Part 24 (1/2)
”But we have to get up just the same,” laughed Tabitha. ”I am going to wake Carrie and the others.”
She bounced across the room, flung open the door and stopped abruptly, for suspended to the transom above her head hung two immense tarlatan stockings, stuffed to the very brim with bundles of all sorts and sizes.
Across the hall from Carrie's transom swung two more similar socks, and dangling against Bertha's door was a third set.
Tabitha's wild shriek of surprise and delight brought the other five girls standing in their beds, and Carrie chattered anxiously, ”Oh, what is the matter? Is the building on fire?”
”No, indeed. Merry Christmas!” shouted the black-eyed girl, tugging at the stocking marked with her name. ”Open the door and see what you find.
Santa Claus surely has been here while we slept.”
There was the sound of pattering feet in the three rooms, and Chrystobel, now thoroughly awake, reached Tabitha's side just as the door across the hall and the one next to theirs burst open and four excited girls tumbled out. ”Oh-h-h!” came a chorus of long-drawn-out, rapturous sighs, as five pair of eager arms clasped the bulky socks and jerked them loose.
”Ow!” shrieked Grace. ”There is something awfully hard in mine. It nearly knocked a hole in my head. It's a handkerchief box, as sure as I am alive! Isn't it a dear? That is from Esther. Well, Kitty, what are you doing down there?”
Tabitha, in nightgown and slippers, sat in the middle of the floor, her huge stocking up-side down in her lap, and gifts scattered all about her, as with s.h.i.+ning eyes and trembling hands she unwrapped each package in turn and gloated over its contents.
”A bunch of violets from Miss Pomeroy--she never forgets one of us.
There is Bertha's scarf that Ca.s.sandra tattled about--thank you, Bertha!
You must have worked like a Trojan on that. I never could embroider silk. Here is a lovely handkerchief from Edith, a book from June, a calendar from Estelle, a--a silk waist from Carrie! You darling! Look at this lovely photo of Jessie and Julia, and isn't the frame cute! A book of poems from Ca.s.sandra--she said her gift ought to make me the happiest of all because it would give me something new to recite--queer little, dear little midget! A set of Shakespeare from the Leonard twins, a bonbon dish from Vera. Here is a kiss in return. An ap.r.o.n from Grace, three ties, a pair of gloves, chocolates, handkerchiefs,--oh, did ever anyone see so many pretty things belonging to one person! I am perfectly crazy with happiness. Here is one weenty package more in the very tiptoe of my stocking--from Chrystobel--a ring with a real ruby in it. If there were another thing to open, I should be bawling in earnest. That is the first ring I ever owned, girls--”
”Oh, there goes the first bell for breakfast,” interrupted Bertha, whisking up her stocking full of packages. ”Ten minutes to dress in!
Run, scuttle, hustle! We mustn't be late
'On Christmas morn, on Christmas morn'.”
She vanished abruptly, humming the beautiful carol; and three of her companions, following her example, swept up their numerous packages and flew away to dress.
Oh, that was a merry Christmas indeed for Tabitha! So bewildered, so delighted, so happy was she, that teachers and scholars were kept in a perfect gale of laughter during the breakfast hour, for the spirit of the day was upon her, the love of her new friends, manifested even in this material way, had touched her more deeply than anyone could guess, and the effervescent gladness in her heart had to bubble over. So they lingered long over the breakfast table, loath to bring to a close such a happy hour; but at length Miss Pomeroy rose, and smiling down into the expectant fares of her six holiday charges, she said,
”I think the first thing on our morning's program is a long walk, say to the park, and back. It is such a glorious day we mustn't waste a moment of it, and we have all laughed so much we certainly need some exercise. Miss Summers looks positively worn out with mirth. By the time we get back, the postman and expressman may have visited us again, and I am sure the minutes will pa.s.s more quickly for each of us impatient children if we are busy doing something. My box from home isn't here yet, and I am as eager as you are to see what my nieces and nephews have sent me.”
”A walk is just what I need to work off my surplus energy,” declared Tabitha enthusiastically. ”May we take some crackers to feed the swans?”
”And oh, may I take my kodak, my spandy new Christmas kodak, for some pictures?” asked Grace eagerly. ”I will snap you the very first one if you will say yes.”
”That is quite an inducement,” laughed Miss Pomeroy. ”Of course you may take all the crackers you wish and as many kodaks as you possess.”
So thus armed, a merry eight left Ivy Hall a few moments later and tramped gayly away to the park.
Upon their return, as the princ.i.p.al had predicted, they found the reception hall table loaded down with letters and parcels from the mail, while several express packages lay piled in a heap on the floor.
”Oh, Miss Pomeroy,” shouted Carrie, reaching the bundles first and eagerly scanning the addresses. ”Here is yours all right, and it is heavy as lead. This one is addressed to Grace; here is mine from Grandma; that is for Bertha; the big box is p.u.s.s.y's, and so is this little fellow, and the other box is addressed to you and me together from papa. Here's a heap of letters. You can distribute them, Vera; I am too excited. Where is the hammer?”
”Not so fast, not so fast!” laughed Miss Pomeroy. ”John will open these boxes and carry them up to your rooms where you can unpack them all by yourselves. Take your mail and scamper!” She shooed the capering girls up the wide stairway, where they were followed very shortly by the smiling John, bearing their new cargo of gifts.
”Oh, John, hurry, hurry!” coaxed Carrie, skipping about in a fever of impatience. ”I can't wait. Who is yours from, Puss? Tom?”
”No; it isn't his writing, anyway. There is a little package from him and a letter--but--the big box is--from Reno, too.”