Five Little Peppers and How They Grew

  GETTING A CHRISTMAS FOR THE LITTLE ONES

  And so October came and went. The little Peppers were very lonely afterJasper had gone; even Mrs. Pepper caught herself looking up one day whenthe wind blew the door open suddenly, half expecting to see the merrywhole-souled boy, and the faithful dog come scampering in.

  But the letters came--and that was a comfort; and it was fun to answerthem. The first one spoke of Jasper's being under a private tutor, withhis cousins; then they were less frequent, and they knew he was studyinghard. Full of anticipations of Christmas himself, he urged the littlePeppers to try for one. And the life and spirit of the letter was socatching, that Polly and Ben found their souls fired within them to tryat least to get for the little ones a taste of Christmastide.

  "Now, mammy," they said at last, one day in the latter part of October,when the crisp, fresh air filled their little healthy bodies withspringing vitality that must bubble over and rush into something,"we don't want a Thanksgiving--truly we don't. But may we try for aChristmas--just a little one," they added, timidly, "for the children?"Ben and Polly always called the three younger ones of the flock "thechildren."

  To their utter surprise, Mrs. Pepper looked mildly assenting, andpresently she said, "Well, I don't see why you can't try; 'twon't do anyharm, I'm sure."

  You see Mrs. Pepper had received a letter from Jasper, which at presentshe didn't feel called upon to say anything about.

  "Now," said Polly, drawing a long breath, as she and Ben stole away intoa corner to "talk over" and lay plans, "what does it mean?"

  "Never mind," said Ben; "as long as she's given us leave I don't carewhat it is."

  "I neither," said Polly, with the delicious feeling as if the wholeworld were before them where to choose; "it'll be just gorgeous, Ben!"

  "What's that?" asked Ben, who was not as much given to long words asPolly, who dearly loved to be fine in language as well as other things.

  "Oh, it's something Jappy said one day; and I asked him, and he saysit's fine, and lovely, and all that," answered Polly, delighted that sheknew something she could really tell Ben.

  "Then why not say fine?" commented Ben, practically, with a littleupward lift of his nose.

  "Oh, I'd know, I'm sure," laughed Polly. "Let's think what'll we dofor Christmas--how many weeks are there, anyway, Ben?" And she began tocount on her fingers.

  "That's no way," said Ben, "I'm going to get the Almanac." So he went tothe old clock where hanging up by its side, was a "Farmer's Almanac."

  "Now, we'll know," he said, coming back to their corner. So with headstogether they consulted and counted up till they found that eight weeksand three days remained in which to get ready.

  "Dear me!" said Polly. "It's most a year, isn't it, Ben?"

  "'Twon't be much time for us," said Ben, who thought of the many hoursto be devoted to hard work that would run away with the time. "We'dbetter begin right away, Polly."

  "Well, all right," said Polly, who could scarcely keep her fingersstill, as she thought of the many things she should so love to do if shecould. "But first, Ben, what let's do?"

  "Would you rather hang up their stockings?" asked Ben, as if he hadunlimited means at his disposal; "or have a tree?"

  "Why," said Polly, with wide open eyes at the two magnificent ideas, "wehaven't got anything to put in the stockings when we hang 'em, Ben."

  "That's just it," said Ben. "Now, wouldn't it be better to have a tree,Polly? I can get that easy in the woods, you know."

  "Well," interrupted Polly, eagerly, "we haven't got anything to hang onthat, either, Ben. You know Jappy said folks hang all sorts of presentson the branches. So I don't see," she continued, impatiently, "asthat's any good. We can't do anything, Ben Pepper, so there! there isn'tanything to do anything with," and with a flounce Polly sat down onthe old wooden stool, and folding her hands looked at Ben in a mostdespairing way.

  "I know," said Ben, "we haven't got much."

  "We haven't got anything," said Polly, still looking at him. "Why, we'vegot a tree," replied Ben, hopefully. "Well, what's a tree," retortedPolly, scornfully. "Anybody can go out and look at a tree outdoors."

  "Well, now, I tell you, Polly," said Ben, sitting down on the floorbeside her, and speaking very slowly and decisively, "we've got to dosomething 'cause we've begun; and we might make a tree real pretty."

  "How?" asked Polly, ashamed of her ill-humor, but not in the leastseeing how anything could be made of a tree. "How, Ben Pepper?"

  "Well," said Ben, pleasantly, "we'd set it up in the corner--"

  "Oh, no, not in the corner," cried Polly, whose spirits began to risea little as she saw Ben so hopeful. "Put it in the middle of the room,do!"

  "I don't care where you put it," said Ben, smiling, happy that Polly'susual cheerful energy had returned, "but I thought.--'twill be a littleone, you know, and I thought 'twould look better in the corner."

  "What else?" asked Polly, eager to see how Ben would dress the tree.

  "Well," said Ben, "you know the Henderson boys gave me a lot of cornlast week."

  "I don't see as that helps much," said Polly, still incredulous. "Do youmean hang the cobs on the branches, Ben? That would be just dreadful!"

  "I should think likely," laughed Ben. "No, indeed, Polly Pepper! butif we should pop a lot, oh! a bushel, and then we should string 'em, wecould wind it all in and out among the branches, and--"

  "Why, wouldn't that be pretty?" cried Polly, "real pretty--and we can dothat, I'm sure."

  "Yes," continued Ben; "and then, don't you know, there's some littlecandle ends in that box in the Provision Room, maybe mammy'd give usthem."

  "I don't believe but she would," cried Polly; "twould be just likeJappy's if she would! Let's ask her now--this very same minute!"

  And they scampered hurriedly to Mrs. Pepper, who to their extremeastonishment, after all, said "yes," and smiled encouragingly on theplan.

  "Isn't mammy good?" said Polly, with loving gratitude, as they seatedthemselves again.

  "Now we're all right," exclaimed Ben, "and I tell you we can make thetree look perfectly splendid, Polly Pepper!"

  "And I'll tell you another thing, Ben," Polly said, "oh! somethingelegant! You must get ever so many hickory nuts; and you know those bitsof bright paper I've got in the bureau drawer? Well, we can paste themon to the nuts and hang 'em on for the balls Jappy tells of."

  "Polly," cried Ben, "it'll be such a tree as never was, won't it?"

  "Yes; but dear me," cried Polly, springing up, "the children are coming!Wasn't it good, grandma wanted 'em to come over this afternoon, so'swe could talk! Now hush!" as the door opened to admit the noisy littletroop.

  "If you think of any new plan," whispered Ben, behind his hand, whileMrs. Pepper engaged their attention, "you'll have to come out into thewood-shed to talk after this."

  "I know it," whispered Polly back again; "oh! we've got just heaps ofthings to think of, Bensie!"

  Such a contriving and racking of brains as Polly and Ben set up afterthis! They would bob over at each other, and smile with significantgesture as a new idea would strike one of them, in the most mysteriousway that, if observed, would drive the others almost wild. And then,frightened lest in some hilarious moment the secret should pop out,the two conspirators would betake themselves to the wood-shed as beforeagreed on. But Joel, finding this out, followed them one day--or, asPolly said, tagged--so that was no good.

  "Let's go behind the wood-pile," she said to Ben, in desperation; "hecan't hear there, if we whisper real soft."

  "Yes, he will," said Ben, who knew Joel's hearing faculties much better."We'll have to wait till they're a-bed."

  So after that, when nightfall first began to make its appearance, Pollywould hint mildly about bedtime.

  "You hustle us so!" said Joel, after he had been sent off to bed for twoor three nights unusually early.

  "Oh, Joey, it's good for you to get to bed," said Polly, coaxingly;"it'll make you grow, you know, real fast."

>   "Well, I don't grow a-bed," grumbled Joel, who thought something was inthe wind. "You and Ben are going to talk, I know, and wink your eyes, assoon as we're gone."

  "Well, go along, Joe, that's a good boy," said Polly, laughing, "andyou'll know some day."

  "What'll you give me?" asked Joel, seeing a bargain, his foot on thelowest stair leading to the loft, "say, Polly?"

  "Oh, I haven't got much to give," she said, cheerily; "but I'll tell youwhat, Joey--I'll tell you a story every day that you go to bed."

  "Will you?" cried Joe, hopping back into the room. "Begin now, Polly,begin now!"

  "Why, you haven't been to bed yet," said Polly, "so I can't tillto-morrow."

  "Yes, I have--you've made us go for three--no, I guess fourteen nights,"said Joel, indignantly.

  "Well, you were made to go," laughed Polly. "I said if you'd go good,you know; so run along, Joe, and I'll tell you a nice one to-morrow."

  "It's got to be long," shouted Joel, when he saw he could get no more,making good time up to the loft.

  To say that Polly, in the following days, was Master Joel's slave, wasstating the case lightly. However, she thought by her story-telling shegot off easily, as each evening saw the boys drag their unwillingfeet to-bedward, and leave Ben and herself in peace to plan and workundisturbed. There they would sit by the little old table, around theone tallow candle, while Mrs. Pepper sewed away busily, looking up tosmile or to give some bits of advice; keeping her own secret meanwhile,which made her blood leap fast, as the happy thoughts nestled in herheart of her little ones and their coming glee. And Polly made theloveliest of paper dolls for Phronsie out of the rest of the bits ofbright paper; and Ben made windmills and whistles for the boys; and afunny little carved basket with a handle, for Phronsie, out of a hickorynut shell; and a new pink calico dress for Seraphina peered out fromthe top drawer of the old bureau in the bedroom, whenever anyone openedit--for Mrs. Pepper kindly let the children lock up their treasuresthere as fast as completed.

  "I'll make Seraphina a bonnet," said Mrs. Pepper, "for there's that oldbonnet-string in the bag, you know, Polly, that'll make it beautiful."

  "Oh, do, mother," cried Polly, "she's been wanting a new one awfully."

  "And I'm going to knit some mittens for Joel and David," continued Mrs.Pepper; "cause I can get the yarn cheap now. I saw some down at thestore yesterday I could have at half price."

  "I don't believe anybody'll have as good a Christmas as we shall," criedPolly, pasting on a bit of trimming to the gayest doll's dress; "no, noteven Jappy."

  An odd little smile played around Mrs. Pepper's mouth, but she said nota word, and so the fun and the work went on.

  The tree was to be set up in the Provision Room; that was finallydecided, as Mrs. Pepper showed the children how utterly useless it wouldbe to try having it in the kitchen.

  "I'll find the key, children," she said, "I think I know where 'tis, andthen we can keep them out."

  "Well, but it looks so," said Polly, demurring at the prospect.

  "Oh, no, Polly," said her mother; "at any rate it's clean."

  "Polly," said Ben, "we can put evergreen around, you know."

  "So we can," said Polly, brightly; "oh, Ben, you do think of the bestthings; we couldn't have had them in the kitchen."

  "And don't let's hang the presents on the tree," continued Ben; "let'shave the children hang up their stockings; they want to, awfully--for Iheard David tell Joel this morning before we got up--they thought Iwas asleep, but I wasn't--that he did so wish they could, but, says he,'Don't tell mammy, 'cause that'll make her feel bad."

  "The little dears!" said Mrs. Pepper, impulsively; "they shall havetheir stockings, too."

  "And we'll make the tree pretty enough," said Polly, enthusiastically;"we shan't want the presents to hang on; we've got so many things. Andthen we'll have hickory nuts to eat; and perhaps mammy'll let us makesome molasses candy the day before," she said, with a sly look at hermother.

  "You may," said Mrs. Pepper, smiling.

  "Oh, goody!" they both cried, hugging each other ecstatically.

  "And we'll have a frolic in the Provision Room afterwards," finishedPolly; "oh! ooh!"

  And so the weeks flew by--one, two, three, four, five, six, seven,eight! till only the three days remained, and to think the fun thatPolly and Ben had had already!

  "It's better'n a Christmas," they told their mother, "to get ready forit!"

  "It's too bad you can't hang up your stockings," said Mrs. Pepper,looking keenly at their flushed faces and bright eyes; "you've neverhung 'em up."

  "That isn't any matter, mamsie," they both said, cheerily; "it's agreat deal better to have the children have a nice time--oh, won't it beelegant! p'r'aps we'll have ours next year!"

  For two days before, the house was turned upside down for Joel to findthe biggest stocking he could; but on Polly telling him it must be hisown, he stopped his search, and bringing down his well-worn one, hung itby the corner of the chimney to be ready.

  "You put yours up the other side, Dave," he advised.

  "There isn't any nail," cried David, investigating.

  "I'll drive one," said Joel, so he ran out to the tool-house, as onecorner of the wood-shed was called, and brought in the hammer and one ortwo nails.

  "Phronsie's a-goin' in the middle," he said, with a nail in his mouth.

  "Yes, I'm a-goin' to hang up my stockin'," cried the child, hopping fromone toe to the other.

  "Run get it, Phronsie," said Joel, "and I'll hang it up for you.

  "Why, it's two days before Christmas yet," said Polly, laughing; "howthey'll look hanging there so long."

  "I don't care," said Joel, giving a last thump to the nail; "we'rea-goin' to be ready. Oh, dear! I wish 'twas to-night!"

  "Can't Seraphina hang up her stocking?" asked Phronsie, coming up toPolly's side; "and Baby, too?"

  "Oh, let her have part of yours," said Polly, "that'll bebest--Seraphina and Baby, and you have one stocking together."

  "Oh, yes," cried Phronsie, easily pleased; "that'll be best." So forthe next two days, they were almost distracted; the youngest ones askingcountless questions about Santa Claus, and how he possibly could getdown the chimney, Joel running his head up as far as he dared, to see ifit was big enough.

  "I guess he can," he said, coming back in a sooty state, looking verymuch excited and delighted.

  "Will he be black like Joey?" asked Phronsie, pointing to his grimyface.

  "No," said Polly; "he don't ever get black."

  "Why?" they all asked; and then, over and over, they wanted thedelightful mystery explained.

  "We never'll get through this day," said Polly in despair, as the lastone arrived. "I wish 'twas to-night, for we're all ready."

  "Santy's coming! Santy's coming!" sang Phronsie, as the bright afternoonsunlight went down over the fresh, crisp snow, "for it's night now."

  "Yes, Santa is coming!" sang Polly; and "Santa Claus is coming," rangback and forth through the old kitchen, till it seemed as if the threelittle old stockings would hop down and join in the dance going on somerrily.

  "I'm glad mine is red," said Phronsie, at last, stopping in the wildjig, and going up to see if it was all safe, "cause then Santy'll knowit's mine, won't he, Polly?"

  "Yes, dear," cried Polly, catching her up. "Oh, Phronsie! you are goingto have a Christmas!"

  "Well, I wish," said Joel, "I had my name on mine! I know Dave'll getsome of my things."

  "Oh, no, Joe," said Mrs. Pepper, "Santa Claus is smart; he'll know yoursis in the left-hand corner."

  "Will he?" asked Joel, still a little fearful.

  "Oh, yes, indeed," said Mrs. Pepper, confidently. "I never knew him tomake a mistake."

  "Now," said Ben, when they had all made a pretence of eating supper,for there was such an excitement prevailing that no one sat still longenough to eat much, "you must every one fly off to bed as quick as evercan be."

  "Will Santa Claus come faster then?" asked Joel.
/>
  "Yes," said Ben, "just twice as fast."

  "I'm going, then," said Joel; "but I ain't going to sleep, 'cause I meanto hear him come over the roof; then I'm going to get up, for I do sowant a squint at the reindeer!"

  "I am, too," cried Davie, excitedly. "Oh, do come, Joe!" and he began tomount the stairs.

  "Good night," said Phronsie, going up to the centre of thechimney-piece, where the little red stocking dangled limpsily, "lift meup, Polly, do."

  "What you want to do?" asked Polly, running and giving her a jump. "Whatyou goin' to do, Phronsie?"

  "I want to kiss it good night," said the child, with eyes big withanticipation and happiness, hugging the well worn toe of the little oldstocking affectionately. "I wish I had something to give Santa, Polly, Ido!" she cried, as she held her fast in her arms.

  "Never mind, Pet," said Polly, nearly smothering her with kisses; "ifyou're a good girl, Phronsie, that pleases Santa the most of anything."

  "Does it?" cried Phronsie, delighted beyond measure, as Polly carriedher into the bedroom, "then I'll be good always, I will!"