A JOLLY TIME
Gwen Harcourt felt that in leaving school at Avondale, and entering
a small private school in the next town she was really doing something
quite fine.
To be sure, the little school was not much of a school. Rather it
should have been called a private _class_, and the little pupils met
at the home of a young woman who was far from well equipped for the
task of directing their studies, or training their minds.
She had acquired a fair education, but so little governing power had
she that the pupils did about as they chose, and that Gwen considered
the most charming fact regarding the class.
She thought it very smart to go over to the station, walk up and down
the platform waiting for the train, and then, seated in the car, offer
her ticket to the conductor when he came down the aisle.
"The Avondale girls and boys just walk to school, but I have to take
a train!" she said to herself one morning, as she hurried toward the
station.
One might have thought it a _convenience_ to live at a distance from
the school. The next town was a mile from Avondale, and Gwen thought
it very daring to take the trip alone.
"It makes me sick to listen when Gwen Harcourt is talking about going
to school," said Rob. "She thinks it a great thing to ride a mile! If
she had to ride twenty-five miles, she'd feel so big that Avondale
would not be big enough to hold her."
Rob Lindsey had met Gwen near the station, and she had looked at him
as sharply as if she had not seen him for a year.
"Do you _still_ go to school at Avondale?" she asked.
"Why, yes," Rob said. "Did you think we commenced to stay at home when
_you_ left?"
"Well, I wouldn't go back there for anything!" declared Gwen. "My mamma
calls me a very wonderful child, and when she told my new teacher that,
she said to mamma; 'I know she's an unusual child. I can see that at
a glance.'"
"Perhaps she'd call _me_ wonderful if I engaged her to do so. I might
tell her to just look at me and say if she'd give me a prize."
Lena laughed at Rob's disgust.
"I wonder if she will think any parties that are given at Avondale are
too _near_ to be interesting?" she said.
"I wouldn't risk inviting her if I didn't want her to accept," Rob
replied as he picked up his books and turned toward the door.
"Oh, say, Lena!" he cried, "I just happened to think of Captain
Atherton's party. Do you suppose Gwen is invited?"
"Why, Rob! What a question! Captain Atherton wouldn't slight any child
in this neighborhood. Of course Gwen will be invited," Lena said.
"Then she'll be there," cried Rob. "She couldn't stay away."
Lena was a little late in preparing for school, and as she ran down
the walk, she saw Leslie Grafton just ahead of her, hurrying down the
avenue.
"Leslie!" she cried, and Leslie turned a laughing face toward her.
"Come on!" she cried, "I can't wait. Catch up with me, Lena. I want
to ask you something."
Lena was swift footed, and soon they were running along together.
They were just in time to avoid being late, and as they entered, Leslie
whispered:
"I'll ask the question at recess."
It happened that at recess, everyone was ready to ask the same question.
"Does anyone know what the 'festivities' are to be at Captain Atherton's
party?"
That was the question that each asked the other, but while all asked
the question, no one could answer it, and Harry Grafton laughed as he
said;
"We'll have to wait 'til the evening of the party, and we might as
well wait patiently."
"Rose won't tell us," Lena said, reaching to give one of Rose's brown
curls just a little "tweak."
"At first when you asked me, I said I didn't know," said Rose, "but
now I'll have to say that I know all of Uncle John's plans for the
party, but I won't tell."
"And Sprite knows something about it, for see! She's laughing now,"
said Rob.
"Like Rose I know, but won't tell," Sprite said.
"I won't tease then," said Princess Polly, "because they ought not to
tell, and I don't _really_ want them to. I'd like to know now, but I'd
rather have it a surprise when the evening comes."
"Polly is right, as usual," said Rob Lindsey, to which Harry Grafton
replied in a teasing voice:
"Does anyone believe that Rob would say that _anything_ that Polly
does is _anything_ but right?"
"Quit teasing," cried Rob, "or I'll return the favor."
Harry at once became silent, and the others laughed, for it was well
known that he admired Rose, and that he did not like to be teased.
On the evening of the party the little guests arrived promptly.
"Festivities to commence at eight," the invitations had said, and there
was not a boy or girl who cared to miss any of the pleasures offered.
Captain Atherton's new home was a blaze of light, and every room was
decorated with a wealth of greenery, and glowing blossoms.
Mimic butterflies hovered among the flowers, and soft music sounded
through the halls. Silvery bells were vying with the triangle in
producing tinkling tones that chimed in sweet accord with the melody
that the strings were playing.
At one end of the spacious parlor a tiny grove of palms and tall shrubs
looked as if transplanted from out of doors.
Captain Atherton, tall and handsome, greeted his little friends gaily,
and when all had arrived, he led them toward the grove.
"Wait here a moment," he said, "and see what happens. This is an
enchanted grove, and a sweet enchantress is in hiding here.
"Come forth, oh lady fair,
Dear spirit of the air,
We long to see thy face,
Thy form of airy grace.
Some things we long to know
Thou well can'st tell, I trow."
For a moment not a sound save the soft music was heard. Then,--a
rustling as of silken draperies, or like wind among the leaves, and
the branches parted, and Iris Vandmere, radiant, smiling, extended her
pretty hands in greeting. Clad in softest silk gauze in lilac, and
ivory white, she suggested the blossom for which she was named. Like
a fair iris bloom she appeared, diamonds on her neck and in her hair
representing dewdrops.
"Dearest friends, I heard you call,
I have come to greet you all.
I am now your fairy queen,
And, beneath these branches green,
I will grant, to each of you
That your dearest wish come true."
"Oh-o-o-o!" came like a sigh of delight from the excited children as
they gazed at the lovely figure.
Each had a wish, and wisely she answered, for Iris was as quick witted
as she was beautiful.
"I wish I could make everyone happy," said Princess Polly.
"Be as loving and kind as I am told you now are, and your wish will
come true," said Queen Iris.
"I'd like to do something _very_ nice for father and mother that would
be a sweet surprise," said Sprite. "I _wish_ I knew what to do."
"Your wish is granted," said Iris. She wrote a few words on a slip of
pink paper.
"Look at this to-morrow morning and you will know just what to do,"
she said as she placed the tiny folded paper in Sprite's hand.
In the same sweet manner Iris contrived to grant the wishes of all.
Gwen held back.
"Have you no wish?" Iris asked kindly, and Gwen hesitated, then she
said;
"_Yes_. I want to be admired _all_ the time and _everywhere_."
Iris looked searchingly at the pretty, but pert face. Then she said;
"Be kind, be good, be sweet, be true, and all the world shall smile
on you."
"Oh, I don't mean _that_ way!" said Gwen in disgust.
"If you do as I tell you, you will be beautiful," said Iris.
"Why, I'm beautiful _now_! My mamma says so!" cried Gwen. The children
stared in amazement at the child who could make such a silly speech.
For a second no one spoke. To relieve the situation, Captain Atherton
spoke.
"I think Queen Iris has granted your wishes most wisely. Now, let me
present to you the little Goddess of Plenty."
He drew aside a brocade hanging and disclosed a huge half blown rose.
Its large petals commenced to open, and from its center sprang Rose
Atherton, a "horn of plenty" in her hands, filled with bonbons. Laughing
gaily, she lifted her hands filled with bonbons and tossed them into
the center of the room.
Many of them were caught, so that few fell to the floor. Wrapped in
tinsel, they shone like stars as they caught the light, and the boys
and girls vied with each other, laughing as they tried to see which
would be lucky, and secure the largest number.
When the gilded horn was empty, Rose ran to where a giant scallop shell
was standing. It was formed of papier-mache, and decorated to look
like the texture of a shell.
"Guess what's in this!" she said, looking over her shoulder to laugh
at them.
"Oh, is it Sprite?" Princess Polly asked eagerly. "You were in the big
rose. Is Sprite in the beautiful shell?"
Rose lightly touched the top edge of the shell.
It opened wide, and there, sure enough sat Sprite all clad in soft
flesh pink gauze and coral, coral everywhere.
Strings of coral beads held her golden hair in place, hung from her
neck and arms, encircled her slender waist.
She extended her arms, and then as the musicians played a little
prelude, she commenced to sing.
"I've lovely gifts for my dearest friends
I've something for each of you,
I've coral beads for the girls so fair,
I've scarfpins, dear boys, for you.
And always we will remember this,
That a gift has a value true,
But better far, than the finest gift
Is the love that we give to you."
"Oh, Sprite, dear Sprite!" they cried, as they thronged around her to
accept the beautiful coral. The girls gaily clasped the necklaces, and
quite as eagerly, the boys accepted the pretty scarf pins.
"Now, we'll have some magic!" Captain Atherton said, "and let us all
be seated here at this end of the parlor."
Quickly they turned to do as he said, and to their surprise, they found
that while Iris, and Rose, and Sprite had been entertaining them, the
housekeeper had arranged the seats in rows, as if at a private theatre.
They were soon seated, the musicians began to play some merry music,
and then two slender nimble fellows, all silk tights, and spangles,
ran in and began to balance great gilded balls on the tips of tiny
wands.
Then they spun plates on those same slender wands, they brought a huge
globe, and walked upon it, rolling it, by treading it, quite across
that end of the room. They did clever tricks that made the children
laugh, and at last, they rolled themselves up like balls, and rolled
right out of the room!
The children cheered, and generously applauded, whereupon the two
performers came back and repeated the last part of their act.
The housekeeper now appeared, gowned in black silk, with a fine white
muslin cap, and apron.
"Will all these little friends, led by Captain Atherton, and Miss
Vandmere, march out to the dining-room for refreshments?" she asked,
and the eager little friends waited for no urging. A spread had been
prepared especially suitable for a cold, wintry night, and how they
did enjoy it!
Hot chicken boullion, wee, hot chicken pies in the dearest little round
nappies, ice cream in lovely shapes, and hot chocolate with whipped
cream. Oh, but nothing could have been chosen that would have been so
delicious for a treat to be enjoyed on a frosty evening!
"Let us crack this huge nut," said Captain Atherton, and suiting the
action to the word, he hit the big nut that lay upon a salver in the
center of the table.
With a "crack" like a toy pistol it opened, proving itself to be filled
with nuts of the usual size.
Then what fun they had trying to open their nuts! Some were chocolate
nuts, with nut meats inside, while others were real nut shells filled
with bonbons.
After the good things had been enjoyed, they hastened back to the large
drawing-room, where they danced to the merry music.
It was an evening of fun and frolic, and when, in the midst of their
fun, they noticed that bright, handsome Uncle John Atherton was dancing
with Miss Iris Vandmere, they slyly formed a laughing ring around them
and danced, and sang to their hearts' content.
It had been a bright, merry evening, and when the boys and girls told
Captain Atherton how he had delighted them, he said, heartily:
"I have been very happy this evening, and if it is possible that you
have been even _half_ as happy as I have been, I shall feel well repaid
for having given this party."
* * * * * * * * *
Lessons were rather neglected next morning, for who could enjoy such
an evening of rare delight, and so soon forget to think of its many
pleasures? More than once the teacher had to speak rather sharply
because she realized that their minds were upon something that had
nothing to do with their lessons.
Many were the notes that were written, and exchanged, and when, at
last, school was out, they walked along the avenue, their arms about
each other's waists, and all the way they talked about the party of
the night before.
"Oh, Sprite! You did your part well!" said Harry Grafton.
"And you looked just like a sea fairy!" said Lena Lindsey.
"I mean always to keep my lovely necklace," said Princess Polly, "and
let's every one of us keep the pretty coral gifts to help us to remember
the fine party that we so enjoyed."
"We'd never forget it," said Leslie, "but we'll all want to keep the
dainty corals."
"And wasn't Miss Vandmere beautiful when she came to grant our wishes?"
Rose asked. "Already I love her."
"_Already_?" Rob said, and his voice bespoke a question.
"Why, yes," Rose said, "already."
"That sounds odd, and queer," objected Gwen. "Why don't you tell us
just what you mean?" but Rose chose not to reply.
She only laughed and shook her head.