Chapter XVIII. May Baskets

Springwaslatethatyear,buttoJillitseemedtheloveliestshehadeverknown,forhopewasgrowinggreenandstronginherownlittleheart,andalltheworldlookedbeautiful.Withthehelpofthebraceshecouldsitupforashorttimeeveryday,andwhentheairwasmildenoughshewaswarmlywrappedandallowedtolookoutattheopenwindowintothegarden,wherethegoldandpurplecrocuseswerecomingbravelyup,andthesnowdropsnoddedtheirdelicateheadsasifcallingtoher,— “Goodday,littlesister,comeoutandplaywithus,forwinterisoverandspringishere.” “IwishIcould!”thoughtJill,asthesoftwindkissedatingeofcolorintoherpalecheeks.“Nevermind,theyhavebeenshutupinadarkerplacethanIformonths,andhadnofunatallIwon'tfret,butthinkaboutJulyandtheseashorewhileIwork.” ThejobnowinhandwasMaybaskets,foritwasthecustomofthechildrentohangthemonthedoorsoftheirfriendsthenightbeforeMay-dayandthegirlshadagreedtosupplybasketsiftheboyswouldhuntforflowers,muchthehardertaskofthetwo.Jillhadmoreleisureaswellastasteandskillthantheothergirls,sosheamusedherselfwithmakingagoodlystoreofprettybasketsofallshapes,sizes,andcolors,quiteconfidentthattheywouldbefilled,thoughnotaflowerhadshownitsheadexceptafewhardydandelions,andhereandthereasmallclusterofsaxifrage. Thevioletswouldnotopentheirblueeyestillthesunshinewaswarmer,thecolumbinesrefusedtodancewiththeboisterouseastwind,thefernskeptthemselvesrolledupintheirbrownflanneljackets,andlittleHepatica,withmanyanotherspringbeauty,hidawayinthewoods,afraidtoventureout,inspiteoftheeagerwelcomeawaitingthem.Butthebirdshadcome,punctualasever,andthebluejayswerescreamingintheorchard,robinswereperkinguptheirheadsandtailsastheywenthouse-hunting,purplefinchesintheirlittleredhoodswerefeastingonthesprucebuds,andthefaithfulchipbirdschirpedgaylyonthegrapevinetrelliswheretheyhadlivedallwinter,warmingtheirlittlegraybreastsagainstthesouthernsideofthehousewhenthesunshone,andhidingundertheevergreenboughswhenthesnowfell. “Thattreeisasortofbird'shotel,”saidJill,lookingoutatthetallsprucebeforeherwindow,everyspraynowtippedwithasoftgreen.“Theyallgotheretosleepandeat,andithasroomforeveryone.Itisgreenwhenothertreesdie,thewindcan'tbreakit,andthesnowonlymakesitlookprettier.Itsingstome,andnodsasifitknewIlovedit.” “Wemightcallit'TheHollyTreeInn,'assomeofthecheapeating-housesforpoorpeoplearecalledinthecity,asmyhollybushgrowsatitsfootforasign.Youcanbethelandlady,andfeedyourfeatherycustomerseveryday,tillthehardtimesareover,”saidMrs.Minot,gladtoseethechild'senjoymentoftheouterworldfromwhichshehadbeenshutsolong. Jilllikedthefancy,andgladlystrewedcrumbsonthewindowledgeforthechippies,whocameconfidinglytoeatalmostfromherhand.Shethrewoutgrainforthehandsomejays,thejauntyrobins,andtheneighbors'doves,whocamewithsoftflighttotripaboutontheirpinkfeet,archingtheirshiningnecksastheycooedandpecked.Carrotsandcabbage-leavesalsoflewoutofthewindowforthemaraudinggrayrabbit,lastofallJack'shalf-dozen,wholedhimawearylifeofitbecausetheywouldnotstayintheBunny-house,butunderminedthegardenwiththeirburrows,atetheneighbors'plants,andrefusedtobecaughttillallbutoneranaway,toJack'sgreatrelief.Thisoldfellowcampedoutforthewinter,andseemedtogetonverywellamongthecatsandthehens,whosharedtheirstoreswithhim,andhemightbeseenatallhoursofthedayandnightscamperingabouttheplace,orkickinguphisheelsbymoonlight,forhewasadesperatepoacher. Jilltookgreatdelightinherprettypensioners,whosoonlearnedtolove“TheHollyTreeInn,”andtofeelthattheBirdRoomheldacagedcomradefor,whenitwastoocoldorwettoopenth