Oh!” as he felt the toe, which was generously stuffed, “give it to me,
Polly Pepper, and I'll run right back to bed again!”
“Dear me!” said Polly; “and you, too, Phronsie! Why, it's the middle of
the night! Did I ever!” and she had to pinch her mouth together tight
to keep from bursting out into a loud laugh. “Oh, dear, I shall laugh!
don't look so scared, Phronsie, there won't anything hurt you.” For
Phronsie who, on hearing Joel fumbling around the precious stockings,
had been quite willing to hop out of bed and join him, had now, on
Polly's saying the dire words “in the middle of the night,” scuttled
over to her protecting side like a frightened rabbit.
“It never'll be morning,” said Joel taking up first one cold toe and
then the other; “you might let us have 'em now, Polly.”
“No,” said Polly sobering down; “you can't have yours till Davie wakes
up, too. Scamper off to bed, Joey, dear, and forget all about 'em--and
it'll be morning before you know it.”
“Oh, I'd rather go to bed,” said Phronsie, trying to tuck up her feet in
the little flannel night-gown, which was rather short, “but I don't know
the way back, Polly. Take me, Polly, do,” and she put up her arms to be
carried.
“Oh, I ain't a-goin' back alone, either,” whimpered Joel, coming up to
Polly, too.
“Why, you came down alone, didn't you?” whispered Polly, with a little
laugh.
“Yes, but I thought 'twas morning,” said Joel, his teeth chattering with
something beside the cold.
“Well, you must think of the morning that's coming,” said Polly,
cheerily. “I'll tell you--you wait till I put Phronsie into the crib,
and then I'll come back and go half-way up the stairs with you.”
“I won't never come down till it's mornin' again,” said Joel, bouncing
along the stairs, when Polly was ready to go with him, at a great rate.
“Better not,” laughed Polly, softly. “Be careful and not wake Davie nor
Ben.”
“I'm in,” announced Joel, in a loud whisper; and Polly could hear him
snuggle down among the warm bedclothes. “Call us when 'tis mornin',
Polly.”
“Yes,” said Polly, “I will; go to sleep.”
Phronsie had forgotten stockings and everything else on Polly's return,
and was fast asleep in the old crib. The result of it was that the
children slept over, when morning did really come; and Polly had to
keep her promise, and go to the foot of the stairs and call--“MERRY
CHRISTMAS! oh, Ben! and Joel! and Davie!”
“Oh!--oh!--oo-h!” and then the sounds that answered her, as with
smothered whoops of expectation they one and all flew into their
clothes!
Quick as a flash Joel and Davie were down and dancing around the
chimney.
“Mammy! mammy!” screamed Phronsie, hugging her stocking, which Ben
lifted her up to unhook from the big nail, “Santy did come, he did!” and
then she spun around in the middle of the floor, not stopping to look in
it.
“Well, open it, Phronsie,” called Davie, deep in the exploring of his
own; “oh! isn't that a splendid wind-mill, Joe?”
“Yes,” said that individual, who, having found a big piece of molasses
candy, was so engaged in enjoying a huge bite that, regardless alike of
his other gifts or of the smearing his face was getting, he gave himself
wholly up to its delights.
“Oh, Joey,” cried Polly, laughingly, “molasses candy for breakfast!”
“That's prime!” cried Joel, swallowing the last morsel. “Now I'm going
to see what's this--oh, Dave, see here! see here!” he cried in intense
excitement, pulling out a nice little parcel which, unrolled, proved to
be a bright pair of stout mittens. “See if you've got some--look quick!”
“Yes, I have,” said David, picking up a parcel about as big. “No, that's
molasses candy.”
“Just the same as I had,” said Joel; “do look for the mittens. P'r'aps
Santa Claus thought you had some--oh, dear!”
“Here they are!” screamed Davie. “I have got some, Joe, just exactly
like yours! See, Joe!”
“Goody!” said Joel, immensely relieved; for now he could quite enjoy his
to see a pair on Davie's hands, also. “Look at Phron,” he cried, “she
hasn't got only half of her things out!”
To tell the truth, Phronsie was so bewildered by her riches that she
sat on the floor with the little red stocking in her lap, laughing and
cooing to herself amid the few things she had drawn out. When she came
to Seraphina's bonnet she was quite overcome. She turned it over and
over, and smoothed out the little white feather that had once adorned
one of Grandma Bascom's chickens, until the two boys with their
stockings, and the others sitting around in a group on the floor
watching them, laughed in glee to see her enjoyment.
“Oh, dear,” said Joel, at last, shaking his stocking; “I've got all
there is. I wish there were forty Christmases coming!”
“I haven't!” screamed Davie; “there's some thing in the toe.”
“It's an apple, I guess,” said Joel; “turn it up, Dave.”
“'Tisn't an apple,” exclaimed Davie, “tisn't round--it's long and thin;
here 'tis.” And he pulled out a splendid long whistle on which he blew
a blast long and terrible, and Joel immediately following, all quiet was
broken up, and the wildest hilarity reigned.
“I don't know as you'll want any breakfast,” at last said Mrs. Pepper,
when she had got Phronsie a little sobered down.
“I do, I do!” cried Joel.
“Dear me! after your candy?” said Polly.
“That's all gone,” said Joel, tooting around the table on his whistle.
“What are we going to have for breakfast?”
“Same as ever,” said his mother; “it can't be Christmas all the time.”
“I wish 'twas,” said little Davie; “forever and ever!”
“Forever an' ever,” echoed little Phronsie, flying up, her cheeks like
two pinks, and Seraphina in her arms with her bonnet on upside down.
“Dear, dear,” said Polly, pinching Ben to keep still as they tumbled
down the little rickety steps to the Provision Room, after breakfast.
The children, content in their treasures, were holding high carnival in
the kitchen. “Suppose they should find it out now--I declare I should
feel most awfully. Isn't it elegant?” she asked, in a subdued whisper,
going all around and around the tree, magnificent in its dress of bright
red and yellow balls, white festoons, and little candle-ends all ready
for lighting. “Oh, Ben, did you lock the door?”
“Yes,” he said. “That's a mouse,” he added, as a little rustling noise
made Polly stop where she stood back of the tree and prick up her ears
in great distress of mind. “'Tis elegant,” he said, turning around
in admiration, and taking in the tree which, as Polly said, was quite
“gorgeous,” and the evergreen branches twisted up on the beams and
rafters, and all the other festive arrangements. “Even Jappy's isn't
better, I don't believe!”
“I wish Jappy was here,” said Polly with a small sigh.
“Well, he isn't,” said Ben; “come, we must go back into the kitchen, or
all the children will be out here. Look your last, Polly; 'twon't do to
come again till it's time to light up.”
“Mammy says she'd rather do the lighting up,” said Polly. “Had she?”
said Ben, in surprise; “oh, I suppose she's afraid we'll set somethin'
a-fire. Well, then, we shan't come in till we have it.”
“I can't bear to go,” said Polly, turning reluctantly away; “it's most
beautiful--oh, Ben,” and she faced him for the five-hundredth time with
the question, “is your Santa Claus dress all safe?”
“Yes,” said Ben, “I'll warrant they won't find that in one hurry! Such a
time as we've had to make it!”
“I know it,” laughed Polly; “don't that cotton wool look just like bits
of fur, Ben?”
“Yes,” said Ben, “and when the flour's shaken over me it'll be Santa
himself.”
“We've got to put back the hair into mamsie's cushion the first thing
to-morrow,” whispered Polly anxiously, “and we mustn't forget it,
Bensie.”
“I want to keep the wig awfully,” said Ben. “You did make that just
magnificent, Polly!”
“If you could see yourself,” giggled Polly; “did you put it in the straw
bed? and are you sure you pulled the ticking over it smooth?”
“Yes, sir,” replied Ben, “sure's my name's Ben Pepper! if you'll only
keep them from seeing me when I'm in it till we're ready--that's all I
ask.”
“Well,” said Polly a little relieved, “but I hope Joe won't look.”
“Come on! they're a-comin'!” whispered Ben; “quick!”
“Polly!” rang a voice dangerously near; so near that Polly, speeding
over the stairs to intercept it, nearly fell on her nose.
“Where you been?” asked one.
“Let's have a concert,” put in Ben; Polly was so out of breath that she
couldn't speak. “Come, now, each take a whistle, and we'll march round
and round and see which can make the biggest noise.”
In the rattle and laughter which this procession made all mystery was
forgotten, and the two conspirators began to breathe freer.
Five o'clock! The small ones of the Pepper flock, being pretty well
tired out with noise and excitement, all gathered around Polly and Ben,
and clamored for a story.
“Do, Polly, do,” begged Joel. “It's Christmas, and 'twon't come again
for a year.”
“I can't,” said Polly, in such a twitter that she could hardly stand
still, and for the first time in her life refusing, “I can't think of a
thing.”
“I will then,” said Ben; “we must do something,” he whispered to Polly.
“Tell it good,” said Joel, settling himself.
So for an hour the small tyrants kept their entertainers well employed.
“Isn't it growing awful dark?” said Davie, rousing himself at last, as
Ben paused to take breath.
Polly pinched Ben.
“Mammy's a-goin' to let us know,” he whispered in reply. “We must keep
on a little longer.”
“Don't stop,” said Joel, lifting his head where he sat on the floor.
“What you whisperin' for, Polly?”
“I'm not,” said Polly, glad to think she hadn't spoken.
“Well, do go on, Ben,” said Joel, lying down again.
“Polly'll have to finish it,” said Ben; “I've got to go upstairs now.”
So Polly launched out into such an extravagant story that they all,
perforce, had to listen.
All this time Mrs. Pepper had been pretty busy in her way. And now she
came into the kitchen and set down her candle on the table. “Children,”
she said. Everybody turned and looked at her--her tone was so strange;
and when they saw her dark eyes shining with such a new light, little
Davie skipped right out into the middle of the room. “What's the matter,
mammy?”
“You may all come into the Provision Room,” said she.
“What for?” shouted Joel, in amazement; while the others jumped to their
feet, and stood staring.
Polly flew around like a general, arranging her forces. “Let's march
there,” said she; “Phronsie, you take hold of Davie's hand, and go
first.”
“I'm goin' first,” announced Joel, squeezing up past Polly. “No,
you mustn't, Joe,” said Polly decidedly; “Phronsie and David are the
youngest.”
“They're always the youngest,” said Joel, falling back with Polly to the
rear.
“Forward! MARCH!” sang Polly. “Follow mamsie!”
Down the stairs they went with military step, and into the Provision
Room. And then, with one wild look, the little battalion broke ranks,
and tumbling one over the other in decidedly unmilitary style, presented
a very queer appearance!
And Captain Polly was the queerest of all; for she just gave one gaze at
the tree, and then sat right down on the floor, and said, “Oh! OH!”
Mrs. Pepper was flying around delightedly, and saying, “Please to come
right in,” and “How do you do?”
And before anybody knew it, there were the laughing faces of Mrs.
Henderson and the Parson himself, Doctor Fisher and old Grandma Bascom;
while the two Henderson boys, unwilling to be defrauded of any of the
fun, were squeezing themselves in between everybody else, and coming up
to Polly every third minute, and saying, “There--aren't you surprised?”
“It's Fairyland!” cried little Davie, out of his wits with joy; “Oh!
aren't we in Fairyland, ma?”
The whole room was in one buzz of chatter and fun; and everybody beamed
on everybody else; and nobody knew what they said, till Mrs. Pepper
called, “Hush! Santa Claus is coming!”
A rattle at the little old window made everybody look there, just as a
great snow-white head popped up over the sill.
“Oh!” screamed Joel, “'tis Santy!”
“He's a-comin' in!” cried Davie in chorus, which sent Phronsie flying
to Polly. In jumped a little old man, quite spry for his years; with
a jolly, red face and a pack on his back, and flew into their midst,
prepared to do his duty; but what should he do, instead of making his
speech, “this jolly Old Saint--” but first fly up to Mrs. Pepper, and
say--“Oh, mammy how did you do it?”
“It's Ben!” screamed Phronsie; but the little Old Saint didn't hear,
for he and Polly took hold of hands, and pranced around that tree while
everybody laughed till they cried to see them go!
And then it all came out!
“Order!” said Parson Henderson in his deepest tones; and then he put
into Santa Claus' hands a letter, which he requested him to read.
And the jolly Old Saint, although he was very old, didn't need any
spectacles, but piped out in Ben's loudest tones:
“Dear Friends--A Merry Christmas to you all! And that you'll have a good
time, and enjoy it all as much as I've enjoyed my good times at your
house, is the wish of your friend,
“JASPER ELYOT KING”
“Hurrah for Jappy!” cried Santa Claus, pulling his beard; and “Hurrah
for Jasper!” went all around the room; and this ended in three good
cheers--Phronsie coming in too late with her little crow--which was just
as well, however!
“Do your duty now, Santa Claus!” commanded Dr. Fisher as master of
ceremonies; and everything was as still as a mouse!
And the first thing she knew, a lovely brass cage, with a dear little
bird with two astonished black eyes dropped down into Polly's hands. The
card on it said: “For Miss Polly Pepper, to give her music everyday in
the year.”
“Mammy,” said Polly; and then she did the queerest thing of the whole!
she just burst into tears! “I never thought I should have a bird for my
very own!”
“Hulloa!” said Santa Claus, “I've got something myself!”
“Santa Claus' clothes are too old,” laughed Dr. Fisher, holding up a
stout, warm suit that a boy about as big as Ben would delight in.
And then that wonderful tree just rained down all manner of lovely
fruit. Gifts came flying thick and fast, till the air seemed full, and
each one was greeted with a shout of glee, as it was put into the
hands of its owner. A shawl flew down on Mrs. Pepper's shoulders; and
a work-basket tumbled on Polly's head; and tops and balls and fishing
poles, sent Joel and David into a corner with howls of delight!
But the climax was reached when a large wax doll in a very gay pink silk
dress, was put into Phronsie's hands, and Dr. Fisher, stooping down,
read in loud tones: “FOR PHRONSIE, FROM ONE WHO ENJOYED HER GINGERBREAD
BOY.”
After that, nobody had anything to say! Books jumped down unnoticed, and
gay boxes of candy. Only Polly peeped into one of her books, and saw
in Jappy's plain hand--“I hope we'll both read this next summer.” And
turning over to the title-page, she saw “A Complete Manual of Cookery.”
“The best is to come,” said Mrs. Henderson in her gentle way. When there
was a lull in the gale, she took Polly's hand, and led her to a
little stand of flowers in the corner concealed by a sheet--pinks and
geraniums, heliotropes and roses, blooming away, and nodding their
pretty heads at the happy sight--Polly had her flowers.
“Why didn't we know?” cried the children at last, when everybody was
tying on their hoods, and getting their hats to leave the festive scene,
“how could you keep it secret, mammy?”
“They all went to Mrs. Henderson's,” said Mrs. Pepper; “Jasper wrote me,
and asked where to send 'em, and Mrs. Henderson was so kind as to say
that they might come there. And we brought 'em over last evening, when
you were all abed. I couldn't have done it,” she said, bowing to the
Parson and his wife, “if 'twasn't for their kindness--never, in all this
world!”
“And I'm sure,” said the minister, looking around on the bright group,
“if we can help along a bit of happiness like this, it is a blessed
thing!”
And here Joel had the last word. “You said 'twan't goin' to be Christmas
always, mammy. I say,” looking around on the overflow of treasures and
the happy faces--“it'll be just forever!”
EDUCATION AHEAD
After that they couldn't thank Jasper enough! They tried to, lovingly,
and an elaborate letter of thanks, headed by Mrs. Pepper, was drawn up
and sent with a box of the results of Polly's diligent study of Jasper's
book. Polly stripped off recklessly her choicest buds and blossoms from
the gay little stand of flowers in the corner, that had already begun
to blossom, and tucked them into every little nook in the box that could
possibly hold a posy. But as for thanking him enough!
“We can't do it, mammy,” said Polly, looking around on all the happy
faces, and then up at Cherry, who was singing in the window, and who
immediately swelled up his little throat and poured out such a merry
burst of song that she had to wait for him to finish. “No, not if we
tried a thousand years!”
“I'm a-goin',” said Joel, who was busy as a bee with his new tools that
the tree had shaken down for him, “to make Jappy the splendidest box you
ever saw, Polly! I guess that'll thank him!”
“Do,” cried Polly; “he'd be so pleased, Joey.”
“And I,” said Phronsie, over in the corner with her children, “I'm goin'
to see my poor sick man sometime, Polly, I am!”
“Oh, dear!” cried Polly, whirling around, and looking at her mother
in dismay. “She'll be goin' to-morrow! Oh, no, Phronsie, you can't; he
lives miles and miles away--oh, ever so far!”
“Does he live as far as the moon?” asked little Phronsie, carefully
laying Seraphina down, and looking up at Polly, anxiously.
“Oh, I don't know,” said Polly, giving Cherry a piece of bread, and
laughing to see how cunning he looked. “Oh, no, of course not, but it's
an awful long ways, Phronsie.”
“I don't care,” said Phronsie, determinedly, giving the new doll a
loving little pat, “I'm goin' sometime, Polly, to thank my poor sick
man, yes, I am!”
“You'll see him next summer, Phronsie,” sang Polly skipping around the
kitchen, “and Jappy's sister Marian, the lovely lady, and all the boys.
Won't that be nice?” and Polly stopped to pat the yellow head bending in
motherly attentions over her array of dolls.
“Ye-es,” said Phronsie, slowly; “the whole of 'em, Polly?”
“Yes, indeed!” said Polly, gayly; “the whole of 'em, Phronsie!
“Hooray!” shouted the two boys, while Phronsie only gave a long sigh,
and clasped her hands.
“Better not be looking for summer,” said Mrs. Pepper, “until you do
your duty by the winter; then you can enjoy it,” and she took a fresh
needleful of thread.
“Mamsie's right,” said Ben, smiling over at her. And he threw down
his book and jumped for his cap. “Now for a good chop!” he cried, and
snatching a kiss from Phronsie, he rushed out of the door to his work,
whistling as he went.
“Warn't Mr. Henderson good, ma,” asked Polly, watching his retreating
figure, “to give Ben learning?”
“Yes, he was,” replied Mrs. Pepper, enthusiastically. “We've got a
parson, if anybody has in this world!”
“And Ben's learning,” said Polly, swelling with pride, as she sat down
by her mother, and began to sew rapidly, “so that he'll be a big man
right off! Oh, dear,” as a thought made her needle pause a minute in its
quick flying in and out.
“What is it, Polly?” Mrs. Pepper looked keenly at the troubled face and
downcast eyes.
“Why--” began Polly, and then she finished very slowly, “I shan't know
anything, and Ben'll be ashamed of me.
“Yes, you will!” cried Mrs. Pepper, energetically, “you keep on trying,
and the Lord'll send some way; don't you go to bothering your head about
it now, Polly--it'll come when it's time.”
“Will it?” asked Polly, doubtfully, taking up her needle again.
“Yes, indeed!” cried Mrs. Pepper, briskly; “come fly at your sewing;
that's your learning now.”
“So 'tis,” said Polly, with a little laugh. “Now let's see which'll get
their seam done first, mamsie?”
And now letters flew thick and fast from the city to the little brown
house, and back again, warming Jasper's heart, and filling the tedious
months of that winter with more of jollity and fun than the lad ever
enjoyed before; and never was fun and jollity more needed than now;
for Mr. King, having nothing to do, and each year finding himself less
inclined to exercise any thoughtful energy for others, began to look at
life something in the light of a serious bore, and accordingly made it
decidedly disagreeable for all around him, and particularly for Jasper
who was his constant companion. But the boy was looking forward to
summer, and so held on bravely.
“I do verily believe, Polly,” he wrote, “that Badgertown'll see the
gayest times it ever knew! Sister Marian wants to go, so that's all
right. Now, hurrah for a good time--it's surely coming!”
But alas! for Jasper! as spring advanced, his father took a decided
aversion to Hingham, Badgertown, and all other places that could be
mentioned in that vicinity.
“It's a wretched climate,” he asserted, over and over; “and the
foundation of all my ill feelings this winter was laid, I'm convinced,
in Hingham last summer.”
No use to urge the contrary; and all Jasper's pleadings were equally
vain. At last, sister Marian, who was kind-hearted to a fault, sorry to
see her brother's dismay and disappointment said, one day, “Why not have
one of the children come here? I should like it very much--do invite
Ben.”
“I don't want Ben,” said Jasper gloomily, “I want Polly.” He added this
in much the same tone as Phronsie's when she had rushed up to him the
day she was lost, declaring, “I want Polly!”
“Very well, then,” said sister Marian, laughing, “I'm sure I didn't mean
to dictate which one; let it be Polly then; yes, I should prefer Polly
myself, I think, as we've enough boys now,” smiling to think of her own
brood of wide awake youngsters.
“If you only will, father, I'll try to be ever so good!” said Jasper,
turning suddenly to his father.
“Jasper needs some change,” said sister Marian kindly, “he really has
grown very pale and thin.”
“Hey!” said Mr. King, sharply, looking at him over his eyeglasses. “The
boy's well enough; well enough!” But he twisted uneasily in his chair,
all the same. At last he flung down his paper, twitched his fingers
through his hair two or three times, and then burst out--“Well, why
don't you send for her? I'm sure I don't care--I'll write myself, and I
had better do it now. Tell Thomas to be ready to take it right down; it
must get into this mail.”
When Mr. King had made up his mind to do anything, everybody else must
immediately give up their individual plans, and stand out of the way for
him to execute his at just that particular moment! Accordingly Thomas
was dragged from his work to post the letter, while the old gentleman
occupied the time in pulling out his watch every third second until the
slightly-out-of-breath Thomas reported on his return that the letter
did get in. Then Mr. King settled down satisfied, and everything went on
smoothly as before.
But Polly didn't come! A grateful, appreciative letter, expressed in
Mrs. Pepper's own stiff way, plainly showed the determination of that
good woman not to accept what was such a favor to her child.
In vain Mr. King stormed, and fretted, and begged, offering every
advantage possible--Polly should have the best foundation for a musical
education that the city could afford; also lessons in the schoolroom
under the boys' private tutor--it was all of no avail. In vain sister
Marian sent a gentle appeal, fully showing her heart was in it; nothing
broke down Mrs. Pepper's resolve, until, at last, the old gentleman
wrote one day that Jasper, being in such failing health, really depended
on Polly to cheer him up. That removed the last straw that made it
“putting one's self under an obligation,” which to Mrs. Pepper's
independent soul, had seemed insurmountable.
And now, it was decided that Polly was really to go! and pretty soon all
Badgertown knew that Polly Pepper was going to the big city. And there
wasn't a man, woman, or child but what greatly rejoiced that a sunny
time was coming to one of the chicks in the little brown house. With
many warm words, and some substantial gifts, kind friends helped forward
the “outing.” Only one person doubted that this delightful chance should
be grasped at once--and that one was Polly herself!