"Lu! Lu! five o'clock, time to get up!" called a harsh voice in loud,
shrill tones.
"Who, who was calling?" asked Eva starting out of sleep.
"Only Polly," laughed Lulu.
"Get up, get up!" screamed the bird. "Time for breakfast. Polly wants
her coffee. Polly wants a cracker."
"What a smart parrot! how plainly she talks," said Eva.
"Yes; but so loud. I'm afraid she will wake everybody in the house."
"How has she learned your name so soon?" asked Eva.
"I don't think she has," said Lulu. "Papa says there was a girl named
Louisa in the place where Polly used to live, that everybody called Lu,
and the parrot learned to call her so too."
"Happy New Year!" screamed Polly.
"Oh just hear her!" cried Lulu in delight. "Papa must have been teaching
her that, or having somebody else do it, while we were away. I think
she's going to make a great deal of fun for us all. Happy New Year to
you, Eva dear," giving her friend a hug, as they lay side by side in
the bed.
"The same to you, dear Lu," returned Eva. "How nice it is to be here
with you lying on this easy couch with this down cover and these soft
blankets over us. I never lay on a more delightful bed. Everything about
it is beautiful and luxurious too."
"Papa was very particular to get the very best of springs and mattresses
for all our beds," replied Lulu. "Oh but he is a dear, good father,
always careful for the comfort and happiness of all his children!"
"And of his wife?"
"Oh yes indeed! I'm quite sure no man could take better care of his
wife, or be more loving and kind to her, than papa is to Mamma Vi. And
I'm pretty sure he was just the same to my mother; he says he loved her
very dearly and loves his children--I mean Max and Gracie and
me--because they were hers as well as because they are his very own."
"Lu! Lu! get up! Time for breakfast!" screamed Polly again.
"I suppose it is morning, or she wouldn't be making such a fuss," said
Lulu.
"Yes," said Eva, "I see a little light coming in at the window."
"I'll light the gas in the sitting-room, and give her a cracker to stop
her screaming," said Lulu, getting out of bed and feeling about for her
warm slippers and dressing gown. "Then I'll run and catch papa and
Gracie."
"Lulu," said the captain's voice from Gracie's room.
"I'm here, papa. Oh a happy New Year to you!"
"Thank you, dear child. I wish you the same; but I want you to give
Polly a cracker as quickly as you can to stop her screaming; for I fear
she will wake both guests and babies."
"Yes, sir; I will. I was just going to," replied the little girl. "Then
shall I stay up?"
"I think you may as well go back to bed and try to take another nap," he
answered. "It is very early yet."
Lulu hurried into the sitting-room where Polly's cage was hanging, and
struck a light.
"What you 'bout? Where you been?" demanded the parrot.
"Sleeping in my bed as I have a right to, Miss Saucebox," returned Lulu,
laughing as she opened a cupboard door and brought out a paper of
crackers. "There, take that and see if you can hold your tongue till
folks are ready to get up."
The bird took the offered cracker and began eating it, standing on one
foot, on its perch, and holding the food in the claws of the other,
while it bit off a little at a time, Lulu looking on with interest.
"You'll have to behave better than this, or you'll get banished to the
attic, or the kitchen, or some other far-off place," she said, shaking
her finger threateningly at Poll.
Then, after turning down the light, she ran back to bed.
"Are you asleep, Eva?" she asked in a whisper.
"No dear; wide awake."
"Then let's talk; for I'm as wide awake as I can be."
"But didn't your father say you were to try for another nap?"
"I understood him to mean only that I might if I chose, not that I must;
but perhaps he meant that he wanted me to; so I'll keep quiet and try."
She did so, saying to herself, "I just know it's no use, for I was never
wider awake in my life," but to her great astonishment the next thing
she knew it was broad daylight and Eva up and brushing out her hair
before the mirror over the bureau.
"Why, I've been asleep and I hadn't the least idea of such a thing!"
cried Lulu springing out upon the floor and beginning to dress in all
haste.
"Oh, you've had a nice nap and will feel the better for it all day, I'm
sure," returned Eva laughing in a kindly way; "and that is your reward
for trying to do as your papa probably wished you to. But need you hurry
so? isn't it a good while to breakfast time?"
"Yes, but I have to dress and say my prayers; and I always like so much
to have a little time to chat with papa before the bell rings."
"Lu! Lu!" screamed the parrot, "time for breakfast! Polly wants her
coffee."
"Just hear Polly," exclaimed Lulu; "it does seem as if she must have
sense. I suppose she does think it's time for breakfast."
"Does she drink coffee?" asked Eva.
"Yes; she is very fond of it. She gets a cup every morning."
"She's a very amusing pet, I think," remarked Evelyn. "What fun it will
be to teach her to say all sorts of cute things!"
"Yes," sighed Lulu, "but papa says if she should hear angry, passionate,
or willful words from my lips she may learn and repeat them to my shame
and sorrow. But oh I hope I never shall let her hear such!"
"I don't believe you ever will say such words any more, dear Lu," Eva
said with an affectionate look into her friend's face. "I don't believe
you have ever been in a passion since--since the time that little Elsie
had that sad fall."
"No, I have not been in a rage, but I have said some angry words a few
times, and oh--as you must remember that I told you--some very
rebellious and insolent ones to my dear papa--not so long ago. Oh dear,
I'm afraid my tongue can never be tamed!
"Papa made me learn that third chapter of James that says 'the tongue is
a fire, a world of iniquity and that no man can tame it.' Then he talked
to me so nicely and kindly about learning to rule my tongue and make it
always speak as it ought--wise, kind, pleasant words. And he told me the
only way to do it was by getting my heart right--by God's help--because,
as the Bible tells us in another place, it is out of the abundance of
the heart that the mouth speaketh."
"Your father takes a great deal of pains to teach and help you, dear Lu,
doesn't he?" said Eva.
"Yes, yes, indeed!" returned Lulu, with warmth; "all his children, but
especially me, I think, because I'm the naughtiest and have the hardest
work trying to be good. I'm often surprised at papa's patience with me
and the trouble he takes to help me in my hard fight with my passionate,
wilful temper."
Just then Grace's voice was heard at the door, "Happy New Year, Eva and
Lu! May I come in?"
"Yes, come. Happy New Year to you," cried both girls, Lulu running and
taking her sister in her arms to hug and kiss her.
"You darling child! You look bright and well. Are you?"
"Yes, you old woman," laughed Gracie, returning the hug and kisses; "and
I'm all ready for breakfast. Are you?"
"No, not quite."
"I am," said Eva. "Shall we go into the sitting-room, Gracie, and wait
there for Lu?"
"Yes," answered Grace, leading the way; "and I'll be learning my Bible
verse while we wait for her and papa and the breakfast bell."
Lulu and her father joined them at the same moment.
The captain kissed the little girls all around and presented each with a
pretty little portemonnaie.
Eva thanked him with smiles, blushes and appreciative words; his own two
with hugs and kisses in addition to the thanks given in words.
"Mine's ever so pretty, papa," Lulu said, turning it about in her hands.
"I am glad you are pleased with it," he said, smiling, "but are you
going to be satisfied with looking at the outside? don't you want to
examine the lining also?"
"Why, yes, sir?" opening it. "Oh, oh, it isn't empty!" she laughed,
beginning to take out the contents--two clean, crisp one dollar notes,
and a handful of bright new quarters, dimes and five cent pieces. "Papa,
how kind and generous you are to me!"
Grace had her purse open by this time and found it lined in like manner
with Lulu's. "Dear papa, thank you ever so much," she said, looking up
into his face with eyes full of love and gratitude. "It's a great deal
for me to have beside all the rest you gave me."
"You are both as welcome as possible, my darlings; only make good use of
it, remembering that money is one of the talents for which we must give
account to God at last," he answered to both.
"Eva, my dear," turning to her, "you will find the same in yours, and I
hope will accept it from me as though you were one of my daughters. Do
me the kindness to let me be in some respects, a father to you; since
your own is absent in the happy home to which I trust we are all
traveling."
She was standing near, the present he had given her in her hand. She had
been looking from it to Lulu and Grace, thinking the while how good it
was in the captain to treat her so much like one of his own, and now at
these kind words spoken in tender fatherly tones, both heart and eyes
grew full to overflowing.
He saw that she could not speak for emotion, and taking her hand, drew
her to his knee and kissed her, saying, "Don't try to thank me in words,
my dear; your speaking countenance tells me all you would say."
"What you 'bout?" screamed Polly at that instant, just as if she were
calling the captain to account for his actions.
That made them all laugh; even Evelyn, who had been just ready to cry.
Then the breakfast bell rang and everybody hastened to obey its summons.
Many a "Happy New Year," was exchanged among them as they gathered--a
bright faced, cheerful set--in the pleasant breakfast-room and about its
bountiful table.
Each had a gift to show, for all had been remembered in that way by
either the captain or Violet, some by both, and each one had received or
did now receive, something from Grandma Elsie--a book, toy or game.
The gifts seemed to give universal satisfaction and all were in gayest
spirits.
Shortly after breakfast--almost before the children had done with
comparing and talking about their presents--the other guests began to
arrive, and by ten o'clock everybody who had been invited was there.
Then began the fun of arranging themselves in groups and having
photographs taken; after that the acting of the charades.
The picture suggested by Violet was taken first. In it Grandma Elsie
was seated between her father on one side, and her namesake daughter on
the other, Mrs. Leland having her babe in her arms, while little Ned
leaned confidingly against his great-grandfather's knee.
The captain and Violet, with their two little ones, made another pretty
picture. Then the captain was taken again with his older three grouped
about him. Then Grandma Elsie again with her son Edward and his Zoe,
standing behind her, Rosie and Walter one on each side.
She thought this quite enough, but her college boys insisted on having
her taken again, seated between them.
It was then proposed that the other members of the company should be
taken in turn--singly or in groups;--but all declined, expressing a
decided preference for spending the time in a more amusing manner, such
as forming tableaux and acting charades.
The older people took possession of a large parlor and sat there
conversing, while the younger ones consulted together and made their
arrangements in the library.
Misconstrue was the first word chosen. Presently Evelyn walked into the
parlor, followed almost immediately by Harold with a book in his hand.
"You are here, Miss?" he said glancing at Evelyn. "And you, Miss?" as
Sydney Dinsmore came tripping in from the hall.
"Yes; and here comes another Miss;" she replied, as Lulu appeared in the
open doorway.
"I too, am a miss; there are four of us here now," said Rosie, coming up
behind Lulu.
"I am a miss," proclaimed Maud Dinsmore, stepping in after Rosie.
"And I am a miss," echoed Lora Howard, coming after her.
"Well, stand up in a row and let us see if you can say your lesson
without a miss," said Harold.
"Oh it's a spelling school--all of girls!" remarked Grace in a low aside
to her little friend Rosie Lacey; they two having chosen a place among
the spectators rather than with the actors on this occasion.
"Yes," returned Rosie; "I wonder why they don't have some of the boys in
the class too."
"When did Columbus discover America, Miss Maud?" asked Harold.
"In 1942," returned Maud with the air of one who is quite confident of
the correctness of her reply.
"A miss for you," said Harold. "Next. When did Columbus discover
America?"
"In 1620, just after the landing of the pilgrims," answered Sydney.
"Another miss," said Harold. "Next."
"Something happened in 1775," said Eva meditatively.
"Oh!" cried Rosie, "Columbus' discovery was long before that--somewhere
about the year 1000, was it not, Mr. Travilla?"
"A miss for each of you," replied Harold, shaking his head. "What year
was it, Lulu?"
"It must have been before I was born," she answered slowly, as if not
entirely certain--"Yes, I'm quite sure it was, and I can't remember
before I was born."
"A miss for you too," said Harold. "You have every one missed and will
have to con your task over again."
At that each girl opened a book which she held in her hand, and for
several minutes they all seemed to be studying diligently.
"Ah, ha! ah ha! um h'm! mis-con," murmured Cousin Ronald, half-aloud;
"vara weel done, lads and lasses. What's the next syllable? strue? Ah
ha, um h'm! we shall see presently," as the books were closed and the
young actors vanished through the door into the hall.
They were hardly gone when Zoe entered, carrying a small basket filled
with flowers which she began to strew here and there over the floor.
"Ah ha! ah ha! um h'm!" cried Cousin Ronald, "she strews the flowers;
misconstrue is the word na doot."
"Ah Cousin Ronald, somebody must have told you," laughed Zoe, tripping
from the room.
"Oh!" cried Rosie Lacey, "I see now why the boys didn't take part this
time; because they couldn't be miss."
"Here they come now, boys and girls too," exclaimed Grace. "Why how
they're laughing! I wonder what's the joke?"
They were all laughing as at something very amusing, and after entering
the room did nothing but sit or stand about laughing all the time;
fairly shaking with laughter, laughing, laughing till the tears came
into their eyes, and the older people joined in without in the least
knowing the exciting cause of so much mirth.
"Come, children, tell us the joke," said Mr. Dinsmore at length.
"O grandpa, can't you see?" asked Rosie Travilla, and they all hurried
from the room, to return presently in a procession, each carrying
something in his or her hand.
Harold had a log of wood, Herbert a post, Max a block, Frank the wooden
part of an old musket, while Chester, though empty-handed, wore an old
fashioned stock or cravat and held his head very stiffly.
Maud, dressed as a huckster, had a basket filled with apples, oranges,
nuts and candies. Sydney, wearing an old cloak and straw hat, had a
basket on her arm in which were needles, tapes, buttons, pins, and
other small wares such as are often hawked about the streets.
Lulu and Eva brought up the rear, carrying the parrot and Gracie's
kitten.
Maud and Sydney made the circuit of the room, the one crying, "Apples
and Oranges! buy any apples and oranges?" the other asking, "Want any
pins to-day? needles, buttons, shoe-strings?"
"No," said Grandma Rose, "Have you nothing else to offer?"
"No, ma'am, this is my whole stock in trade," replied Sydney.
"I laid in a fresh stock of fruit this morning, ma'am, and it's good
enough for anybody," sniffed Maud, with indignant air.
"Do you call that a musket, sir?" asked Chester of Frank.
"No, sir; I called it the stock of one."
"Lulu and Eva, why bring those creatures in here?" asked Herbert,
elevating his eyebrows as in astonishment.
"Because they're our live stock," replied Lulu.
Now Frank began to play the part of a clown or buffoon, acting in a very
silly and stupid manner, while the others looked on laughing and
pointing their fingers at him in derision.
"Frank, can't you behave yourself?" exclaimed Maud. "It mortifies me to
see you making yourself the laughing-stock of the whole company."
"Laughing-stock--laughing-stock," said several voices among the
spectators, the captain adding, "Very well done indeed!"
"Thank you, sir," said Harold. "If the company are not tired we will
give them one more."
"Let us have it," said his grandfather.
Some of the girls now joined the spectators, while Harold drew out a
little stand, and he, Chester, and Herbert seated themselves about it
with paper and pencils before them, assuming a very business-like air.
Frank had stepped out to the hall. In a minute or two he returned and
walked up to the others, hat in hand.
Bowing low, but awkwardly, "You're the school committee I understand,
gents?" he remarked inquiringly.
"Yes," said Harold, "and we want a teacher for the school at Sharon.
Have you come to apply for the situation?"
"Yes, sir; I heered tell ye was wantin' a superior kind o' male man to
take the school fer the winter, and bein' as I was out o' a job, I
thought I mout as well try my hand at that as enny thin' else."
"Take a seat and let us inquire into your qualifications," said Herbert,
waving his hand in the direction of a vacant chair. "But first tell us
your name and where you are from."
"My name, sir, is Peter Bones, and I come from the town o' Hardtack in
the next county; jest beyant the hill yander. I've a good eddication o'
me own, too, though I never rubbed my back agin a college," remarked the
applicant, sitting down and tilting his chair back on its hind legs,
retaining his balance by holding on to the one occupied by Herbert. "I
kin spell the spellin' book right straight through, sir, from kiver to
kiver."
"But spelling is not the only branch to be taught in the Sharon school,"
said Chester. "What else do you know."
"The three r's, sir; reading, 'ritin,' and 'rithmetic."
"You are acquainted with mathematics!"
"Well, no, not so much with Mathy as with his brother Bill; but I know
him like a book; fact I might say like several books."
"Like several books, eh?" echoed Chester in a sarcastic tone; "but how
well may you be acquainted with the books? What's the meaning of
pathology?"
"The science of road making of course, sir; enny fool could answer such
a question as that."
"Could he, indeed? Well you've made a miss, for your answer is wide of
the mark."
"How wide is the Atlantic ocean?" asked Herbert.
"'Bout a thousand miles."
"Another miss; it's three thousand."
"I know it useter to be, years ago, but they've got to crossin' it so
quick now that you needn't tell me it's more'n a thousand."
"In what year was the Declaration of Independence signed?" asked Harold.
"Wall now, I don't jist remember," returned the applicant, thrusting
both hands deep into his pockets and gazing down meditatively at the
carpet, "somewheres 'bout 1860, wuzn't it? no, come to think, I guess
'twas '63."
"No, no, no! you are thinking of the proclamation of emancipation.
Another miss. We don't find you qualified for the situation; so wish you
good day, sir."
"Ah, ah! ah, ah! um h'm, um h'm! so I should say," soliloquized Mr.
Lilburn, leaning on his goldheaded cane and watching the four lads as
they scattered and left the room; "and so this is the end of act the
first, I suppose. Miss, miss, miss, ah that's the syllable that begins
the new word."
Evelyn now came in with an umbrella in her hand, Grace and Rose Lacey
walking a little in her rear. Evelyn raised the umbrella and turning to
the little girls, said pleasantly, "Come under, children, I can't keep
the rain off you unless you are under the umbrella." They accepted the
invitation and the three moved slowly back and forth across the room
several times.
"It's a nice sort of shelter to be under when it rains," remarked Rose
Lacey.
"Yes, I like to be under it," said Grace.
"But it is wearisome to walk all the time; let us stand still for a
little," proposed Evelyn.
"Yes; by that stand yonder," said Grace.
They went to it and stationed themselves there for a moment; then Grace
stepped from under the umbrella and seated herself on the carpet under
the stand.
"Look, look!" laughed Rose Lacey, "there's Miss Grace Raymond under the
stand; a miss-under-stand."
A storm of applause, and cries of "Well done, little ones! Very prettily
done indeed!" and Gracie, rosy with blushes, came out from her retreat
and ran to hide her face on her father's shoulder, while he held her
close with one arm, softly smoothing her curls with the other hand.
"Don't be disturbed, darling," he said; "it is only kind commendation of
the way in which Rosie and you have acted your parts."
"Why you should feel proud and happy, Gracie," said Zoe, drawing near.
"We are going to have that tableau now in which you are to be a little
flower girl. So come, won't you? and let me help you dress."
Tableaux filled up the rest of the morning.
After dinner Harold and Herbert gave an exhibition of tricks of
legerdemain, which even the older people found interesting and amusing.
The little ones were particularly delighted with a marvellous shower of
candy that ended the performance.
Some of Cousin Ronald's stories of the heroes of Scottish history and
song made the evening pass delightfully.
But at an early hour the whole company, led by Grandpa Dinsmore, united
in a short service of prayer, praise, and the reading of the scriptures,
and at its close the guests bade good-bye and scattered to their homes.
"Well," said Max, following the rest of the family into the parlor,
after they had seen the last guest depart, "I never had a pleasanter New
Year's day."
"Nor I either," said Lulu; "and we had such a delightful time last year
too, that I really don't know which I enjoyed the most."
"And we have good times all the time since we have a home of our own
with our dear father in it," remarked Grace, taking his hand and
carrying it to her lips, while her sweet azure eyes looked up lovingly
into his face.
An emphatic endorsement of that sentiment from both Max and Lulu. Then
the captain, smiling tenderly upon them, said, "I dearly love to give
you pleasure, my darlings, my heart's desire is for my children's
happiness in this world and the next; but life can not be all play; so
lessons must be taken up again to-morrow morning, and I hope to find you
all in an industrious and tractable mood."
"I should hope so indeed, papa," returned Max; "if we are not both
obedient and industrious we will deserve to be called an ungrateful
set."