A day or two passed with little change in the condition of affairs,
in the Gordon household, but on the third afternoon, following the
conversation between the two Alices, the younger one came in rather
suddenly, and announced, in a whisper, that she had an idea.
In a little while Aunt Alice had suggested a walk "for a breath of fresh
air," with the result that they were soon out together, alone, walking
in the lovely park which was close by.
"You see, Auntee," began Alsie, "it was this way--I tried and tried to
think of some celebration, which would make us all cheerful and happy at
Christmas, but the more I thought, the harder the problem seemed to get.
We couldn't have plays, for that would tire grandfather; a Christmas
tree would remind us all of last Christmas, when dear Uncle James
had such a beautiful one at his country place. It would make grandma
cry--and perhaps the rest of us, too--to remember that _that_ home had
been broken up by the loss of the father and husband. Altogether, I was
beginning to feel real discouraged. Mamma took me down town to lunch
with her to-day, and the waiter brought in such a big, luscious piece
of pie. You know, Auntee, I have always loved pie 'most as much as
grandfather. I began to think how long it had been since he had had
a single taste of pie, and yet he has never complained. I began to
wish--O, so much--that grandfather could enjoy that delicious bit of
pie. The tears came into my eyes, Auntee, and I said to mamma, 'If
grandfather could just eat this one piece of pie, mamma, I would be
willing to do without pie for the rest of my life.'
"It was then, Auntee, that the idea came to me. Couldn't we have a
Christmas pie for grandfather which, instead of having a filling of rich
custards or fruits, would contain all the cunning little presents that
we grandchildren could make for him?"
"Why, Alsie, what an idea! I've heard of the Jack Horner pie and other
varieties, perhaps, but who would have thought of the idea of a
Christmas pie of that kind! We'll certainly carry it out, for your
pretty idea was the offspring of an unselfish impulse, and a sympathetic
tear, and it surely will thrive and bear fruit."
"Let's see, Auntee--a pie must always be round, mus'n't it?"
"And this one will have to be big, too," replied Alice, "for there are
lots of us who want to have a finger in it. Those dear co-workers with
father, who have kept his sick-room so fragrant and beautiful with
flowers, must each be allowed a little space for a card of greeting.
In fact, Alsie, I think it would be a good idea to invite all his
most beloved circle of friends to send a little message of love, for
only the other day he said to me, 'There is nothing so acceptable to a
man lying on a bed of sickness as an offering of love--be it a message,
a flower, a visit, or a delicacy--it is delightful to be remembered.'"
"Well, Auntee, I'll see all the cousins within reach and write to the
others, and you do the same with the grown folks of the family, and the
rule must be that each is to put into the pie something that will please
grandfather or make him laugh."
"Fine, Alsie, fine. It's a good rule to make, for it's a '_Merry
Christmas_' we are striving for, and I don't believe our efforts will
fail if we put into them all the love and energy which the family say
you and I possess, in a like degree."
"We haven't much time to lose, either, Auntee, for we have lots to do
in the three weeks that remain to us. Now, as to business, what are we
going to make the pie-crust of--I mean what material will take the
place of the pie-crust, which you know is what holds the goodies?"
"It must be considerably stronger than the crisp, brittle crust which
Aunt Bettie brings to _our_ table," replied Aunt Alice with a laugh.
After a moment she continued, "I wonder if we couldn't get hold of one
of those hat-boxes which are made to hold the enormous 'creations'
we see every day in the milliners' shops, and on the heads of so many
pretty girls. We can make the effort, anyhow, and if we don't succeed
in finding just what we want, needles and cardboard are plentiful and we
can make a box to suit ourselves, for it must be at least twenty-five
or thirty inches in diameter and six inches high to hold the filling."
They walked slowly homeward, discussing various little points which
occurred to them along the way, until, when Alice walked back into the
front door of her home, what was her surprise and delight to feel that
the weight of the sorrow, which had so oppressed her, was lightened.
She felt almost buoyant in her eagerness for Christmas to come.
And now a busy season began. It was hard to think of anything suitable
for the invalid, for had not the loving hands of his wife and children
provided everything that might add to the comfort of the beloved head
of the household?
There was one little feature that had been overlooked,
however--grandfather possessed no foot-warmers. So Alsie's energies
were at once set to work on these articles, which were destined to be
"real comforts" in the weeks which followed Christmas.
The story of grandfather's pie was soon spread, not only through the
family, but also to a large circle of friends. Everybody was cautioned,
however, to keep the secret from Mrs. Gordon, for it was decreed that
the faithful little "wifey" (no one had ever heard the Captain address
his wife by any other name than _that_, which he had bestowed upon her
during their honeymoon) should share the surprise and pleasure with her
husband.
"Mr. Doctor, what are you going to put in the Christmas pie?" exclaimed
Alice merrily one morning, after telling the physician of the plan.
"I think I'll contribute the turkey," he answered with a smile. "A
turkey, of course, which won't take up too much space, and the dressing
I'll put in that turkey will be calculated to make any sick man well.
Do you understand?"
Alice didn't quite understand, but was willing to leave the matter in
his hands.
Little Jack was quite worried that he could think of nothing to make
grandfather laugh, and one day when he was in the sick-chamber he
blurted out, "Grandfather, what would you rather have me give you for
Christmas than anything else?"
The laugh came then--before time--for it explained to grandfather the
uneasy, doubtful expression which had enveloped the little lad's face
just previous to the asking of the question.
"Well, I'll tell you, Jack, what would please me more than anything
else--a perfect report from your teacher. If you could bring me this, on
Christmas Day, I would know that it meant hard work for a boy, who is as
fond of play and mischief as you."
Nothing more was said on the subject, but little Jack passed out of the
room with a stern resolution that that report should be forthcoming, and
when Aunt Alice was told of it she exclaimed enthusiastically, "O, Jacky
boy, you _must_ get that perfect report, even if it does mean hard work,
and we'll lay it in the very center of the pie, sealed up in the
prettiest Christmas envelope that I can paint."