DUNMORE'S LAST CHRISTMAS
When Mrs. Harold's little breakfast party returned to her sitting-room,
she dropped into her favorite chair before the blazing log fire,
motioning to the others to gather about her. Polly and Peggy promptly
perched upon the arms of her chair, nestling close; Durand squatted,
Turk-fashion, upon a big cushion at her feet. Wheedles leaned with
unstudied grace against the mantel-shelf, while Happy, Ralph, and
Shortie seated themselves upon the big couch whose capacity seemed to be
something like the magic tent of the Arabian Nights' tale, and capable
of indefinite expansion.
"What is it, Little Mother?" asked Wheedles, while Durand glanced up
with his deep, dark eyes, and a slight quiver of the sensitive mouth.
"Just a little plan I have for Dunmore's happiness today" she answered,
alluding to a second-classman who had been severely injured upon the
football field late in October, and who had been paralyzed ever since.
His people lived far away and it was difficult for them to reach him,
and the day would have been a sad one but for his chums in the Academy
and his many friends.
Among these latter none were more devoted than Mrs. Harold and Polly,
for Lewis Dunmore had been one of the Little Mother's boys since he
first entered the Academy and she was nearly heart-broken at the serious
outcome of his accident, as no hope was entertained of his recovery.
All knew this, and the tenderest sympathy went out to the sick lad who
had never for a moment ceased to hope for ultimate recovery and whose
patience, courage and cheerfulness under conditions so terrible, filled
with admiration the hearts of all who knew him.
Polly had been untiring in her devotion to him, and "the little foster-
sister," as he called her, spent many an hour in the hospital, reading,
talking, or whistling like a bird, for whistling was Polly's sole
accomplishment. Peggy often went with her, for she loved to make others
happy, and many a weary hour was made less weary for him by the two
girls, and Peggy had sent many a dainty dish from Severndale, or the
fruit and flowers for which it was noted. She knew Polly and Mrs.
Howland had planned something for Christmas day, but waited for them to
tell her, feeling delicate about asking questions. She had sent over
every dainty she could think of and great bunches of mistletoe.
Mrs. Harold smiled upon the young faces she loved so dearly and said
"Yesterday morning Polly and I sent up a lot of Christmas greens and a
tree for Lewis, and later went up to dress it, arranging with the nurses
to put it in his room when he was sleeping that it might be the first
thing his eyes fell upon when he wakened this morning. He has probably
been looking at it many an hour, but we told the nurses we would come up
about ten-thirty to give him the presents. We wanted to make it a merry
hour for him, and so a lot of nonsensical things were put on for his
friends also, among them you boys and some others to whom I have
written, and who will meet us there. Can you join us?"
"Can we! Well why not? Sure! Poor old chap!" were some of the hearty
responses.
"I knew I could count upon you, so let us start at once. Go get ready,
girls."
The girls flew to their room and a moment later came back coated and
furred, for the walk up to the hospital on the hill was a bleak one. The
boys were inured to all sorts of weather, and their heavy overcoats were
a safe protection against it. It was a merry, frolicking party which set
forth, and as they crossed the athletic field a lively snowballing took
place, for a light snow had fallen the day before, turning the Yard into
a beautiful white world.
Mrs. Harold was not to be outdone by any of her young people, but
catching up handfuls of snow in her woolen-gloved hands tossed snowballs
with the best of them.
The contrast from the joy, the vigorous health of the group entering
Dunmore's room to the still, helpless figure lying upon the cot was
pathetic. The invalid could not move his head, but his great brown eyes,
and fine mouth smiled his welcome to his friends, and he said:
"Oh, it was great! Great! I saw it the first thing when I woke up. And
the holly and mistletoe up here over my bed. I don't see how they got it
hung there without my knowing when they did it."
"That was our secret," cried Polly. "And Peggy sent over the mistletoe
from Severndale, though she didn't know we were to have the tree."
"Peggy, you are all right," was Dunmore's hearty praise. "But that tree
is the prettiest thing ever. I'm as crazy as a kid about it. I sort of
dreaded Christmas, but you people have fixed it up all right and I'm no
end grateful. It's a great day after all."
Peggy who was standing where Dunmore could not see her glanced at Polly.
Polly nodded in quick understanding. "The day all right," and the poor
lad helpless as some lifeless thing. The girls' eyes filled with quick
tears which they hastened to wink away, for not for worlds would they
have saddened what both knew to be the last Christmas Lewis could pass
in this world, and Polly cried:
"Now, Tanta, let us have the presents!" For an hour the room was the
scene of a happy merrymaking, as Shortie, because he was "built on lines
to reach the top-gallants," they said, distributed the gifts, funny or
dainty, and Lewis' bed looked like a stand in a bazaar. Mrs. Harold had
given him a downy bathrobe; Peggy had made him a hop pillow; Polly had
made up a nonsense jingle for each day for a month, sealing each in an
envelope and labelling it with dire penalties if read before the date
named.
But best of all, the class had sent him his class-ring and when it was
slipped upon his finger by his roommate, the poor lad broke down
completely.
Mrs. Harold hastened to the bedside and the others did their best to
relieve the situation.
The class-ring is never worn by a second-classman until the last exam is
passed by the first class. Then the new class-rings blossom forth in all
their glory, for this ring is peculiarly significant: It is looked
forward to as one of the greatest events in the class' history, and is a
badge of union forever.
Realizing that Dunmore could not be with them when the time came for
them to put on their own, his classmates had unanimously voted to give
him his as a Christmas gift, and nothing they could have done could
possibly have meant so much to him. He was prouder than he had ever been
before in his life, but--with the gift came the faint premonition of the
inevitable; the first doubt of future recovery; the first hint that
perhaps he had been harboring false hopes, and it almost overwhelmed
him, and Mrs. Harold read it all in a flash. But Peggy saved the day.
Slipping to his side she said:
"Aren't you proud to be the very first to wear it? They wanted to give
you a Christmas present, but couldn't think of a single thing you'd
enjoy while you were so ill. Then they thought of the ring. Of course
you could enjoy THAT, and there was no reason in the world that you
shouldn't either, and the other boys will be happy seeing you wear it
and count the days before they can put theirs on. And it is such a
beauty, isn't it? We are all so glad you've got it. You can just wiggle
your finger and crow over the others every time they come to visit you."
Lewis looked up at her and smiled. He understood better than she guessed
why she had talked so fast, and was grateful, but the pang was beneath
the smile nevertheless.
Then dinner-hour drawing near the white-capped nurse came in as a gentle
hint that her patient had had about all the excitement he could stand,
and Mrs. Harold suggested their departure. Their last glance showed them
Lewis Dunmore looking at his class-ring, for he could move that arm just
enough to enable him to raise the hand within his range of vision.
The week following was a happy one for all. Each afternoon an informal
dance was given in the gymnasium and the girls pranced to their hearts'
content. As the week drew to an end the weather grew colder and colder
until with Saturday came a temperature which froze College Creek solid.
This was most unusual for the season, but was hailed with wild
rejoicings by the boys and girls, for skating is a rare novelty in
Annapolis.
Saturday dawned an ideal winter day, clear, cold, and white.
"Can you skate, Peggy?" asked Polly, diving into her closet for a pair
of skates which she had brought South with her, though with small hope
of using them.
"Y--e--s," answered Peggy, doubtfully. "I can skate--after a fashion,
but I'm afraid my skating will not show to very great advantage beside
yours, you Northern lassie."
"Nonsense. I'll wager one of Aunt Cynthia's cookies that you can skate
as well as I can, though you never would admit it."
There had not been much chance for stirring exercise for the girls since
the snow fell and really cold weather set in, for there was not much
pleasure in riding under such conditions, and they had both missed the
healthy outdoor sport. But the prospect of skating set them both a-
tingle to get upon the ice and they were eagerly awaiting the official
order from the Academy, for no one is allowed upon the ice until it is
pronounced entirely safe by the authorities, and the Commandant gives
permission. Of course, this does not apply to the townspeople or to that
section of the creek beyond the limits of the Academy, but it is very
rigidly enforced within it. As the girls were eager to learn whether the
brigade would have permission that afternoon, they went over to hear the
orders read at luncheon formation, and came back nearly wild with
delight to inform Mrs. Harold that not only was permission granted but
that the band would play at the edge of the creek from four until six
o'clock.
"And if THAT won't be ideal I'd like to know what can be," cried Polly,
and scarcely had she spoken when the telephone rang.
"Hello. Yes, it's Polly. Of course we can. What time! To the very
minute. Yes, Peggy's right here beside me and fairly dancing up and down
to know what we are talking about. No, don't come out for us; we will
meet you at the gate at three-thirty sharp. Good-bye," and snapping the
receiver into its socket, Polly whirled about to catch Peggy in a
regular bear hug and cry:
"It was Happy. He and the others want us ALL to come over at three-
thirty. Aunt Janet, too. They have an ice-chair for her; they borrowed
it from someone. Oh, won't it be fun!"
Peggy's dark eyes sparkled, then she said: "But my skates. They are 'way
out at Severndale."
Without a word Mrs. Harold walked to the telephone and a moment later
was talking with Harrison. The skates would be sent in by the two
o'clock car. Promptly at three-thirty the girls and Mrs. Harold entered
the Maryland Avenue gate where they were met by Shortie, Wheedles,
Happy, Durand and Ralph; Durand promptly appropriating Peggy, while
Ralph, cried:
"Come on, Polly, this is going to be like old times up at Montgentian."
It would have been hard to picture a prettier sight than the skaters
presented that afternoon, the boys in their heavy reefers and woolen
watch-caps; the girls in toboggan caps and sweaters. Over in the west
the sky was a rich rosy glow, for the sun sinks behind the hills by
four-thirty during the short winter afternoons. The Naval Academy band
stationed at the edge of the broad expanse of the ice-bound creek was
sending its inspiring strains out across the keen, frosty air which
seemed to hold and toy with each note as though reluctant to let it die
away.
The boys took turns in pushing Mrs. Harold's chair, spinning it along
over the smooth surface of the ice in the wake of Peggy, Polly and the
others, who now and again joined hands to "snap-the-whip," "run-the-
train," or go through some pretty figure. Polly and Ralph were clever at
this and very soon Peggy caught the trick. The creek was crowded, for
nearly half the town as well as the people from the Yard were enjoying
the rare treat.
The band had just finished a beautiful waltz to which all had swung
across the creek in perfect rhythm, when one of the several enlisted
men, stationed along the margin of the creek, and equipped with stout
ropes and heavy planks in the event of accident, sounded "attention" on
a bugle. Instantly, every midshipman, officer, or those in any way
connected with the Academy, halted and stood at attention to hear the
order.
"No one will be allowed to go below the bridge. Ice is not safe," rang
out the order.
Nearly every one heard and to hear was, of course, to obey for all in
the Academy, but there are always heedless ones, or stupid ones in this
world, and in the numbers gathered upon the ice that afternoon there
were plenty of that sort, and it sometimes seems as though they were
sent into this world to get sensible people into difficulties. Of course
the heedless ones were too busy with their own concerns to pay heed to
the warning. A group of young girls from the town were skating together
close to the lower bridge. Durand and Peggy were near the Marine
Barracks shore, when they became aware of their reckless venturing upon
the dangerous ice.
"Durand, look," cried Peggy. "Those girls must be crazy to go out there
after hearing that order."
"They probably never heard it at all. Some of those cits make me tired.
They seem to have so little sense. Now I'll bet my sweater that every
last person connected with the Yard heard it, but, I'd bet TWO sweaters
that not half the people from the town did, yet there was no reason they
shouldn't. It was read for their benefit just exactly as much as ours,
but they act as though we belonged to some other world and the orders
were for our benefit, but their undoing."
"Not quite so bad as all that, I hope," laughed Peggy, as they joined
hands and swung away. A moment later she gave a sharp cry. Durand had
turned and was skating backward with Peggy "in tow." He spun around just
in time to see a little girl about ten years of age throw up her hands
and crash through the rotten ice. Peggy had seen her as she laughingly
broke away from the group of older girls to dart beneath the bridge.
"Quick! Beat it for help," shouted Durand, flinging off his reefer and
striking out for the screaming girls. He had not made ten strides when a
second girl in rushing to her friend's assistance, went through too, the
others darting back to safer ice and shrieking for help. Durand now had
a proposition on hand in short order, but Peggy's wits worked rapidly:
If she left Durand to go for help he would have his hands more than
full. Moreover, the alarm had already been sounded and the Jackies were
coming on a run. So she did exactly as Durand was doing: laid flat upon
the ice and worked her way toward the second struggling victim. Durand
had caught the child and was doing his best to keep her afloat and
himself from being dragged into the freezing water, but Peggy's victim
was older and heavier.
"Oh, save me! Save me!" she screamed.
"Hush. Keep still and we'll get you out," commanded Peggy, doing her
utmost to keep free of the wildly thrashing arms, while holding on to
the girl's coat with all the strength of desperation. It would have gone
ill with the girl and Peggy, however, had not help come from the bridge
where the Jackies had acted as such men invariably do: promptly and
without fuss. In far less time than seemed possible, two of them, with
ropes firmly bound about their bodies, were in the water, while two more
pulled them and their struggling charges to safety, and two more in the
perfect order of their discipline drew Peggy and Durand from their
perilous situation, and just then Mrs. Harold's party came rushing up,
she and Polly white with terror.
"Peggy, Peggy, my little girl! If anything had happened to you," cried
Mrs. Harold, gathering her into her arms.
"But there hasn't. Not a single thing, Little Mother. I'm not hurt a
bit, and only a little wet and that won't hurt me because my clothes are
so thick." But the girl's voice shook and she trembled in spite of her
words, for the last few minutes had taxed both strength and courage.
Meantime the boys had gathered about Durand, but boy-like made light of
the episode though down in their hearts they knew it had required pluck
and steady nerve to do as he had done, and their admiration found
expression in hauling off their reefers to force them upon him, or in
giving him a clip upon the back and telling him he was "all right," and
to "come on back to Bancroft for a rub-down after his bath." But no one
underrated the courage of either and they were hurried home to be cared
for, though it was many hours before Mrs. Harold could throw off the
horror of what might have happened, and Peggy was a heroine for many a
day to her intense annoyance.