Part 9 (1/2)

A MAY-DAY GIFT.

I.

Early on the morning of the 1st of May, Abby Clayton ran downstairs, exclaiming by way of greeting to the household:

”A bright May Day! A bright May Day!”

”It isn't very _bright_, I'm sure!” grumbled her little brother Larry, who clattered after her. ”There's no suns.h.i.+ne; and the wind blows so hard I sha'n't be able to sail my new boat on the pond in the park.

It's mighty hard lines! I don't see why it can't be pleasant on a holiday. Think of all the s.h.i.+ny days we've had when a fellow had to be in school. Now, when there's a chance for some fun, it looks as if it were going to rain great guns!”

”Well, it won't,” said Abby, pausing in the hall to glance back at him, as he perched upon the bal.u.s.ter above her. ”It won't rain great guns, nor pitchforks, nor cats and dogs, nor even torrents. It's going to clear up. Don't you know that some people say the sun generally s.h.i.+nes, for a few minutes anyhow, on Sat.u.r.days in honor of the Blessed Virgin?”

”This isn't Sat.u.r.day,” objected Larry, somewhat indignantly.

”Yes, but it is the 1st of May; and if that is not our Blessed Mother's day too, I'd like to know what is!” said his sister.

”I don't believe that about the sun s.h.i.+ning,” continued Larry. ”If you are ten--only two years older than I am,--you don't know everything.

I'm going to ask mother.”

The children entered the breakfast room, greeted their father and mother, and then slipped into their places.

”Mother,” began Larry, as he slowly poured the maple syrup over the crisp, hot pancakes upon his plate, ”is it true that the sun always s.h.i.+nes on Sat.u.r.day in honor of the Blessed Virgin?”

”It is a pious and poetic saying,” replied Mrs. Clayton. ”But a legendary sentiment of this kind often hides a deeper meaning. For those who are devoted to the Blessed Virgin, there is never a day so dark but that the love of Our Lady s.h.i.+nes through the gloom like a sunbeam, changing to the rosy and golden tints of hope the leaden clouds that shadowed their happiness; and blessing the closing day of life, which, to look back upon, seems but as the ending of a week.”

Mrs. Clayton had hardly finished speaking, when a long ray of yellow light fell upon the tablecloth.

”There! the sun's out now, anyway! Crickey, I'm so glad!” exclaimed Larry.

”The clouds were only blown up by the wind,” said his father. ”I do not think we shall have rain to-day.”

”Mother, may I put on a white dress and go to buy my May wreath?” asked Abby.

”The air is too cold for you to change your warm gown for a summer one, dear,” returned Mrs. Clayton. ”You may get the wreath, though; but be sure that you wear it over your hat.”

Abby seemed to think it was now her turn to grumble.

”Oh, dear!” she murmured. ”All the girls wear white dresses, and go without hats on May Day. I don't see why I can't!”

Her complaint made no impression, however; so she flounced out of the room.

”My mother is the most exaggerating person!” exclaimed the little girl, as she prepared for her shopping excursion. She meant aggravating; but, like most people who attempt to use large words the meaning of which they do not understand, she made droll mistakes sometimes.

Abby had fifteen cents, which her grandma had given her the day before.

”I'll hurry down to the Little Women's before the best wreaths are gone,” she said to herself.

The place was a fancy store, kept by two prim but pleasant spinster sisters. Besides newspapers, stationery, thread and needles, and so forth, they kept a stock of toys, candies, and pickled limes, which insured them a run of custom among the young folk, who always spoke of them as the Little Women. Not to disappoint the confidence placed in them by their youthful patrons, they had secured an excellent a.s.sortment of the crowns of tissue-paper flowers which, in those days, every little girl considered essential to the proper observance of May Day.

Abby selected one which she and the Little Women made up their minds was the prettiest. It usually took both of the Little Women to sell a thing. If one showed it, the other descanted upon its merits, or wrapped it up in paper when the bargain was completed. Neither of them appeared to transact any business, even to the disposal of ”a pickle lime” (as the children say), quite on her own responsibility.