designs that mamma had brought home on her last trip to London. From
such china, she had explained, do the little English children sip the
afternoon tea, that is with them such an important function.
Dearly Sally loved to drink from the oddly shaped cups, watching
anxiously as the warm liquid descended for the gradual appearance
of the fanciful little figures that lined the inside as well as the
outside with a quaint fresco.
It was so delightful to see first the top of the big, stiffly starched
white linen headdresses, and then, after a rather meditative swallow,
the wide flat linen collar, and then after a succession of rather hasty
swallows, for things were getting too interesting to linger, the funny
short blouses, the big white aprons and balloon-like skirts. And down
near the bottom where it was nearly time to find the whole spoonful
of sugar, nicely melted and most delectable by now, the queer, clumsy
wooden shoes. Sally wondered how they felt and if one could really
dance in them as these pictured girls were dancing, holding up their
voluminous skirts and showing the stiff white petticoats underneath.
There were queer, wooden-looking boys, too, dancing as partners to the
girls, in high, brimless black hats, very short waisted blouses and
very full trousers gathered in at the ankle, and the wooden shoes, of
course. And such a conglomeration of colors, red, purple, blue, pink
and orange, and under their feet the very greenest of grass, while for
a background a thin strip of pale blue river meandered serenely through
the picture and beyond it a hazy purple perspective, the chief features
of which appeared to be wind mills. An intensely blue sky streaked with
primrose completed the picture.
[Illustration]
Sally considered the whole as the most exquisite bit of coloring she
had ever seen. Now she was seated luxuriously finishing her second
relay of tea, having twice enjoyed the unfolding of the fascinating
panorama within the cups. Opposite her was Bob, while on either side
sat Rags and Rough House, who were always honored guests at these
impromptu functions, licking their chops over their savory share in
the feast. Tim, as a rule, also joined in the festivities, being very
fond of crisp biscuit, but this afternoon he had taken himself off for
reasons all his own, and as he often made little trips to the park
where he greatly enjoyed roosting on some convenient bough and chatting
with Chip nobody felt any anxiety on the ground of his non-appearance.
Presently when tea was finished and nurse came to take away the tray,
the children hastened downstairs to put the finishing touches to their
preparations for the evening’s fun.
In the kitchen they found awaiting them a row of big pumpkins, and out
of each one Bob had fashioned a jack-o’-lantern with great glaring eyes
and a mouth full of grinning teeth. Hideous they were as the candles
were lit and placed inside each one.
Every year Sally went through the same ceremony and every year she felt
in duty bound, and as a tribute to Bob’s genius, to shriek and cling
to cook, as the whole goblin crew stood glaring and blinking, calling
forth a chorus of indignant protests from the dogs, who considered that
they had borne a great deal and indeed quite too much from the Teddy
bears, without having such monsters added to the family circle.
Dinner was a rather unceremonious meal that night, for everyone was
anxious to be through with it and cook was given scarcely time to
dispose of the dishes before an hilarious throng, reinforced by a
number of the near neighbors, invaded the kitchen.
Lights were extinguished and for a few moments the lighted
jack-o’-lanterns glared and glowered in supreme control. At this Rough
House set up such an unearthly wailing, which nurse declared made her
flesh creep, that darkness was made light and the merry crowd proceeded
to enjoy the rousing games for which Hallowe’en is always famous.
Diving for apples in a tub of water and for a key in a pan full of
flour; trying to seize in one’s teeth a lump of sugar twirling on a
string hung from the chandelier; popping chestnuts and finally, with
lights lowered to a mysterious solemnity, watching the gyrations of two
uncanny little white figures that danced a weird kind of can-can in the
most lifelike manner imaginable, and later proved to be little dolls
deftly fashioned by knotting two of Papa Doctor’s big hand-kerchiefs
into shape, and manipulated by means of strings tied around their
necks and then thrown over an arm of the chandelier. The entertainment
wound up with such good things to eat as are popularly supposed to
belong to Hallowe’en, and the Virginia reel, for which purpose the gay
party adjourned to the parlor where Miss Palmer good-naturedly offered
to play for the dancing, and finally to the dining-room, where the
tempting feast was set forth.
[Illustration]
It was quite ten o’clock when Sally jumped into bed, a very tired
little girl. There had been one drawback to the pleasure of the
evening. Tim had not come home and the child could not help feeling
anxious, as he had never before remained away after dark. Sally
reproached herself for not having gone out to look for him before
dinner. However, she resolved to sleep with one eye open, in order to
hear if Tim should make any attempt to get in at the window, and in a
few moments was safely in dreamland.
[Illustration]