AN ADVANCE CHRISTMAS GIFT
The ten days before Christmas flew by like Bandersnatches. Patty had a
long list of friends to whom she wanted to give presents, and though she
had brought home a lot of what Kenneth called "foreign junk," she had no
notion of giving it all away.
Of course, the lovely fans, beads, and scarves she brought made lovely
gifts for the girls, and the little curios and souvenirs were all right
for the boys, but there were so many friends, and her relatives beside,
that she soon realised she would have little left for herself. And,
though unselfish, she did want to retain some mementos of her foreign
trip.
So shopping was necessary, and nearly every day she went with Nan or
Elise to buy the Christmas wares that the city shops displayed.
"And I do think," she said, "that things are just as pretty and just as
cheap here as over there."
"Some things," agreed Nan.
"Yes; I mean just the regular wares. Of course, for Roman silks and
Florentine mosaics it's better to shop where they grow. What's father
going to give me, Nan?"
"Inquisitive creature! I shouldn't tell you if I knew, but as I don't
know, and he doesn't either, I may as well tell you that he'd be glad of
a hint. What would you like?"
"Honestly, I don't know of a thing! Isn't it awful to have everything you
want?"
"You're a contented little girl, Patty. And that's a noble trait, I
admit. But just at Christmas time it's trying. Now, if you only wanted a
watch, or a diamond ring, or some trifle like that, I'd be glad to give
your father a hint."
"Thank you, stepmamma," said Patty, smiling; "but I have a watch, and I'm
too young for diamonds. I can't help it if I'm amply supplied with this
world's goods. And think of the lots of gifts I'll get, anyway! Perhaps
father'd better just give me the money and let me put it in the bank
against a rainy day."
"Why, Patty, you're not getting mercenary, I hope! What do you want of
money in the bank?"
Patty looked earnest.
"No, I don't think I'm mercenary," she said, slowly, "but, Nan, you never
know what may happen. Suppose father should lose all his money."
"Nonsense! he can't do that. It's most carefully invested, and you know,
Patty, he thinks of retiring from business in a year or two more."
"I know it," said Patty, with a little sigh. "I know we're rich. Not
wealthy, like the Farringtons, but plenty rich enough. Only, you often
hear of rich men losing their money, and sometimes I think I ought to
save up some."
"Goosie!" said Nan, smiling fondly at her; "don't bother your curly head
about such things before it's necessary."
"All right, then, I won't," said Patty, shaking the curly head and
smiling back.
That afternoon she went to see Clementine Morse. Clementine had called
one day when Patty was not at home, so this was the first time the girls
had met since Patty's return.
The maid asked Patty to go right up to Clementine's own room, and there
Patty found her friend surrounded by what looked like a whirlwind of
rainbow-coloured rags.
On tables, chairs, and even on the floor, were scraps and bits of silks,
satins, ribbons, and laces, and in a low chair sat Clementine, sewing
rapidly, as if for dear life.
But at sight of Patty, she jumped up, upsetting her work-basket, and flew
to greet her guest.
"You dear thing!" she cried, as she embraced her; "I was so sorry not to
see you when I called. I should have come again, but I'm so rushed with
Christmas work, that I can't go anywhere until Christmas is over. Do take
off your things and sit down, and don't mind if I go on sewing, will you?
I can talk just as well, you know."
"Apparently you can!" said Patty, laughing, for as she chatted,
Clementine had already resumed her work, and her fingers flew nimbly
along the satin seams. "What _are_ you doing?"
"Dressing dolls," said Clementine, as she threaded her needle; "and I've
forty-five still to do,--but their underclothing is done, so it's only a
matter of frocks, and some hats. Did you have a good time in Europe?"
Clementine talked very fast, apparently to keep time with her flying
fingers, and as Patty picked up a lot of dry goods in order that she
might occupy the chair they were in, her hostess rattled on.
"How did you like Venice? Was it lovely by moonlight? Oh, would you put
this scarlet velvet on the spangled lace,--or save it for this white
chiffon?"
"Clementine! do keep still a minute!" cried Patty; "you'll drive me
frantic! What _are_ you doing with all these dolls?"
"Dressing them. How did you like Paris? Was it very gay? And was London
smoky,--foggy, I mean?"
"Yes; everything was gay or smoky or lovely by moonlight, or just what it
ought to be. Now tell me _why_ you dress four hundred million dolls all
at once."
"Oh, they're for the Sunshine Babies. Was Naples very dirty? How did you
like----"
"Clementine, you leave the map of Europe alone. I'm talking now! What are
Sunshine Babies?"
"Why, the babies that the Sunshine Society gives a Christmas to. And
there's oceans of babies, and they all want dolls,--I guess the boys must
like dolls, too, they want so many. And, oh, Patty, they're the dearest
little things,--the babies, I mean,--and I just _love_ to dress dolls for
them. I'd rather do it than to make presents for my rich friends."
Suddenly Patty felt a great wave of self-compunction. She had planned and
prepared gifts for all her friends, and for most of her relatives, but
for the poor she had done nothing! To charity she had given no thought!
And at Christmas, when all the world should feel the spirit of good will
to men, she had utterly neglected to remember those less fortunate than
herself.
"What's the matter?" said Clementine, dismayed by Patty's expression of
remorse.
"I'm a pig!" said Patty; "there's no other word for such a horrid thing
as I am! Why, Clementine, I've made presents for nearly everybody I know,
and I haven't done a thing for charity! Did you ever know such an
ungrateful wretch?"
"Oh, it isn't too late, yet," said Clementine, not quite understanding
why Patty was so serious about it; "here, help me sew these."
She tossed her some tiny satin sleeves, already cut and basted, and
offered a furnished work-basket.
"'Deed I will!" said Patty, and in a few moments she too was sewing, as
deftly, if not quite so rapidly, as Clementine.
"You see, Clem," she went on, "I've been so busy ever since I came home,
that I simply forgot the poor people. And now it's too late."
"It's too late to make things," agreed Clementine, "but not too late to
buy them."
"But I've spent all my Christmas money," said Patty, contritely. "Father
gives me a liberal allowance, and then extra, for Christmas money. And
it's just about all gone, and I hate to ask him for more."
"Well, never mind, Patsy, you can make up for it next year. And if you
help me dress these dolls, that will square up your conscience."
"No, it won't. But I'll find a way to do something, somehow. Are these
Sunshine people all babies?"
"Oh, no; the society helps all sorts of poor people, children and
grown-ups too. Mother is one of the directors, and we do a lot of this
doll-dressing every year."
"Well, I'll help you a while this afternoon, but I won't have another
chance. You see just about every moment is taken up from now till
Christmas."
"You're going to the Farringtons', aren't you?"
"Yes, for three or four days, while Nan and father are in Philadelphia at
Nan's mother's. You're coming to the Christmas Eve dance, of course?"
"Yes, indeed. It's to be a lovely party. The Farringtons always have such
beautiful entertainments. Now, Patty, do tell me about your trip."
So Patty told many tales of her stay in Paris and in England, and of her
pleasure trip through Italy, and as she talked, her fingers flew, and she
had soon completed three doll dresses, that were quite as pretty and
well-made as Clementine's.
"Now, I must go," she said, at last. "I'm glad to have been of a little
help, and next year I'll help you a lot. Though, I suppose your Sunshine
Babies _could_ have dolls when it isn't Christmas."
"Oh, yes; these are for their Tree, you know."
"Well, Clem, if I should have some money left me unexpectedly, is it too
late to buy some toys for the Tree?"
"I don't know," said Clementine, "but we can ask mother. She'll know."
They found Mrs. Morse in her sitting-room, tying up parcels and
addressing them.
Patty soon discovered that these were all charitable gifts, and not
presents to Mrs. Morse's own friends.
"I'm so glad I came here to-day," she said, after the welcoming greetings
were over, "for it has roused my charitable instincts. I am quite sure,
Mrs. Morse, I can send some toys for your society's tree, if you want
them."
"Want them? Indeed we do! Why, Patty, there are forty little boys who
want drums or trumpets and we can only give them candy and an orange.
It's harder than you'd think to get subscriptions to our funds at
Christmas time, and though we've dolls enough, we do so want toys for the
boys."
"Well, I'll send you some, Mrs. Morse. I'll send them to-morrow. Do you
care what they are?"
"No, indeed. Drums, or balls, or tin carts,--anything that a boy-child
can play with."
"Well, you may depend on me for the forty," said Patty, smiling, for she
had formed a sudden, secret resolve.
"Why, Patty, dear, how kind of you! I am so glad, for those children were
on my mind, and I've already asked every one I know to give to our fund.
You are a generous little girl, and I know it will gladden your own heart
as well as the children's."
Patty ran away, and all the way home her heart was full of her project.
"If he will only consent," she thought. "If not, I don't know how I shall
keep my promise. Oh, well, I know I can coax him to say yes."
After dinner that evening, Patty put her plan into action.
"Father Fairfield," she said, "what are you going to give me for a
Christmas gift?"
"Well, Pattykins, that's not considered a correct question in polite
society."
"Then let's be impolite, just for this once. Do tell me, daddy."
"You embarrass me exceedingly, young lady," said Mr. Fairfield, smiling
at her, "for, to tell you the truth, I haven't bought you anything."
"Oh, I'm so glad!" exclaimed Patty, "for, father, I want to ask you a
great favour. Won't you give me the money instead, and let me spend it as
I like?"
"That would be a funny Christmas gift. I thought you liked some pretty
trinket, tied up in holly paper and red ribbons and Santa Claus seals,
and served to you on a silver salver."
"Well, I do, from other people. But from you, I just want the money that
my present would cost, and--I want it now!"
"Bless my soul! She wants it now! Why, Patsy, what are you going to do?
Buy stock?"
"No, but I do want it, father. Won't you give it to me, and I'll tell you
afterward what I'm going to do with it."
"I'll tell you now," said Nan, smiling at the pair. "She's going to put
it in the bank, because she's afraid she'll be poor some day."
"I don't wonder you think that, stepmothery," said Patty, her eyes
twinkling at Nan, "for I did tell you so. But since then I've changed my
mind, and though I want my present from father in cash, I'm going to
spend it before Christmas, and not put it in the bank at all."
"Well, you are a weathercock, Patty. But before morning you will have
changed your mind again!"
"No, indeedy! It's made up to stay this time. So give me the money like a
duck of a daddy, won't you?"
Patty was very wheedlesome, as she caressed her father's cheek, and
smiled into his eyes.
"Well, as you don't often make a serious request, and as you seem to be
in dead earnest this time, I rather think I shall have to say yes."
"Oh, you dear, good, lovely father!" cried Patty, embracing him. "Will
you give it to me now, and how much will it be?"
"Patty," said Nan, laughing, "you're positively sordid! I never saw you
so greedy for money before."
Patty laughed outright. Now that she had gained her point she felt in gay
spirits.
"Friends," she said, "you see before you a pauper,--a penniless pauper!
Therefore, and because of which, and by reason of the fact that I am in
immediate need of money, I stoop to this means of obtaining it, and, as
aforesaid, I'd like it now!"
She held out her rosy palm to her father, and stood waiting expectantly.
"Only one hand!" exclaimed Mr. Fairfield, in surprise. "I thought such a
grasping young woman would expect both hands filled."
"All right," said Patty, and she promptly extended her other palm, too.
Putting both his hands in his pockets, Mr. Fairfield drew them out again,
and then laid a ten-dollar goldpiece on each of Patty's outstretched
palms.
"Oh, you dear daddy!" she cried, as she clasped the gold in her fingers;
"you lovely parent! This is the nicest Christmas gift I ever had, and now
I'll tell you all about it."
So she told them, quite seriously, how she had really forgotten to give
the poor and the suffering any share of her own Christmas cheer, and how
this was the only way she could think of to remedy her neglect.
"And it's so lovely," she concluded; "for there are forty little
boy-children. And with this money I can get them each a fifty-cent
present."
"So you can," said Nan. "I'll go with you to-morrow to select them. And
if we can get some cheaper than fifty cents, and I think we can, you'll
have a little left for extras."
"That's so," agreed Patty. "They often have lovely toys for about
thirty-nine cents, and I could get some marbles or something to fill up."
"To fill up what?" asked her father.
"Oh, to fill up the tree. Or I'll get some ornaments, or some tinsel to
decorate it. Oh, father, you are so good to me! This is a lovely
Christmas present."