CHAPTER X
A Happy New Year
It was quite dark when they reached home, and Eleanor saw that even in the large guest chamber there was a brilliant light. "Oh, the company has come," she exclaimed.
"Pshaw!" said Rock, "they got here before us after all."
Eleanor held back a little as she heard voices in the parlor, but before she could see who was there out came some one who picked her up, and gave her a mighty hug. "Grandfather!" she exclaimed. "Oh, grandfather! I didn't dream it was you. Why, you are not a stranger."
"Why, yes he is," Rock put in. "Mother and I never saw him in our lives till to-day."
"Why, of course," said Eleanor, "I forgot that he was in Europe when Uncle Heath was married. Oh, grandpa, did you bring grandma? and where is she?"
"Upstairs; she'll be down directly."
"And did you come all the way from Birmingham to-day?"
"Not to-day, but we reached here to-day. I tried to get here yesterday but we were detained just twelve hours beyond the time we expected and so we came lagging along about sundown."
"It is such a lovely surprise," Eleanor repeated, snuggling up to him. Then her grandma came in and there was another welcome to be given.
Then, and this was a surprise too, when Eleanor turned from her grandma who should be standing in the doorway but Bubbles. Since she was recovering rapidly the doctors thought she might be allowed to spend Christmas away from the hospital, as Mrs. Dallas made it a special request. "Oh, Bubbles, Bubbles, I am so glad to see you," Eleanor cried. "Why, how long have you been here?"
"I come 'bout fo' o'clock. Miss Dora she come an' fetched me. I gwine back to-morrer, but in a week I kin come away fo' good an' all."
"And do you feel well?"
"Yass, miss, tol'able. I ain't just quite well, but I mos'."
"But oh, suppose you haven't had whooping-cough."
"Miss Dora say I has. She tooken an' write to Sylvy an' Sylvy she say I has it when I a baby."
"Oh, then, that is all right."
Then dinner was announced, and Eleanor who had already eaten her fill, regretted that she had tried to crowd two Christmasses into one day, but there was no help for it, a second dinner could not possibly be eaten, and she could only nibble at the good things provided.
After dinner came the excitement of the second tree, which was dazzling enough to satisfy any one, and then the presents were distributed, such an array of them that Eleanor never remembered having so many. Books, two new Jungle Books, and a set of Miss Alcott's works, besides several other entertaining stories; a pretty set of furs, and many other things. Bubbles was not forgotten by any one, and had a pile of presents almost as big as Eleanor's. As for Rock, with his new wheel, skates, a fine little kodak, and books in great number, he was very happy.
"It has been such a lovely Christmas," said Eleanor, "and I did not see how it could be, a month ago. Aunt Dora, isn't it strange what a difference it makes whether people love you or not?" And these were the last words any one heard from her that night, for, in five minutes she was fast asleep.
The last night of the old year brought another joyful surprise for Eleanor. Bubbles had that day arrived from the hospital, her arm still in a sling, but she was otherwise quite herself. Aunt Dora assured her that she should remain under her roof till Eleanor's parents should return, and Bubbles, who was a grateful little soul, did her best to show appreciation, constituting herself Miss Dora's special messenger. "I was sassy, Miss Dora," she confessed; "'deed I was, but I ain't sassy to folks 'at treats me good, an' I jus' run my legs off fo' yuh, ef yuh wants me to."
"It's bad enough for you to have nearly run your arm off," returned Mrs. Dallas smiling.
"It's great fun to have you and Bubbles here," Rock declared. "Aren't we just going to have a warm old time?" And indeed, it was a happy holiday week, for, although they were cut off from many outside frolics, they could have plenty of fun at home, especially since Grandpa and Grandma Dallas were always ready to add their share to the amusements. It was grandpa, himself, who suggested the kind of party which whooping-cough patients could have. Aunt Nellie agreed heartily and sent out invitations to the hospital where Bubbles had been, and all the children who were suffering from whooping-cough or who had been through the ordeal and who could go out, were invited to a Punch and Judy show the last day of the old year. Grandpa added to the performance a magic-lantern show which gave great delight. It was a funny sort of party, but the children all enjoyed it.
"We won't put on our very best frocks," said Florence, "because we mustn't dress better than the company. We are going to have jelly and little plain cakes for the refreshments and we're going to give a little doll to each of the girls and a game to each of the boys, for favors."
"I think that is a fine kind of party," said Rock. "I like it much better than the other kind."
The guests all enjoyed themselves so heartily and spread such reports among their friends that grandpa said it was too bad that other children who were unable to leave the hospital, but who were well enough to be entertained in a similar way, could not enjoy the little show, therefore he and Rock decided to give their services to the entertainment of these other children the next week, so Florence's first idea brought abundant fruit.
It was late in the afternoon, after the little guests had departed that Eleanor's surprise came. She and Rock and Florence were sitting before the library fire when some one opened the door and a voice asked: "Where is my daughter?"
"Here I am, mamma," Florence answered.
Then there was a little laugh and some one came forward in the dusk, some one whose familiar form made Eleanor, as she turned her head, spring to her feet. "It is my mamma! It is my mamma!" she cried, flinging herself in the dear arms stretched out ready to clasp her. And then who should walk into the room, quite erect, and without any crutches at all, but Eleanor's papa.
"Oh, when did you come? When did you come?" cried the child, her voice shaking with excitement.
"We have just arrived," her father told her. "We wanted much to be here by Christmas, but it seemed better for me to stay longer and get the full benefit of the baths."
"And are you quite well?" said his daughter.
"So nearly that I do not fear a return of the trouble. My little girl has had a hard time, hasn't she?"
"I did at first, but I've had a lovely time here. Aunt Dora and Uncle Heath are so good to me, and here at Aunt Nellie's it is next to being at home. When are we going back, papa?"
"In a few days. You know I have a father and mother, too, whom I have not seen for some time, and I want to have a little visit with them, though, to be sure, we shall have them with us in the spring."
"Shall we? I am so glad, but I'm glad so much lately, that it isn't anything new."
Then there was a great time deciding where every one should stay. Florence said that Eleanor had been so long at her Aunt Dora's that she ought to come to her other aunt's, and Rock insisted that Eleanor had agreed to stay at his house till she went home, but finally Florence carried the day, for she argued that Mrs. Heath Dallas would have all the company, if her Aunt Florence went there, so Eleanor's parents agreed that she should make Florence a little visit until they should be ready to go home, and for a week the two little girls had a great time playing with the new doll-house.
"The two little girls had great times playing"
"The two little girls had great times playing"
"The two little girls had great times playing"
Then came an arrangement which to Eleanor, particularly, was a most delightful one. Since it would be some time before either of the two little girls could go to school again, Eleanor's mother proposed that Florence should go home with them and that they should have lessons there. "For," said Mrs. Dallas, "what do you think, daughter? Miss Reese has the whooping-cough; not very badly, but some one has to take her place in the school. Now, don't you think it would be a good plan to ask her to come for two or three hours a day to teach you and Florence?"
"Fine," replied Eleanor.
"How should you like to take this boy, too?" asked Uncle Heath, putting his hand on Rock's shoulder. "I find that I have to take another long trip and I'd like to have Dora go with me, but we don't want to send Rock back to boarding-school again, since he had such a sorry experience the last time, but if you could take him in with your young folks it would relieve our minds, besides being a good thing for him, Miss Reese is a very competent teacher, I judge."
"She is an excellent teacher," his brother assured him. And the matter was considered settled.
"Does Cousin Ellen know you are coming home, mamma?" Eleanor asked.
"Yes, she knows, and she has taken a little house on the other side of town."
"Oh!" Eleanor's face was a sight to see, between her desire to seem pleased and her real feeling of disappointment.
Her mother hugged her tightly and said: "Never mind Cousin Ellen, now you have your mother."
Eleanor gave a great sigh of content and rested her head against her mother's arm. "Dearest mamma, the next time you go away I shall get into one of the trunks rather than be left behind. You don't know, you never will know, how horrid Cousin Ellen can be."
"Don't I? Perhaps I do. At all events, my darling, she will not be near enough to bother you."
"No, and now I am rather glad I am not to go back to school, for then I should have to see Olive all the time, and she does try to set the girls against me. Am I a very bad child, mamma?"
"You are not perfect, sweetheart, but I don't believe you are as naughty as Cousin Ellen would have us think."
In a few days they started for home, a merry party, Eleanor, her father and mother, Florence, Rock and Bubbles. As they came near the house Eleanor glanced up at the window where poor Ada had hung so helplessly. She looked over at the little playhouse, then she turned to Rock. "Oh, Rock," she said, "I am so glad you are not Don."
Sylvy, smiling and neat, met them at the door, and before twenty-four hours all was as it had been before Cousin Ellen had come. Yet, it took Eleanor a little while to adjust herself to the belief that there were no hard words nor cold looks to greet her, and once or twice she cried out in the night so pitifully as to bring her mother to her side to awaken her from a nightmare in which she said she thought Cousin Ellen was holding her while Don stuck pins in her.
One of the first visitors was Dr. Sullivan, who greeted Eleanor with: "Heigho, little girl! back again? Plenty of fresh air, remember. Another patient is this, Miss Florence? A comrade in misery. Well, keep out of doors all you can."
And then came Miss Reese for sympathy, as she said, and she seemed so glad to see Eleanor that the child felt that here was one person, at least, who believed in her. "I'm so glad you can come and teach us, Miss Reese," she told her. "I think it will be a dear little school. We are to study in the library, mamma says, and I think it will be great fun."
Mrs. Dallas had just come in from a walk. "What do you think, daughter? Cousin Ellen wants to know if I will let Don and Olive and Jessie join our little class."
Eleanor looked horror-stricken and her mother laughed as she asked, "What did you say, mamma?"
"I said no, and I said it very emphatically. Cousin Ellen says the three older children have had the whooping-cough and she fears it for none of them but Alma. I said: 'I do not think the arrangement would be at all a satisfactory one, Cousin Ellen, and we will not consider it.'"
Just here Bubbles came in saying: "Miss Dimple, Mr. Snyder out hyah."
"Oh!" Eleanor jumped up. "Please 'scuse me, Miss Reese, I must see my dear butterman. Come, Florence, come, Rock." And she ran out to greet her old friend, who shook both her hands and said: "Mrs. Snyder heard you was comin' home and she wants to know if you won't come out some day with your cousins and the little colored girl. Some Saturday. If you take the electric cars to Brookside it will be just a little walk across the fields. Mrs. Snyder wants to hear all about what has been happening and I've got a little colt to show you; one of the finest in the land. Come next Saturday, if it ain't too cold," he said as he drove away.
"They were so good to me, you will let us go, won't you, mamma?" Eleanor asked when she went into her mother.
"Of course, dear, you may go. I am more than grateful to Mr. and Mrs. Snyder for their kindness to you, and I would not refuse to have you accept their invitation for anything."
"And you'll take butter from them again?"
"Most certainly. Now run along, Miss Reese and I have some matters we want to talk over."
"I can't find the key to the playhouse," said Eleanor, coming back in a minute.
"Can't you? Well, never mind, wait till to-morrow before you go there. Suppose you get Bubbles to help you and Florence to put your clothing neatly in the bureau drawers."
"And then shall we help Rock to put his away?"
"Yes."
But upon being consulted, Rock said, "I did that myself."
Eleanor looked at him admiringly and Florence said, "I didn't know boys ever did such things; my brother doesn't."
"Because somebody does it for him, I suppose, but my mother says there's no reason why a boy shouldn't be as smart as a girl about finding things and keeping them in order."
"I wish my mother would say that to Lee," returned Florence; "he always throws his things anywhere and we girls have to find them for him and put them away."
"Well," said Rock, "I wouldn't let a girl do that for me."
Eleanor was sitting on the floor hugging her knees, her eyes roving around the room. Presently she jumped up and began a frantic dance. "What is the matter?" asked Florence in wonder.
"I'm glad, just so glad that I can't help it," Eleanor told her. "When I think it is Rock and not Don who is in the little room, and that you are here instead of Olive, I could scream with joy."
"We haven't been to the playhouse yet," said Florence.
"No, mamma said to wait till to-morrow."
"Why?"
"I don't know. She just said so. I don't suppose there is any reason."
"I believe there is," said Florence mysteriously.
"Oh, why?"
"Because I saw your papa come out of there with a man."
"Oh, well, we'll see to-morrow. I'm not going to guess about it. Let us go downstairs. There comes Doctor Sullivan again, oh, and Miss Reese is going. She will be here to-morrow to begin lessons. Doctor Sullivan is not coming in. Miss Reese is going with him in the buggy."
The next day did solve the mystery of the playhouse, for it appeared that the place had been repaired and put in perfect order. The man, whom Florence saw, had been putting in a pane of glass which Don had broken. "It looks nicer than ever," said Eleanor admiringly. "I am so glad papa had it made so new and clean, I feel as if all the Don of it were gone now." The words were hardly out of her mouth before Don's form appeared in the doorway. Eleanor drew herself up stiffly. "Well?" she said.
Don looked rather sheepish, but he said: "I just thought I would come over."
Eleanor said nothing.
"Say, I left my knife out here," began Don.
"When?"
"Oh, a long time ago. I want to come in and look for it."
"You can't come in. I will look for it. I don't believe it is here though, for it's been ever and ever so long since you were in here."
"I don't care, I'm coming in. I'd like to see any girl keep me out."
At this Rock came forward. He had been sitting in a corner where Don could not see him. "Then perhaps, a boy can keep you out," he said calmly. "This is Eleanor's house and she has a right to do as she chooses about it. If you have left anything here, go up to the house and tell Mrs. Dallas, or Mr. Dallas either. They will see that you get it."
Don stood for a moment irresolute and then walked away, but a few minutes later they heard a sharp cry of pain and they all rushed out to see Bubbles sitting on the ground sobbing and holding her wounded arm.
"Oh, Bubbles, Bubbles," cried Eleanor, running up to her, "what is it?"
"Dat Don he come an' gimme a lick 'fore I knowed he was anywhere about, and he knocked me over and hurt mah arm, he did."
Rock's eyes snapped. "I'll get even with him," he muttered, "the little bully."
"Does your arm hurt you very much?" asked Florence anxiously. "Come, let's go to the doctor right away."
"We'll tell mamma first," said Eleanor. This done, Mrs. Dallas did decide that the doctor would best be seen and they set out at once for his office, fortunately finding him at home. He found nothing serious had happened, but he frowned when told of the sudden and uncalled-for attack upon Bubbles, and shook his head, looking sharply at Rock as if he might be suspected of being at fault in the matter, so that Eleanor spoke up and said, "Rock sent him off, doctor, and I suppose that's what made him mad. Uncle Heath said he didn't think that Don was really a bad boy, but I think he is a very bad boy."
The doctor smiled at her emphatic way of speaking and said that he would call in the morning and see if Bubbles were all right. Indeed, it seemed that he generally found his way to the house every day, and about the time that Miss Reese took her leave after lesson hours.
Saturday proved to be as fine a day as could be expected in January, and the four children, Bubbles included, started for Mr. Snyder's. Florence and Rock had never been there before, and were delighted to go whizzing along through the country which was really very beautiful, even in winter, for it is not alone when trees are green, that hills and dales are fair to see.
They had been traveling for some time when Eleanor said, "You told the conductor to let us off at Brookside, didn't you, Rock? That place we just passed looked like it, but I am not sure if it is the place."
"I told him," returned Rock, "but maybe he forgot. I'll ask him." This he did to find that they had passed the place and were told that it wasn't very far and they could walk back.
"I call that pretty cool," said Rock as they scrambled down from the car, "but we've got to make the best of it, I suppose."
They trudged along for a little distance when suddenly they came to a high trestle before which Eleanor stood aghast. "I never can go over that," she declared.
"Oh, yes, you can," said Rock. "I'll walk ahead and take your two hands," but Eleanor shrank from such a proceeding.
"I couldn't! I couldn't," she insisted, "it makes me sick to think of it, and then suppose a car should come along."
"No, they only come every half hour, and it is a single track so the down car doesn't start till the up car gets to the terminus, the conductor told me, so that's all right," Rock tried to reassure her by saying.
But Eleanor was firm and at last clambered down the embankment and discovered a place narrow enough for her to cross the little stream running below. Bubbles fearfully followed, and they managed to scramble up the bank, reaching the other side almost as soon as Rock and Florence. But this was not the end of their adventures.