"Returning from the Hall, the old man had slipped upon a bit of ice,
and lay stunned in the snow.
"Patty began to cry. 'I think he's dead,' she sobbed.
"'He is so very old, I don't wonder,' I murmured; 'but perhaps he's
not. I'll fetch Father.'
"My father and Kitty were soon on the spot. Kitty was as strong as a
man; and they carried Father Christmas between them into the kitchen.
There he quickly revived.
"I must do Kitty the justice to say that she did not utter a word of
complaint at this disturbance of her labours; and that she drew the
old man's chair close up to the oven with her own hand. She was so
much affected by the behaviour of his dog, that she admitted him even
to the hearth; on which puss, being acute enough to see how matters
stood, lay down with her back so close to the spaniel's that Kitty
could not expel one without kicking both.
"For our parts, we felt sadly anxious about the tree; otherwise we
could have wished for no better treat than to sit at Kitty's round
table taking tea with Father Christmas. Our usual fare of thick bread
and treacle was to-night exchanged for a delicious variety of cakes,
which were none the worse to us for being 'tasters and wasters'--that
is, little bits of dough, or shortbread, put in to try the state of
the oven, and certain cakes that had got broken or burnt in the
baking.
"Well, there we sat, helping Old Father Christmas to tea and cake, and
wondering in our hearts what could have become of the tree. But you
see, young people, when I was a child, parents were stricter than they
are now. Even before Kitty died (and she has been dead many a long
year) there was a change, and she said that 'children got to think
anything became them.' I think we were taught more honest shame about
certain things than I often see in little boys and girls now. We were
ashamed of boasting, or being greedy, or selfish; we were ashamed of
asking for anything that was not offered to us, and of interrupting
grown-up people, or talking about ourselves. Why, papas and mammas
now-a-days seem quite proud to let their friends see how bold and
greedy and talkative their children can be! A lady said to me the
other day, 'You wouldn't believe, Mr. Garbel, how forward dear little
Harry is for his age. He has his word in everything, and is not a bit
shy! and his papa never comes home from town but Harry runs to ask him
if he's brought him a present. Papa says he'll be the ruin of him!'
"'Madam,' said I, 'even without your word for it, I am quite aware
that your child is forward. He is forward and greedy and intrusive, as
you justly point out, and I wish you joy of him when those qualities
are fully developed. I think his father's fears are well founded.'
"But, bless me! now-a-days it's 'Come and tell Mr. Smith what a fine
boy you are, and how many houses you can build with your bricks,' or,
'The dear child wants everything he sees,' or 'Little pet never lets
Mamma alone for a minute; does she, love?' But in my young days it
was, 'Self-praise is no recommendation' (as Kitty used to tell me),
or, 'You're knocking too hard at No. One' (as my father said when we
talked about ourselves), or, 'Little boys should be seen but not
heard' (as a rule of conduct 'in company'), or, 'Don't ask for what
you want, but take what's given you and be thankful.'
"And so you see, young people, Patty and I felt a delicacy in asking
Old Father Christmas about the tree. It was not till we had had tea
three times round, with tasters and wasters to match, that Patty said
very gently, 'It's quite dark now.' And then she heaved a deep sigh.
"Burning anxiety overcame me. I leant towards Father Christmas, and
shouted--I had found out that it was needful to shout--
"'I suppose the candles are on the tree now?'
"'Just about putting of 'em on,' said Father Christmas.
"'And the presents, too?' said Patty.
"'Aye, aye, _to_ be sure,' said Father Christmas, and he smiled
delightfully.
"I was thinking what farther questions I might venture upon, when he
pushed his cup towards Patty, saying, 'Since you are so pressing,
miss, I'll take another dish.'
"And Kitty, swooping on us from the oven, cried, 'Make yourself at
home, sir; there's more where these came from. Make a long arm, Miss
Patty, and hand them cakes.'
"So we had to devote ourselves to the duties of the table; and Patty,
holding the lid with one hand and pouring out with the other, supplied
Father Christmas's wants with a heavy heart.
"At last he was satisfied. I said grace, during which he stood, and
indeed he stood for some time afterwards with his eyes shut--I fancy
under the impression that I was still speaking. He had just said a
fervent 'Amen,' and reseated himself, when my father put his head into
the kitchen, and made this remarkable statement--
"'Old Father Christmas has sent a tree to the young people.'
"Patty and I uttered a cry of delight, and we forthwith danced round
the old man, saying, 'Oh, how nice! Oh, how kind of you!' which I
think must have bewildered him, but he only smiled and nodded.
"'Come along,' said my father. 'Come, children. Come, Reuben. Come,
Kitty.'
"And he went into the parlour, and we all followed him.
"My godmother's picture of a Christmas-tree was very pretty; and the
flames of the candles were so naturally done in red and yellow, that I
always wondered that they did not shine at night. But the picture was
nothing to the reality. We had been sitting almost in the dark, for,
as Kitty said, 'Firelight was quite enough to burn at meal-times.' And
when the parlour door was thrown open, and the tree, with lighted
tapers on all the branches, burst upon our view, the blaze was
dazzling, and threw such a glory round the little gifts, and the bags
of coloured muslin with acid drops, and pink rose drops, and comfits
inside, as I shall never forget. We all got something; and Patty and
I, at any rate, believed that the things came from the stores of Old
Father Christmas. We were not undeceived even by his gratefully
accepting a bundle of old clothes which had been hastily put together
to form his present.
"We were all very happy; even Kitty, I think, though she kept her
sleeves rolled up, and seemed rather to grudge enjoying herself (a
weak point in some energetic characters). She went back to her oven
before the lights were out, and the angel on the top of the tree taken
down. She locked up her present (a little work-box) at once. She often
showed it off afterwards, but it was kept in the same bit of
tissue-paper till she died. Our presents certainly did not last so
long!
"The old man died about a week afterwards, so we never made his
acquaintance as a common personage. When he was buried, his little dog
came to us. I suppose he remembered the hospitality he had received.
Patty adopted him, and he was very faithful. Puss always looked on him
with favour. I hoped during our rambles together in the following
summer that he would lead us at last to the cave where Christmas-trees
are dressed. But he never did.
"Our parents often spoke of his late master as 'old Reuben,' but
children are not easily disabused of a favourite fancy, and in Patty's
thoughts and in mine the old man was long gratefully remembered as OLD
FATHER CHRISTMAS."
THE END.
* * * * *
_The present Series of Mrs. Ewing's Works is the only authorized,
complete, and uniform Edition published._
_It will consist of 18 volumes, Small Crown 8vo, at 2s. 6d. per vol.,
issued, as far as possible, in chronological order, and these will
appear at the rate of two volumes every two months, so that the Series
will be completed within 18 months. The device of the cover was
specially designed by a Friend of Mrs. Ewing._
_The following is a list of the books included in the Series_--
1. MELCHIOR'S DREAM, AND OTHER TALES.
2. MRS. OVERTHEWAY'S REMEMBRANCES.
3. OLD-FASHIONED FAIRY TALES.
4. A FLAT IRON FOR A FARTHING.
5. THE BROWNIES, AND OTHER TALES.
6. SIX TO SIXTEEN.
7. LOB LIE-BY-THE-FIRE, AND OTHER TALES.
8. JAN OF THE WINDMILL.
9. VERSES FOR CHILDREN, AND SONGS.
10. THE PEACE EGG--A CHRISTMAS MUMMING PLAY--HINTS FOR PRIVATE
THEATRICALS, &c.
11. A GREAT EMERGENCY, AND OTHER TALES.
12. BROTHERS OF PITY, AND OTHER TALES OF BEASTS AND MEN.
13. WE AND THE WORLD, Part I.
14. WE AND THE WORLD, Part II.
15. JACKANAPES--DADDY DARWIN'S DOVECOTE--THE STORY OF A SHORT LIFE.
16. MARY'S MEADOW, AND OTHER TALES OF FIELDS AND FLOWERS.
17. MISCELLANEA, including The Mystery of the Bloody Hand--Wonder
Stories--Tales of the Khoja, and other translations.
18. JULIANA HORATIA EWING AND HER BOOKS, with a selection from Mrs.
Ewing's Letters.
S.P.C.K., Northumberland Avenue, London, W.C.