A more beautiful Christmas Day could scarcely have been imagined than
dawned the next morning. The earth was covered with a carpet of snow,
and the trees seemed to glisten with diamonds as the sun rose, although
the air was crisp and frosty.
"Merry Christmas!" sounded in Alice's ears before she had fully wakened,
and looking round with a somewhat sleepy expression she beheld the form
of her beloved pet, arrayed in pink dressing-gown and slippers. A
beaming smile adorned the face of the little girl, although the greeting
had been so subdued as to be scarcely more than a whisper.
"I just couldn't wait to show you how well I look in them!" exclaimed
Alsie as she jumped into bed with Alice, and almost smothered her with
hugs and kisses. "You can always think of the prettiest things for me,
dear Auntee, and I do love pink so dearly," she continued with an
affectionate glance at the pretty slippers, adorned with the daintiest
of ribbon rosettes.
"Did grandfather have a good night? Do you think he will be able to come
into the library?"
"One question at a time, dear. I rather think father had a good rest,
for I heard the nurse only once during the night, and that is a good
indication. If he is as well as he was yesterday, I feel sure Dick can
bring him into the library, and the couch is there, so that he can lie
down if he gets tired."
Almost an hour was spent in showing the contents of Alsie's stocking and
discussing plans for the day.
"Perhaps we had better get dressed now, and be ready for breakfast when
it comes, but of course we mustn't disturb father, even though it _is_
Christmas morning," said Alice with a smile, and she began to make haste
with her toilet.
"Have you ever noticed what a long wait people have for breakfast on
Christmas morning, Auntee?"
"That's because some people rise at such unearthly hours," answered
Alice with a laugh, "but run along now, Alsie, and let's see which will
be dressed first."
An hour later found the family grouped around the breakfast table. Each
member had been in to the sick-room and given his greeting to the dear
invalid, who had appeared so bright and cheerful that he seemed almost
like his old merry self. When Alsie was recounting to him all the pretty
things she had found in her stocking, he said, teasingly, "Now don't get
into mine, too--I'm going to wait until Uncle Dick and his little tots
come before I take my allotted hour in the library."
By ten o'clock Uncle Dick's family had arrived, and the big, stalwart
son went into the sick-room to assist the pale, weak father into the
library. A pang came to the heart of the former as he thought of what a
contrast was this Christmas with the one of a year before, when the now
wasted form had been so vigorous and handsome. A feeling of misgiving
came as to what the next Christmas would bring to them.
When the chair was rolled into the library, what a sight was displayed
to the wondering eyes of the astonished old gentleman!
The room was almost transformed in appearance with the elaborate
decorations, and, added to this feast for the eyes, was the perfume
of fresh flowers, for several boxes of roses and carnations had come
in with Christmas greetings during the early hours of the morning.
Grandfather's breath was almost taken away. He looked at the eager
faces gathered all round him, and said helplessly, "What does it mean?
I don't exactly understand."
"It's _your_ Christmas pie, grandfather, for we couldn't let the day
go by without your having a taste. When you find all the good things
that are in that pie I don't think you'll feel slighted, even if Aunt
Bettie's _mince_ pie is denied," exclaimed Alsie enthusiastically.
"Yes, light in," added Uncle Dick, "and I'm here to help you, so we'll
station ourselves around the fire and all assist _you_ to enjoy it,
slice by slice."
For a little while, however, it was only inspected, as Alice told the
story of how the idea had come to little Alsie, and how all of them had
assisted in working it out. Uncle Dick finally lifted off the top and a
perfect network of narrow Christmas ribbons was disclosed.
"Each ribbon holds a dainty morsel," said Emily, as grandfather reached
forth his hand to grasp one. The first "draw" was a fortunate one, for
it proved to be a tender note of love and greeting from one of his most
faithful and valued friends. The next brought forth Aunt Bettie's
biscuit man, which looked so funny that every one burst into laughter.
Then books and presents of many varieties followed. Every few minutes a
card would be drawn out bearing a message from some dear relative or
friend in a distant city or State. These tender reminders that so many
of his friends were thinking of him with affection and sending him such
cordial good wishes and hopes for recovery seemed to please Captain
Gordon greatly.
As for the little "wifey"--she just sat at her husband's side and
enjoyed the same measure of surprise and pleasure.
The package of receipted bills--gorgeously done up in Christmas
style--was not forgotten, and brought forth the predicted satisfaction,
even if there was considerable laughing also.
"Handle this with care," laughed Uncle Dick, as he gayly lifted out the
tiny basket of eggs. "This is one slice of the pie at least that you can
eat."
The lemon was pulled out in the course of time and proved not to be too
sour for enjoyment. Alsie waited patiently for the envelope containing
the "Reminiscence," and at last, when it came forth, she drew very close
to grandfather to watch him open it. A puzzled look was on his face as
he unfolded several yellow sheets of paper and recognized his own
handwriting. He began to read a few lines, however, and a kindly smile
spread over his countenance.
"I rather think this will interest somebody else, too. Suppose you read
it aloud, Dick," remarked grandfather.
It was dated ten years before, and proved to be one of the vivid,
interesting letters that none could write so well as Captain Gordon.
It was written at the time of Alice's memorable year's trip abroad with
some friends. Alsie was then a tiny girl of two years. The letter gave
a detailed account of one of baby's escapades. It read as follows:
"The Old Kentucky Home.
"My dear Alice:
"It pleases me greatly to know that my young daughter is having
such a glorious time abroad with her friends, even though I do
miss her sorely at home. The letter written by me a day or two
ago, which will probably reach you along with this, informs you
that we are all well at home, and it contains as much neighborhood
gossip as Wifey was able to think of at the hour of my writing,
along with considerable instruction about certain points in
sightseeing. Your letter this morning, telling the amusing little
story of the Italian baby, made me wonder if you wouldn't like a
'baby letter' in return. So here is the answer:
"Last Sunday morning your little namesake was dressed up in her
prettiest white dress, with an abundance of blue ribbon adornment,
and seated on the front porch, with careful instruction not to
soil her clothes but to wait for mother to get ready to escort her
to Sunday-school. It developed later that the first part of the
injunction seemed to make an impression to the exclusion of the
last order. At any rate, Alsie's mamma was somewhat delayed in her
preparations, and when, twenty minutes or half an hour later, she
appeared on the porch, no baby was in sight. A number of calls
brought forth no response; a messenger was dispatched to the back
lot, where the dandelions grow, another to the north side of the
house, where the little maiden has been so occupied recently picking
violets, while still other couriers were hastily despatched to all
the neighbors. The report came back from all--no baby girl had been
seen by anybody. The situation began to be a little alarming. The
messengers were again started out, with instructions to go farther
and report at once if any trace was found.
"Ten or fifteen minutes passed, and by this time Alsie's mamma was
in a most excited state of mind, as you may well imagine, and felt
perfectly sure that the little curly-headed damsel had been kidnaped.
She was reproaching herself roundly for putting such a tempting
morsel of humanity right into the hands of the cruel villians, when
a sharp ring of the telephone brought the remnant of the family, who
were not on searching duty, flying to the table in the hall, which
as you know holds the receiver.
"Being the least agitated member of the group, I boldly called
'hello,' and was asked by a masculine voice if Mrs. Stratton's little
daughter didn't have blue eyes and brown hair and if she wore a white
dress with blue----
"It was not necessary to finish the description. My informant then
stated that the little lady in question was at that moment occupying
a high seat on top of the counter at the drug store, which you know
is some five blocks away, and was surrounded by an admiring group
of men and boys, to whom she was affably chatting. He said that she
refused to be led away, but was quite happy to eat the candy, chew
the gum, and play with the various other offerings that were handed
out by the amused group of auditors.
"Of course I started at once, and a few moments later I walked in on
the baby, who was sitting, according to description, on the counter,
explaining, 'Must keep dress kean--mamma take me Sunny Sool.' When
I entered she held out her little hands to me with such an innocent,
happy smile that I had not the heart to scold; but it was some time
before I could persuade her to return to poor mamma, to whom the
scant hour's parting seemed almost a year.
"You can imagine the rest of the story, but to relieve your
misgivings I'll assure you that the cunning little tot escaped the
well-merited punishment.
"This is quite a letter, so I'll wait a few days to write again.
As you're probably in France by this time, I'll close my letter
with an _au revoir_.
Yours, &c.,
R. A. Gordon."
Alsie's cheeks glowed with excitement during the reading of this letter,
and at its close she exclaimed, "O, Auntee, have you had it all these
years and never showed it to me?"
"It was among my foreign letters, dear, and I had not thought of it
for some time, but I well remember what a pleasure it was to read that
letter and hear of the escapade of the dear little baby namesake at
home. I have always meant to show it to you when you were old enough to
enjoy it," answered Alice.
After a good deal of laughter and comments among the various members
of the family, the card bearing the order to look behind the piano on
the left side was pulled out of the pie, and Uncle Dick was dispatched
for the package. It proved to be the huge box containing the silken
coverlet. Grandmother's enthusiasm was awakened at the sight, and she
commented many times on its softness, warmth, and beauty.
Books, cards, and gifts of all descriptions from the little tots, were
taken out, inspected and complimented, to the immense satisfaction of
the younger members of the family and the entertainment of the older
ones of the group.
It really seemed impossible to empty that pie, but after an hour or more
had been spent in the occupation the ribbons began to grow thin.
"This is to be the last one," said Alice, slipping her hand over a
ribbon that Captain Gordon was just about to pick up.
"All right--just as you like. There have been so many goodies in this
pie that I hardly see how it would be possible for anything better to
be saved for the last," answered Captain Gordon with a loving smile.
The last ribbon was finally drawn, and tied to the end was the "box
of fruit" that Alice had taken such pains to make attractive. Captain
Gordon slowly untied the ribbon and took the top off the box. He picked
up a small sealed envelope bearing the inscription, "A plum from Dick,"
and in it was a shining gold piece. Each little envelope (and there were
quite a number) contained a peach, a plum, a raisin, a currant, or a
date. The "plums" were all gold pieces, but the checks were put in under
other names--according to their value--and the silver pieces and bright
pennies were all in the raisin and currant envelopes.
One envelope, bearing the name "Date," when opened disclosed a small
card on which was written: