Chapter VI. Surprises

onhisforehead.Thesummertanhadfadedfromhischeeks,buthiseyeswereasblueasthewintrysky,andnearlyeverywhitetoothwasvisibleashesmiledonhispartnerinmisfortune,sayingcheerily,— “I'meversogladtoseeyouagainguessweareovertheworstofitnow,andcanhavegoodtimes.Won'titbefuntostayhereallthewhile,andamuseoneanother?” “Yes,indeedbutonedayissoshort!ItwillbestupiderthaneverwhenIgohometo-night,”answeredJill,lookingaboutherwithlongingeyes. “Butyouarenotgoinghometo-nightyouaretostayeversolong.Didn'tMammatellyou?” “No.Oh,howsplendid!AmIreally?WherewillIsleep?WhatwillMammydowithoutme?”andJillalmostsatup,shewassodelightedwiththenewsurprise. “Thatroominthereisallfixedforyou.ImadeFranktellmesomuch.MammasaidImighttellyou,butIdidn'tthinkshewouldbeabletoholdinifshesawyoufirst.Yourmotheriscoming,too,andweareallgoingtohavelarkstogethertillwearewell.” ThesplendorofthisarrangementtookJill'sbreathaway,andbeforeshegotitagain,incameFrankandRalphwithtwoclothes-basketsoftreasurestobehunguponthetree.Whiletheywiredonthecandlesthechildrenaskedquestions,andfoundoutalltheywantedtoknowaboutthenewplansandpleasures. “Whofixedallthis?” “Mammathoughtofit,andRalphandIdidit.He'sthemanforthissortofthing,youknow.Heproposedcuttingoutthearchesandstickingonbirdsandbutterfliesjustwheretheylookedbest.Iputthosecanariesoverthere,theylookedsowellagainsttheblue”andFrankproudlypointedoutsomequeerorange-coloredfowls,lookingasiftheywerehavingfitsintheair,butveryeffective,nevertheless. “YourmothersaidyoumightcallthistheBirdRoom.Wecaughtascarlet-tanagerforyoutobeginwith,didn'twe,Jack?”andRalphthrewabon-bonatJill,wholookedverylikeabrightlittlebirdinawarmnest. “Goodforyou!Yes,andwearegoingtokeepherinthisprettycagetillwecanbothflyofftogether.Isay,Jill,whereshallwebeinourclasseswhenwedogetback?”andJack'smerryfacefellatthethought. “Atthefoot,ifwedon'tstudyandkeepup.DoctorsaidImightstudysometimes,ifI'dliestillaslongashethoughtbest,andMollybroughthomemybooks,andMerrysaysshewillcomeineverydayandtellmewherethelessonsare.Idon'tmeantofallbehind,ifmybackboneiscracked,”saidJill,withadecidednodthatmadeseveralblackringsflyoutofthenettodanceonherforehead. “Franksaidhe'dpullmealonginmyLatin,butI'vebeenlazyandhaven'tdoneathing.Let'sgoatitandstartfairforNewYear,”proposedJack,whodidnotlovestudyasthebrightgirldid,butwasashamedtofallbehindherinanything. “Allright.They'vebeenreviewing,sowecankeepupwhentheybegin,ifweworknextweek,whiletheresthaveaholiday.Oh,dear,Idomissschooldreadfully”andJillsighedfortheolddesk,everyblotandnotchofwhichwasdeartoher. “Therecomeourthings,andprettynicetheylook,too,”saidJackandhismotherbegantodressthetree,hangingupthegayhorns,thegildednuts,redandyellowapplesandoranges,andfestooninglongstringsofpop-cornandscarletcranberriesfromboughtobough,withtheglitteringnecklaceshungwherethelightwouldshowtheircolorsbest. “Ineversawsuchasplendidtreebefore.I'mgladwecouldhelp,thoughwewereill.Isitalldonenow?”askedJill,whenthelastparcelwastiedonandeverybodystoodbacktoadmiretheprettysight. “Onethingmore.Handmethatbox,Frank,andbeverycarefulthatyoufastenthisupfirmly,Ralph,”answeredMrs.Minot,asshetookfromitswrappingsthewaxenfigureofalittlechild.Therosylimbswereverylife-like,sowasthesmilingfaceunderthelocksofshininghair.Bothplumparmswereoutspreadasiftoscatterblessingsoverall,anddownywingsseemedtoflutterfromthedimpledshoulders,makinganangelofthebaby. “IsitSt.Nicholas?”askedJill,whohadneverseenthatfamouspersonage,andknewbutlittleofChristmasfestivities. “ItistheChrist-child,whosebirthdaywearecelebrating.IgotthebestIcouldfind,forIliketheideabetterthanoldSantaClausthoughwemayhavehim,too,”saidMamma,holdingthelittleimagesothatbothcouldseeitwell. “Itlookslikearealbaby”andJacktouchedtherosyfootwiththetipofhisfinger,asifexpectingacrowfromthehalf-openlips. “ItremindsmeofthesaintsinthechapeloftheSacredHeartinMontreal.OnelittleSt.Johnlookedlikethis,onlyhehadalambinsteadofwings,”saidJill,strokingtheflaxenhair,andwishingshedaredaskforittoplaywith. “Heisthechildren'ssainttoprayto,love,andimitate,forheneverforgotthem,butblessedandhealedandtaughtthemallhislife.Thisisonlyapoorimageoftheholiestbabyeverborn,butIhopeitwillkeephismemoryinyourmindsallday,becausethisisthedayforgoodresolutions,happythoughts,andhumbleprayers,aswellasplayandgiftsandfeasting.” Whileshespoke,Mrs.Minot,touchingthelittlefigureastenderlyasifitwerealive,hadtiedabroadwhite