FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   69   70   71   72   73   74   75   76   77   78   79   80   81   82   83   84   85   86   87   88   89   90   91   92   93  
94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   >>   >|  
ving their trains blocked by snowdrifts, I imagine our Fern Falls people will be able to get here for the dinner and the dance." The two men arrived during the afternoon, and came in laden with parcels and looking almost like Santa Claus himself. "Had to bring all this stuff with us," explained Roger, "for fear of delays with expresses and things. Presents for everybody,--and then some. Where shall we put them?" Adele superintended the placing of the parcels, and the men threw off their overcoats, and they all gathered round the blazing fire in the hall. "This is right down jolly!" declared Philip Van Reypen. "I haven't had a real country Christmas since I was a boy. And this big fire and the tree and the snowstorm outside make it just perfect." "I ordered the snowstorm," said Adele. "I like to have any little thing that will give my guests pleasure." "Awfully good of you, Mrs. Kenerley," said Philip. "I wanted to flatter myself that I brought it with me, but it seems not. Have you a hill anywhere near? Perhaps we can go coasting to-morrow." "Plenty of hills; but I don't believe there's a sled about the place--is there, Jim?" "We'll find some, somehow, if there's any coasting. We may have to put one of the motor cars on runners and try that." "They had sleds at the country store. I saw them this morning," said Patty. "And that reminds me I have a little work to do on a Christmas secret, so if you'll excuse me, I'll run away." Patty ran away to the nursery, where Fraeulein, the baby's governess, was working away at the materials Patty had brought home that morning. "Yes, that's right," said Patty, as she closed the door behind her. "You've caught my idea exactly, Fraeulein. Now, I'll try on mine, and then, afterward, we'll call up Mr. Ferris to try on his." * * * * * At five o'clock the sounding of a Chinese gong called everybody to come to the Christmas tree. The grown people arrived first, as the principal part of the fun was to see the surprise and delight of baby May when she should see the tree. "Let me sit by you, Patty," said Philip Van Reypen, as they found a place on one of the fireside benches. "I've missed you awfully since you left New York." "Huh," said Patty, "I've only been gone twenty-four hours." "Twenty-four hours seems like a lifetime when _you're_ not in New York." "Hush your foolishness; here comes the baby." The tr
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   69   70   71   72   73   74   75   76   77   78   79   80   81   82   83   84   85   86   87   88   89   90   91   92   93  
94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

Christmas

 

Philip

 

country

 
Reypen
 
snowstorm
 

coasting

 
Fraeulein
 

morning

 

brought

 

people


arrived
 

parcels

 

imagine

 

Ferris

 

caught

 
afterward
 

closed

 

governess

 

excuse

 
secret

reminds

 
nursery
 

materials

 

working

 

Chinese

 

trains

 

blocked

 
benches
 

missed

 

twenty


foolishness

 

Twenty

 

lifetime

 

fireside

 

called

 

sounding

 

principal

 

delight

 

snowdrifts

 

surprise


runners

 

explained

 

perfect

 

ordered

 

guests

 

pleasure

 
Awfully
 

delays

 

placing

 

superintended