diff options
Diffstat (limited to '42961-0.txt')
| -rw-r--r-- | 42961-0.txt | 3370 |
1 files changed, 3370 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/42961-0.txt b/42961-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..8bcaa9b --- /dev/null +++ b/42961-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,3370 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 42961 *** + +Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this + file which includes the original illustrations. + See 42961-h.htm or 42961-h.zip: + (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/42961/42961-h/42961-h.htm) + or + (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/42961/42961-h.zip) + + + Images of the original pages are available through + Internet Archive. See + https://archive.org/details/housewithsixtycl00chil + + + + + +[Illustration: THE HOUSE WITH SIXTY CLOSETS + +BY FRANK SAMUEL CHILD + +WITH ILLUSTRATIONS BY J. RANDOLPH BROWN] + + +[Illustration: THE CHILDREN TAKE POSSESSION OF THE HOUSE. Page 13.] + + +THE HOUSE WITH SIXTY CLOSETS + +A Christmas Story for Young Folks and Old Children + +by + +FRANK SAMUEL CHILD + +Author of "An Old New England Town" "The Colonial Parson +of New England" "A Colonial Witch" +"A Puritan Wooing" etc. + +With Illustrations by J. Randolph Brown + + + + + + + +Boston +Lee and Shepard Publishers +1899 + +Copyright, 1899, by Lee and Shepard + +All rights reserved + +THE HOUSE WITH SIXTY CLOSETS + + + + + To + Frank + and + Bess + and + Arthur + and + Theodora + and + Grace + and + Ruth + and + Amy + and + the "Little Judge" + and + All + Their + Merry + Friends + + + + +ALL ABOUT IT + + + A + + PAGE + HOUSE, PEOPLE, THINGS 11 + + + B + + THE HOUSE THAT THE JUDGE BUILT 15 + + + C + + THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THE HOUSE THAT THE JUDGE BUILT 33 + + + D + + THE THINGS THAT HAPPENED + TO THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE + IN THE HOUSE THAT THE JUDGE BUILT 53 + + + I + + PORTRAITS WALK AND TALK 57 + + + II + + CLOSETS TALK AND WALK 85 + + + III + + THE PROCESSION OF GOAT, DOG, CAT, BICYCLES, PORTRAITS, + CLOSETS, RUTH, AND THE "LITTLE JUDGE" 113 + + + IV + + THE PARTY WITH SUPPER FOR SEVENTEEN, AND TOASTS WITH + A TOASTING-FORK 141 + + + V + + STOCKINGS FILLED WITH MUSIC, RAINBOWS, SENSE, + BACKBONE, SUNSETS, IMPULSES, GOLD SPOON, IDEALS, + SUNSHINE, STAR, MANTLE, FLOWERS,--AND THE LIKE + QUEER STUFF 185 + + + E + + HAPPY DAY 215 + + + + +LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. + + + PAGE + THE CHILDREN TAKING POSSESSION OF THE HOUSE _Frontispiece._ + + INITIAL O 15 + + MRS. "JUDGE" PLANNING THE CLOSETS 19 + + MRS. "JUDGE'S" LIVING-ROOM 24 + + CANDLESTICK AND BIBLE 29 + + INITIAL I 33 + + NAILING FLAG TO CHIMNEY 41 + + THE CHILDREN TAKING A RIDE 44 + + INITIAL I 57 + + RUTH SEES FIGURES IN THE FIRE 59 + + STEPPING OUT OF THE FRAMES 61 + + SUSIE AND LITTLE JUDGE 67 + + ENTERING THE CLOCK 80 + + INITIAL T 85 + + PLAYING TAG 87 + + CHAMPAIGN COMPLAINING 93 + + THE CLOSETS TALK AND WALK 103 + + THE JUDGE SITTING ON THE COG-WHEEL 105 + + INITIAL I 113 + + BILLY EATING FUNERAL CLOTH AND WREATH 114 + + THE PROCESSION STARTS 121 + + BILLY, SATAN, AND TURK TAKING A RIDE 126 + + MRS. "JUDGE" AND MAN IN MOON 132 + + RETURNING FROM THE CHURCH 135 + + INITIAL W 141 + + THE WALK AROUND 163 + + THERE WAS THE GREATEST CONFUSION 180 + + INITIAL R 185 + + RUTH AND SATAN 186 + + THE ROOM WAS A BLAZE OF GLORY 187 + + THE ROOM STUDDED WITH TWINKLING, RADIANT STARS 211 + + + + +A + +HOUSE, PEOPLE, THINGS + + + + + _I will first describe the house._ + + _Then I will tell something about the people that live + in it._ + + _After that I will speak of the very strange things + which happened there the night before Christmas._ + + + + +B + +THE HOUSE THAT THE JUDGE BUILT + + + + +B. + +THE HOUSE THAT THE JUDGE BUILT. + + +ONCE upon a time there lived a good Judge in an old New England town. +People said the reason that he was so good was because his father was a +minister. But he may have gotten his goodness from his mother. I don't +know. Or he may have had it from his uncle who took him into his family +and sent him to college. For the minister was poor, and like many of his +brethren he had a big family; so his brother who was a rich lawyer and a +statesman helped his nephew get his education. + +Now, this son of a minister and nephew of a great man studied law and +became a Judge. He was liked by every one who knew him. People felt that +he was an honest, noble man who had mastered all the law books, and +showed more common sense than any other person in the State. So they +made him Judge. This man who started poor and had to make his own way in +the world earned a great deal of money. People came to him from all +parts of the country, and sought his advice. They put into his hands the +most important law cases. Only sometimes he would not have anything to +do with the cases that he was asked to manage because he thought them +wrong. + +As years went by he saved his money, and the time came when he was ready +to build a house. The Judge had become the most honored and the best +known man in the State. He had many friends among the great people of +the land. He enjoyed company, and was a famous host. So it seemed well +to him and his wife that they build a house which should be large enough +to hold their friends, and fine enough to satisfy the taste of the +society in which they moved. + +The Judge was not moved by pride or a wish to make a show. He wished to +do the right thing. Everybody said that he ought to have the largest and +the finest house in town. He was not only a lawyer and rich, but he was +deacon in the church and the leading man in society. He was likewise a +great scholar; and many people said that he was the most eloquent +speaker of his State. Such a person must live in a generous way. So the +Judge built this house. + +Now, when it came to drawing plans the wife had a good deal to say about +it; for the house was to be her home just as much as his; and he always +tried to do what he knew was for the pleasure of his wife. "I think," +said she when they began to talk about building, "that it should have a +great many closets." Had you been a friend of Mrs. "Judge" you would +have seen why she said this. She was not only a woman who liked to have +all her friends come to visit her, but she was also very liberal and +kind. She was always doing some nice thing for people, and always giving +presents. + +She was able to do this because she had the things to give away. I know +men and women who would make a great many presents if they had the money +to buy them--at least they say that they would. Such people like to tell +how they would act if they had all the money that some neighbor has +saved. They are great on giving away things that do not belong to them. + +Now, the Judge's wife was the best giver in town; and she gave to her +friends, and the poor, and everybody that was in need, all sorts of +things. But in order to do this she must buy the gifts that she +scattered so freely; and when she bought things she wanted a place to +keep them until the time came for her to give them away. This was why +she spoke to the Judge about the closets. + +[Illustration] + +"Well, my dear," said the Judge (he was always kind and polite), "you +may have just as many closets as you wish." So she began her plans of +the house by drawing the closets. I don't know exactly how she managed +to arrange it on paper. Very likely she said to herself, "I shall want +thirty closets." And then she would divide the number into four parts +and say, "Let me see, I suppose that four will be enough for the +cellar. Then I shall need ten on the first floor, and twelve on the +second floor, and six in the attic. That makes--why, that makes +thirty-two. Dear me! I wonder if that will be enough?" And as she thinks +over the various uses to which she will put her closets, and the many +things she will store in them, she says, on the next day, "Well, I +believe that I must have five or six more closets." So she starts her +drawing by marking down thirty-eight closets. After she has settled it +that the main floor shall have thirteen of them, she puts upon the paper +some dots showing the size of each little room; then she draws the other +rooms about them, and so she gets one story arranged. + +But no sooner does she begin the plans for the next floor, than she +thinks of one or two more closets which she needs for the first, and so +goes back to her work of yesterday, and does it all over again, making +several changes. And so very likely the weeks are spent in making paper +closets, and drawing the halls and parlors and bedrooms and other rooms +about them, until she puts her plans by the side of the Judge's plans; +then they get an architect; and then she asks for four more closets, +which makes forty-four. + +After a time the men begin to build; and she sends for the builder, and +tells him of course that she finds she will certainly need five more +closets,--one in the cellar, two on the first story, and three on the +second. He is a pleasant man; and the changes are made. But ere the +house is half built other needs appear, and Mrs. "Judge" insists upon +three new closets, which make fifty-two. And without doubt on the very +week that the carpenters leave the handsome mansion, she asks them for +several changes and three closets more. And will you believe it, they +move into the new house, get nicely settled, and everything running in +good order, when the generous housewife finds that the carpenter must +come, for she still wishes five new closets, which added to the others +make sixty. And so you have the house with sixty closets. It seems to +me that I have made it clear how there came to be so many of these +curious rooms and spaces in the Judge's house. At least you know all +that I know about it; and I do not believe that ever another house was +built in such a way. + +But I must tell you how the house was divided. A plan of each story will +be the best means of fixing this in the mind; and then you can turn back +to it whenever you lose your way in the house, and wish to get what are +called "your bearings." We must begin at the bottom and work toward the +top. The cellar was really three cellars,--a big one, a fair-sized one, +and the wine cellar. There was a small closet in this deep, dark place +where they kept certain kinds of liquor. The main cellar was divided +lengthwise through the middle, and there were two closets for provisions +on each side. + +The main floor had twenty-seven closets. For my own part, I think that +woman is a remarkable person who can invent and arrange such a number +of little nooks and rooms. But if this is a mark of genius, what shall +we say when it comes to keeping track of all the closets and their +contents? Why, I should be obliged to carry a plan of the whole house +with me, and every few minutes I should pull it out and study it. The +Judge's wife was a most wonderful woman. She built her closets, and then +she filled them, and then she remembered all about them and their +contents. Here is the plan of the first floor. A hall through the +middle. On the left as you enter is the library. There was one closet +connected with this room, and a door opened into it from the northeast +corner. Back of the library was the dining-room. It had three closets +connected with it; doors leading to them from three corners of the room. +To the left of the dining-room you passed into a side entry. Three doors +opened into three large closets. The kitchen adjoined the dining-room. +There was one closet in it, and two closets out of it to the right, and +these two latter had one closet and two closets respectively. + +[Illustration] + +On the right of the hall was the parlor. It had one closet. A large +window reaching to the floor gave entrance to this room near the +northeast corner. Back of the parlor was a long, dark closet which made +a passage-way from the hall to the schoolroom. Back of this closet was a +first-floor chamber with three closets. The third of these closets +opened into the chamber from the north. It was formerly Mrs. "Judge's" +store-room. Another large closet was connected with it, and these two +large closets contained two small closets. To the east of this chamber +was the schoolroom (formerly the Judge's library). This room had two +closets in it, and two closets out of it. The room to the north of the +schoolroom was the annex to the Judge's library, and it held his books +bequeathed to the minister. It also held two closets. And now my first +story is ended. + +The short hall on the second floor opens at the rear into a long, narrow +hall. There are five chambers in this part of the house. The front room +on the right as you look toward the street is the "Study," and it has +two closets, one on each side of the big chimney. The two chambers back +and to the left as you face the chimney are without a single closet; but +the lack is made up when you pass to the other side of the house. The +front chamber has two closets, one on each side of the chimney. As you +pass into the one on the right (you face the chimney, remember) a door +opens to the right and leads you into another large closet with a window +in it. Going across this closet to the right another door opens into a +big, dark closet; turning to the street and stepping back three paces +you open a door into another closet; passing into this one (there is a +small window in it) you open a door into the linen closet. Withdrawing +from this series of small rooms, you get into the Betsey-Bartram room, +and there you find on the south side two doors leading into two large +closets. North of this room is another bedroom. One closet lies in the +southeast corner, and one opens to you from the west side of the room. +The thirteenth closet on this floor is at the end of the back hall, and +the fourteenth is by the side of the chimney in the room above the +down-stairs chamber. The attic was one big room with five closets +scattered around the chimneys. They hung hams in the larger one. It was +a fine place to smoke meat. There was always a greasy, smothered flavor +to the air in that place. + +Now, if you have kept track of the closets you will see that we number +only fifty-one. There had been three neat, retired little closets under +the stairs in the first-floor hall. When the hall was enlarged these +poor things were taken out. It was on this occasion that Samuel said: +"See how rich we are; for we have closets to burn." And still there are +six closets missing. Well, the closet with the skeleton in it is a +mystery, and I do not like to speak of it. Three closets were found one +day carefully tucked away in a corner of the attic. The other two +missing ones have simply grown up and become big rooms with windows in +them. They put on a good deal of style, and look down upon the other +closets. + +What a lovely time the Judge's wife had in furnishing her new home. I +have been reading the bills, yellow-stained and time-worn. She had a +taste for handsome things. As the house was a colonial building, the +grandest in that part of the country, she tried to get furniture that +matched. + +There were mahogany chairs and tables, sofas and bedsteads, cabinets +and stands. She paid $155 in gold for her gilt-framed looking-glass, +which stood between the front windows in the parlor, and $125 for her +Grecian sofa with cushions. There were twelve fancy-chairs and two +arm-chairs. Her rocker cost $25. Then she had another little work-table, +for which they paid $20.75. + +Her parlor carpet was made in England. The Judge had it made to order; +so you may believe it was uncommonly fine. The curtains were yellow +damask, lined with chintz. During the summer these curtains were stored +away on long shelves in one of the closets, and lace curtains hung in +their places. + +Every large room in the house had a fireplace, and the supply of +andirons was enormous. Some of them cost $19 and $20. Then there were +venetian blinds in the parlor; and on the centre table stood an astral +bronzed lamp worth $18, and on the mantle, high silver candlesticks. A +plated pair cost them $18, and the snuffers and tray $8 more. There +were the best Brussels carpets, the most fashionable china and silver, +the richest linen for the table,--a vast amount of things needed to make +a house pleasant and comfortable. + +[Illustration] + + + + +C. + +THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THE HOUSE THAT THE JUDGE BUILT. + + + + +C. + +THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THE HOUSE THAT THE JUDGE BUILT. + + +IT was on this wise that the present family came to live in the +parsonage. The church had been without a pastor for several months, and +the people were tired of hearing Tom, Dick, and Harry in the pulpit. But +what was to be done? They had found no man that suited them. One +minister was too young, and another too old. The first candidate had a +very long neck, a sort of crane neck, and it made some of the ladies +nervous. The last candidate was fat, and everybody said he must be lazy. +Several were so anxious to come that the congregation turned against +them. There was always some reason why each man was not liked. So it +began to look as if they might never get another minister. + +The society finally asked the ladies their views upon the subject. It +was one afternoon when the Dorcas Daughters were sewing for the poor. +The president of the little band had been reading a missionary letter. +"Well," she said, "I have heard so much about filling the pulpit that I +am sick of it. I think it's about time that we filled the parsonage. +Just see what kind of ministers we have had for the last thirty years. +Two bachelors, and one married man without a chick or a child. I say +that it's time for us to call a man to fill the parsonage." + +"Why, that's what I think!" remarked one of the mothers present. "It is +a shame to have that great house given over to the rats and mice. And I +know that not a minister has been in it for all these years that used +more'n half or two-thirds of the room. But, dear me, it would take a +pretty big family to fill the parsonage! Let me see; there are +twenty-seven rooms and sixty closets, aren't there?" + +"So they say," replied the president. "I never counted them. But that +would just suit some folks." + +"Where is that letter that you read us at the last meeting?" inquired +one of the sisters. "How many children did that man say he had? I +remember that we never sent another box like it to a home missionary in +all the history of this church." "I've got the letter right here in my +hand," said the president, "and I've had that man in mind for a week. +He's got fifteen children,--eight of his own, and seven of his deceased +sister. I shouldn't wonder if he was the very one we want." One of the +younger women nodded. She was thinking of playmates for her boys and +girls. "And then if they overflowed the house," continued the president, +"there is the little building in the yard. They might start a cottage +system. You know that is the way they do in schools these days. Divide +up the young folks, and set them in small companies. The minister might +do it; and if the family expanded we might build two or three extra +cottages." + +"Now, Mrs. President," said one of the ladies, "I fear you are making +fun. But I think that letter from the missionary with fifteen children +in the family was the best we ever had. A man that could write such a +letter must be very much of a man." + +"He is," replied the president. "I have looked him up in the Year Book, +and I have written to the secretary of the Missionary Society. He's a +very good man. Nobody has done better work in that frontier country." + +So the ladies said that they would ask the church to call this parson +with the big family. When the meeting was held and everybody was +talking, one gentleman arose, and told the people that the ladies had a +candidate. His name being proposed, the president of the Dorcas Society +explained how she felt, that they ought to have a man to fill the +parsonage, and this man whom they named was the one to do it; therefore +the meeting voted unanimously to call him. + +"I think we had better charter a train to bring them from the West," +said one of the deacons. But it was finally decided to engage a car; so +everything was arranged, and in four weeks they came. + +When the train stopped at the station, the church committee was on hand +with three carryalls. It reminded one of an orphanage, or a company of +Fresh-air children. But a hearty welcome was given; they were hurried +into the carriages, and soon the whole family was in the parsonage. + +A nice dinner had been prepared by the ladies of the parish. After the +travellers had washed and made some slight changes, they all sat down to +the feast. + +It was a happy thing that the church and the Judge furnished the +parsonage. This poor, large-hearted missionary brought nothing with him +but books and children; his library was really a very fine one, and it +had filled the small house in the West. His own family of children had +been increased by the seven orphans left when his sister and her husband +died. There was nothing for him to do but adopt them; so they had been +packed into the little home until one was reminded of a box of sardines. +But this sort of kindness was like the good man. He was ready to share +the last crust with any one who needed it. + +"Why, what a big house it is!" exclaimed Grace. "Just see; I guess we +could put the whole of our Western house right here in the parlor." And +I think they could if they had only brought it along with them. When +dinner was over the children scattered all through the mansion and the +grounds. + +What a delightful sense of freedom and importance they had. Could it be +possible that all these things belonged to them? Were the ten acres of +lawn, garden, orchard, field, and pasture really for their use and +pleasure? As parents and children wandered through the big rooms, and +peered into the sixty closets, and looked out of the numerous windows, +it seemed to them like a dream. And yet the dreamy sensation soon +passed; for the parson and his wife, happening to look out of a front +window, were struck with the expression of alarm, amusement, or interest +shown by several people going along the street. It was caused by the way +in which the family was showing its presence and possession. There were +three children on the front piazza standing in a row gazing at the sea; +four of the younger ones were climbing in and out of the windows on the +second floor, running along the tin roof of the piazza; two boys had +already climbed a tree looking for birds' nests; three children had +hurried through the attic to the roof, and leaned against the big +chimneys that towered over the house. With curious interest they were +taking a general survey of the town and country, quite unconscious that +their rashness attracted any attention. The other youngsters were +having a frolic in the yard, walking along the top of the picket-fence, +jumping from one gate-post to another, shouting with healthful lungs, +and making the very welkin ring. + +Had a pack of wild Indians swooped down upon the house, they could not +have made themselves more evident, or excited any greater concern in +town. It was clear that the minister who was called to fill the +parsonage answered the purpose. He filled it; and the contents were +overflowing from doors and windows on to piazzas and roofs, or into yard +and trees and street. What a waking up for the rats and mice it was! The +mere racket and clatter were enough to drive them out of their holes. +But what a shaking up for the old town! + +The house stood on the main street. It was an object of historic +veneration. Everybody knew all about it, and had a sort of watch-care +over it. Anything that went on in that house belonged to the whole +neighborhood. So that it was not long before all the people were +talking about the new arrivals. Men, women, and children felt an impulse +to walk or ride by the parsonage on that eventful day. And it was a +startling sight; for the minister's family seemed to think that the +house really belonged to them, and they were to enjoy it just the way +they pleased. This running all through the many rooms, and popping out +of the many windows upon the piazza, and climbing up to the roof, and +playing tag in the yard, and hunting for birds' nests, and walking on +the tops of the pickets along the fence, was their way of enjoying the +place. + +[Illustration] + +"Let's nail the flag to the chimney," shouted Harry, the third boy. They +had carried the flag in hand all through their journey from the West. +"Yes," shouted the other boys, who were wildly patriotic. "Come on! come +on!" So they all came on except the youngest; and she finally came in +the arms of her father, who followed the mother, who followed the +children, to see what was doing in the attic or on the roof. And just at +this time the most important man in the church and town drove by with +his family. Do you wonder that this important man and his family gazed +with surprise and alarm at the sight? There on the roof of the house was +the whole family. Henry was nailing the flag to the tallest chimney. But +when the children saw this kind man pass along the street (he was one of +the committee that met them at the station, and it was his horses that +had carried them to the parsonage), they waved their hands, and shook +their handkerchiefs, and shouted "Hurrah! hurrah!" with such spirit that +the gentleman must needs take off his hat, smile and bow, and turn to +his family with some pleasing remark. There was no doubt in his mind or +in the mind of the passer-by that the town was captured. The West had +made a sudden onset; and the standard of victory now floated from the +chimney of the Judge's mansion. The only thing for the natives to do was +to submit and make the best of the situation. + +As I said, the good people of the parish furnished the parsonage. The +carpets were down, and the chairs, tables, sofas, bedsteads, stands, +book-cases, and other things, were put in their places. All the +minister's wife had to do was to unpack her trunks, and divide up their +contents among the closets. All the minister had to do was to unpack his +boxes, and arrange his books in the study. So they were settled in a +trice. + +Here is the picture of the children. You must know them in order to +understand what happened in the house. Elizabeth was the oldest. She +must have been seventeen or eighteen. She was ready for college. It was +hard for the mother to get along without her, since she had brought up +all the younger ones, and given her mother a chance to go round with her +father in his work. Elizabeth was very mature, but she had all the +frankness and cordiality of a typical Westerner. She seemed almost too +free and easy in her manners for the slow East. But you couldn't help +liking her. A little Western gush does good in the town. + +[Illustration] + +Samuel came next. He knew everything. He was ready for college too. He +was slow, and not always just as agreeable as one would like to have +him. It has been said that somebody stepped on his toes when he was a +very little child, and that he still has spells of being angry about +it. Samuel was a mechanic. He kept things in order,--machines, carts, +clocks, and like objects,--when he hadn't any girls to tease; for he was +an awful tease, and so was liked in a general way by all of them. His +manner toward the younger members of the family was rather severe and +overbearing. But what would you expect from a big boy who knows so much, +and has such a host of children to live with? + +Helen was the third one. She was literary, and gave a great deal of time +to books. She hated to darn stockings above all things, and would often +read a story to the children, or write one for them, if she could get +somebody to do her darning for her. I think she will make an author. The +family hadn't been in the house one day before she said that the closets +must be named. Her mother or the children would never be able to keep +track of them, unless they were reduced to a system, and properly +numbered like rooms in a hotel, or labelled like drugs in a store. + +Henry and Miriam were twins. They were just about as unlike as you could +make them,--one light and the other dark; the first lean and the second +fat; he quick and she slow. And so we might go through a long list of +things, and find that one was opposite to the other. For this reason +they got along well together and were very happy. + +Then came cousin George, who was fond of music and could sing like a +lark; and Theodora, who was born to be a lady, and always took the part +of Mrs. Rothschild or Mrs. Astor in their plays; and cousin Herbert, who +will be a doctor, and who was so ingenious about getting into mischief +that I think he will be able to invent enough bad doses to cure the very +worst sicknesses; and cousin Ethel, the pink of propriety, who never got +a spot on her dress, and always said, "Will you please give me this or +that?" or "Thank you," when she took anything; and cousin Grace, the +demure and quiet puss who had a wonderful faculty for stirring up the +whole family, and yet freeing herself from trouble; and cousin Susie, +who is always sweet and good-tempered, and loves everybody; and cousin +William, the precocious (I mean very smart), who will be president of +the United States; and cousin Nathaniel, who was said by his brothers +and sisters and cousins to be "just too cute for anything," flying +hither and thither like a humming-bird, never two minutes in one place +except when his aunt got him into his nest at night. How many does that +make? Let me count them up. Have I mentioned them all but Ruth? Ruth was +seven years old. She could ask more questions in five minutes than any +lawyer in cross-examining witnesses. And when she was tired of asking +questions she would tease for more things in a second five minutes than +any twenty children rolled into one. And not only would she ask the same +question seventeen times at once, or tease for the same thing thirteen +times without stopping, but she did it in just the same unvarying, +shrill tone of voice; so that it was like the monotonous rasping of a +saw, and had a tendency to drive a sensitive person out of his head. How +many times did the older members of the family run from her as though +she had a contagious disease, so that they might get relief from that +endless asking and teasing? And yet she had many good traits, and was +certainly very bright. If there had been some comfortable way of putting +a muzzle upon talkative and tedious children, her parents would probably +have done it; but they simply used all the powers of restraint that they +had and let it go at that. Ruth was evidently cut out for a poet or a +woman's rights speaker; for she was all the time getting up rhymes, or +talking in a high key and impulsive way to such members of the family as +would listen to her. + +When the baby came everybody said that he must be called "The Little +Judge," in honor of the good man who gave the house to the church for +the minister. + +No sooner was the family really settled than the children began to ask +about this famous Judge. They had never lived in an old, historic house +before, and they were interested. They knew how the Judge and his wife +looked, for their portraits hung in the east parlor. What fine old +people they must have been! If those oil paintings did them justice they +were about as nice-looking as anybody that you see preserved in oil in +the great galleries of the world. + +Whenever the children stood before the pictures, they asked questions: +Who was the Judge? what did he do? how much of a family did he have? did +he like children? when did he die? who attended the funeral? where was +he buried? what became of his things? and a hundred other questions. So +the minister began to read about the Judge and his work. And the more he +read, the more he admired and loved. The enthusiasm which the minister +showed in his attempts to learn all he could about the generous giver of +the parsonage excited the curiosity of the children to such an extent +that they begged their father and uncle to write a book about him. +Helen herself talked about doing something of the kind. + +"I've found out more things in the life of the Judge," the minister +would say; and then all the children gathered around him just after +supper, as the fire burned gayly on the hearth in his study, and he +would tell them some fresh incident, and add a few lines to his pen +portrait of the man. So the months chased each other; and the Judge and +his wife made not only the most common topic of conversation, but they +became as real to the young people in the parsonage as the boys and +girls they met on the street. I suppose it was because they thought and +talked so much about them that the strange things which I am to relate +happened (or didn't happen) in the house. + +They had not lived many weeks in the house before they got into all +sorts of trouble about the closets. They kept losing something, or +losing themselves, or losing the closets. + +"We'll number them," suggested Herbert. + +"No; let's name them," cried William. They had all met to talk the +matter over; so it was decided to do both. When names run out they would +fall back on numbers. + +"I feel like Adam when he named all the cattle and the fowls and the +beasts," exclaimed Helen. + +"We'll hang a plan of the house on each floor, and then we can refer to +it without running up-and down-stairs." This was Samuel's remark. He was +always for saving steps. So names were suggested, plans were drawn, +every closet was given its dues, and the atmosphere was thick with +Champagne, Darkest Africa, Turpentine, Leghorn, Daisy, Pansy, Violet, +Rose, Panama, China, Greece, Dublin, Clementine, Serpentine, Argentine, +Morocco, and other appropriate names. + + + + +D. + +THE THINGS THAT HAPPENED TO THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THE HOUSE THAT THE +JUDGE BUILT. + + + + +I. + +PORTRAITS WALK AND TALK. + + + + +I. + +PORTRAITS WALK AND TALK. + + +IT was Christmas Eve. Excitement had reached fever heat. The children +knew nothing about Christmas in the East; and their Western festivals +had always been simple, for there was little money to use in buying +gifts. But this year friends had remembered them, and they had also +earned several dollars by various kinds of work; so that they were sure +of many nice things. Had they not been buying presents for each other +these ten days? and was not every closet in the house made the +hiding-place for some treasure? + +The nervous strain on the parents was great. Such confusion and anxiety +passed words. Was it possible ever to get the house and the family +settled down to plain, every-day living again? + +It happened that the children had all met in the east parlor. This was +the room where the pictures of the Judge and his wife adorned the wall. +The two portraits hung on the right of the fireplace, you remember, just +over the piano. A lamp was giving a faint light on the marble +centre-table, and a cheerful wood fire was burning on the hearth. In +front of the piano was the music stool. + +The children were all talking. The hum and buzz of their many voices +filled the room. One said, "I wonder if Santa Claus will bring me a +doll;" and another said, "There is no such person as Santa Claus;" and a +third said, "I want a new sled;" and a fourth said, "Father promised me +a book about birds;" and so the talk continued. + +But Ruth for once kept still. She was worn out with excitement. As she +flung herself into a big arm-chair, she turned her head towards the +fire, and began to see all sorts of funny creatures dancing in and out +among the coals. Ruth was a poet, you remember, gifted with a wonderful +imagination; and she could see more strange things, and tell more wild +stories, than any other child in the family; and that is saying a great +deal, for they all had a way of telling about things which they had +heard and seen that constantly reminded their neighbors of Western +largeness and exaggeration. + +[Illustration] + +As Ruth watched the queer creatures playing in the fire her eyes grew +heavy; and then she turned her head away for a moment, and her eyes +became fixed upon the pictures of the Judge and his wife. Did her head +droop to one side, and did it fall softly upon the cushion against the +arm, or did her eyes suddenly open wide with surprise, and did she gaze +with startled look upon a strange scene before her? + +For both the Judge and his wife seemed to be moving; and they looked so +natural and pleasant when they smiled and bowed, that Ruth said to +herself, "Why, they must be alive." And the Judge reached out his hand +from the canvas which held him, and took the hand of his wife, who had +responded to his motion, and said, "My dear, wouldn't you like to step +down and out for a little while?" + +[Illustration] + +"Yes, thank you," she replied; "I think it would rest me." And then he +laid down the pen, which he holds in the picture, and stepped lightly +upon the piano, still keeping her hand in his; and then he helped her +down upon the piano, and then he stepped down to the music stool, and +finally on the floor, and she followed. This was all done with the grace +and dignity that marked the usual movements both of the Judge and his +wife. And it seemed the most natural thing in the world for them to step +down and out. + +Ruth sprang toward them on the instant that they stood upon the floor. +She rubbed her eyes to make sure that she was not dreaming; and then as +she saw them really before her, looking for all the world like natural +folks, she greeted them with delight. + +"Why, how do you do?" she exclaimed. "I always thought you looked as if +you would like to talk. That, I suppose, is why people say that your +pictures are a 'speaking likeness.' But I never thought you'd get out of +the pictures. How did you do it?" But the Judge and his wife were too +much absorbed in the scene before them to reply immediately. The old +room had changed since their day; they were noting the changes. And then +this roomful of children took them by surprise. + +"My dear," said the Judge to his wife, "this is delightful." "Yes," +continued Ruth, "they all belong to us. I heard the president of the +Dorcas Society say that when the church called this minister they +expected him to fill the parsonage just as much as the pulpit. And we +did it." + +"Yes, this is delightful," repeated the Judge. "How many are there?" He +said this to his wife, but Ruth answered. + +"Oh! there are only fifteen of us when we are by ourselves. There are a +good many more when the neighbors' children come in; and then don't we +have grand times!" + +"It almost takes my breath away." Mrs. "Judge" was speaking to her +husband. "My dear, have you my fan in your pocket?" And the Judge felt +in his pocket, but he didn't find any fan. + +"Why, it's Christmas! You don't want a fan," said Ruth, who was bound to +take part in the conversation, and play the hostess on this wonderful +occasion. And then the Judge and his wife stood stock-still, and gazed +with increasing pleasure and interest upon the scene. + +Their descent from the picture had been so noiseless and unexpected +that Ruth was the only one to observe it. But when this keen, talkative +sister began to question the guests, the other children turned their +heads, and they beheld the curious sight. There stood the Judge and his +wife exactly as they appeared in the portraits. Only they had their legs +on them, and the pictures didn't. But the children noticed even the +smallest details of dress, and they were the very originals of the +portraits. + +Suddenly the whole company stood up. + +"Why, it's just like a reception or a wedding," said Ruth. "I think +they're all waiting to be introduced." And the children advanced one +after another, or Ruth led the Judge and his wife to different parts of +the room, and each brother and sister and cousin was properly presented. + +"How did you get out?" inquired Ruth a second time. Everybody in the +room was now standing, and all eyes were looking for the next move in +this strange parlor drama. + +"We just stepped out," replied the Judge, who seemed prepared at length +to talk with Ruth or the other children. + +"But where did you keep your legs all the time?" When Ethel asked this +question Mrs. "Judge" blushed. Elizabeth, the eldest daughter, pushed +her way forward, and said, "S-s-s-s-h!" and Samuel said, with a nudge of +the arm, "Keep still, can't you?" But you might as well tell the +steaming teakettle to stop boiling as it sits upon a lively fire. + +"We are very glad to see you," interrupted Helen. She was a most +hospitable girl, and she had read a great deal of history; although +Henry knew more history than she did, and he had read everything about +the Judge that he could lay his hands on. + +"We are very glad to see you, and should like to ask about the 'Hartford +Convention,'" said Henry. + +"He's been talking about it for a month," continued Ruth. "I wish you'd +tell him all about it, and then maybe he'd keep still. I don't care +anything about it, neither do the other children. But Henry thinks he's +very smart in such things ever since he got a prize in history." + +"Did you say these were all the children?" It was Mrs. "Judge" that now +spoke. And as she made the inquiry Susie ran out of the parlor, and +disappeared in the gloom of the hall. + +"Why, we forgot all about the baby!" exclaimed Ruth. "He's up-stairs +asleep, I guess. Dear me, you must see the baby. He's the cutest little +thing you ever saw." + +"Yes, we should like to see him, of course. We both like babies, good +babies." + +[Illustration] + +"Babies that don't cry I suppose you mean," said Ruth. "Well, he doesn't +cry much,--only when he's hungry, or a pin sticks into him, or he gets +mad, or somebody lets him fall, or hits his head against the door or a +chair." Here Ruth paused for breath. Then she exclaimed, "Why, of +course, you must see the baby! Why, he is named for you!" This was said +to the Judge with greatest excitement. And just as Ruth was saying it +everybody turned toward the door, and there stood little Susie hugging +the baby to her breast, his nightdress dragging on the floor, her short +arms barely reaching around his plump body; both baby and Susie having +their faces wreathed in smiles. Staggering under the burden this +youngest sister pressed through the company with her precious armful; +and as the Judge saw her approach he stepped forward, bent down above +her, and took the little fellow into his arms, where he settled with a +most contented and happy expression. It was a very pretty sight,--this +stately old gentleman holding a beautiful baby on one arm, and reaching +over to the lovely, dignified wife by his side with the other arm; for +she had taken hold of his hand again after he had fixed the baby +comfortably on his arm, and Ruth had stationed herself close by the +Judge's wife on the other side, and taken possession of the lady's free +hand. + +"And this is the baby, is it?" inquired Mrs. "Judge." "What a dear +little boy he is! And what did you say you called him?" For the lady was +either deaf or absorbed so that she did not hear all that Ruth had said +about the baby's name. + +"Why, we call him after your husband. Didn't you hear me say so? He is +the "Little Judge." Just see how he clings to his namesake. Is he the +Judge's namesake or the Judge his namesake? I don't know which is which, +only it's something about namesake, and he's named for the Judge." This +latter talk on the part of Ruth was quite as much to herself as to the +visitors. And all the time the Judge was gazing down into the infant's +face with earnest, wistful look, seeming almost to forget that he was +once more standing in the old east parlor. Yes, for a moment he had +really forgotten where he did stand; for he was thinking of the many +years ago when two other baby boys had been placed in his arms, and with +what hope and tenderness he had handled the small, helpless pieces of +humanity. + +"Don't you like the name?" interrupted Ruth. "We thought it would please +you. What makes you look so solemn? Oh, I know!" Now, Ruth did not +intend to be cruel. She was simply thoughtless like many other children. + +"You had a baby boy once, didn't you? Two of 'em, didn't you?" And then +she saw that Mrs. "Judge" seemed to feel bad too, and that she let go +the Judge's hand for a moment, and dashed away some tears from her eyes. + +"I'm sorry if I've hurt your feelings," said Ruth. "I didn't mean to. I +was just thinking about your two baby boys. They would have been awful +old if they had lived till now, wouldn't they? and we never should have +lived in this house if they had lived, would we?" A hush had fallen on +the company. Neither the Judge nor his wife made any reply. They were +lost in thought, while the children watched them with breathless +interest. + +"We didn't dare give him your full name," continued Ruth. "That's what +Dr. Blank did to one of his baby boys, and it died. Mother was afraid if +we called our baby after you, with the three long names, that it might +kill him, so she said; so we dropped the middle one, and I think it much +better, don't you?" + +"Dear little boy," said the Judge affectionately, as he looked down into +his face again. "Dear little boy." And then the Judge bent down and +kissed him, and the baby beamed with delight. It was almost like a +baptism in church. + +"I thought maybe you were going to pray over him. That's the way father +does, you know." But the Judge didn't seem to hear. + +"My dear," he said, turning to his wife and holding the baby toward her. +She knew what he meant, for she likewise bent down over the little +fellow and printed another kiss upon his sweet, upturned, dimpled face, +and then another, and a third, while the Judge stood looking on with +happy indulgence; and all the children noted every motion in this +singular drama. + +"What did your boys die of?" asked Ruth, who did not wish to lose any +time, since she had so many questions to ask, and she feared that her +visitors might not stay as long as she wished them. + +"Ruth!" exclaimed Samuel, who had drawn near the young inquisitor, and +felt it was time to stop her; "aren't you ashamed of yourself?" He said +this in a low tone, thinking that the Judge and his wife might not hear. +They were watching the baby with such eagerness that they had almost +forgotten the rest of the company. + +"I think," remarked Mrs. "Judge," as she lifted her head from the baby +and glanced around the room, "that it is very pleasant in the old +house." + +"Oh, yes; we think so too." It was Ruth again speaking. The other +members of the family had little chance to say anything. "Can't get in +a word edgewise," whispered Henry to Helen. "What a perfect nuisance +Ruth is!" + +"Wouldn't you like to go over the house?" Of course it was Ruth who +asked the question. She was always taking people over the house. It +might be Monday morning when everything was in dire confusion, and all +the younger children still in bed, or it might be early evening after +the baby and Susie had been playing in crib and bed, and things were +assuming their wonted appearance of disorder. If the notion took her she +was always ready to seize a caller by the hand, and lead him from cellar +to garret. + +"I think I would like to look around a little," replied the lady. "I am +wondering how many closets you have now in the house." + +"Oh, there is an awful lot!" exclaimed Ruth. + +"We have sixty," observed Elizabeth, who liked to be precise. + +"That's right, that's right," continued Mrs. "Judge." "I had that number +put in. I was afraid you might have given away some of them." When she +said this the children looked rather queer. Who ever heard of giving +away closets? One might think they were flowers, or eggs, or peaches. + +"You used to give away a great deal, didn't you?" exclaimed Ruth. "But I +don't see how you could give away closets." + +And now the whole company started on a tour of sight-seeing in the old +house. Samuel and Elizabeth naturally took the lead, being the oldest +and quite the lady and gentleman. The Judge with the baby on one arm and +his wife leaning on the other followed. Ruth still clung to the right +hand of Mrs. "Judge." Then the remaining children came in a dense crowd +just behind them. + +"The parlor looks much as it did when we left it, except the furniture," +said the lady. "Now let us see if they have kept the other rooms as +well." + +They passed next into the hall. + +"Dear me! what is this?" exclaimed the Judge. "Where are we?" For it was +not the old hall at all. That had been rather short and small. This was +long, reaching through the house. + +"Why, what has become of my bedroom?" inquired the lady. "They have made +it into this hall. And where are all the nice little closets under the +stairs? You certainly have given them away. Oh, dear! oh, dear! I'm so +sorry." + +"I guess you're tired," said Ruth. "It makes you nervous to walk much, +doesn't it? Why, yes, I know, because they say you never went up-stairs +for ever so many years. Oh, I know what we'll do! You can ride." All +this time Mrs. "Judge" was looking about her in a dazed way, quite at +sea in respect to her surroundings. For the hall had been completely +changed until it appeared about as different as different could be. And +the good lady was really shocked. + +"Do you see those things under the stairs? They are our bicycles." + +And the Judge and his wife gazed with perplexed faces in the direction +indicated. There was a whole row of them. Seven, altogether,--full-grown, +half-grown, or any size you might wish. It was like a carriage shop. + +"I think you might ride one all through the house down-stairs," said +Ruth to the lady guest. "Then you wouldn't have to walk." + +And as the suggestion was made, Ruth's eyes flashed, and her cheeks grew +flushed with excitement. What fun it would be to push the good woman on +a bicycle from room to room, and show her the present arrangements of +the beloved house. But Mrs. "Judge" was horrified. She clung very +closely to her husband, as if she thought that she might have to perch +upon one of the machines whether she wished it or not. Her breath came +fast and short. Her cheeks grew hectic. + +"You don't mean to say that people ride those things!" she finally +exclaimed when her first flurry of agitation was past. + +"Yes," replied Ruth delightedly; "we all ride 'em." + +"Not your father and mother,--the minister and the minister's wife?" + +"Why, yes, and the Episcopal minister too, and his wife." + +"Are you sure, Judge, that you didn't bring a fan with you?" The good +woman seemed very faint, and she looked beseechingly toward her husband. +"Here's one," shouted Susie, who ran to the cabinet and found a lovely +piece of feather work, which scattered very fine feathers over your +clothes and through the room on every motion you made with it. And as +the Judge's wife waved it back and forth the feathers began to fly. + +"It looks like a snow-storm," whispered Herbert to Theodora. And soon +the feather flakes adorned their garments and floated through the air, +so that one was really reminded of a fresh fall of snow. + +It took the good lady a long time to get her breath. The hall closets +were all gone; and in their places stood seven things called bicycles, +upon which the minister, his wife, and the children were said to ride. +It was awful. And Ruth was urging her to try one. Alas! the hall was +too much for her self-possession. + +"Let us go into the west room," she said faintly. So they all came into +what is now the family sitting-room and library. Here everything was +strange. The door into the kitchen was covered with a high book-case +filled with literature. The small cubby-hole through which dishes and +food had been passed from dining-room to kitchen was now made into a +door. But there was one familiar object before them. In the far corner +stood the clock, grave and stalwart sentinel for the house. + +"My dear, do you see the clock?" It was the Judge speaking to his wife. +He knew there must be many changes in the house. He accepted them very +quietly; but he was glad to see this old familiar friend. He had +expected to find it in the hall where it had always stood during his +day; but he was just as glad to see it here in the old dining-room. That +clock had been present on all the great occasions of life. It had +marked the hours for every event connected with the history of the +house. When the long line of famous men and women entertained by the +Judge and his wife came to mind, it was to be recollected that the clock +had seen them all, and winked and blinked at them morning, noon, and +night, and sounded his warning notes in their ears, when it was time to +rise or retire, or to eat, or to go to court, or to drive to town, or to +start for church. It was like meeting a tried and beloved friend. Both +the Judge and his wife were overjoyed. + +It might have been that some indifferent family had lived in the house, +and thrown the clock out of doors or stored it in the attic. There are +people so dull and unimaginative, people with so little sentiment, that +they never care for keepsakes or heirlooms. They want everything fresh +and new about them. Antiques are a perfect bore or nuisance. Happily the +minister's family was not one of this kind. They all had a great deal of +what is called historic sense. They liked old things; and the clock was +their most sacred possession. How much they had talked about it, and +dreamed about the scenes which had passed before it! While Ruth had +invented more wild stories in connection with that one object than could +be told in many a day. + +The other things in the room attracted little attention. The visitors +made their slow and stately way across to the corner where the clock +stood. As they looked up into its serene face, the object of their +interest looked down upon them with a very knowing expression, seeming +to recognize them on the instant, extending them a very hearty welcome; +for the tick, tick was louder than ever before, the very frame of the +huge thing began to tremble with suppressed excitement, and then eight +long, loud strokes sounded through the entire house, as much as to say, +"They've come," "How'd do?" "Glad t'see you," and other kind greetings. +The children had all followed the Judge and his wife, and they were +eagerly watching for the next movement on the part of the visitors. + +[Illustration] + +It made quite a striking picture,--the tall, solemn clock in the far +corner of the room, the Judge and the baby on his arm, and the wife +holding Ruth by the hand, standing in front of it; then the throng of +alert and wondering children bringing up in the rear, for they all felt +that something out of the ordinary was about to happen. In fact, the +whole visit of these former inhabitants of the house was rather unusual, +so that the children would naturally expect fresh marvels at any moment. +It was clear that Mrs. "Judge" was getting tired; nobody had offered her +a chair, and she had refused to get on a bicycle. + +Suddenly the door of the clock swung open. + +"I think you had better rest, my dear," said the Judge; "we'll step in +here." + +And as he made the remark he put his foot into the clock and gave a +lively spring, filling the small doorway. + +"Oh, please don't take the baby away!" screamed Ruth, as she saw them +both disappearing. "Who'll nurse him? And mamma'll feel so bad." + +But it was all done so quickly that Ruth never finished her speech, for +the Judge still held his wife's hand and helped her into the clock; then +as Ruth held all the faster to the lady's hand, she was caught up too, +they all went into the clock and the door shut upon them. + +The other children were struck dumb with amazement. + +"I always thought it looked like a coffin," exclaimed Samuel; "but I +never expected to see four people buried alive in it." + +"I've wanted to hide in it a hundred times," said Helen, "but I never +supposed"-- + +"Ten thousand times are hid in it," interrupted Henry. + +"Times out of mind," whispered Herbert. + +"Time, time," cried Samuel; and soon they indeed had a "time." + + + + +II. + +CLOSETS TALK AND WALK. + + + + +II. + +CLOSETS TALK AND WALK. + + +THE first thing that the children who were left behind did was to +examine the clock. They all made a rush for it, and pulled open the +door. "Tick, tock, tick, tock," went the huge machine. They saw the +pendulum swing back and forth. And that was all they did see. The Judge, +his wife, Ruth, and the baby had disappeared. + +"I believe this house is bewitched, or we are!" exclaimed Helen. She had +read about the strange things said and done in the old town more than +two centuries ago, when witches rode through the air on broomsticks, and +very lively times stirred up the people. + +"It was on this very spot, I've heard father say, that one of the +witches lived." + +"Oh, pshaw!" cried Samuel, who knew everything; "there isn't any such +thing as witchcraft. They've just stepped out for a moment, and they'll +come back soon." + +"I think they've stepped in," replied Henry, who stood close to the +clock when their visitors disappeared with Ruth and the baby. "Let's +play 'tag' while we're waiting for them to come back." This was a good +way to work off their nervousness; for they were all more or less +nervous, either because they really thought that the witches might be +upon them, or because they would have to answer to their parents for the +absence of Ruth and the baby. + +[Illustration] + +"We'll start from the piano," said Samuel. It was Christmas Eve, you +remember, and everything seemed rather uncommon and surprising. So they +all jumped upon the piano,--thirteen of them altogether,--and it made +the old instrument shiver and rattle, and try to shake them off. Then +they started on the game of "tag." Samuel sprang from the piano to the +cabinet, from the cabinet to the mantle, and from the mantle to the +glass book-case in the corner; and they all jumped after him and each +other. Then he swung himself over to the hall door, for his arms and his +legs were simply prodigious. From the top of the door he leaped to the +big picture frame between the front windows. How it swayed and creaked +and screamed! So he dropped down upon a low book-case beneath, and +balanced himself on the edges of a crystal loving-cup. But Henry and +Herbert had started in the other direction from the piano, and they came +face to face with Samuel on the loving-cup. Then this elder brother +sprang over to the marble centre-table, and then across to the piano +again, and upon the high set of book-shelves in the southwest corner of +the room. Here he began to grab the books, and throw them at the other +children as they came near him. Then they threw books back at him. And +what a commotion there was! Children were passing and repassing with the +speed of the wind. They were leaping from picture to picture, and mantle +to table, and piano to book-case, and table to chairs, and cabinet to +door; books were flying in every direction, the piano was groaning and +shaking and scolding, and there was the din of many voices, shoutings, +laughter, cries, boys' clothes and girls' clothes woven into a perfect +mass of changing colors and shapes, the bang and rattle of moving +furniture, and whatever you may be pleased to imagine. + +All this time the Judge, his wife, Ruth, and the baby sat composedly +behind the face of the clock, and looked down delightedly upon the +hilarious scene. There was a hole in the clock's face which served them +for a window. Ruth had often observed it; and she had told her mother +more than a few times that she was perfectly sure there must be a big +room up there, and lots of people in it, for she had seen the flash of +their eyes when they peeped down into the room and watched (wouldn't it +be more proper to say clocked) the people. Ruth, of course, was right; +for wasn't there a big room in the top of the clock? and didn't the +Judge and his wife know all about it? It was there that they had gone to +rest. + +The first thing they did was to put Mrs. "Judge" to bed. This they did +with her shoes on. The next thing was to get the baby to sleep. So the +Judge sat down in a rocking-chair, and began to sing to his little +namesake; and when he got tired of singing the Judge whistled. The baby +was just as good as he could be. He laughed, and cooed, and hit the old +gentleman on the cheek with a tiny hand, and tried to pick his eyes out +one by one, count all his teeth, and pull off his eyebrows, dig into his +ears, and find what he did with his nose, and how he kept his cravat on. +Meanwhile Ruth was looking down upon the children, and reporting their +doings to her visitors. + +"I think it will do them good to have a little frolic," said the Judge. + +"Yes, let them play," replied Mrs. "Judge." "It makes me feel as if we +were once more back in the old home, and had children to fill it and +bring us joy." + +"But you wouldn't let your children play like that," said Ruth. "Why, I +think they're going to break every thing to pieces. And what will the +church committee say? They have charge of the house, you know." + +"Let's see what they are doing!" exclaimed the Judge. So he put the baby +down by his wife while he looked through the eye of the clock. Just at +that moment the children had all jumped upon the centre-table; and it +was crowded with thirteen of them, and the lamp in the middle. There was +a brief struggle, then the lamp went out, and the noise of a great fall +and crash sounded through the room, after which darkness and silence +prevailed. Something had evidently happened. + +"Don't you think we might visit the closets now?" inquired Ruth. The +Judge turned to his wife to see what she answered. + +"I am too tired to go through them," she said. "But I should like to +have them come to me." Now, this was quite an original idea; but it +pleased Ruth. + +"Why, yes, I think they would like to come." Ruth was speaking with +great animation. "We've named them, you know; and I think if I should +call them by their names they'd all be glad to see you. Can you sit here +by this hole in the clock?" + +"Oh, yes!" replied Mrs. "Judge." "That would be very nice. And the +closets can all pass in front of us, and I can have a little talk with +them." So Ruth looked down again into the room where the children had +been playing, and saw that it was quite light and the children were all +gone. At once she called the closets. + +"I've got a list of their names in my pocket," she explained to Mrs. +"Judge." "We can't remember as you can. Even as it is, mother's all the +time losing something in some of the closets, and she tries so hard to +think where she puts things. She ought to carry a blank-book with her, +and set everything down." The Judge's wife was rested now, so that she +sat up and took her place before the hole in the clock. The baby was +back again in the arms of his namesake. Then Ruth shouted out the names +of the closets. "Champagne," she cried. This was the name of the +wine-closet. It was a big black hole in the main cellar, just under the +parlor. Very soon there was a heavy tread in the west parlor where the +clock stood, and in swung Champagne. Although such a great closet he +looked very thin and dismal. + +[Illustration] + +"Good-evening," said the Judge's wife. + +"How do you do?" replied Champagne; and there was a great deal of pain +in his voice. + +"You don't seem happy," said Mrs. "Judge." + +"I'm thirsty;" and the closet's voice sounded as if a fever had parched +it. "Poor folks live here now. They haven't put a bottle of wine into +me in forty years. I'm drying up. I shall cave in one of these days." + +"That would be dreadful, wouldn't it?" exclaimed Ruth. "Would the house +go down if the wine-cellar caved in?" + +"Hope so," answered Champagne testily. "Don't even keep wine for sick +folk. Somebody did put a couple of bottles of something into me when the +children had the measles, but somebody else came and stole it out of me. +I thought I'd help bring the measles out, but they didn't give me a +chance." + +"Poor fellow!" exclaimed Mrs. "Judge." "I'm sorry for you. But these are +days of total abstinence, you know. You mustn't expect much wine. Don't +they keep butter in you?" + +"No, they don't make any. And when they get some in the house it goes as +fast as it comes. This family eats an awful sight of butter." + +"Well, I'll see what I can do for you, Champagne." + +"We can fill him up with water," whispered Ruth. "For the cistern leaks +now, and father says the overflow all goes into the wine-cellar. I'll +call 'Greece' next." Champagne stepped one side, and stood by the front +door. + +"Greece, Greece." The name was spoken with shrill, positive tones; and +Greece came hurrying down-stairs. This closet was in the attic. They +smoked the hams in him, and they sometimes put bacon and dried beef up +there. + +"How do you get along?" inquired Mrs. "Judge," as the closet shambled +into the west room. + +"How'd' do, ma'am?" There was a strong smell of ham when Greece made his +appearance. + +"I've mostly given up smoking these days. I'm a poor, ham-sick fellow. +They are trying to starve me to death. I haven't had anything in me for +months. They won't let me say anything. They shut me up all the time." + +"I think Greece smells bad, don't you?" said Ruth as she turned to her +guest. And then Ruth put her thumb and forefinger up to her nose to keep +out the bad odors that seemed to come up from poor Greece. "I'm going to +call 'China.'" So Greece stepped one side without one kind word. "China, +China, China." There was a very loud rattling of dishes, jingling of +glasses, and much music, as the long closet between the kitchen and the +dining-room stepped briskly before them. + +"I'm glad to see you," said the Judge's wife by way of greeting. She was +a lover of fine ware, and the house had been filled with it. + +"I'm very glad to see you," replied China. "I am living a wretched +life." + +"Dear me, don't talk like that!" exclaimed the good lady, much annoyed +at all this mourning and fault-finding. + +"I guess you'd talk worse than that if you had been cut down, torn to +pieces, burnt up, and boxed as I have been. Don't you see that there is +hardly anything left of me? As likely as not to-morrow they'll set to +work and do something else to me,--make me smaller yet, or drive me out +of the house. I can't tell what a day will bring forth. And just look at +the dishes. Did you ever see such a lot of nicked, broken, mismatched, +cracked, blackened, ugly old ware as they keep on my shelves? It makes +me sick. I wish you'd come back." All this time China had been talking +in a most despondent tone, giving a fresh shake of discontent to the +curious assortment of ware displayed on the shelves. It made the Judge's +wife nervous. She didn't like it. Neither did Ruth. It was not what they +expected. Such talk was hardly in keeping with Christmas Eve. + +"China, you just go right out-doors and wait in the cold," said Ruth. +"I'm going to call 'Panama.' That, you know, is the closet that connects +father's study right over this room with the bedroom behind it. Come, +Panama," she cried. There was a great rustling of papers, and dust +filled the room as Panama entered. + +"What does this mean?" inquired Mrs. "Judge," who began to sneeze and +feel very thirsty. + +"Why, this is the closet where father keeps his sermons. I think they +must rustle and make so much noise because they are dry." + +"Good-evening," said the lady in the clock as she bowed. + +"Good-evening," replied Panama. "It's a long time since we've seen you, +Madam. Have you come back to stay?" And one could detect anxiety in the +manner and speech. + +"Oh, no! We are here just for the evening. We thought it would be +pleasant to step down and out for a little while. We were in the +portraits on the east parlor wall, you remember. When the wind gets in +the east we shall be obliged to go back." Then Panama began to cry; and +as fast as he cried he drank up his tears. + +"I don't see what's got into the closets to make them talk so and act +so!" exclaimed Ruth. "They just seem bent on being disagreeable +to-night. And I thought we'd have such a nice time with them. They're a +discontented and complaining lot. I'm going to call 'Leghorn.'" + +During this little talk the Judge's wife was lost in thought. Her chin +had dropped down upon her breast, and a far-away look appeared in her +eyes. + +"Leghorn, Leghorn, come here!" shouted Ruth. + +The children had given this name to the east-corner closet in Mrs. +"Judge's" bedroom. She used to keep her bonnets there. One of them was a +white, beautiful Leghorn, which cost more than twenty-five dollars. This +closet was full of shelves, and it proved very useful to the minister's +family. + +"Good-evening," said the lady. + +Leghorn looked up with surprise. He recognized her voice. + +"How do you do? When did you come? What's the news?" Leghorn spoke in a +very familiar way; for he had always stayed close to the head of the +bed in the room, and overheard all the conversation between the Judge +and his wife. There was no better informed closet in the house than +Leghorn. + +"You look quite cheerful," said the lady. + +"Yes'm," he replied; "I keep very busy, and have really more than I can +'tend to. You know, we have a perfect crowd of girls here in the house, +and their hats just fill me up to the brim. Hear 'em fuss as I shake +'em." And as the folks in the clock listened they heard such a racket of +straw and such a shrill chirping that they were quite startled. + +"Dear me, what is that queer noise?" inquired Mrs. "Judge." "Have you a +flock of birds inside of you?" + +"Oh! I know what that is," explained Ruth. "I can hear it above the +rustling of the straw. It's all the birds we have had on our hats. They +are feeling so good. For we have joined the Audubon Society, and we +can't wear any more birds. How they flutter and sing, don't they?" + +"You don't mean that you really wear whole birds on a hat or a bonnet, +do you?" One could tell from the way she spoke that the visitor was +horrified. + +"Why, yes; and you ought to see folks come to church with them. I've +counted seventeen kinds of feathers and nine pieces of birds on the +girls and ladies while father was preaching his sermon. We've had a +bird-class here, you know, and I can tell a great deal about 'em. There +was a blackbird and there was a bluebird; and one lady had a hawk's +wing, and another a rooster's tail, and Elizabeth had the breast and +beak of a scarlet tanager, and Helen wore heron's feathers, and mother +had ostrich plumes; and you ought to see the beautiful plumage we took +from a wild turkey sent us from the West; and we put it on Susie's hat, +and it was just too lovely for anything. But we've all joined the +Audubon Society now, and can't kill any more birds or wear many +feathers." + +"I'd like to join too," interrupted Leghorn. "I'm sick of birds in me. +They make such a noise, and keep me stirred up all the time, so I don't +get good sleep. I'm very nervous, but I'm quite happy." + +"There, we've found one happy closet anyway," said Ruth. "You just sit +down here and make yourself comfortable." + +"Darkest Africa next," shouted Ruth. This was another of the closets +connected with the down-stairs bedroom. He came stumbling and grumbling +along. + +"What do you want?" he said in a grumpy, disagreeable way. "You've kept +me in the dark so long, I've lost the use of my windows." + +"Well, you needn't be so cross about it," answered Ruth. "Don't you see +it's Mrs. 'Judge' that's come back to see you?" + +"What? what?" cried Darkest Africa, rubbing his eyes and speaking in his +natural voice. "Where is she?" + +"Why, up here in the clock, of course. Haven't you any sense?" + +[Illustration] + +"Oh, such a life as we're living!" he said, turning toward the visitor. + +"You remember how you used to keep all your groceries in me, and how my +shelves were heavy with every good thing,--tea, coffee, spices, fruits, +and a thousand things. Well, now they've shut the blinds, and covered +the windows, and turned me into a photograph-room. It's very nasty. Bad +smells hang all about me. Stove-pipe, pans of dirty water, chemicals, +and I don't know what, make me very unhappy. And the children run +through your bedroom just as if it were a public street. Such goings on +you never did see. I want to leave this world." + +"I'm ashamed of you to talk that way, Darkest Africa. You go out on the +piazza, and wait in the cold, too, until I call you. Such talk makes +Mrs. 'Judge' feel real bad." And this closet withdrew, still mumbling +about his troubles. + +"I'm going to call three together now," said Ruth; "for the baby'll wake +up before we get through, if I don't hurry." The Judge had really sung +and whistled the baby to sleep; and there the good man sat on the edge +of a cog-wheel, holding the little fellow in his arms. + +[Illustration] + +"Come, 'Pride,' 'Vanity,' and 'Ophir,'" screamed Ruth. One of these +closets held the clothes of the older girls--that was Pride; Vanity was +filled with the many dresses of the younger girls; and Ophir was the +closet where the present family kept their small stock of valuables, +like jewelry, silverware, and family heirlooms. These three closets came +prancing down together, and they certainly felt good. It was Christmas +Eve, and they knew it, for they were running over with all sorts of +packages; their shelves were filled; their hooks were burdened with +garments; the very floors were piled high with stuff. Mrs. "Judge" did +not know them so well by night, for she hadn't visited them for many +years before her going away. She bowed to them, and they bowed to her; +but they kept their hands in their pockets. + +"Why don't you say something?" It was Ruth's remark to them as they +stood in a row before the clock. + +"We're waiting for you to say something first," was the reply. + +"How do you feel?" This was by way of starting the conversation. + +"We feel jolly. Don't you?" Mrs. "Judge" smiled. This was pleasant to +hear, and she was very cheerful. She could see thirty-seven or fifty +dresses. There were all sizes, colors, materials, and patterns. Their +brightness and variety fascinated her. + +"Look here, my dear," she said, turning to her husband. + +"I can't. I should wake the baby," and he smiled in a very happy, +dignified way. + +"I'll call 'Morocco,' too," said Ruth. "There's plenty of room, and I +like to see them together." + +"Morocco, Morocco." And then there was such clattering and pattering of +shoes that it seemed as if the baby must wake up; for Morocco was the +shoe closet, and there were so many pairs of old shoes in the place that +it reminded one of a cobbler's shop. There were little shoes and big, +slippers and rubber-boots, patent leathers and copper toes, high-heeled +shoes and no-heeled shoes; there were blacking and brushes and +shoe-strings and button-hooks and dirt. And as Morocco walked in, every +shoe and boot and slipper and brush was in a most frolicsome mood, +jumping hither and thither, knocking the sides of the closet, and +raising a great dust. The Judge's wife looked from Pride to Vanity, then +from Ophir to Morocco. As the clothes shook and rustled, as the silver +and the old-fashioned jewelry jingled, as the foot-gear banged and +rattled, Ruth began to sing and dance, and the lady nodded her head to +keep time; and then the Judge caught the movement and beat time with his +foot, and whistled an old tune; and then the baby woke up, clapped his +hands, and cooed with delight. + +But time was passing very quickly, and there was a great deal to do +before midnight came or the east wind arose. So Ruth hurried the closets +along in their march before the guests. + +"'Valentine,' 'Argentine,' 'Serpentine,' 'Clementine,' and 'Turpentine,' +come along with you," she shouted urgently. These were the five closets +which belonged to the Judge's library. Valentine had nothing but broken +furniture in him; Argentine was loaded down with old and useless silver +(plated ware) and like stuff; Serpentine contained aged newspapers and +magazines; Clementine was pretty well filled with a variety of dolls, +and they played merrily as the closet came into the room, and stood +first on one foot and then on the other; Turpentine brought a good deal +of dust with him. He used to hold the Judge's private papers. They were +dry as dust. The Judge was so interested in the baby that he paid no +attention to the closets. + +"I'm going to call the closet with the skeleton in it," whispered Ruth. +"We named him the 'Wandering Jew;' we've never seen him, you know. +Somebody told us that the key was lost, and then the keyhole, and +finally the closet itself, and it must be so; for where that closet was +in your day there isn't anything now." During this remark Mrs. "Judge" +looked very restless and sorrowful. "I just want to see what a skeleton +in the closet is like. I've heard that every family has got one, but +they keep them out of sight. Wandering Jew, Wandering Jew," whispered +Ruth with suppressed excitement; and almost on the instant the lost +closet walked into the room from nowhere. He was quite small; as he +walked something rattled in him. The child shivered. Was it the +skeleton? and would she see it? Then she remembered that the key and the +keyhole were both lost. + +"What's in it?" whispered Ruth. And then she noticed for the first time +that the lady was weeping. There was a strange silence. Mrs. "Judge" +put her hands upon Ruth's head, and looking down pathetically into her +eager eyes said gently, "I would rather not put any questions to the +Wandering Jew, or try to make him say anything. Let him pass along out +of my sight." And Ruth, who was quite awed by the grief of Mrs. "Judge," +told the closet to hurry out of sight as soon as possible. So she never +knew whether it was blasted hopes or withered love, or the ghost of a +chance or the dry bones of scholarship, or something else that was +locked in that strange little haunted room. + +And now the closets were hurried along as fast as Ruth could name them. +But Mrs. "Judge" seemed to have lost her interest. The closet with a +skeleton in it had thrown her off her balance. She had little or nothing +to say to any of the others; and Ruth herself grew tired, so that she +was very glad when they had all made their bows and said their short +say, and something else might be done for the entertainment of her +company. + + + + +III. + + THE PROCESSION OF + GOAT, + DOG, + CAT, + BICYCLES, + PORTRAITS, + RUTH, + AND + THE "LITTLE JUDGE." + + + + +III. + +THE PROCESSION OF GOAT, DOG, CAT, BICYCLES, CLOSETS, PORTRAITS, RUTH, +AND THE "LITTLE JUDGE." + + +"[Illustration: I] THINK it would be real nice for us to take a little +ride about the town, don't you?" Ruth was speaking to the Judge and his +wife. + +"Yes, I think I am rested enough to go a short way," was the lady's +reply. "But what shall we do with the Judge and the baby?" + +"Why, take them along with us!" Ruth was always ingenious, and she had +plans for every occasion. + +"I think we might take a ride in the closets." + +"What!" exclaimed Mrs. "Judge." + +"I am going to hitch up the closets and have a procession," exclaimed +Ruth. "You leave it to me and it'll come out all right. I'll call the +cat and the goat and 'Turk,' and tell them to get out the bicycles and +fasten them to the closets, all in a row, and then they shall take us to +ride." On any other occasion or under other circumstances this would +have appeared a curious arrangement, but to-night it was quite in +keeping with all that had happened. + +[Illustration] + +"Here Billy, Billy, Billy, Turk, Turk, come Kitty, come Kitty," cried +Ruth; and the goat appeared on the minute, and with him Satan the black +cat and with him "Turk," the bird-dog. "You must hitch up the bicycles, +and hitch on the closets, and take us a-riding," ordered Ruth. Now, +Billy was an obliging goat, although his taste was not of the best; for +when one of the neighbors died, and crape and flowers were hung on the +front door, he went over and climbed up to the interesting objects, and +ate both the cloth and the wreath. He lacked taste, but he did enjoy +running up and down the street. Satan, the black cat, was very fond of +Ruth, and would do anything she told him when he didn't want to do +anything else, and he knew what she was talking about. Turk was always +on hand ready for a frolic. + +So Billy, Satan, and Turk got the bicycles fastened together; and then +Ruth called out the names of the closets, beginning with the very +smallest in the house. The goat and the cat took a spool of red +cotton-thread, and tied all the closets in a row or a tow (just as you +see boats in a row and a tow when a tug pulls them up the river). When +all was ready, Billy and Satan and Turk took their places at the head of +the procession, and stood waiting for their passengers. + +"I think we had better put the baby in the first closet," said Ruth. +"That is the smallest, you know, and he will fit in like a bug in a +rug." + +"What have you got to put around him?" inquired the lady. There had been +a slight fall of snow in the evening, and then it had turned cold. "I'm +afraid he will get chilly, you know." + +"Oh! I'll wrap him up in an envelope. Paper is very warm, I've heard. +I'll just put him into the envelope, and then cut two holes for his +eyes, and then seal him up like a letter." So the "Little Judge" was +fixed. But it occurred to Mr. Judge at this point that his wife was not +prepared for winter. She was a delicate person, and she wore the same +clothes that she had on when her portrait was painted. The cap with +frilled border was very pretty, but it was not warm. + +"My dear," said the Judge to his wife, "you are not properly clad for a +ride." + +"I've got plenty of clothes and things in my pocket," said Ruth. "Now, +here is a nice postage-stamp with a picture of the queen upon it. That +will do for a bonnet. I'll stick it on tight." And she did. "Here is a +lot of red crinkly paper that we use to make lamp-shades. I'll do her up +like a bundle from the store. There, doesn't she look well?" And the +child wound the bright paper all about the matronly form of Mrs. +"Judge," and fastening it under her chin with a big safety pin, stood +off and admired the brilliant result. "There won't any cold creep in +through that red stuff," exclaimed Ruth. "Isn't she pretty?" But the +Judge only smiled and looked interested. + +"Now you must be fixed," and Ruth turned toward the Judge. "I'll tie +this handkerchief over your head, and use a piece of red thread for a +muffler. And here is a nice white canton-flannel bag in my pocket that +Herbert has used for his marbles. You jump into that, and I'll tie you +up." + +"But how shall we get down into the closets?" The Judge seemed +perplexed. + +"Fall down, of course," exclaimed the child. "And I'm going to wear +mother's feather-bed. Then, if it 'thunders and lightens' I won't be +afraid." So at length everything was ready, and they stood on the weight +of the clock, and went down to the door which swung open into the west +parlor; and then they tumbled out into the room, and made their way to +the front piazza like boys engaged in a bag-race. And there before the +house stood the procession of the closets. + +"What's become of the old portico?" asked the lady. "You must have made +it into this long sitting-place." She glanced up and down the roomy +piazza. "What color do you call this?" she asked, referring to the brown +paint upon the house. "We always had it white." + +"This color doesn't show the dirt," said Ruth. "All the dust of the +town flies this way, mother says." At that moment there was a rumbling, +hissing, and flashing in the distance. The house shook and the sky +brightened. Was it an earthquake, or what? + +"My dear," whispered Mrs. "Judge," "I feel a little timid. I think it's +because I've been in the picture so long. I'm shaking all over. It seems +to me as if something dreadful was going to happen. What is that awful +noise; and I see strange flames of pale blue light shoot into the sky." + +"Oh, don't be scared!" said Ruth; "that's nothing but the trolley. See, +there it comes!" Down the street towards them swept a thing of light, +shaking the very earth beneath, and speeding past into the night like +some meteor. It was several seconds before the lady was able to speak. + +"Child, what did you say it was?" and she trembled with fright. + +"Why, it's the trolley-car. We ride on it. It runs by electricity, the +same as lightning." And Ruth popped her head in and out of the +feather-bed as she replied, the feathers sticking to her hair and +fluttering about her face in a most comical way. + +"I think we'd better start before another car comes, for Billy and Satan +might run away. Sometimes they're afraid." + +"Yes, let us get right into our places," said the Judge, who was sorry +to see his wife distressed. So the baby rolled into the little closet +next to the seven bicycles, and Ruth jumped into the next one, and the +Judge and his wife shuffled into the third. + +"I think we must make a real funny show," exclaimed Ruth, as she lifted +her head out of the feathers again, and gave orders to Billy and Satan +and Turk. + +[Illustration] + +"Get up there, boys!" she said to this remarkable team. And then they +were all in motion,--the billy-goat and the black cat and the dog, the +seven bicycles, the little closet with the baby in the blue envelope, +the second closet with Ruth in a feather-bed, the third closet with the +Judge in a white flannel-bag and a handkerchief over his head, and Mrs. +"Judge," done up in red paper, wearing a postage stamp for a bonnet, +followed by fifty-seven closets of all shapes, sizes, patterns, +conditions. There was a banging of wood, a slamming of doors, a creaking +of windows, a dancing of shoes, a rattling of dishes, a rustling of +clothes (starched clothes), a fluttering of sermons, a pounding of pots +and kettles and pans, a rolling about of fruit glasses and jelly jars +and canned food, a falling of hams, and a rising of flour, and a decline +in vegetables simply frightful. + +"This is a very fine road," observed the Judge. "It's just as smooth as +a floor. What an improvement over the roads in our day!" + +"Yes," answered Ruth as she peered out from her feathers, "we are very +proud of our roads. They are--what is it you call them? Adam, cadam, oh! +I've got it now, macadam roads. They cost thousands of dollars. But +we've some very good men in town, just the kind you are, I suppose, and +they've given us miles and miles of it. You ought to see how we skim +along the road now on a bicycle. It would fairly make your head swim." + +"My head does swim," whispered Mrs. "Judge." "It's so long since I took +a ride in the fresh air, and I've staid such a time in the picture and +become so stiff, that the motion makes me dizzy. I think we'd better +stop for a few minutes." + +"What is this?" exclaimed the Judge. They had gone only to the corner +of the Green. There was a very thin covering of fluffy snow on the +ground. Suddenly the clouds broke away, and the moon flooded the scene +with light. And there, standing distinct and stately against the black +background, glistening and shimmering in the mild radiance, was the +church. + +"Where is the old meeting-house?" and the Judge rubbed his eyes, and got +the handkerchief loose upon his head; and Mrs. "Judge" in her agitation +dislocated the postage-stamp that served for a bonnet so that she felt a +cold draught in her left ear. + +"Why, Judge, we aren't here, are we? We must be somewhere else." Then +Ruth uncovered her head, and let a few feathers fly back in the face of +her guest and laughed merrily. + +"That's the new church. Our new stone church. Isn't it lovely? Did you +ever see anything like it? Whoa, Billy and Satan and Turk! Wait a +minute! We want to take a look at things." + +"You don't mean to say you have another meeting-house, do you? What's +become of the old one?" + +"Oh! that was set on fire. You ought to've seen it burn. Father said it +was the saddest, beautifulest sight he ever saw. It was like a church +built of fire; and it blazed away,--walls, roof, floor, all glorious +without and within, and then it was caught up into heaven, so father +says. It made us think of Elijah going up in his flaming chariot. And +then we built this stone church. Don't you like it? Why, of course you +do; why, I heard father say that you wanted a stone church, and gave +something for one." + +"Like it, child, of course we like it! And we did want a stone church, +and we tried to get the folks to build one, but they thought they +weren't rich enough. Like it! why this is one of the happiest moments of +my life. What a striking building it is!" + +"Yes; and there is some of your money in it, for I've heard father say +so. They got pay for the old church when it burned, and that went right +into the new. And it was an English company that had to pay the +insurance; and folks said it was no more than right that the English +should pay it, for they burned down the one in 1779 when they burnt up +the town, you know." + +"You know a great deal about history and things, don't you?" It was Mrs. +"Judge" that made the pleasing remark. + +"Yes, I know many things. It's because I ask so many questions, I +suppose. But mother says I lack 'capacity.' I don't know what she means; +it's something dreadful, I suppose. Perhaps I'll make it up when I get +big. Wouldn't you like to stop at the church and go inside? I've got a +key right here in my pocket. Samuel and I carry keys to about +everything." + +"I think we might take a little rest here," said the Judge. "Do you +think the team will stand?" And his eyes twinkled curiously as he looked +out upon Billy and Satan and Turk. + +[Illustration] + +"Oh, yes! they'll be all right. If they get tired of waiting they can +take a short run on the bicycles. Go up there to the front door. +'Whoa!'" This was said to the team. When they came to a stop Ruth +tumbled out first, then the Judge and his lady followed, scuffing along +as best they could. They unlocked the door; and Ruth rolled back to the +first closet, picked up the envelope with the baby in it, tucked him +into the feather-bed by her side, and returned to the vestibule. They +observed that the church was all lighted and warm. So Ruth slipped off +the feather-bed, although a thousand feathers stuck to her, making the +child appear like a new kind of overgrown fowl. The Judge took the baby +on his arm, for he had also slipped out of Herbert's marble bag, and +then Ruth led them through the building. Every part was explained,--the +windows, the organ, the gaslights, the carved pillars, the glass screen, +the chapel, the piano, the library, the parlor, the furnaces; everything +was noted. + +"Why, how lovely it is to be warm in meeting," said Mrs. "Judge." "You +know we used to have foot-stoves, or hot baked potatoes, or a piece of +stone. That was all." + +"You don't mean to say that they gave you hot baked potatoes with butter +in meeting, and that was the way you kept warm?" + +"Oh, we didn't eat them!" interrupted Mrs. "Judge." "We held them in our +hands, or put them to our feet. But the little stoves were better. And +then finally we had stoves, big stoves, in the meeting-house. I thought +I should faint dead away when they first used them. It seemed to me so +hot and stuffy in the room. And then I remember that my husband laughed +at me when I drove home (I always had to ride, child; I wasn't able to +walk so far for many years); for he said there hadn't been any fires +kindled yet in the new stoves. But I got used to them after a time, and +they were real comfortable. But I should certainly faint away to see the +heat coming right up out of the floor, and think that underneath me was +a raging fire." + +"Why that's the way we warm the parsonage," said Ruth. "Didn't you see +the registers?" + +"Have you got one of those fires in the cellar?" asked Mrs. "Judge." + +"Dear me, Judge, I shall never feel safe again so long as we hang on the +east parlor wall. Why, we shall be liable to burn up any moment. Think +of having one of those awful things, full of fire, right under your +feet. I'm so sorry that I know anything about it." + +"Oh, you'll get used to it! You have got used to it, haven't you? There +has been a furnace in the parsonage ever so many years." They were all +seated in the minister's pew in church at this time. The Judge was bowed +in thought. + +"He looks as if he was going to pray," whispered Ruth, somewhat +awe-struck by his expression and the stillness of the place as well as +the solemnity of the occasion. But it was hard for her to keep from +asking questions. "Did you see the man in the moon as we came into +church?" she turned to Mrs. "Judge." + +"The man in the moon!" exclaimed the lady; "he's the very person that I +want to speak to. I think it's years since I've seen him." + +"Well, he's out to-night in great style. It must be because it's +Christmas Eve. Did you hang up your stocking when you were a little +girl?" + +"Do what?" inquired the lady. + +"Hang up your stocking, to be sure, for Santa Claus to fill it with +presents." The Judge's wife looked with astonishment upon the child by +her side. It was impossible for her to imagine what was meant. + +"I never heard of such a thing," she replied. Then Ruth enlightened her. + +"You know that Jesus was born on the twenty-fifth of December?" + +"Yes, my child." + +"And you know God gave him to the world?" + +"Yes." + +"Well, don't you think it's nice for us to give things to each other on +that day? and don't you believe that Santa Claus comes down the chimney +and brings us lots of presents?" + +"Why, I never thought of it." And the dear old lady began to think a +good deal about it. + +"We keep it right here in church too. We have a Christmas-tree, and sing +carols, and all the children get presents and candy, and ever so many +nice things; and everybody is just as happy as can be. Don't you think +that is a nice way to remember the coming of Jesus and God's gift to all +of us?" + +"Well! well! well! and so to-night is the very night, is it? Judge, did +you know that our folks now keep Christmas in their churches and their +homes? Do you think there is any sin in it?" He was startled out of his +reverie by the question, and Ruth was obliged to explain to him what she +had said to his wife. Then he thought upon it for a little time, and +replied to Mrs. "Judge." It pleased him. He wished to see what it was +like. "Why, I think, my dear, that it might be made a very happy, +helpful festival. Why couldn't we have one over at the house to-night?" + +"We are going to have one there in the morning," exclaimed Ruth. "We all +get up bright and early, and our stockings are filled, and there is a +little tree, and candles, and oranges, and shiny balls, and beautiful +things; and we dance around, and sing, and have oh! such a happy, happy +time. I wish you would stay and see it." + +"My dear," the Judge was now speaking to his wife, "don't you think you +could get up a little party for the children to-night? We can't stay +until morning, you know. We must go back into the pictures. And the +east wind may rise at any hour." + +[Illustration] + +"Judge, I'll step out a moment and speak with the man in the moon. He's +out to-night, Ruth says, and perhaps we can arrange something. I'll be +back very soon." So she walked down the aisle, and passed into the +vestibule with all the liveliness of a young dame. + +"I think this must be the very spot where I used to sit in the meeting." +The Judge was talking to himself as much as to Ruth. "I wonder what they +did with the old box pew that belonged to me? How times have changed! +But this is very rich and dignified, and satisfies me." As this was +said he surveyed the chaste and elegant interior with approving eye. "I +am glad to see it. But I wish it had been in my day. There are some +ideas that I should like to have embodied in stone on this spot. Strange +world this." And then he bowed his head in thought again. + +"I'm going to meet Mrs. 'Judge,'" said Ruth, "unless you will stand up +and make a speech to me. Do you think you are as good and wise and great +as people say? I've heard father tell how you could speak better'n any +minister or lawyer in New England. Could you? Because I'd like to hear +you if you could." The Judge blushed to hear such praise. + +"I'm out of practice," he replied. "I believe my voice has lost itself. +It's very trying on the vocal organs to hang in a picture for a hundred +years or so. But I will say a few words." Then the Judge walked up into +the pulpit, made a very graceful bow, and began to recite psalms. His +voice was remarkably rich and sympathetic. He put so much soul into the +words that Ruth sat perfectly still, a thing she had never been known +to do before in all her life. Had it not been for the floating about of +feathers as she breathed, and drove them hither and thither, she would +have appeared like one dead. When the Judge finished he came down from +the pulpit, and Ruth was so overcome that she didn't say one word for as +much as a minute and one half. Then the spell was broken. Mrs. "Judge" +came hastily in, saying that she was ready to go, and the team had just +returned from their run on the bicycles; then they all came out of +church, and the organ played, and the bell rang, and the gas fixtures +jingled, and when the company was fixed in their closets they continued +on the ride. + +"Did you see the man in the moon?" inquired Ruth. + +"Oh, yes!" replied Mrs. "Judge"; "I've made all the arrangements; and +when we get back the house will be ready, and we'll wake up the +children, and it will be our first real Christmas party. I am going to +invite only the closets and the children. I want to get the closets all +filled up again for once; and then I want to see every one of you +children so full of happiness that you'll run over and make other people +happy too." + +[Illustration] + +As they were passing the Town Hall the Judge was again reminded of old +times; for that was the very place where he had argued many of his +cases, and won some of his greatest victories. + +"My dear," he said, "I could almost imagine we were set back to the War +of 1812, and I was going over to the Court House to express my views to +our citizens." + +"It looks as though they'd done something to the building," remarked the +lady. "How they change everything these days!" And then they swung down +Beach Lane, and came to the old cemetery. + +"Look at that!" exclaimed Ruth. "Isn't it fine?" She referred to the +thick, solid, stone wall enclosing the grounds, and the beautiful +lich-gate that stood over the entrance. + +"We're right up to the times here," continued the child. "The Daughters +of the American Revolution and some of our ladies did that. We can sit +on those stone seats hot summer days, and it's just as cool as cool can +be. And it's such a nice place to play 'hide-and-seek' behind the +grave-stones and the wall among the trees." + +"Now, this is what I love to see," observed the Judge. "This shows the +true spirit of reverence. I am proud of these good Daughters. What did +you say they were called? Daughters of the American Revolution? Why, +they must all be dead by this time." + +"Oh, no!" explained Ruth; "these are their daughter's daughters, you +know. And they have such good times. Why, mother is going to their +meetings a good deal of the time. They talk about the Revolution and +things, and wear flags and pins, and have refreshments and papers, and +elect officers, and get up plays, and go to Washington, and keep +inviting each other somewhere, and all the while say ever so much about +Washington's Birthday and the Fourth of July and the Battle of +Lexington. Why, we children know so much about history that it seems +sometimes as if we'd lived all through the whole fight, and seen the +town burned, and helped drive the British away. Don't you think we're +smart?" + +"I shall have to be very careful how I talk about these things, or you +will catch me in some mistake, I suppose." The Judge looked serious, but +there was that funny twinkle in his eyes. "Suppose we now drive around +the new cemetery, and see if everything is as trim and neat there. We'd +like to look at our own graves, and see how things are." + +"Well, I think that's a very unpleasant way to spend Christmas Eve; and +I'm sure that Billy and Satan and Turk will be afraid to go into that +place, and so shall I; and you can't see much from the road; so let's +drive up to Round Hill, and watch for Santa Claus." + +"Oh! just as you please," continued the Judge. "This is your circus, not +mine." And he smiled indulgently upon Ruth. So they turned about on the +Beach Road, and slipped up to Round Hill. While they were viewing the +scenery, the man in the moon winked at Mrs. "Judge," as much as to say +that the house was all ready, and it was time for the party to return. + + + + +IV. + +THE PARTY WITH SUPPER FOR SEVENTEEN, AND TOASTS WITH A TOASTING-FORK. + + + + +IV. + +THE PARTY WITH SUPPER FOR SEVENTEEN, AND TOASTS WITH A TOASTING-FORK. + + +WHEN they returned to the parsonage, Billy unhitched himself and opened +the front door. The Judge and his wife with Ruth and the baby hastened +into the warm rooms as fast as the feather-bed, the white flannel bag, +the blue envelope, and the red paper would permit them. + +"Why, what a change there is here!" exclaimed Ruth. "It must be exactly +as you used to have it." + +"Yes," replied Mrs. "Judge"; "I told the man in the moon to make things +look natural. This seems really like coming home. I feel very much as I +did whenever I drove down to New York, and came back to the dear house. +It is so nice to see these beautiful carpets again, and the same chairs +and tables and sofas; the very damask curtains I made; my little +sewing-stand; the clock right there in its place near my bedroom door; +and there is the refrigerator. I always had it stand in my bedroom, you +know. That made it very convenient. And I kept all the stores in"-- + +"Me," groaned Darkest Africa, who still remained in front of the house +awaiting the orders of Ruth. + +"Yes, in you," continued Mrs. "Judge"; "and I expect to see you very +happy again to-night. I never kept Christmas. We didn't approve of such +things when I was a child." She was now talking to Ruth. "But if they +have a Christmas-tree in the meeting-house, and the minister thinks it's +all right, it must be so. I am really quite glad to get up a party +to-night. I shall have it to think about when I go back into the +picture. And that reminds me, child, that I want you to come into the +parlor very often and speak to me. It's very very lonely staying there +day and night, summer and winter, year in and year out. Why don't you +ask the Judge and me to play church with you and the rest of the +children some of the times when you come into the parlor?" + +"Why, I never thought of that!" exclaimed Ruth. "I'll do it the very +next time (which will be Sunday, I suppose) that we have church again." +By this time they had taken their wraps off and put them up. That is to +say, Ruth got out of the feather-bed, and had Turk carry it up-stairs, +while she took the handkerchief and the marble-bag off from the Judge, +and the postage-stamp and the red crinkly paper off from Mrs. "Judge," +and put these things in her pocket. Then they all went into the lady's +chamber, and took the baby out of the envelope, laying him on the bed, +and covering him with a soap-dish and a hair-brush to keep him warm, for +he had gone to sleep. + +"Now we must get ready for the party," said Ruth, "and then I'll call +the children and dress them. But, dear me! what will you and the Judge +wear? We've got tired of seeing you in the same clothes all the time. +Oh, I'll tell you! Let's play dress up just as we children do, and then +I can fix you out in fine style." + +"Just as you say, child. It's your party, and you can do much as you +please. And the truth is that I am pretty tired of wearing the same +clothes all these many years. I don't think it makes so much difference +to a man. But we women like to have something new once in a while, say +once in fifty or seventy-five years." + +"Oh! won't it be fun?" cried Ruth. "We'll have 'Providence' come in here +and show us what he's got in him. You know Providence is the big closet +in the corner of the Betsey-Bartram room. Come here, Providence." This +closet ambled into the bedroom, and Mrs. "Judge" took a silver +candlestick with a wax candle in her hand, and stepped into the closet +followed by the Judge and Ruth. What a medley of stuff they found! +There were silks and satins of all colors and kinds. There was velvet +and calico, lawn and broadcloth, furs and flowers, laces and linens, +swallow-tail coats and fancy vests, a waterproof, a riding-habit, +bicycle suits, pajamas, flags and bunting, forming an infinite +assortment or mixture of everything under the sun in the shape of dry +goods. + +"You don't keep an old-clothes exchange, do you, child?" asked the +astonished visitor. + +"Oh, no! these are mother's treasures (that's what she calls them). We +get 'em when her ship comes in. It always seems to come in the night. We +children have watched for it ever since we lived West and could +remember. But the first we know is that mother tells us some day how the +ship has come in, and another cargo has been unloaded in Providence. +Then we all make a rush and overhaul the cargo; one thing fits one +child, and another thing fits another child, and what doesn't fit we +make over, and then we appear in our new outfits. You ought to see us +go into church a week or two after a fresh cargo of treasures has been +distributed. It's great fun." During this talk Ruth was rummaging about +in the trunks or on the shelves in search of something becoming to her +guests. + +"I think the Judge ought to have something solemn on, don't you?" she +said, addressing his wife. "Now, this long, black waterproof is the +thing. And he can wear Samuel's bicycle stockings and shoes. Then, +here's a broad purple ribbon for a necktie; and I'll put this ermine boa +around his neck, for don't judges sometimes wear ermine? Doesn't he look +cute?" She had helped him on with the things while Mrs. "Judge" stood by +smiling her approval. + +"I think this green velvet waist and this red silk skirt will look well +on you." Ruth was speaking to the lady. "Then I'll do your hair up with +this white lace and these yellow flowers. It's so cold I think you had +better wear mittens. I think you ought to have a train to your dress. +I'll take some safety-pins, and fasten a few yards of this white satin +on behind. Doesn't it look elegant? You must have a corsage bouquet." +And she twisted up some dry grasses and pink roses, and pinned them to +her belt. "And this white gauze veil will add to the effect." So it was +spread over the lady's head, and fell in scant folds across her brow. + +"I shall get into this pink crape," Ruth continued, "slip these muffs up +my ankles, and take this black fur cape and that lovely, lovely lavender +bonnet. I'm going to wear white kid gloves, and have a train of that +yellow satin. Will you, please, tie this bow of nile-green velvet about +my neck? And I must have a veil too. This one with little red spots like +the measles all over it will suit me, I guess. There, now, don't I look +just too nice for anything?" Both the Judge and his wife bowed and +smiled. + +"I'll put this black lace one side for the baby when he wakes up. We'll +dress him up with that and some tissue paper I've got in my pocket. And +now let's go and take a look at the house again." But their talking +roused the baby; so they dressed him as Ruth had planned, winding the +paper and lace about his body as though he were a mummy; and then they +started for the parlor, the Judge carrying his namesake on one arm and +supporting his wife on the other, with Ruth dragging on behind, clinging +to the right hand of Mrs. "Judge." + +At the foot of the stairs Ruth proposed that she go and call all the +children. For at this late hour they had gone to bed. But the visitors +thought it better to wait. + +"We must ask a few questions and find out what the children want for +Christmas," said Mrs. "Judge." So they passed into the parlor, and sat +down on the Grecian sofa. A soft, gentle light fell from the astral lamp +and the wax candles on the mantle-piece. The wood fire on the hearth, +the heavy damask curtains at the windows, the rich mahogany furniture +scattered about through the room, the handsome pictures upon the walls, +gave the place a very inviting appearance. + +"Now, Ruth, we're going to put something in each child's stocking." Mrs. +"Judge" was speaking. "It seems to me a foolish custom, but now that you +all do it we will follow suit. Tell us what to get." + +"Father says there's a difference between what we want and what we need. +We want a great many things, but we need only a few." + +"That's sound talk," observed the Judge. "Your father must be quite a +man." + +"Oh!" was the reply, "he weighs almost a hundred and ninety pounds. I +heard mother tell the teacher the other day that she thought I lacked +capacity. I don't get along in school at all. There are so many things +to do besides study that it takes all my time. I think mother would be +pleased if you gave me something of the kind. That's what I need I +suppose. But what I want is to know about everything. That's why I ask +so many questions and tease to go all the time. I'm trying to find out +things for myself. How should I learn how old a girl or a lady is if I +didn't ask? And what's my tongue for if it isn't to use in talking?" + +"To be sure," replied Mrs. "Judge." "But I used my tongue for eating +too, until I got into the picture. I think it's almost a hundred years +since I had anything to eat." + +"Mercy! aren't you hungry?" exclaimed Ruth. "But you don't look thin, +and you certainly don't grow old. I've heard folks say so when they +looked at your picture. 'Why, how nice and fresh and lifelike they +seem.' That's what our visitors say when we take them into the parlor to +see the portraits. But, dear me, we shall never get through the list if +I keep on talking. I can't help talking. I seem made for it. I've heard +father say that several of his family were deaf, but none of 'em were +ever dumb." The Judge and his wife appeared quite interested in this +lively flow of speech on the part of the child, so they nodded their +heads with encouragement, and Ruth continued. + +"Now, there's Helen, she's always talking about writing a book. I think +she wants to write a book above all things. You might give her the book +she is going to write. But what she really needs is curls. That straight +black hair makes her look horrid. I wish you'd bring her a whole lot of +curls. Isn't it queer that we can't have a baby with curls? We've had a +regular cry over it more than once. Not a single curl in all the +fifteen. Every hair of our heads as straight as a string. Don't you +think you'd better write the things down as I tell them to you? But then +you've got such an awful memory I suppose you can remember everything. +Now, there's Samuel. You tell him two things and father says he's sure +to forget three. Mother says if his memory was as good as his forgetery, +he'd make something remarkable." + +"I think if you will lend me a piece of paper,--that red crinkly stuff +that the baby has on,--and a stick of candy or a poker, I will write +down the articles you mention." It was the Judge speaking. + +"Why don't you take the quill and the paper that you hold in the +portrait, and use them?" inquired Ruth. + +"To be sure!" exclaimed the Judge. "What a bright girl you are!" + +"Father doesn't think so. I don't know how many times he's said to me +when I've done something queer, 'Ruth, you don't seem to have any +sense.' Susie said one day, 'Well, I'll give her my two cents.' And she +did, and I spent it for candy. Father would be so pleased if you gave me +some sense for a Christmas present, I know." The visitors smiled as the +child prattled, and let her continue without interruption. + +"I know what Samuel wants. I know a lot of things he wants. Mother says +he always wants to go home with the girls. But you couldn't call that a +present, could you? Oh! I know one thing he wants very much. Whenever he +tries to race with any of the boys, and he comes out a long way behind, +he says he wants wind. Just put that down, please. But I think the +thing he needs most of anything is courtesy. At least father keeps +talking to him about it. If you would bring a big lot of it I'm sure +we'd all be pleased. It must be something very nice, for father says +something about it every day of his life." The Judge nodded his head, +and wrote with his quill upon the sheet of paper. "Theodora is always +wanting clothes. She's never had enough. I don't know how many times +we've heard her say she had nothing to wear. And then father says she'd +better go to bed. I wonder if she'll have all the clothes she wants in +heaven?" Neither the Judge nor his lady ventured to answer. "What +Theodora really needs, I think, is a gold spoon. Mother says she was +certainly born with a gold spoon in her mouth; but the spoon has been +lost, for I've never seen it, and it would be such a nice thing to give +her one in its place. Or, maybe, you could bring her the very one she +had when she was born. I should like to see what kind of a spoon it +was." So the Judge put that down. + +"It's easy enough to tell what Ethel wants. She's always talking about +it. She wants some _new_ clothes. She says she's sick to death of +second-hand stuff. Mother's always having something made over for her or +some of the younger girls. We've never seen anything real fresh and new. +Father says we ought to be thankful to have clothes at all. I suppose we +had. What Ethel needs is application. Her teacher says so, and so does +everybody else. She doesn't stick to a thing." + +"Poor child," said the Judge. "She'll have a hard time, I fear. I'll see +what we can do for her." + +"Now, Miriam hasn't any gumption, father says. I wonder what that is? I +think that must be the thing she needs the most. She's such a +chicken-hearted girl Samuel says. And that makes me think what it is +Miriam always wants. She tells mother, I don't know how many times a +day, that she wishes she'd have some spring chicken. You don't know how +fond she is of 'em. But they're very high here, you know. And spring +chickens enough to go around in such a family as ours would soon ruin +us, mother says. But Ethel is so fond of them. How she wants 'em! Do you +think you could fill her up for once?" + +"Why, spring chickens are not in my line of treasures, my child; but I +might find something that would take the place of such fowls." + +"Henry says Elizabeth's a regular old goose. And Samuel calls Susie +'duckie.' I wonder if you couldn't help Grace. She needs balance, +everybody says. I think she's smart enough, but she's a high-flyer. You +never can tell what will happen next when she's around. Please bring +some balance for a present. But what she wants is Frederick. He's the +boy in the next block. I don't think it's right to think so much of boys +unless they're your brothers. Elizabeth says her brothers are her +bothers. And I think so too." Ruth looked very severe. The Judge simply +continued his writing. + +"Do you think you could bring all of us a very great deal of sweetness +of disposition? I've heard so much about that thing that I'm real tired +of it; but I know it would please both father and mother, for they have +talked about it ever since I can remember. I know a little baby girl +down South who is so sweet they call her 'Sugar.' Samuel says if we +named our children as they ought to be named, some of them would be +called 'Vinegar.' But he's 'funning,' I guess. Mother says his bark is +always worse than his bite. + +"Now, George needs heart. Samuel says George will never die of heart +disease, because he hasn't any heart. He has a gun, and Elizabeth calls +him Nimrod. He wants to go to war. But we're afraid he might get shot in +the back. But he's a real good boy after all. I should hate to see him +going around with a hole in his back." Just at this point the Judge +coughed and looked queer. + +"Henry is crazy about music. He wants a violin, but mother says he +needs an ear for music. I should like to know what he'd do with a third +ear. Would you put it on the top of his head? And he wants to sing; but, +dear me, father says he needs a voice. He has voice enough, _I_ think. +You can hear him all over town. Did you write it down?" Ruth looked +keenly at the Judge as his pen flew with the speed of a snail over the +paper. + +"Yes, here it is in white and black." + +"Now, William is an awfully forward boy. He's so forward father says +that he's growing round-shouldered. He wants to be President. That's +ever since he went to the White House with mother. It was a very cold +day, the day he went; and William had his mittens on, and mother +couldn't get to him to take 'em off when he shook hands with the +President. Neighbors say that what he needs is training. But they don't +train now as they used to. Father says they used to train out here on +the Green several times a year. I know the best thing you could bring +William is a training. And Susie, she wants something she hasn't got. I +don't think it makes any difference what it is. Mother says if she +hasn't got it she wants it. And then she snivels when she doesn't get +it. I heard some one say the other day that what she needed was a +spanking. But I don't think that would be a very nice present, do you?" + +"Well, not for Christmas, anyway," whispered Mrs. "Judge." + +"There's Nathaniel, he always wants to go somewhere. Father says that if +we lived in Beersheba Nathaniel would want to move into Dan, and when he +got into Dan he'd be sure to start the next day for Beersheba. He needs +a good deal of watching, mother says. Samuel, Elizabeth, Helen, Henry, +and Miriam have all got watches; but you see we can't all have them at +once. + +"Now, just look at Elizabeth. You'd think we all belonged to her, +wouldn't you? She wants to _run_ everything. And then she runs so much +that mother says she runs down. But father says she needs experience, +and then everything will come out all right. If you could bring her that +ripe experience that I've heard folks talk about, I think it would make +father and mother feel real pleased. + +"Herbert needs backbone. I felt of his back the other day, and I didn't +see but that he had just as much bone in it as the rest of the children, +but father says not. Mother says you can twist him around your little +finger. That would be a queer sight, wouldn't it? Herbert is always +talking about a good time. That's the thing he wants. Could you bring +something of that sort to him?" + +"Well, my child," answered the Judge, "I am thinking about bringing a +good time to every one of you. It's such a pleasure to see the old house +full of children that I should like to do anything in the world possible +to make them happy." When this was said Mrs. "Judge" beamed an approval, +and seemed very happy herself. "But you haven't told us what to give the +baby." + +"Dear me, why that's the best of all! But everybody knows what the baby +ought to have. I've been a-looking to see if you've brought it along +with you. When folks come to see the baby they smile and trot him on the +knee and kiss him, and then say, 'I'm so glad you named him for the +Judge. He was a good, great man. May his mantle fall upon his namesake.' +And then they kiss him again and go away. It's your mantle that we +expect you to give the baby. But you didn't bring it with you, and I'm +so sorry. And it isn't in the picture either. For I've looked there a +great many times. I thought maybe it was left in the house, but we never +hear anything about it. Now you're right here with the baby I thought if +you only had it you might give it to him at once. Could you send it to +him? It must be something very fine. Even father talks about it." A tear +stole down the cheek of the Judge. It was chased by another and a third. +He seemed deeply moved. For the Judge was human like the rest of folks, +even if he did stay a hundred years in a picture. And who does not like +to be remembered with such loving words and beautiful praises? Can one +help feeling kindly and grateful? The Judge's voice choked with emotion +as he replied to the noble sentiments of the child. It was very hard for +him to express himself. + +"My little Ruth," he stooped and looked down into her face with wondrous +and pathetic tenderness, "you have done me more good than all that I can +do for you. These very words that you have just spoken are more precious +to me than all the money in the world." + +"Why, you don't mean it, do you?" interrupted the child. "I was saying +what everybody says. I don't know how many times I've heard father say +that your memory was a--a--a benediction, that's the word. A very big +word for such a little girl as I am; but, dear me! I've heard folks use +it so many times about you that I can speak it all right. It must be +something very good. Why, of course, that's what they call the end of +church service. I think it's the very best part of going to meeting. I +always feel so happy when they come to the benediction. I think +everybody else does too. And now about the mantle. Will you send it to +the baby?" + +"Why, Ruth, I think it must be pretty nearly worn out. Only what you say +about it, and what you say others say, makes me think that perhaps it +might be worth saving, so that I could give it to the baby if folks +think best. I'll look it up and talk with my wife, and perhaps I'll give +it to the dear little fellow. I wish it were a better mantle, however. +I'd like to see him wear one more worthy than mine." + +"Don't you think it's time to call the children?" said Ruth. + +"Send Turk," replied the Judge, with that same funny twinkle in his eye. +So Ruth took the dog, and ran up-stairs and down-stairs and in the +lady's chamber, and wakened the children, telling them to hurry right +down to the party. + +[Illustration] + +They didn't have time to dress much. The boys all put on their trousers +and stockings and slippers, and then they wrapped around them whatever +was most handy. Samuel wore his father's loud, red, double gown. Henry +pulled on a canvas shooting-jacket. Herbert did himself up in a rose +blanket. George had on an afghan. Nathaniel brought with him a +crazy-quilt. William got into his mother's golf-cape. + +The girls were a little more particular. They put on all their clothes +except dresses. Then they wound sheets about themselves, and tied their +heads up in pillow-cases. When the boys tumbled down-stairs they looked +like a lot of escaped lunatics. When the girls came pushing into the +parlor they made one think of ghosts. + +The first thing was a walk around headed by Turk and the black cat. You +couldn't fancy a more startling procession. + +Then they played games, and sang songs, and told riddles, and looked for +a needle in a haystack, and turned the house upside down and inside out. + +The great event of the party was the supper. Mrs. "Judge" had told the +man in the moon what she wished for the occasion, and while the children +were rollicking in the east parlor the clock sounded out the alarm for +the feast. + +The Judge carried his namesake on the left arm, while his wife leaned +upon his right. Ruth still kept hold of the lady's hand. The rest of +the company followed in a good deal of disorder, for they were all +curious to see what sort of a supper would be given them. + +When they came into the west parlor or dining-room they saw a long +table, but there was nothing on it. The children looked at each other +and at the Judge and his wife in blank amazement. They expected to sit +down to a table laden with all the goodies of the land. But there wasn't +even a table-cloth before them. + +The Judge took the head of the table, and his wife sat at the foot with +Ruth. The baby was put in a clothes-basket, and sat on my lady's +work-table by the side of the Judge. The other children took the places +that were most convenient to them. + +"Where's the feed?" exclaimed Ruth. + +"The what?" replied Mrs. "Judge" curiously. + +"Why, the things you were going to give us to eat." Just then "Dublin," +the linen closet, came meandering into the room, made a bow, and emptied +out a long, white, snowdrop tablecloth. + +"Why, it must be that we're to set the table ourselves," cried Ruth, as +she started to undo the cloth and shove it along. + +"Here you give that to me, will you?" said Samuel, with a tone of +authority any commanding officer in the army or navy might envy. Then he +took one end of it, and Elizabeth the other, and they spread it +carefully over the table. + +Just then China came rattling into the room with the dishes. It was easy +enough for him to get into the room; but it was quite another thing for +him to move gracefully about the table, for China, you remember, was +thin, long, and rather narrow. But he managed to get to the Judge, and +drop a plate before him and the baby; and then he twisted around like a +snake, and got down to the end of the table, and dropped a plate before +Mrs. "Judge." Then he went from one child to another, and banged down a +plate before each one of them. After this was done, China stepped back +and stood by the side of Dublin, near the wall. + +El Dorado came next. He brought the silver, and there was a fine display +of it. Beautiful knives and forks and spoons for every person in the +room, and ever so many little furnishings that helped to brighten the +table. How these things rattled and jumped and rang as they were tumbled +hither and thither into their rightful places. The children didn't have +to move a hand or a finger to put them in order. Every knife, fork, +spoon, salt-cellar, or other article seemed to know where to go, and got +there in less time than one could say "Jack Robinson." Then the silver +candlesticks from the mantle jumped over to the table, and took their +places with a good deal of brightness and sprightliness. + +At this point the antique sideboard stepped close up to the table, and +rolled seventeen very thin cut-glass goblets upon the board. They made a +right merry sound as they jingled out their Christmas greetings. + +"Don't let the baby have a goblet!" shouted Ruth. "He'd bite a piece +right out of it. That's what Elizabeth did when she was a baby, mother +says. Isn't it a wonder she didn't die?" But everybody was watching this +extraordinary way of setting the table, so that the child's remark fell +unnoticed. There was a most lively and musical ringing of bells at this +stage of the table setting. Turpentine came dancing into the room. +Turpentine was the closet in the Judge's study that had been used to +store the church-bells in. When the last wooden meeting-house had burned +they took the old bell, which rang for the last time the sad alarm of +fire on the memorable night, and they sent it away to be melted up and +made into five hundred little bells. There were dinner-bells and +tea-bells and call-bells and sleigh-bells and play-horse bells on lines, +and I don't know how many other kinds. Nearly all of these had been +sold, but thirty or forty remained in the closet. Turpentine came into +the room playing with these, and rolled one down in front of each person +at the table. + +"How would you like to have the dinner served, Ruth?" inquired Mrs. +"Judge." + +"Oh, served of course," she replied. + +"Bells first course," shouted Samuel. The older children all snickered. +"I think you ought to call Turpentine 'Bells-ze-bub!'" Samuel whispered +to Helen. "See?" For by this time the children had all come to a +familiar footing with their visitors, and they were expressing +themselves with a good deal of freedom and having a right good time. + +The Refrigerator entered the room now, and tramping heavily over to Mrs. +"Judge," swung open his door, and flung gracefully upon the table a big +dish of half-shells. No sooner were they placed where they belonged than +they began to roll about to the different plates, like a lot of marbles, +only they seemed to know how to divide themselves up so that every one +had a proper share. Then the Refrigerator dumped out another large dish +of something fresh and green; and this stuff sailed along the table, as +one sees seaweed float back and forth on the tide. + +"I know what it is. They grow down by the brook. Caresses. Aren't they +nice and fresh?" + +"Third course, caresses," shouted Samuel. And then he bent over and +kissed the girl next to his side; the Judge kissed the baby, Ruth kissed +Mrs. "Judge," and the rest of the children kissed each other. + +"Awful sweet course!" exclaimed Henry. "Very much of it makes a fellow +sick." + +This was followed by the entrance of the kitchen closet number one. A +fine brass kettle popped out upon the table. There was a great rattling +and clashing. Everybody tried to look into the bottom of it. + +"That's a pretty kettle of fish," said Samuel, who was the first to get +a glance at the contents. And sure enough it was; for there were +seventeen tin fishes, such as you see floating around after a magnet on +some basin of water at Christmas time. + +"Look out for bones," cried Herbert. "What next?" And then Vanity came +down-stairs, giggling and simpering, and passed something around. + +"Crimps," said Ruth, "hot and steaming, straight from the irons." A very +strong odor of scorched hair pervaded the room. + +"Goodness me, what a treat!" exclaimed Henry. "Give 'em to the girls. +They are fond of 'em." Kitchen closet number two came hurrying into the +room. China rushed forward with bowls which he had borrowed from the +bowling-alley; and each bowl was filled with bean porridge hot, bean +porridge cold, bean porridge in the pot nine days old. + +"Here comes the spring chicken!" exclaimed Herbert, as the Refrigerator +distributed one spring with chicken attached. + +"Do-nots for old-fashioned boys and girls," wheezed out Darkest Africa, +as he pushed his way into the room. The company was getting pretty +large, for all the closets had come. One stood behind each person at the +table, and the other forty-three were pressing against each other, +trying to see the table and hear the conversation, or do any little +waiting upon the merry party. + +They were all busy eating, talking, drinking, having the best time in +all the world. There was an abundance of everything. I don't know what +all. But as the courses were brought on the Judge and his wife became a +little restless. They felt that the east wind was rising. And when the +clock struck twelve it was necessary for them to be back in the +pictures, whether there was any east wind or not. So there was some +confusion, considerable crowding, and a good deal of haste during the +latter part of the feast. + +"I'm afraid the children will get dyspepsia, Judge," observed the +cautious lady. "The children are eating too fast. The closets are +bringing on too many things at a time." + +"Time and tide wait for no man," replied the Judge, who had caught the +hilarity of the company, and was enjoying every moment of the fun. "I +wish to see this board cleared up before we clear out." Now, Mrs. +"Judge" was the least bit shocked at such undignified speech on the part +of her husband. But she knew he didn't mean any harm. He was only +entering into the spirit of the frolic. Yet she felt that he ought to +set an example of sober conversation, so that they would remember him +with the highest respect. The Judge, however, had a sense of humor that +could not be held altogether in check. + +"I think we ought to have some toasts," said Samuel. "All in favor of +the nomination say, 'Dickery, dickery dock, the mouse ran up the clock, +the clock ran down, the mouse came down, dickery, dickery dock;' and +Samuel rose to propose the first toast. Kitchen closet number three came +forward, and put into his hand a nice, big toasting-fork. Flourishing +this about his head, and hitting Henry on the right ear with it, Samuel +lifted a goblet filled with hot air to his lips, and proposed the health +of the Judge and his wife. The applause was overwhelming. The children +clapped their hands, and lifted their voices on high. The dishes jumped +like mad. The bells rang so that you couldn't hear yourself think. The +closets creaked and groaned, and slammed their doors, and shook their +shelves, until it seemed that they must fall in pieces. The Judge +gathered his waterproof about him, pulled on his necktie for a moment, +cleared his throat, and then responded. + +"Children and closets," he said. The children all rose and bowed, the +closets all turned around twice and stood on one corner. "This is in +some respects the greatest day of my life." + +"You mean night, don't you, Judge?" interrupted Samuel. + +"Oh! I beg pardon, night of my life. Correct, my son." He bowed +good-naturedly to the critic. "We haven't stayed in those portraits on +the east parlor wall for nothing all these years. We've been waiting for +such a time as this. I think the east wind is rising, and soon we shall +have to go back to our pictures; but I am glad to say that this is the +sort of family that I always had in mind when I built this house. It's +lonesome to live without children. This is a strange world. I have +observed generally that the people who want children don't have them. +And the people who have them don't always want them. And the people who +know the most about bringing them up are the people who never had any, +and never lived in a family of children when they were young. But I +really believe that one never gets much out of this world except it +comes to him through children. And now I hope that you will be such +children that when you grow to be men and women we shall not be ashamed +of you. My wife and I expect to stay in the portraits. We shall always +be on the watch for you and sometimes in the clock. There isn't anything +in the world that would give us such pleasure as to see you children +grow and become the best men and women in all the nation. I suppose you +have enough boys to make a foot-ball team, and enough girls to drain a +common pocket-book and spread it all over your backs; but you are going +to make something better than idlers and spendthrifts. Some of you will +take to one thing, and some to another, but you will all take to the +right. I expect to see you filling up the house with nice friends, going +off to college, and bringing back good company and great honors. By and +by you will all settle in life, and have homes of your own; but we shall +keep at home here on the wall, and look for your frequent visits. Ruth +has made me very happy. I'll tell you how. She has said some of the +things to me that people have said to her about me,--kind things, sweet +praises, words of happy remembrance. Now, I hope that you will live and +love in such a true way that when you get into a picture and stay a +hundred years, and then step down and out for a little while, people +will say just as noble things about you. 'Tis sweet to be remembered. +And I feel very anxious to do something for all you children. This is +the first time we ever kept Christmas. We're going to make you some +Christmas presents. But they shall be put in your stockings." + +"I'll hang up my hip boots," interrupted Samuel. + +"I'll hang up my golf stockings," exclaimed Henry. + +"I'll hang my trousers; and you, Elizabeth, can hang your bicycle +bloomers." The Judge smiled, and waited a moment, and then continued. +"These presents are different from the ordinary gifts you receive. +You'll have plenty of candy and dolls and such things. We shall give you +things that you can always keep and carry with you. And they will be +worth more than money, in case you use them according to directions. And +remember that we give them because we have learned to love you, even if +we do live in pictures, and that we expect you will honor the house, the +people, and the State." The Judge swallowed a tear. "We never had boys +and girls to go out into the world to make their mark. Our two boys," +and here the Judge's voice was feeble and trembling, and he stopped for +a moment and wiped away two or three tears, "Our boys were sick, and +after quite a good many years they went away forever. Children, I want +you to fill their places, and more. I expect that you will go out into +the world, and do so much good, and serve your country with such zeal +and wisdom, that people will by and by come here to see the house, and +say, 'This is where Samuel and Henry, George or Herbert, William, +Nathaniel, or the "Little Judge" lived, and were brought up.' Or 'This +was the childhood home of Elizabeth, Helen, Miriam, Theodora, Grace, +Ruth, Ethel, or Susie. I wonder who slept in that room, and if this was +the favorite window, and which one of the family planted this shrub or +vine or tree, and what was the best-loved play nook,' and all sorts of +questions. Don't you think it will be nice? And then my wife and I will +say, or try to say, or make them understand in some way, that you +belonged to us next to belonging to your parents, and that we guarded +the house day and night, for you know that in the picture we are always +awake; come into the east parlor at any hour of the twenty-four and we +always have our eyes open, and we know everything that is going on. +We'll make them understand that a part of the love and thanks they feel +belongs to us, and we shall be so happy, and when we meet again we +shall have so many things to tell each other. Now Ruth will see to the +presents, for we are not educated up to a belief in Santa Claus. Ruth +will"--Just at this point the clock began to strike twelve. + +Now, the Judge and his wife were the most polite, really the +best-mannered people in all the world. But that striking of the clock +seemed to knock all the manners out of them. The Judge sprang from the +table quick as a flash, and in his haste turned the clothes-basket with +the "Little Judge" in it bottom side up. Mrs. "Judge" jumped up as spry +as a girl, and ran toward the Judge, who grabbed her by the hand, and +pushed her hard against the closets in the way, and struggled to get +into the hall. + +[Illustration] + +There was the greatest confusion imaginable in the house. The children +were all hitting the dishes, scattering the silver, overturning the +goblets, tumbling over the chairs. The closets all made a rush for the +door, and jammed themselves so close together that Samuel and Henry had +to raise the front windows, and jump out on the piazza, and climb in at +the parlor windows, and the other children followed them pell-mell. +There was the greatest noise you ever heard in a house. The clock +sounded with terrific strikes. The front door-bell, the dinner-bell, and +all the other bells rang an alarm. Things in the closets seemed breaking +themselves to pieces or going into fits. The piano roared and shrieked +like a hurricane. Every board and brick and nail and bit of glass, +metal, or wood squeaked or rattled. The very carpets shook with dust and +fear. And then, as the children caught a glimpse of the Judge and his +wife back again in the portraits, the clock struck the twelfth stroke, +the lights all went out, the children were back in bed, and silence +reigned throughout the old mansion. + + + + +V. + + STOCKINGS + FILLED + WITH + MUSIC, + RAINBOWS, + SENSE, + BACKBONE, + SUNSETS, + IMPULSES, + GOLD SPOON, IDEALS, SUNSHINE, + STAR, MANTLE, FLOWERS,--AND + THE LIKE QUEER STUFF. + + + + +V. + + STOCKINGS FILLED WITH MUSIC, RAINBOWS, SENSE, + BACKBONE, SUNSETS, IMPULSES, GOLD SPOON, IDEALS, + SUNSHINE, STAR, MANTLE, FLOWERS,--AND THE LIKE QUEER + STUFF. + + +RUTH was the only one left awake in the house. And it was very lonesome +for her. But she had promised to distribute the presents. Mrs. "Judge" +told her that the man in the moon would bring them at twelve o'clock, +and that he would put them in Turpentine. + +Ruth didn't like to go into the Judge's old study, but that was where +she would find Turpentine; so she ran and got the baby, who had red +hair, and served the purpose of a light, and then she bravely went into +the far away part of the parsonage. She took Satan, the cat, because his +eyes were like coals of fire, and helped to drive away the darkness; and +she had Turk for company's sake. The baby was soon astride his back, +crowing like a good fellow. + +[Illustration] + +[Illustration] + +When they got into the old study the light shone right through the door +that led into Turpentine. It frightened Ruth. She thought the house +might be on fire. But the door swung open of itself; and she and the +baby, Satan and Turk, all entered. The little room was a blaze of glory. +She had to put her hands up to her eyes and shade them, because the +light was so strong. It all came from a row of packages arranged on the +shelves. And such a wonderful, mysterious, lovely sight you never saw. +The packages were various shapes and sizes. They were all done up in +nothing with greatest care, and each was tied with a narrow piece of +something or other. Several packages had strings of blue sky around +them, ending in curious bows. Three packages were tied with real little +rainbows. They were beautiful objects. The rest of them had sunsets +twisted about them, gorgeous colors streaming from them in all +directions. Do you wonder that Ruth's eyes were dazzled? + +A singular thing about the packages was, that being done up in nothing, +and bound with such tenuous and transparent stuff as blue sky, sunsets, +and rainbows, one could see straight through these coverings and +fastenings, and gaze upon the beautiful things within. Each present had +a label of light above it. For instance, there were the shining letters, +S,A,M,U,E,L, worked upon the background of darkness over the present for +Samuel. The letters seemed to hover above the package just as you see +light hover above children's heads in some pictures of the old masters. +So it was very easy for Ruth to pick out the different gifts, and put +them where they belonged. There were seventeen of them. One for each +child, one for the minister, and one for his wife. + +"How nice to remember father and mother!" said Ruth to the dog, the cat, +and the baby. "I never thought of that. Now, how shall I carry them?" +For she felt that she would like to show them to the Judge and his wife. +So she raised the window that connected this closet with the parlor, and +taking each gift, carried it to the piano, and arranged the whole show +where Mr. and Mrs. "Judge" might see it from the pictures. The baby, +Turk, and Satan watched her while she made the change. The parlor was +warm; and just as soon as she brought the marvellous presents into the +room, every nook and cranny was a perfect splendor of brightness. "Dear +me!" exclaimed the child, "I must go up-stairs and get some colored +glasses or I shall lose my eyesight." She was gone and back again in one +minute and thirteen seconds. The green goggles gave her a wise and aged +appearance, and she seemed to feel the importance of the occasion. +"Here are the presents, Judge." She was now addressing the pictures. +"They are just too sweet for anything. How nice it is that I don't have +to undo any of them, but can look right straight through their covers, +and see what's in every package!" The Judge and his wife were both wide +awake, taking in every word that Ruth spoke. + +"Now, what is this for Samuel? A flower, I do believe. He can wear it in +his buttonhole. Oh, how sweet and beautiful it is! The house seems full +of its sweetness. I love it." Ruth bent over to kiss the airy, fragile +thing. "Why, here's a name under it, and a sentence. Did you write it +Judge?" And the picture seemed to nod as much as to say "Yes." +"Courtesy." "To be worn all one's waking hours. It will make the wearer +welcome." + +The next package was shaped round like a ball. The bow on it was blue +sky. "It looks to me like a--what is it you call it, when you look into +a mirror? Oh! I've got it. It's a reflection. Now, that must be for +Helen. Yes, I see her name in fine letters of flame above. H,E,L,E,N. +You didn't send the curls, did you?" Ruth looked anxiously at Mrs. +"Judge." "I suppose you thought that as Helen was going to write a book +she needed reflection more than the curls." + +The third package was long. The thing within was long, and it looked +like nothing that one had ever seen. + +"What can it be?" said Ruth to herself. As she took it and felt of it, +she found that it was sensitive, yet quite firm. The object was pure +white, not a spot or wrinkle on it. The floating label above the package +spelled out the letters H,E,R,B,E,R,T. Ruth read the name. "That can't +be backbone. It's too light for that. And yet how strong it is. How in +the world can he ever get that inside of him where it belongs?" The +fourth package was about seven inches in length, rather narrow, and +larger at one end than the other. "I do believe it's a spoon," shouted +Ruth. "It must be for Theodora. They've found her gold spoon, and sent +it to her. And yet it doesn't look like gold. How funny! When I feel of +it I don't feel of anything. It isn't so pretty as I thought it would +be. It has a kind of dull look. But how much better one feels to hold +it." Ruth had taken the curious object in her hand, and was putting it +up to her lips, and going through various motions with it. "Here is some +writing. The spoon is marked. What big letters they are! Theodora hasn't +all those initials. C,O,N,T,E,N,T,M,E,N,T. Well, that beats me. But I +suppose she'll know what it means." + +The child now picked up her own present. They all seemed so bright and +wonderful that she had forgotten to choose her own first. Ruth's package +had a great many sides to it. Every color imaginable appeared on the +surface. It was tied with several little rainbows, and there were ever +so many streamers and rosettes upon it. She saw her name above; and she +saw some letters printed into the leaves of the flower, for it was a +lovely, shining little blossom that was contained within her package. It +seemed to her that all the colors of all the rainbows in the sky had +been woven into this matchless posey. There were nine leaves to it, and +each leaf was made up of half a dozen shades of one or another color. +And then on each leaf there was distinctly seen a letter done in diamond +embroidery; so that the light which shot forth from such delicate +tracery was almost as bright as the sun. One leaf had S, a second E, a +third N, a fourth T, a fifth I, a sixth M, a seventh E, an eighth N, and +the ninth and last T. Ruth spelled it out carefully. S,E,N,T,--here she +paused and thought a moment. "Why, to be sure!" she exclaimed; "it has a +very sweet scent. I think it smells quite as good as Samuel's. But I +told you, you remember" (she was now addressing the pictures), "that +father said I needed sense. I'm afraid he'll say that one 'sent' isn't +enough." Then she continued her spelling. "I, MENT. Well, now, isn't +that queer? 'I meant.'" She repeated it several times. "I meant cent. +Were you trying to correct me, Judge? When I said sense did I mean (what +is it they call it), oh, singular, not plural? Everybody says I've got a +great deal of imagination, but I lack (father says sense but that isn't +what I mean now)--I lack."... And then Ruth looked at the flower again; +and spelled the word, and spoke it aloud. "'SENTIMENT,' that's it. +Sentiment. I know what it is. I shall certainly be a poet. They all say +so. Thank you, dear Judge and Mrs. 'Judge.' I'm going to begin to-morrow +and write poetry. I feel as if I could write some now. But I must go +through the presents and put them in the children's stockings first." So +Ruth put down her package of "Sentiment," and examined the other gifts. + +She took the one marked H,E,N,R,Y into her hands, and the room was +filled with the most heavenly music. The package was the shape of a +cylinder. It had a transparent cylinder within it. And this cylinder +was written all over with strange characters, exactly as you see or feel +on the cylinder of a graphophone. Only it didn't seem to be made of +anything, and when Ruth took the object into her hands it was like +holding a pinch of air. It appeared to run of its own accord. Ruth was +enchanted with the melodies. They made her think of everything good "in +the heavens above, and in the earth beneath, and in the waters under the +earth." She was so happy that she cried. Every tear that she dropped +went into the machine, and made the music all the sweeter. Then she read +the words under the package. "Music in the soul;" and she felt as if it +were really stealing into her, and as if it were impossible to keep it +there, and she must let this music in the soul go in every direction. + +"Isn't this lovely!" she exclaimed. "I never dreamed music in the soul +was so sweet. Why Henry'll be the happiest boy in all the world." + +Ruth then took into her hands a heart-shaped package. It was tied up +with a sunset that was gorgeous with a great many shades of red. "I +know what's inside that package without looking," she said. Although of +course she had looked, and seen the form of the present, and noted the +colors used in tying it up. "That's a heart; and it's for George. Isn't +it cunning? Why, what a little thing it is? and it's soft. Will this +make George soft-hearted and tender-hearted and good-hearted? I hope so. +It's real nice of you to send it." + +The next present was for Elizabeth. It was circular shape, like a small +hoop; some parts of it were light and some dark, some very beautiful and +some almost ugly. Yet the darkest, ugliest spots upon it were +illuminated and glorified by brilliant flashes of what looked like +lightning playing around the hoop. When Ruth held the object this +singular brightness would flame up into her face. It didn't hurt. It +fascinated her. She felt like sitting down and watching every change. +The words underneath the circle read, "Experience is the best teacher." +She spelled it out, then her eyes beamed with delight. "It's the very +thing that Elizabeth needs. I was afraid you couldn't give it to her. I +have heard it was hard to pass on experience to other people. Now +Elizabeth can run the house and mother can travel. That will be real +jolly." + +"Here is something for Susie," cried Ruth, as she put down Elizabeth's +package, and took up the next one. "It's a cup made of--of--of--why, +isn't that queer?--made of wishes. This is the first time I ever really +saw a wish. Now, Susie always teases for the wish-bone. And here's a cup +made, not of wish-bones, but of wishes. I wonder if she can drink out of +it. She's always telling how 'thursday' she is. We're sometimes afraid +she'll drink the well dry. Why, the cup is full of something. It +sparkles. 'A Draught of Bliss.' That's what it says under the cup. I +know what that means. It means to feel as good as one can feel. Well, +I'm glad she's going to have it. If the cup spills over we'll catch some +of the drops. And if she feels good we'll all feel better." Thus wisely +remarked the child to the pictures. + +The next package had a dream wrapped up in it. You never saw anything +more curious. It was as light as a feather, as bright as a button, as +sweet as a rose, as gay as a lark, as true as steel, as deep as the sea, +as high as heaven, as wise as an owl, as you like it. It had all the +hues of the rainbow. It was as odd as Dick's hatband. It went floating +against the blue sky. It dipped down into several sunsets as you see +swallows dip down or fly up when a storm is coming. It seemed well +suited to Nathaniel, the humming-bird sort of a boy. And there were the +letters in shotted light over against the gloom, N,A,T,H,A,N,I,E,L. + +"Dear little Nathaniel," said Ruth, as she handled the dream carefully, +putting it back in its wrappings of nothing, and tying it up again with +blue sky, sunsets, and rainbows all mixed together. "Won't he be +surprised to see a real dream, and carry it all around town to show +folks. And it's a good dream, a nice dream, I know. I can tell by +touching it and feeling of it all over." + +The next package was a large one; and it was for Grace, although she +was not one of the largest girls. It was shaped like a triangle, and +when you took hold of it the thing seemed to stretch bigger and bigger. +"What can it be, I wonder," mused Ruth. And then looking keenly through +the nothing that covered it, she discovered that there were a great many +little, charming, luminous objects packed into the package. They were +different shapes and colors and sizes. But every one of them was +pleasant to the touch, alluring to the eye, and melodious to the ear. +Whether each one contained a music-box or not, it was impossible to say, +but strains of angelic songs kept escaping. It reminded Ruth of Henry's +"Music in the Soul." Underneath the triangular box she read these words: +"A fine Assortment of Generous Impulses. Warranted Pure." The big words +she skipped, except the two, generous impulses. She knew them at once, +for she had heard her father say a great deal on that subject. + +"Judge, it's very good of you to send these dear, blessed things to +Grace. I'm perfectly sure she'll divide up and give every one of us as +many as we like. I should think there might be a hundred in the box. I'm +a-going to climb right up here on the piano and kiss both of you." And +she did; and she carried the generous impulses with her when she did it. + +When Ruth jumped down on the floor again she examined Miriam's package. +It held a star, a real star. The man in the moon brought it down from +the sky. + +"Isn't this wonderful beyond anything!" exclaimed the child. "How many +times we've said 'Twinkle, twinkle little star, how I wonder what you +are,' and now here you are." The little, shrewd, cunning fellow sparkled +and glistened so that Ruth's eyes ached in spite of her green goggles. +He seemed a very intelligent creature. He could almost talk. + +"I heard father say something about plucking the stars from heaven the +other day, and then he repeated something about the stars growing cold. +This star isn't cold, I know. And there's his name down at the bottom. +'A Star of Hope.' Hope so. Now Miriam will be proud enough. We shall see +her going around with her star. I've heard about babies being born under +some star or other. I see now how they could get under. Judge, will +Miriam be a star herself now? Do you think she will star it? 'Star of +Hope.' This beats me." + +Ethel's present was next. The package was so bright that it was +impossible to tell the shape of it. From every direction the light rayed +forth in dazzling brilliancy. + +"I'm sure it is a box of glory," cried Ruth. The writing underneath the +shining, beautiful thing said "Sunshine." + +"Haven't we been singing 'Rise, Shine?' How lovely it will be to have +Ethel go about the house scattering sunshine! What strange stuff it is!" +As she said this Ruth took a handful of it out of the package and +examined it very closely. "It keeps slipping out of the hands and +dropping down to the floor or rising up to the wall. Dear me! how shall +I get it back?" She chased it in ten ways at the same time. "But I can't +catch it," she continued; "and see, there is quite as much of it left as +there was in my hands and the box before it floated away. Oh! won't this +be nice on rainy days? We can have the house filled with sunshine, even +if it does rain, and the sky is black with clouds. I do think I never +saw such elegant, wonderful presents in all my life, and I don't believe +any other children in all this world ever got such things as we have for +our Christmas." + +The next present was for William. As Ruth looked at it she seemed lost +in thought. She was studying it out. There wasn't any shape to the +thing. The package itself didn't have any shape. It was a beautiful mass +of light. Yet the longer you looked at it, the more lovely, attractive, +and real it appeared. Finally it did take a shape; and when you made up +your mind that it was round or square or octagonal or irregular or +something else, the shapeliness of the thing vanished. + +"I wonder if it's a thought?" the child said to herself. "I've often +thought I'd like to see what a thought looks like. I hear so much about +thought and thoughts, that I'm real curious. Father told mother the +other day that I was a very thoughtful child. If I'm thought_ful_, seems +to me I ought to see a good many or feel 'em." Then she looked down +under the package, and read, "A Bundle of I,D,E,A,L,S." + +"Why, I don't see any bundle," she exclaimed. But that moment the mass +of light changed into strands of willowy brightness, and she could see +there was a neat little bundle of these shining threads. She took the +bundle into her hands and pulled out one. This first strand was straight +as an arrow, and there suddenly showed itself at the bottom of it a +chain of letters. The strand of splendor, in fact, appeared to grow out +of these letters. They were M,A,N,L,I,N,E,S,S. The letters were made in +quaint forms, and they were indescribably beautiful. Ruth pulled out +another strand from the bundle. This seemed larger and more solid than +the first, and quite as precious. Letters soon formed into a chain at +the lower end, and these were W,O,R,T,H. She pulled out the third +strand. It seemed almost alive, being in constant motion. The chain of +letters beneath it was as follows: S,E,R,V,I,C,E. A fourth strand had +the letters H,O,N,O,R entwined about one end. And there were many other +similar strands. Ruth had on her thinking-cap (made of nothing +particular, and trimmed with everything in general) all the time that +she was examining them. Of a sudden the word "Ideals" struck her. + +"I know now what these bright, lovely things are," she cried. "I've +heard father preach about them, and he has told us children I think +hundreds of times. He says we must all have them, and have the best too. +Why didn't you think of it before? Judge, you're just as good as you can +be." Ruth was talking to the pictures. "Father and mother will be very +thankful that you have brought all these into the family. I know what an +Ideal is. It's what you want to be, and try to be. Haven't I heard +Samuel and Elizabeth and the older ones talk about high ideals?" As she +spoke she shook the radiant little bundle, and saw all sorts of great, +noble men and fine, lovely women spring right out of the brightness, +taking form before her face and eyes. "I do declare that looks like +William." She was gazing at one of the tiny, luminous faces that +appeared against the shadows. "We shall all pop into the light like +that, I expect. That must be what father calls attaining one's Ideal. +Isn't it grand? Yes, there come the other children. One springs out of +one Ideal, and another out of another. It's just like a fairy tale. But +I never dreamed what curious things Ideals were. How rich we shall be?" +Then Ruth gathered the Ideals together, and put them back where she +found them. + +The next present was for her mother. It was resting on an air-cushion +in a casket of love. It seemed to Ruth that the sun and moon and a good +many stars had got into that package. It took more rainbows than you can +shake a stick at to tie up the package securely, so that nothing could +get to it. The present was a crown, and underneath were the words "A +Mother's Jewels." There were fifteen of them, no two alike. The crown +was a cloud with a silver lining. Ruth took it in her hands, and putting +it on her head, felt the light running all down her head and over her +face. It wasn't the least bit uncomfortable. But the top of the crown +was the most wonderful. All the fifteen jewels studded it, so that, as +one wore it, anybody standing by would almost think that the brightest +lights in the heavens had been borrowed, and wrought into this +head-dress. And each jewel had a name all about it, the letters being +made of the very smallest stars that you can find out of doors. The +child was too astonished and delighted to talk as she examined this +gift. She put it back in its casket without one word. It took her +breath away, so that she couldn't say anything. + +By the side of this package was one for her father. She was glad to turn +to it, for it was not so splendid and marvellous that it dumfounded her. +His package had a bottle in it. + +"I believe it's made of forget-me-nots," said Ruth. She took it into her +hands, and found it was woven like basket work, a sort of wicker bottle. +Only the stems of the plants were so intertwisted that the blossoms all +came to the outside. But both stems and blossoms were perfectly +transparent, so you could see straight through into the inside. +"E,S,S,E,N,C,E of C,H,E,E,R,F,U,L,N,E,S,S. To be taken eternally." This +was written beneath, and Ruth spelled the two big words slowly. "I know +what that means," she continued. "The Judge is going to give father some +more sense. For essence, of course, is only another kind of sense. Oh! I +forgot the essence man. He brings us peppermint and vanilla and cologne. +We season things, and make ourselves smell good. Now, that's what +you've sent to father, isn't it? Essence of Cheerfulness. You want him +to season things with cheerfulness, don't you, and make himself and all +the rest of us fragrant? And he'll do it. He's always saying that we +ought to be cheerful. But what kind of stuff is it?" and Ruth tipped up +the bottle to taste of its contents. She smacked her lips and beamed +with delight. "I do believe it's a spirit. Father says, you can't see +spirit but you can feel it. I can't see anything but light in that +bottle, but I can feel something all through me. I must dance a little, +I feel so good. Oh, dear me! that's the way people sometimes act when +they've drunk from bad bottles. But I can't help it." She caught her +skirts in each hand, and airily waltzed up and down the room. + +"I must see if the mantle is here," she suddenly exclaimed. "How strange +that I've just thought of it!" And then she stopped to look at the +baby's present. + +"It can't be that the Judge's mantle would go into such a little +package as that." So Ruth remarked as she took the tiny thing in hand. +It was tied with the most brilliant sunset that eyes ever saw. The +streamers attached to the bow were much bigger than the package itself. +When Ruth undid it, and held the singular object before her eyes, it +seemed to grow large and long. It was truly the Judge's mantle. As she +shook it out, and let its folds drop down to the floor, the pictures +fairly beamed with glory. "Silver threads among the gold," exclaimed the +child, as the beauteous garment flashed its splendors into her eyes. For +the warp was the pure gold of character, while the woof was the fine +silver of influence. And they were woven into a fabric of surpassing +richness. Then this matchless weaving was covered with fairest +embroidery. Every color that imagination ever conceived appeared upon +the garment. There was the white light of truth, the red of sacrifice, +the purple of royalty, the greens of fresh life, the pink of propriety, +the red that you see in a green blackberry, the blue of a minister's +Monday, and true blue, auburn from a child's head, hazel from a child's +eyes, black as thunder cloud, pale as death, the lemon of lemon ice, +orange from orangeade, and a great many others. And these colors were +worked into words, flowers of rhetoric, scenes indeed, pictures of love, +kindness, wisdom, and peace. It was also adorned with quite a number of +gems of poetry, and it had a pearl of great price to fasten it at the +throat. + +The first thing which Ruth did was to try it on, but it dragged on the +floor. It occurred to her that the baby must wait until he was grown up +before it fitted him. Still, she tried it on the baby. No sooner did she +wrap it around him than it seemed to shrink to his size. + +"Why, we can use it for a winter coat," she said. And the "Little +Judge," who had fallen asleep before the fire, where he had crawled with +Turk and the cat, cooed and laughed when the mantle was wrapped about +him, seeming to feel that it was the very thing that would make him +happy and comfortable. All the time that Ruth was handling the magic +thing, it continued to throw off little points of light and countless +mites of color, and these settled down on the furniture and carpet and +the curtains and the walls and the ceiling, until the room was like a +palace studded with twinkling, shifting, radiant stars; and every +present on the piano was shining and scattering light, the air being +filled with music, and Ruth was wild with delight and excitement. + +[Illustration] + +The next thing was to carry the gifts to the stockings where they +belonged. Wherever she went, there was the brightness of noonday, so she +never had a fear. Even the closet with the skeleton in it did not make +her tremble. Beginning with father and mother, she visited every +stocking, and put each gift in its proper place; then she carried the +baby to bed, and left Turk and Satan snuggled up together in front of +the fire; and then it seemed to her that she floated away in a sea of +light; and then mounting upon the wings of the wind, she suddenly met +the sand man who pushed her into the Land of Nod. + +The last that she remembered was blue sky, gems of poetry, rainbows, +shooting stars, flowers of rhetoric, strains of music, sunsets, closets, +stockings, Christmas cheer, sunshine, and a great many other things, all +standing around the type-writer in her father's study, telling the +machine what to say, and begging that everything might be set down in a +book and live forever. + + + + +E. + +HAPPY DAY. + + + + +E. + +HAPPY DAY. + + +NOW, when it grew toward morning Ruth awakened first, and what did she +do but jump out of bed and feel of her stocking; the thing which she +found was a book, and she knew without looking into it that the book +told all about the Judge and the pictures, the house and the children, +and the strange things that had happened on this eventful night. + +Later there was the sound of many voices, scores of "I wish you a merry +Christmas," went flying through the air, carols burst upon the ear, and +a whole host of happy, loving children shifted from one room to another, +and finally gathered beneath the pictures of the Judge and his lady. Did +the good man lift his hands in benediction? Did he beam with the joy of +the Christ-life? The light was rather dim in the parlor, for it was +early in the morning. But the children were constantly turning their +eyes to the portraits. It seemed to them that new life throbbed within +their souls, that grand purposes had been awakened, that charity and +tenderness, the love of God and the love of one another, were moving to +all kinds of well-doing. They felt as never before that they were living +in the home of this great, good man, and that they must go forth into +the world as his manly and womanly representatives. Peace not only +filled the house, but it rested upon them. It was the most joyful day of +all the years. Never a quarrel darkened a heart. Never a harsh word fell +from any lips. Never a mean thought rose in their breasts. It was real +Christmas cheer. And I believe that every child of them was made richer +by the blessed presence (presents) of the Judge and his lady. + + + + + * * * * * + + + + +Transcriber's note: + +Repeated chapter titles were retained as some were laid out differently +than at the chapter itself. + +Page 58, "Clause" changed to "Claus" (as Santa Claus) + +Page 71, "to" changed to "too" (think so too) + +Page 88, "bookcase" changed to "book-case" to match rest of usage in +text (a low book-case beneath) + +Page 95, extraneous quotation mark removed before (I'll call 'Greece') + +Page 109, "surpressed" changed to "suppressed" (with suppressed +excitement) + +Page 145, "everthing" changed to "everything" (everything under the sun) + +Page 152, single closing quotation mark changed to double (and use +them?") + +Page 192, closing quotation mark added (it means.") + +Page 201, closing quotation mark added (is!" As she said this) + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 42961 *** |