A SURPRISE PARTY
The We Are Sevens, meeting for the first time in several months for the
transaction of business, had selected Mrs. Clyde's orchard as the best
possible place to hold council.
"You can't sit under fruit-trees in bloom every day in the year," Debby
had insisted. "I'm for that bench under the peach-tree, myself."
The orchard was alluring. A delicious fragrance filled the air. The
peach-trees were crowded with bloom, and the pear-trees threatened every
moment to outrival their neighbors in gorgeous blossom. Out in the lawn
crocuses lifted their heads; daffodils and hyacinths breathed forth
their sweetness, and in the elms, birds twittered and sang of spring as
they built their nests.
Sarah had brought her sewing, which she pursued diligently. Kitty had a
book to read to the girls if they ever stopped talking long enough to
listen; and Amanda swayed back and forth in the hammock lazily. Knight
Judson, strolling by, thought it a very attractive group, and hoped the
girls would see fit to invite him in.
Blue Bonnet, glancing down the road, spied him, and with a smile
beckoned to him.
"Sit down," she said, making room for him on the bench beside her. "This
is a club meeting, but we're almost through. Love to have you stay to
lunch, if you can stand so many girls all at once. I'm going to see if
Katie will give it to us out here. We can use that rustic table over
there."
"Lovely!" the girls cried in a breath. "Make Knight carry out the
chairs."
"Knight's awfully obliging, isn't he?" Kitty Clark said from her
cushion, as she watched his long limbs disappear in the doorway. "And so
terribly good looking! How do you suppose he ever got such adorable
manners on a Texas range? I noticed them the first time I ever met him.
He's really polished, _I_ should say."
"It's a good thing Blue Bonnet didn't hear you say that," Amanda said,
"and--why, Kitty--don't you see Carita? You ought to know that Texas
people are the most courteous in the world after last summer. I think
you owe Carita an apology."
Kitty hastened to make amends.
"Don't bother," Carita said generously. "I know how you feel about it.
One doesn't have much society where we live in Texas; but it doesn't
matter--if one is _born_ a gentleman."
Blue Bonnet came out of the house with a tea-cloth, followed by Knight
and Delia with the chairs.
"There's gingerbread!" Debby announced, sniffing. "My, doesn't it smell
good!"
"Yes, and little hot biscuits with orange marmalade," Blue Bonnet added.
"Cold ham and hot chocolate, too. Katie's an old dear, isn't she?"
It was a merry party, and Knight seemed quite at home, even if he was
the only man in sight. He admitted that he had never been so popular in
his life, and was enjoying the novelty.
"Girls," Amanda said, when the meal was nearly finished. "I have
something to propose. You needn't go away, Knight. Maybe you can help
us. Blue Bonnet doesn't know anything about it--but--we're going to have
a party, and it's to be for Mr. Ashe."
"For Uncle Cliff!" Blue Bonnet said, amazed. "What kind of a party?"
"That's to be decided," Amanda continued. "_I'm_ in favor of having it
to-morrow night, if we can get ready. It's to be a surprise party--that
is, Mr. Ashe isn't to know a thing about it. He's been so perfectly
angelic to all of us that we thought it would be nice to show him our
appreciation if we could. Do you think he'd like it, Blue Bonnet? That
is, if we could get all our parents to come?"
"I think he'd adore it. Where are you going to have it?"
"We haven't decided yet. Where do you think would be the nicest place?
You can come to our house--"
"Why not have it here?" Blue Bonnet interrupted. "I know Grandmother
wouldn't mind. In fact, I think she'd love it. I'll go ask her."
She was off before the girls could remonstrate and back again with the
welcome news that Aunt Lucinda and Grandmother thought it was the proper
place to have it.
"All right," the girls agreed, "only--there's one thing we insist upon,
Blue Bonnet, _we_ furnish the refreshments. We're going to make them. It
won't be hard, dividing it between us."
"May I turn the ice-cream freezer?" Knight inquired. "I'm quite expert
at it."
"You certainly may," Kitty replied. "I engage you right now, and you may
report at my house any time before noon to-morrow."
"And when Kitty's through with you, you can come over to our house and
help stir cakes. I'm down for angel food, and I loathe beating up the
eggs," Amanda said.
Knight promised solemnly.
"What am I going to furnish?" Blue Bonnet inquired. "Is there any other
way you shine in the culinary line, Knight?"
"You furnish the house and the guest of honor! Isn't that enough for
one person, I should like to know?" Kitty said. "Seems to me you ought
to be satisfied. If I could bring out an Uncle Cliff I should consider
that I had done all the community could ask of me."
"That's right, Kitty Kat. Not many people _can_ produce an Uncle Cliff.
But as an especial favor might I contribute candy? I should like to have
some claim to Knight's society to-morrow. If he's not utterly worn out
with you and Amanda he could help me boil sugar."
"Candy's my specialty," Knight declared. "I could come over to-night and
we'll make up a lot. I'll show you a Spanish pinoche that's great."
"Thank you, I know that pinoche--it's a Texas product; but you may come
over just the same."
The arrangements were soon completed. Blue Bonnet was to waylay Mr. Ashe
and not let him escape next day until the party was over.
"That will be easy," she remarked. "You couldn't drive Uncle Cliff away
until my vacation is over. He'll be on hand, don't worry." But great was
her alarm next morning when, coming down to breakfast she found Mr.
Ashe's bag, packed and ready for traveling, in the front hall.
"Where's Uncle Cliff?" she said, rushing into the dining-room greatly
excited.
"Here, Honey. Why, what's the matter? You look as if something dreadful
were about to happen."
"What's your bag doing in the hall, Uncle Cliff?"
"Business, Honey, business. I have to run up to Boston for a day or
two."
"To-day? Oh, Uncle Cliff, not to-day! You can't--possibly. We need you
here. We've just _got_ to have you. You said you would stay with me _two
whole weeks_. How can you leave me a single minute when we've been
separated all these months?"
"But I'll be back to-morrow, Honey."
"Yes--but to-morrow isn't to-day! I specially need you to-day."
"Very well then, I'll go to-night. What did you want to do to-day?"
"Ever so many things. There's the visit to Gabriel; and the ride out to
the farm; and--oh, heaps of things. And to-night--if you'll just stay
over _to-night_, Uncle Cliff, I'll try to spare you to-morrow. Really, I
will. Please."
Her arms were about his neck; her head against his cheek.
"I'm sorry, Blue Bonnet, but I must go this time. I'll be back in a day
or two. Why, here, here, Honey! What's this?"
Two big, bright tears had splashed down upon his cheeks, and he raised
his eyes to behold a very doleful Blue Bonnet.
"Nothing--only--I'm so frightfully disappointed. Uncle Cliff, I need you
to-night. I want you!"
"I didn't suppose it was as serious as all that, Blue Bonnet. Dry those
tears. I'll stay, of course."
That evening when the guests had all gathered, and Uncle Cliff had been
informed as to the significance of the occasion, Blue Bonnet whispered
in his ear:
"Wouldn't it have been perfectly dreadful if you had gone away this
morning, with all these kind people waiting to do you honor? Why, the We
Are Sevens would never have got over it."
"Neither should I, Honey," Mr. Ashe said. "I feel quite like a
debutante. This is the first time a party ever was given in my honor. I
assure you I am deeply indebted to the We Are Sevens."
"It's a 'get acquainted' affair, Mr. Ashe," Kitty said, coming up behind
him and insisting upon his meeting everybody at once. "This is my
father, Doctor Clark--think you've met before; and this is Amanda's
mother: she's dying to thank you for all the lovely things you've done
for us. Aren't you, Mrs. Parker?"
Mrs. Parker, a timid little woman, put out her hand and tried to express
her appreciation, but the words were slow in coming. Mr. Ashe saw her
difficulty, and in a moment had put her at ease by assuring her that
the pleasure of knowing the We Are Sevens had more than compensated for
what little he had done.
"But it hasn't been a little, Mr. Ashe," Mrs. Parker insisted. "It has
been a very great deal. The Texas trip was wonderful. Amanda will never
forget it--never! She talks about it every day, and her descriptions of
the Blue Bonnet ranch are so vivid that I almost feel as if I had seen
it."
Blue Bonnet ranch opened up a score of possibilities, and Mr. Ashe and
Mrs. Parker were soon chatting like old friends.
"I don't wonder that the girls are enthusiastic about Mr. Ashe," she
said to her husband later in the evening. "I had a perfectly delightful
visit with him. He's as plain as can be! Nobody would dream he had so
much money."
Nor was Mrs. Parker the only one who found Mr. Ashe delightful. Mr.
Blake and his wife; Debby's parents; Doctor Clark, all enjoyed talking
with the man who had on several occasions played the fairy godfather to
their children.
It was a most informal gathering. The guests chatted in groups or found
places at card tables, which had been prepared for those who preferred a
rubber of whist. The dining-room was very attractive with its wealth of
fruit blossoms. Mrs. Parker, sitting at one end of the table, poured
coffee, while Debby's mother at the other served chocolate. An
atmosphere of hospitality and kindliness prevailed. It was Knight who at
an opportune time proposed a toast to the guest of honor, and Mr. Ashe
responded in a fitting manner. Altogether the evening was pronounced a
great success.
"Don't you think it would be lovely to end the party with a Virginia
reel?" Kitty suggested to Blue Bonnet, who instantly favored the idea.
The older guests protested that a Virginia reel was a part of youth, and
not of middle age; but the young people insisted, and two lines were
drawn up on either side of the parlor for the dance, while Blue Bonnet
furnished the music. Kitty led with Mr. Ashe. He bowed with
old-fashioned courtesy to the little butterfly partner, who proceeded to
lead him a merry chase down the middle and back again; hurrying him
through the steps in true twentieth-century fashion.
"Wasn't it a fine party, Uncle Cliff?" Blue Bonnet inquired after the
last guest had gone, and she sat down breathless in her favorite chair
to talk things over.
"Splendid, Honey! I'm very grateful to the We Are Sevens."
"Oh, you needn't be. They adored doing it. They admire you terribly,
Uncle Cliff, terribly!"
Mr. Ashe smiled--a little tender smile--as his eyes rested on Blue
Bonnet's happy face.
"Society has never been much in my line, Honey; but I've enjoyed
to-night more than I can tell you. It was very pleasant to be so nicely
entertained. I hardly realize what a lonely life I lead until I get in
the midst of so much merriment. It does one good to let down the bars
and loosen up the reins occasionally. I've almost made up my mind to
turn the ranch over to Uncle Joe next winter and take a house in Boston.
Would you like that, Blue Bonnet? Or, if you are still in school, I
might manage to exist in a hotel until you finish. I know that you can't
desert Grandmother for the ranch again."
Mrs. Clyde cast a grateful glance in Mr. Ashe's direction.
"I feel it is a great deal to ask," she said, "but--it would be very
hard to give Blue Bonnet up--now."
Blue Bonnet was out of her chair instantly and on her uncle's knee.
"Uncle Cliff!" she gasped, "do you really truly mean it? A home in
Boston?"
"I really truly mean it, Honey. Life's too short for these long
separations."
Round his neck, in a close embrace, went Blue Bonnet's arms, and her
face glowed with joy.
"But we're not going to give up the ranch altogether, Uncle Cliff? We
couldn't, you know!"
"No, not altogether, Honey. I reckon the summers will find us there
pretty regularly; and there's Gabriel now, remember. We can't desert
the little fellow when he needs us so."
"We wouldn't desert the Blue Bonnet ranch anyway--under any
circumstances. We'll just be commuters, and sort of vibrate between our
old home and the new--then we'll all be happy."