Minot took her things off with a cordial welcome, but Jill never
said a word, for, after one exclamation, she lay staring about her,
dumb with surprise and delight at what she saw.
The great room was entirely changed; for now it looked like a
garden, or one of the fairy scenes children love, where in-doors
and out-of-doors are pleasantly combined. The ceiling was pale
blue, like the sky; the walls were covered with a paper like a rustic
trellis, up which climbed morning-glories so naturally that the
many-colored bells seemed dancing in the wind. Birds and
butterflies flew among them, and here and there, through arches in
the trellis, one seemed to look into a sunny summer world,
contrasting curiously with the wintry landscape lying beyond the
real windows, festooned with evergreen garlands, and curtained
only by stands of living flowers. A green drugget covered the floor
like grass, rustic chairs from the garden stood about, and in the
middle of the room a handsome hemlock waited for its pretty
burden. A Yule-log blazed on the wide hearth, and over the
chimney-piece, framed in holly, shone the words that set all hearts
to dancing, “Merry Christmas!”
“Do you like it, dear? This is our surprise for you and Jack, and
here we mean to have good times together,” said Mrs. Minot, who
had stood quietly enjoying the effect of her work.
“Oh, it is so lovely I don’t know what to say!” and Jill put up both
arms, as words failed her, and grateful kisses were all she had to
offer.
“Can you suggest anything more to add to the pleasantness?” asked
the gentle lady, holding the small hands in her own, and feeling
well repaid by the child’s delight.
“Only Jack”; and Jill’s laugh was good to hear, as she glanced up
with merry, yet wistful eyes.
“You are right. We’ll have him in at once, or he will come hopping
on one leg”; and away hurried his mother, laughing, too, for
whistles, shouts, thumps, and violent demonstrations of all kinds
had been heard from the room where Jack was raging with
impatience, while he waited for his share of the surprise.
Jill could hardly lie still when she heard the roll of another
chair-bed coming down the hail, its passage enlivened with cries of
“Starboard! Port! Easy now! Pull away!” from Ralph and Frank, as
they steered the recumbent Columbus on his first voyage of
discovery.
“Well, I call that handsome!” was Jack’s exclamation, when the
full beauty of the scene burst upon his view. Then he forgot all
about it and gave a whoop of pleasure, for there beside the fire was
an eager face, two hands beckoning, and Jill’s voice crying,
joyfully.
“I’m here! I’m here! Oh, do come, quick!” Down the long room
rattled the chair, Jack cheering all the way, and brought up beside
the other one, as the long-parted friends exclaimed, with one
accord,
“Isn’t this jolly!”
It certainly did look so, for Ralph and Frank danced a wild sort of
fandango round the tree, Dr. Whiting stood and laughed, while the
two mothers beamed from the door-way, and the children, not
knowing whether to laugh or to cry, compromised the matter by
clapping their hands and shouting, “Merry Christmas to
everybody!” like a pair of little maniacs.
Then they all sobered down, and the busy ones went off to the
various duties of the day, leaving the young invalids to repose and
enjoy themselves together.
“How nice you look,” said Jill, when they had duly admired the
pretty room.
“So do you,” gallantly returned Jack, as he surveyed her with
unusual interest.
They did look very nice, though happiness was the principal
beautifier. Jill wore a red wrapper, with the most brilliant of all the
necklaces sparkling at her throat, over a nicely crimped frill her
mother had made in honor of the day. All the curly black hair was
gathered into a red net, and a pair of smart little moccasins
covered the feet that had not stepped for many a weary day. Jack
was not so gay, but had made himself as fine as circumstances
would permit. A gray dressing-gown, with blue cuffs and collar,