Chapter 14--A Happy Birthday
The twelfth of October was Rose's birthday, but no one seemed toremember that interesting fact, and she felt delicate about mentioningit, so fell asleep the night before wondering if she would have anypresents. That question was settled early the next morning, for she wasawakened by a soft tap on her face, and opening her eyes she beheld alittle black and white figure sitting on her pillow, staring at her witha pair of round eyes very like blueberries, while one downy paw pattedher nose to attract her notice. It was Kitty Comet, the prettiest of allthe pussies, and Comet evidently had a mission to perform, for a pinkbow adorned her neck, and a bit of paper was pinned to it bearing thewords, "For Miss Rose, from Frank."
That pleased her extremely, and that was only the beginning of thefun, for surprises and presents kept popping out in the most delightfulmanner all through the day, the Atkinson girls being famous jokers andRose a favourite. But the best gift of all came on the way to MountWindy-Top, where it was decided to picnic in honour of the greatoccasion. Three jolly loads set off soon after breakfast, for everybodywent, and everybody seemed bound to have an extra good time, especiallyMother Atkinson, who wore a hat as broad-brimmed as an umbrella, andtook the dinner-horn to keep her flock from straying away.
"I'm going to drive auntie and a lot of the babies, so you must ride thepony. And please stay behind us a good bit when we go to the station,for a parcel is coming, and you are not to see it till dinner-time. Youwon't mind, will you?" said Mac, in a confidential aside during the wildflurry of the start.
"Not a bit," answered Rose. "It hurts my feelings very much to be toldto keep out of the way at any other time, but birthdays and Christmas itis part of the fun to be blind and stupid, and poked into corners. I'llbe ready as soon as you are, Giglamps."
"Stop under the big maple till I call then you can't possibly seeanything," added Mac, as he mounted her on the pony his father had sentup for his use. "Barkis" was so gentle and so "willin'," however, thatRose was ashamed to be afraid to ride him; so she had learned, that shemight surprise Dr. Alec when she got home; meantime she had many afine canter "over the hills and far away" with Mac, who preferred Mr.Atkinson's old Sorrel.
Away they went, and, coming to the red maple, Rose obediently paused;but could not help stealing a glance in the forbidden direction beforethe call came. Yes, there was a hamper going under the seat, and thenshe caught sight of a tall man whom Mac seemed to be hustling intothe carriage in a great hurry. One look was enough, and with a cry ofdelight, Rose was off down the road as fast as Barkis could go.
"Now I'll astonish uncle," she thought. "I'll dash up in grand style,and show him that I am not a coward, after all."
Fired by this ambition, she startled Barkis by a sharp cut, and stillmore bewildered him by leaving him to his own guidance down the steep,stony road. The approach would have been a fine success if, just as Rosewas about to pull up and salute, two or three distracted hens had notscuttled across the road with a great squawking, which caused Barkisto shy and stop so suddenly that his careless rider landed in anignominious heap just under old Sorrel's astonished nose.
Rose was up again before Dr. Alec was out of the carryall, and threw twodusty arms about his neck crying with a breathless voice,
"O uncle, I'm so glad to see you! It is better than a cart-load ofgoodies, and so dear of you to come!"
"But aren't you hurt, child! That was a rough tumble, and I'm afraid youmust be damaged somewhere," answered the Doctor, full of fond anxiety,as he surveyed his girl with pride.
"My feelings are hurt, but my bones are all safe. It's too bad! I wasgoing to do it so nicely, and those stupid hens spoilt it all," saidRose, quite crestfallen, as well as much shaken.
"I couldn't believe my eyes when I asked 'Where is Rose?' and Macpointed to the little Amazon pelting down the hill at such a rate. Youcouldn't have done anything that would please me more, and I'm delightedto see how well you ride. Now, will you mount again, or shall we turnMac out and take you in?" asked Dr. Alec, as Aunt Jessie proposed astart, for the others were beckoning them to follow.
"Pride goeth before a fall better not try to show off again, ma'am,"said Mac, who would have been more than mortal if he had refrained fromteasing when so good a chance offered.
"Pride does go before a fall, but I wonder if a sprained ankle alwayscomes after it?" thought Rose, bravely concealing her pain, as sheanswered, with great dignity,
"I prefer to ride. Come on, and see who will catch up first."
She was up and away as she spoke, doing her best to efface the memoryof her downfall by sitting very erect, elbows down, head well up, andtaking the motion of the pony as Barkis cantered along as easily as arocking-chair.
"You ought to see her go over a fence and race when we ride together.She can scud, too, like a deer when we play 'Follow the leader,' andskip stones and bat balls almost as well as I can," said Mac, in replyto his uncle's praise of his pupil.
"I'm afraid you will think her a sad tomboy, Alec; but really she seemsso well and happy, I have not the heart to check her. She has brokenout in the most unexpected way, and frisks like a colt; for she says shefeels so full of spirits she must run and shout whether it is proper ornot," added Mrs. Jessie, who had been a pretty hoyden years ago herself.
"Good good! that's the best news you could tell me," and Dr. Alec rubbedhis hands heartily. "Let the girl run and shout as much as she will itis a sure sign of health, and as natural to a happy child as frisking isto any young animal full of life. Tomboys make strong women usually, andI had far rather find Rose playing football with Mac than puttering overbead-work like that affected midget, Ariadne Blish."
"But she cannot go on playing football very long, and we must not forgetthat she has a woman's work to do by and by," began Mrs. Jessie.
"Neither will Mac play football much longer, but he will be all thebetter fitted for business, because of the health it gives him. Polishis easily added, if the foundations are strong; but no amount of gildingwill be of use if your timber is not sound. I'm sure I'm right, Jessie;and if I can do as well by my girl during the next six months as I havethe last, my experiment will succeed."
"It certainly will; for when I contrast that bright, blooming facewith the pale, listless one that made my heart ache a while ago, I canbelieve in almost any miracle," said Mrs. Jessie, as Rose looked roundto point out a lovely view, with cheeks like the ruddy apples in theorchard near by, eyes clear as the autumn sky overhead, and vigour inevery line of her girlish figure.
A general scramble among the rocks was followed by a regular gypsylunch, which the young folks had the rapture of helping to prepare.Mother Atkinson put on her apron, turned up her sleeves, and fell towork as gaily as if in her own kitchen, boiling the kettle slung onthree sticks, over a fire of cones and fir boughs; while the girlsspread the mossy table with a feast of country goodies, and the childrentumbled about in everyone's way till the toot of the horn made themsettle down like a flock of hungry birds.
As soon as the merry meal and a brief interval of repose were over,it was unanimously voted to have some charades. A smooth, green spotbetween two stately pines was chosen for the stage; shawls hung up,properties collected, audience and actors separated, and a word quicklychosen.
The first scene discovered Mac in a despondent attitude and shabbydress, evidently much troubled in mind. To him entered a remarkablecreature with a brown paper bag over its head. A little pink nose peepedthrough one hole in the middle, white teeth through another, and abovetwo eyes glared fiercely. Spires of grass stuck in each side of themouth seemed meant to represent whiskers; the upper corners of the bagwere twisted like ears, and no one could doubt for a moment that theblack scarf pinned on behind was a tail.
This singular animal seemed in pantomime to be comforting his master andoffering advice, which was finally acted upon, for Mac pulled off hisboots, helped the little beast into them, and gave him a bag; then,kissing his paw, with a hopeful gesture, the creature r
etired, purringso successfully that there was a general cry of "Cat, puss, boots!"
"Cat is the word," replied a voice, and the curtain fell.
The next scene was a puzzler, for in came another animal, on all-foursthis time, with a new sort of tail and long ears. A gray shawl concealedits face, but an inquisitive sunbeam betrayed the glitter as of gogglesunder the fringe. On its back rode a small gentleman in Eastern costume,who appeared to find some difficulty in keeping his seat as his steedjogged along. Suddenly a spirit appeared, all in white, with longnewspaper wings upon its back and golden locks about its face.Singularly enough, the beast beheld this apparition and backedinstantly, but the rider evidently saw nothing and whipped upunmercifully, also unsuccessfully, for the spirit stood directly in thepath, and the amiable beast would not budge a foot. A lively skirmishfollowed, which ended in the Eastern gentleman being upset into asweet-fern bush, while the better bred animal abased itself before theshining one.
The children were all in the dark till Mother Atkinson said, in aninquiring tone,
"If that isn't Balaam and the ass, I'd like to know what it is. Rosemakes a sweet angel, doesn't she?"
"Ass" was evidently the word, and the angel retired, smiling withmundane satisfaction over the compliment that reached her ears.
The next was a pretty little scene from the immortal story of "Babes inthe Wood." Jamie and Pokey came trotting in, hand in hand, and, havingbeen through the parts many times before, acted with great ease and muchfluency, audibly directing each other from time to time as theywent along. The berries were picked, the way lost, tears shed, babyconsolation administered, and then the little pair lay down among thebrakes and died with their eyes wide open and the toes of their fourlittle boots turned up to the daisies in the most pathetic manner.
"Now the wobins tum. You be twite dead, Dimmy, and I'll peep in and see'em," one defunct innocent was heard to say.
"I hope they'll be quick, for I'm lying on a stone, and ants are walkingup my leg like fury," murmured the other.
Here the robins came flapping in with red scarves over their breastsand leaves in their mouths, which they carefully laid upon the babeswherever they would show best. A prickly blackberry leaf placed directlyover Pokey's nose caused her to sneeze so violently that her little legsflew into the air; Jamie gave a startled "Ow!" and the pitying fowlsfled giggling.
After some discussion it was decided that the syllable must be "strew orstrow" and then they waited to see if it was a good guess.