_CHAPTER III.—Mary Ellen’s Christmas and New-Year’s._
Two other celebrations followed little Mary Ellen’s birthday as fast as
possible. Mary Ellen’s mama said the baby’s six grandmothers made her
dizzy with their frolicsome plans.
[Illustration: THE SIX STOCKINGS.]
But Christmas was coming, and certainly a baby’s first Christmas must be
celebrated.
Great-grandmother Day, one of Mary Ellen’s father’s grandmothers, said
one day to Mama Nan, “I suppose Mary Ellen has six stockings?”
“Why, yes, I suppose so—why do you ask?”
“You may hang them for her Christmas Eve,” said the venerable lady.
“Stockings have never been hung in this house, but Mary Ellen probably
will have to be indulged.”
Great-grandmother Day was the oldest of the four great-grandmothers.
She was a very dignified old lady, and wore steel-bowed spectacles and
carried a snuff-box in her pocket with a vanilla bean in it, and was
treated with the greatest respect throughout the house.
Christmas Eve, six baby socks hung in a row in the nursery, and what do
you think was in them next morning?
Six tiny packages, just alike. There were six fifty-dollar bank notes.
Each was labelled: “_To be kept for Mary Ellen’s wedding-dress._”
Mary Ellen’s mama looked as if she would cry. Papa Dick said, “I wonder
what these grandmothers will do next!”
Mary Ellen’s next celebration was on New-Year’s Day. Nothing would do but
that the Baby must make New-Year’s calls. Her mama feared she might take
cold from “drafts,” being carried in and out of so many rooms, but Papa
Dick said, “O, bundle her up!”
So New-Year’s morning Mary Ellen was dressed in her long white cashmere
cape-cloak and her white velvet hood, and was carried about the house,
up stairs and down, to call on her grandmothers in their own rooms.
She was quite equal to the occasion. She said, “Da-da, da-da!” (“Happy
New-Year!”) to each and every one who took her mite of a hand, and came
home to her crib with something shut fast in her fingers her mama did not
see at all!
_Ella Farman Pratt._
[Illustration: MAKING NEW-YEAR’S CALLS.]