Children's Book Classics - Kate Douglas Wiggin Edition: 11 Novels & 120+ Short Stories for Children. Kate Douglas Wiggin

evenings when Miranda went to prayer meeting; evenings when Rebecca would read aloud Hiawatha or Barbara Frietchie, The Bugle Song, or The Brook. Her narrow, humdrum existence bloomed under the dews that fell from this fresh spirit; her dullness brightened under the kindling touch of the younger mind, took fire from the “vital spark of heavenly flame” that seemed always to radiate from Rebecca’s presence.

      Rebecca’s idea of being a painter like her friend Miss Ross was gradually receding, owing to the apparently insuperable difficulties in securing any instruction. Her aunt Miranda saw no wisdom in cultivating such a talent, and could not conceive that any money could ever be earned by its exercise, “Hand painted pictures” were held in little esteem in Riverboro, where the cheerful chromo or the dignified steel engraving were respected and valued. There was a slight, a very slight hope, that Rebecca might be allowed a few music lessons from Miss Morton, who played the church cabinet organ, but this depended entirely upon whether Mrs. Morton would decide to accept a hayrack in return for a year’s instruction from her daughter. She had the matter under advisement, but a doubt as to whether or not she would sell or rent her hayfields kept her from coming to a conclusion. Music, in common with all other accomplishments, was viewed by Miss Miranda as a trivial, useless, and foolish amusement, but she allowed Rebecca an hour a day for practice on the old piano, and a little extra time for lessons, if Jane could secure them without payment of actual cash.

      The news from Sunnybrook Farm was hopeful rather than otherwise. Cousin Ann’s husband had died, and John, Rebecca’s favorite brother, had gone to be the man of the house to the widowed cousin. He was to have good schooling in return for his care of the horse and cow and barn, and what was still more dazzling, the use of the old doctor’s medical library of two or three dozen volumes. John’s whole heart was set on becoming a country doctor, with Rebecca to keep house for him, and the vision seemed now so true, so near, that he could almost imagine his horse ploughing through snowdrifts on errands of mercy, or, less dramatic but none the less attractive, could see a physician’s neat turncut trundling along the shady country roads, a medicine case between his, Dr. Randall’s, feet, and Miss Rebecca Randall sitting in a black silk dress by his side.

      Hannah now wore her hair in a coil and her dresses a trifle below her ankles, these concessions being due to her extreme height. Mark had broken his collar bone, but it was healing well. Little Mira was growing very pretty. There was even a rumor that the projected railroad from Temperance to Plumville might go near the Randall farm, in which case land would rise in value from nothing-at-all an acre to something at least resembling a price. Mrs. Randall refused to consider any improvement in their financial condition as a possibility. Content to work from sunrise to sunset to gain a mere subsistence for her children, she lived in their future, not in her own present, as a mother is wont to do when her own lot seems hard and cheerless.

Chapter XVII.

       Gray Days and Gold

       Table of Contents

      When Rebecca looked back upon the year or two that followed the Simpsons’ Thanksgiving party, she could see only certain milestones rising in the quiet pathway of the months.

      The first milestone was Christmas Day. It was a fresh, crystal morning, with icicles hanging like dazzling pendants from the trees and a glaze of pale blue on the surface of the snow. The Simpsons’ red barn stood out, a glowing mass of color in the white landscape. Rebecca had been busy for weeks before, trying to make a present for each of the seven persons at Sunnybrook Farm, a somewhat difficult proceeding on an expenditure of fifty cents, hoarded by incredible exertion. Success had been achieved, however, and the precious packet had been sent by post two days previous. Miss Sawyer had bought her niece a nice gray squirrel muff and tippet, which was even more unbecoming if possible, than Rebecca’s other articles of wearing apparel; but aunt Jane had made her the loveliest dress of green cashmere, a soft, soft green like that of a young leaf. It was very simply made, but the color delighted the eye. Then there was a beautiful “tatting” collar from her mother, some scarlet mittens from Mrs. Cobb, and a handkerchief from Emma Jane.

      Rebecca herself had fashioned an elaborate tea-cosy with a letter “M” in outline stitch, and a pretty frilled pincushion marked with a “J,” for her two aunts, so that taken all together the day would have been an unequivocal success had nothing else happened; but something else did.

      There was a knock at the door at breakfast time, and Rebecca, answering it, was asked by a boy if Miss Rebecca Randall lived there. On being told that she did, he handed her a parcel bearing her name, a parcel which she took like one in a dream and bore into the dining-room.

      “It’s a present; it must be,” she said, looking at it in a dazed sort of way; “but I can’t think who it could be from.”

      “A good way to find out would be to open it,” remarked Miss Miranda.

      The parcel being untied proved to have two smaller packages within, and Rebecca opened with trembling fingers the one addressed to her. Anybody’s fingers would have trembled. There was a case which, when the cover was lifted, disclosed a long chain of delicate pink coral beads,—a chain ending in a cross made of coral rosebuds. A card with “Merry Christmas from Mr. Aladdin” lay under the cross.

      “Of all things!” exclaimed the two old ladies, rising in their seats. “Who sent it?”

      “Mr. Ladd,” said Rebecca under her breath.

      “Adam Ladd! Well I never! Don’t you remember Ellen Burnham said he was going to send Rebecca a Christmas present? But I never supposed he’d think of it again,” said Jane. “What’s the other package?”

      It proved to be a silver chain with a blue enamel locket on it, marked for Emma Jane. That added the last touch—to have him remember them both! There was a letter also, which ran:—

      Dear Miss Rebecca Rowena,—My idea of a Christmas present is something entirely unnecessary and useless. I have always noticed when I give this sort of thing that people love it, so I hope I have not chosen wrong for you and your friend. You must wear your chain this afternoon, please, and let me see it on your neck, for I am coming over in my new sleigh to take you both to drive. My aunt is delighted with the soap.

       Sincerely your friend,

       Adam Ladd.

      “Well, well!” cried Miss Jane, “isn’t that kind of him? He’s very fond of children, Lyddy Burnham says. Now eat your breakfast, Rebecca, and after we’ve done the dishes you can run over to Emma’s and give her her chain—What’s the matter, child?”

      Rebecca’s emotions seemed always to be stored, as it were, in adjoining compartments, and to be continually getting mixed. At this moment, though her joy was too deep for words, her bread and butter almost choked her, and at intervals a tear stole furtively down her cheek.

      Mr. Ladd called as he promised, and made the acquaintance of the aunts, understanding them both in five minutes as well as if he had known them for years. On a footstool near the open fire sat Rebecca, silent and shy, so conscious of her fine apparel and the presence of aunt Miranda that she could not utter a word. It was one of her “beauty days.” Happiness, excitement, the color of the green dress, and the touch of lovely pink in the coral necklace had transformed the little brown wren for the time into a bird of plumage, and Adam Ladd watched her with evident satisfaction. Then there was the sleigh ride, during which she found her tongue and chattered like any magpie, and so ended that glorious Christmas Day; and many and many a night thereafter did Rebecca go to sleep with the precious coral chain under her pillow, one hand always upon it to be certain that it was safe.

      Another milestone was the departure of the Simpsons from Riverboro, bag and baggage, the banquet lamp being their most conspicuous possession. It was delightful to be rid of Seesaw’s hateful presence; but otherwise the loss of several playmates at one fell swoop made rather a gap in Riverboro’s “younger set,” and Rebecca was obliged to make friends with the Robinson baby, he being the only long-clothes child in the village that winter.