Part 9 (1/2)
A fine large Christmas tree was set up in it, another in the school-house for the blacks at Ion.
The colored people employed on the Fairview estate attended there also, and were to have a share in the entertainment provided for those of Woodburn and Ion; so the children of the three families united in the work of ornamenting first one building, then the other, finding it great sport, and flattering themselves that they were of great a.s.sistance, though the older people who were overseeing matters, and the servants acting under their direction, were perhaps of a different opinion. Yet the sight of the enjoyment of the little folks more than atoned for the slight inconvenience of having them about.
Christmas came on Wednesday and the holidays had begun for them all the Friday before. Lessons would not be taken up again till after New Year's day.
It had been decided at Woodburn that they would not go to Ion till Christmas morning, as they all preferred to celebrate Christmas eve at home. The children were going to hang up their stockings, but had not been told that they would have a tree or any gifts. They thought, and had said to each other, that perhaps papa might think the money he had given them to spend and to give, and the privilege of selecting objects for his benevolence, was enough from him, but the friends at Ion and Fairview always had remembered them, and most likely would do so again.
”Still they may not,” Lulu added with a slight sigh when she talked the matter over with Max and Grace that morning, for the last time; ”for they are all giving more than usual to missions and disabled ministers, and poor folks, and I don't know what else; but it's real fun to give to the poor round here; I mean it will be to help put things on the trees and then see how pleased they'll all be when they get 'em: at least I do suppose they will. Don't you, May?”
”I shall be very much surprised if they're not,” he a.s.sented, ”though I begin to find out that 'it is more blessed to give than to receive.' And yet for all that if I get some nice presents to-night or to-morrow I--sha'n't be at all sorry,” he added with a laugh.
”Max,” said Lulu reflectively, ”you knew about the Christmas tree beforehand last year; hasn't papa told you whether we're to have one this time or not?”
”No, not a word; and as he tells me almost always what he intends to have done about the place,” the boy went on with a look of pride in the confidence reposed in him, ”I'm afraid it's pretty good evidence that we're not to have one.”
For a moment Grace looked sorely disappointed; then brightening, ”But I'm most sure,” she said, ”that papa and mamma won't let us go without any presents at all. They love us a great deal, and will be sure to remember us with a little bit of something.”
”Anyway it's nice that we have something for them,” remarked Lulu cheerily. ”Papa helped us choose Mamma Vi's, and she advised us what to make for papa; so I'm pretty sure they'll both be pleased.”
It was while waiting for their father to take them to the school-house that they had this talk, and it was brought to a conclusion by his voice summoning them to get into the carriage.
”There is no time to lose, my darlings,” he said, ”for it is likely to take about all the morning to trim the two rooms and two trees.”
CHAPTER V.
Grandma Elsie's college boys, Harold and Herbert Travilla, had come home for the holidays, arriving the latter part of the previous week. This morning they had come over to Woodburn, very soon after breakfast, ”to have a chat with Vi while they could catch her alone,” they said, ”for with all the company that was to be entertained at Ion they might not have so good a chance again.”
They stood with her at the window watching the carriage as it drove away with the captain and his children. It had hardly reached the gate leading into the high road when Harold turned to his sister with the remark,
”Well, Vi, we've had quite a satisfactory talk; and now for action. As I overheard the captain say to the children, 'there's no time to lose.'”
”No; we will begin at once,” returned Violet, leading the way to the large room where the Christmas tree had been set up last year.
A couple of negro men were carrying in its counterpart at one door, as Violet and her brother entered at the other.
”Ah that's a fine tree, Jack!” she said addressing one of them; ”the captain selected it, I suppose?”
”Yes, Miss Wi'let, de cap'n done say dis hyar one was for de Woodburn chillen; an' we's to watch an' fotch 'em in soon's dey's clar gone out ob sight.”
”Yes,” she said, ”we want to give them a pleasant surprise. I think they are doubtful as to whether their father intends that they shall have a tree this year,” she added, aside to her brothers.
”Then the surprise will be the greater,” Harold returned; ”and it is half the fun. I supposed they were pretty certain of the tree, and would be surprised only by the nature of the gifts.”
”They will have a goodly supply of those,” Violet said, with a pleased look, glancing in the direction of a table heaped with packages of various sizes and shapes. ”Do you know, boys, when Christmas times come round I always feel glad I married a man with children; it's such a dear delight to lay plans for their enjoyment and to carry them out.”
”Just like you, Vi,” said Herbert, ”and I like to hear you talk in that way; but you have your own two.”
”Yes; but even Elsie is hardly old enough yet to care very much for such things.”
The tree was now in place and the work of tr.i.m.m.i.n.g it began.