Part 36 (1/2)
Nita, as she heard this invitation, grew white, speechless with surprise, but only for a moment, as the next second, with joy s.h.i.+ning in her eyes, she leaned over crying in a tense whisper, ”Oh, Mother, tell them yes! Tell them yes!”
But Mrs. Van Vorst had already risen to her feet, eyes smiling but tear dimmed as she gazed down at the bright expectant faces upturned to hers.
For a moment she stood, and then in a voice broken by emotion and pleasure thanked the Pioneers for an invitation that she knew had been prompted by kindness and that she appreciated more than she could express. Her little daughter, as they all knew, was a shut-in. She would be delighted to become one of a band of girls who had proved so worthy of the name they bore, but, her face saddened, would she not prove a burden to them, for would it not require too much patience to bear with one who perhaps had been over indulged on account of her misfortune?
At this juncture Madame Stuyvesant stepped to her side crying, ”Oh, Mrs.
Van Vorst, your little shut-in is just the one I want my girls to be with, so that by the patience they will acquire in her companions.h.i.+p they will become more gentle and considerate to others. And as for Miss Nita, the mingling with healthy, active girls of her own age and the exercise and aid she will derive from the sports, and industries-taken lightly of course-I am sure will brighten her life in many ways.”
A few more words from Helen, Lillie, and one or two of the older girls, and Mrs. Van Vorst's consent was won, and Nita with bright, happy eyes was clapping her hands very softly under the Starry Banner that fell in folds across her chair.
Each girl in turn was then toasted, under the name of the pioneer she impersonated, being required in response to tell something about herself, as to who and what part she had played in the days of New Amsterdam. When the name of Mrs. Polly Prevoorst was called, Lillie Bell stood up, and had just begun with her usual dramatic gestures and intonations to relate some little incident in the life of that noted lady, when a shrill falsetto voice shrieked, ”Pretty Polly! Pretty Polly! Polly want a cobble?”
There was a sudden turning and twisting of heads and necks at this unlooked for interruption, to see who was making sport of the fair lady, but before the speaker could be seen, with a quick flutter of wings Mr.
Jimmie landed in the middle of the table. Surprise caused the girls to exclaim and then laugh, as they watched the new guest c.o.c.king his head from side to side as he winked at them with his red-rimmed eyes.
All at once his head stopped its restless motion, as with a quick glance he seemed suddenly to spy Lillie Bell, who was still standing, waiting for a chance to deliver her little speech. The girls ceased to giggle and with observant eyes wondered what was going to happen. They did not have to wait long for Jimmie, with another flash of his wings, screeched shrilly, ”Polly! Poor Polly! Polly want a petticoat-Polly-want a petticoat?”
But Jimmie's concern for the ”Lady of Petticoat Lane” was drowned in shouts of laughter, while Lillie Bell with a reddened, embarra.s.sed face sat down. Thus Jimmie became the beau of the afternoon, as each girl vainly tried to coax him with a sweetie to notice her, but Jimmie disdained their advances and, flying to the shoulder of Nathalie, evinced his partiality for that young lady by chattering noisily, ”h.e.l.l Nat! Ah-Blue Robin, pretty Blue Robin!” And then a shrill Tru-al-lee, tru-al-lee! rang through the room.
But this effort to do the wise thing ended Jimmie's performance, for suddenly noting the applause that greeted him, he set up such a hideous shrieking, interspersed with fiendish laughter, that he was promptly seized by Peter and carried from public sight to muse on his sins in the privacy of his cage.
When Lillie's tormentor disappeared she was able to act the part of the fair Polly and relate the incident she had striven so vainly to tell. As she finished, finding that all the notables had been duly honored, the girls again turned to the rather novel menus that they had found in front of their plates.
These were post-card holders, rather dainty little affairs of flowered silk that had contained post-cards, one for each course that had been served. One was a quaint little picture of New Amsterdam. Another was a well-known building or landmark of old New York, while others portraits of famous Dutch painters or authors, each one with an appropriate inscription either in Dutch or English.
These cards had excited many comments of admiration, and as the girls'
attention was drawn to them again Edith suddenly exclaimed, ”Oh, girls, why see, my post-card holder has a tiny white envelope in it!” As she began to tear it open each girl turned eagerly to hers and with renewed interest began to inspect it again, while Mrs. Van Vorst and Nita with smiling eyes watched the little by-play that was being enacted.
By this time Nathalie had read the contents of her envelope and with eyes all alight was crying, ”Oh, girls! my envelope contains an invitation from Mrs. Van Vorst as a Pioneer to camp-”
”At Eagle Lake!” broke in a chorus from the girls as they excitedly flourished the bits of white paper to and fro while watching Nathalie intently.
Nathalie was too dazed to speak, but in a moment, as she realized that each girl present had been honored with a similar invitation, she bent forward and began to talk to Helen in low, hurried tones. When she finished she was on her feet crying in tremulous voice, ”Oh, Mrs. Van Vorst-this seems too good to be true-O dear, how are we to thank you for your kindness, it is too much for us to accept!”
But her hostess was ready with a reply, as with brightening eyes she answered, ”Girls, the invitations you have read I repeat, I want you Girl Pioneers to spend the three weeks of your camp life at Eagle Lake.
I have a bungalow there and expect to leave for the Lake next week, and shall be pleased to welcome you there whenever you think best to come.
”The Lake is very beautiful, surrounded by woods and within two or three miles of a town. Of course, I have not accommodations for you all, but I have an empty bungalow near mine, and a little log cabin that was once a summer house, so that with a few tents I think you will find ample accommodations for your three bird groups. And girls-” she spoke earnestly, ”I do not want you to thank me, for your thanks will be the acceptance of this invitation and coming up to the Lake and having a merry time. I am sure I stand ready, and my daughter Nita, to help you towards that end.”
As Mrs. Van Vorst finished Helen arose, and on behalf of the Pioneers thanked her for her kind invitation. ”Indeed, Mrs. Van Vorst,” she continued, ”we shall be most pleased to camp at Eagle Lake-if our Director is willing-and I hope that we shall be able to show you that we are worthy the kindness you have seen fit to extend to us. Now, girls-”
”Girl Pi-o-neers! Now give a cheer!
For our hostess so kind and dear!
Girl Pi-o-neers! again we cheer, This time for Miss Nita, the dear!”
As the cheering ceased Mrs. Van Vorst stood again, and in a few words declared she felt impelled to say that the Pioneers should be very proud of a young lady in their group who had so ably helped her in the arrangements and the getting up of the afternoon's festivity. She would mention no names-Nathalie's face was a full-blown rose-as they all knew to whom she referred, but she would like it known that the invitation to the Lake had been given not only to furnish pleasure to the Pioneers, but in appreciation of the great kindness, sympathy, and aid that had been given to her daughter and herself by that same Pioneer, a kindness that she would always remember.
The girls, laughing and talking about the pleasure of the _Kraeg_, of the joys and the future held in store for them at camp, now returned to the sitting room. Here they were greeted with another surprise in the shape of a huge, unwieldy figure in baggy knee-breeches, full skirted coat, wide-brimmed hat and long white beard and locks, whom Mrs. Van Vorst presented as Father Knickerbocker, although several declared that he was the exact counterpart of the famous pictures of Rip Van Winkle.