Part 26 (2/2)
”My dear, indulgent father would have done so, had I been able to bear the fatigue,” Grandma Elsie replied, ”but at that time I was quite feeble from a severe illness. He did not think me strong enough to visit the stores, but ordered goods sent out to the Oaks for me to select from, which gave me nearly as much enjoyment us I could have found in going to the city in search of them.”
”Did you find gifts to suit, mamma?” queried Walter. ”And oh won't you tell us how many and what they were?”
”Beside the Roselands little people,” replied his mother, ”there were Lucy and Herbert Carrington, Carrie Howard, Isabel Carleton, Mary Leslie, and Flora Arnott to be remembered.
”For the last named, who was also the youngest, I selected a beautiful wax doll and a complete wardrobe of ready made clothes for it, all neatly packed in a tiny trunk.
”To Mary Leslie I gave a ring, and to each of the other girls a handsome bracelet; to Herbert, who was a great reader, a set of handsomely bound books.
”All these little friends of mine were spending the Christmas holidays at Pinegrove--the home of the Howards.
”Papa and I had been invited too, but had declined because of my feeble state. When my gifts were ready I asked him if they should be sent to Pinegrove.
”'We will see about it,' he answered; 'we have plenty of time; there are two days yet, and it will not take a messenger half an hour to travel from here to Pinegrove.'
”So I said no more, for I never was allowed to tease.
”But when New Year's morning came and the presents had not been sent, I began to feel decidedly uneasy, and papa evidently perceived it; though neither of us said a word on the subject that was uppermost in my mind.
”Papa had some beautiful books and pictures for me which he gave me before breakfast, saying he hoped they would help me pa.s.s the day pleasantly; he would be glad to make it the happiest New Year I had known yet.
”He smiled tenderly upon me as he said it, then held me close in his arms and kissed me over and over again; and I returned his kisses, putting my arms about his neck and hugging him as tight as I could.
”After that we had breakfast and family wors.h.i.+p, and then he took me on his knee again and asked how I would like to spend the day?
”I answered that I would be glad to have a drive if he did not think it too cold. He said he thought it was not if I were well wrapped up.
”There was no snow to make sleighing, so the carriage was ordered, I was bundled up in furs, and we drove several miles.
”As we were about starting I ventured to ask, 'Papa, haven't you forgotten to send my presents to Pinegrove?' He smiled and said, 'No, my darling,' in a very pleasant tone, but that was all, and when we came back I noticed that the presents were still in a closet in my dressing room where they had lain ever since they were bought.
”I was quite puzzled to understand it, but I asked no questions.
”Mammy arranged my hair and dress, and I went back to the parlor where papa was sitting reading. He laid aside his book as soon as I entered the room, took me on his knee, and began telling me funny stories that kept me laughing till a carriage drove up to the door.
”'There, some one has come!' he said; 'it seems we are not to spend the day alone after all.'
”Then in another minute or two, the door opened and in came my six little friends for whom I had bought the presents.”
Grace clapped her hands in delight. ”Oh how nice! and didn't you have a good time, Grandma Elsie?”
”Yes, very; they had all come to spend the day; I had the pleasure of presenting my gifts in person and of seeing that they were fully appreciated; we played quiet games and papa told us lovely stories.
There was no fretting or quarrelling, everybody was in high good humor, and when the time came to separate, my guests all bade good bye, saying, 'they had never had a more enjoyable day.'”
”Now please tell about the next Christmas and New Year's, mamma,” urged Walter, as she paused, as though feeling that her tale was ended.
”Let mamma have time to breathe and to think what comes next, Walter,”
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