Part 2 (1/2)
As I drove away I could not help chuckling when I heard his wife ask suspiciously:
”What society is that?”
I heard no word of his answer: only the note in his voice of eager explanation.
And so I drove homeward in the late twilight, and as I came up the lane, the door of my home opened, the light within gleamed kindly and warmly across the darkened yard: and Harriet was there on the step, waiting.
II
A DAY OF PLEASANT BREAD
They have all gone now, and the house is very still. For the first time this evening I can hear the familiar sound of the December wind bl.u.s.tering about the house, complaining at closed doorways, asking questions at the shutters; but here in my room, under the green reading lamp, it is warm and still. Although Harriet has closed the doors, covered the coals in the fireplace, and said good-night, the atmosphere still seems to tingle with the electricity of genial humanity.
The parting voice of the Scotch Preacher still booms in my ears:
”This,” said he, as he was going out of our door, wrapped like an Arctic highlander in cloaks and tippets, ”has been a day of pleasant bread.”
One of the very pleasantest I can remember!
I sometimes think we expect too much of Christmas Day. We try to crowd into it the long arrears of kindliness and humanity of the whole year.
As for me, I like to take my Christmas a little at a time, all through the year. And thus I drift along into the holidays--let them overtake me unexpectedly--waking up some fine morning and suddenly saying to myself:
”Why, this is Christmas Day!”
How the discovery makes one bound out of his bed! What a new sense of life and adventure it imparts! Almost anything may happen on a day like this--one thinks. I may meet friends I have not seen before in years.
Who knows? I may discover that this is a far better and kindlier world than I had ever dreamed it could be.
[Ill.u.s.tration: ”Merry Christmas, Harriet!”]
So I sing out to Harriet as I go down:
”Merry Christmas, Harriet”--and not waiting for her sleepy reply I go down and build the biggest, warmest, friendliest fire of the year. Then I get into my thick coat and mittens and open the back door. All around the sill, deep on the step, and all about the yard lies the drifted snow: it has transformed my wood pile into a grotesque Indian mound, and it frosts the roof of my barn like a wedding cake. I go at it l.u.s.tily with my wooden shovel, clearing out a pathway to the gate.
Cold, too; one of the coldest mornings we've had--but clear and very still. The sun is just coming up over the hill near Horace's farm. From Horace's chimney the white wood-smoke of an early fire rises straight upward, all golden with suns.h.i.+ne, into the measureless blue of the sky--on its way to heaven, for aught I know. When I reach the gate my blood is racing warmly in my veins. I straighten my back, thrust my shovel into the snow pile, and shout at the top of my voice, for I can no longer contain myself:
”Merry Christmas, Harriet.”
Harriet opens the door--just a crack.
”Merry Christmas yourself, you Arctic explorer! Oo--but it's cold!”
And she closes the door.
Upon hearing these riotous sounds the barnyard suddenly awakens. I hear my horse whinnying from the barn, the chickens begin to crow and cackle, and such a grunting and squealing as the pigs set up from behind the straw stack, it would do a man's heart good to hear!
”It's a friendly world,” I say to myself, ”and full of business.”
I plow through the snow to the stable door. I scuff and stamp the snow away and pull it open with difficulty. A cloud of steam arises out of the warmth within. I step inside. My horse raises his head above the stanchion, looks around at me, and strikes his forefoot on the stable floor--the best greeting he has at his command for a fine Christmas morning. My cow, until now silent, begins to bawl.