A Merry Christmas Read online

  It happened so now, for as Patty said aloud with a great sigh, “I don’t think I can bear it any longer!” a hand touched her shoulder and a voice said gently—

  “Bear what, my child?”

  The touch was so light and the voice so kind that Patty answered before she had time to feel shy.

  “Living here, ma’am, and never being chosen as the other girls are.”

  “Tell me all about it, dear. I’m waiting for my sister, and I’d like to hear your troubles,” the kindly woman said, sitting down in the window seat and drawing Patty beside her. She was not young or pretty or finely dressed. She was instead a gray-haired woman dressed in plain black, but her eyes were so cheerful and her voice so soothing that Patty felt at ease in a minute and nestled up to her as she shared her little woes in a few simple words.

  “You don’t know anything about your parents?” asked the lady.

  “No, ma’am. I was left here as a baby without even a name pinned to me, and no one has come to find me. But I shouldn’t wonder if they did come even now, so I keep ready all the time and work as hard as I can so they won’t be ashamed of me, for I guess my folks is respectable,” Patty replied, lifting her head with an air of pride that made the lady ask with a smile:

  “What makes you think so?”

  “Well, I heard the matron tell the lady who chose Nelly Brian that she always thought I came of high folks because I was so different from the others, and my ways was nice, and my feet so small—see if they ain’t”—and slipping them out of the rough shoes she wore, Patty held up two slender, little feet with the arched insteps that tell of good birth.

  Miss Murray—for that was her name—laughed right out loud at the innocent vanity of the poor child, and said heartily, “They are small, and so are your hands in spite of work. Your hair is fine, your eyes are soft and clear, and you are a good child I’m sure, which is best of all.”

  Pleased and touched by the praise that is so pleasant to us all, yet half ashamed of herself, Patty blushed and smiled, put on her shoes, and said with unusual animation—

  “I’m pretty good, I believe, and I know I’d be much better if I could only get out. I do so long to see trees and grass, and sit in the sun, and listen to the birds. I’d work real hard and be happy if I could live in the country.”

  “What can you do?” asked Miss Murray, stroking Patty’s smooth head and looking down into the wistful eyes fixed upon her.

  Modestly, but with a flutter of hope in her heart, Patty recited her domestic accomplishments. It was a good list for a thirteen-year-old, for Patty had been working hard for so long that she had become unusually clever at all sorts of housework as well as needlework.

  As she ended, she asked timidly, “Did you come for a girl, ma’am?”

  “My sister-in-law, Mrs. Murray, did, but she found one she likes and is going to take her on trial.” Her answer caused the light to fade from Patty’s eyes and the hope to die in her heart.

  “Who is it, please?” she asked.

  “Lizzie Brown, a tall, nice-looking girl of fourteen.”

  “You won’t like her, I know, for Lizzie is a real—” There Patty stopped short, turned red, and looked down as if ashamed to meet the keen, kind eyes fixed on her.

  “A real what?”

  “Please, ma’am, don’t ask. It was mean of me to say that, and I mustn’t go on. Lizzie can’t help being good with you, and I am glad she has a chance to go away.”

  Aunt Jane Murray asked no more questions, but she noted the little glimpse of character, and tried to brighten Patty’s mood by talking about something of interest to her.

  “Suppose your ‘folks,’ as you say, never come for you, and you never find your fortune as some girls do, can’t you make friends and fortune for yourself?”

  “How can I?” questioned Patty, wonderingly.

  “By cheerfully taking whatever comes, by being helpful and affectionate to all, and by wasting no time dreaming about what may happen, but bravely making each day a comfort and a pleasure to yourself and others. Can you do that?”

  “I can try, ma’am,” answered Patty, meekly.

  “I wish you would, and when I come again, you can tell me how you are doing. I believe you will succeed, and when you do, you will have found for yourself a fine fortune and confident certainty of your friends. Now I must go. Cheer up, deary, your turn will come one day.”

  With a kiss that won Patty’s heart, Miss Murray went away, casting more than one look of pity at the small figure sobbing in the window seat, with a blue pinafore over her face.

  This disappointment was doubly hard for Patty because Lizzie was not a good girl and to her mind, did not deserve such good fortune. Besides, Patty had taken a great fancy to the lady who spoke so kindly to her.

  For a week after this, she went about her work with a sad face, and all her daydreams were of living with Miss Jane Murray in the country.

  Monday afternoon, as Patty stood sprinkling clothes for ironing, one of the girls burst in, saying all in a breath—

  “Patty! Someone has come for you at last, and you are to go right up to the parlor. It’s Mrs. Murray. She brought Liz back ’cause she told fibs and was lazy. Liz is as mad as hops, for it is a real nice place with cows and pigs and chickens and children, and the work ain’t hard and she wanted to stay. Do hurry, and don’t stand staring at me that way.”

  “It can’t be me—no one ever wants me—it’s some mistake—” stammered Patty, who was so startled and excited that she did not know what to say or do.

  “It’s no mistake,” the girl insisted. “Mrs. Murray won’t have anyone but you, and the matron says you are to come right up. Go along—I’ll finish here. I’m so glad you have your chance at last!” And with a good-natured hug, the girl pushed Patty out of the kitchen.

  In a few minutes, Patty came flying back in a twitter of delight to report that she was leaving at once and must say goodbye. Everyone was pleased, and when the flurry was over, the carriage drove away with the happiest little girl you have ever seen riding inside, for at last someone did want her. Patty had found a place.

  During the first year Patty lived with the Murrays, they found her to be industrious, docile, and faithful—and yet she was not happy and had not found with them all she expected. They were kind to her, providing plenty of food and not too much work. They clothed her comfortably, let her go to church, and did not scold her very often. But no one showed that they loved her, no one praised her efforts, no one seemed to think that she had any hope or wish beyond her daily work; and no one saw in the shy, quiet little maiden a lonely, tenderhearted girl longing for a crumb of the love so freely given to the children of the home.

  The Murrays were busy people with a large farm to care for. The master and his oldest son were hard at it all summer. Mrs. Murray was a brisk, smart housewife who “flew ’round” herself and expected others to do the same. Pretty Ella, the daughter, was about Patty’s age and busy with her school, her little pleasures, and all the bright plans young girls love and live for. Two or three small lads rioted about the house making much work and doing very little.

  One of these boys was lame, and this fact seemed to establish a sort of friendly understanding between him and Patty. In truth, he was the only one who ever expressed any regard for her. She was very good to him, always ready to help, always patient with his fretfulness, and always quick to understand his sensitive nature.

  “She’s only a servant, a charity girl who works for her board and wears my old clothes. She’s good enough in her place, but of course she can’t expect to be like one of us,” Ella once said to a young friend—and Patty heard her.

  “Only a servant. . . .” That was the hard part, and it never occurred to anyone to make it softer, so Patty plodded on, still hoping and dreaming about friends and fortune.

  Had it not been for Aunt Jane, the child might not have gotten on at all. But Miss Murray never forgot her, even though she lived twenty miles away
and seldom came to the farm. She wrote once a month and never failed to include a little note to Patty, which she fully expected would be answered.

  Patty wrote a neat reply, which was very stiff and short at first. But after a time, she quite poured out her heart to this one friend who sent her encouraging words, cheered her with praise now and then, and made her anxious to be all Miss Jane seemed to expect. No one in the house took much notice of this correspondence, for Aunt Jane was considered “odd,” and Patty posted her replies with the stamps her friend provided. This was Patty’s anchor in her little sea of troubles, and she clung to it, hoping for the day when she had earned such a beautiful reward that she would be allowed to go and live with Miss Murray.

  Christmas was coming, and the family was filled with great anticipation; for they intended to spend the day at Aunt Jane’s and bring her home for dinner and a dance the next day. For a week beforehand, Mrs. Murray flew ’round with more than her accustomed speed, and Patty trotted about from morning till night, lending a hand to all the most disagreeable jobs. Ella did the light, pretty work, and spent much time fussing over her new dress and the gifts she was making for the boys.

  When everything was done at last, Mrs. Murray declared that she would drop if she had another thing to do but go to Jane’s and rest.

  Patty had lived on the hope of going with them, but nothing was said about it. At last, they all trooped gaily away to the station, leaving her to take care of the house and see that the cat did not touch one of the dozen pies carefully stored in the pantry.

  Patty kept up bravely until they were gone, then she sat down like Cinderella, and cried and cried until she could cry no more. It certainly did seem as if she were never to have any fun, and no fairy godmother came to help her. The shower of tears did her good, and she went about her work with a meek, patient face that would have touched a heart of stone.

  All the morning she worked to finish the odd jobs left for her to do, and in the afternoon, as the only approach to the holiday she dared venture, Patty sat at the parlor window and watched other people go to and fro, intent on merrymaking in which she had no part.

  Her only pleasant little task was that of arranging gifts for the small boys. Miss Jane had given her a bit of money now and then, and out of her meager store, the loving child had made presents for the lads—poor ones certainly, but full of goodwill and the desire to win some affection in return.

  The family did not return as early as she had expected, which made the evening seem very long. Patty got out her treasure box and, sitting on the warm kitchen hearth, tried to amuse herself while the wind howled outside and the snow fell fast.

  When Aunt Jane welcomed the family, her first word, as she emerged from a chaos of small boys’ arms and legs, was “Why, where is Patty?”

  “At home, of course; where else would she be?” answered Mrs. Murray.

  “Here with you. I said ‘all come’ in my letter; didn’t you understand it?”

  “Goodness, Jane, you didn’t mean to bring her, too, I hope.”

  “Yes, I did, and I’m quite disappointed. I’d go and get her myself if I had the time.”

  Miss Jane knit her brows and looked vexed, and Ella laughed at the idea of a servant girl going on holiday with the family.

  “It can’t be helped now, so we’ll say no more and make it up to Patty tomorrow if we can.” Aunt Jane smiled her own pleasant smile and kissed the little lads all ’round as if to sweeten her temper as soon as possible.

  They had a capital time, and no one observed that Aunty, now and then, directed the conversation to Patty by asking a question about her or picking up on every little hint dropped by the boys concerning her patience and kindness.

  At last, Mrs. Murray said, as she sat resting with a cushion at her back, a stool at her feet, and a cup of tea steaming deliciously under her nose, “Afraid to leave her there in charge? Oh, dear, no. I’ve entire confidence in her, and she is equal to taking care of the house for a week if need be. On the whole, Jane, I consider her a pretty promising girl. She isn’t very quick, but she is faithful, steady, and honest as daylight.”

  “High praise from you, Maria; I hope she knows your good opinion of her.”

  “No, indeed! It wouldn’t do to pamper a girl’s pride by praising her. I say, ‘Very well, Patty’ when I’m satisfied, and that’s quite enough.”

  “Ah, but you wouldn’t be satisfied if George only said, ‘Very well, Maria’ when you had done your very best to please him in some way.”

  “That’s a different thing,” began Mrs. Murray, but Miss Jane shook her head, and Ella said, laughing—

  “It’s no use to try to convince Aunty on that point; she has taken a fancy to Pat and won’t see any fault in her. She’s a good enough child, but I can’t get anything out of her; she is so odd and shy.”

  “I can! She’s first rate and takes care of me better than anyone else,” said Harry, the lame boy, with sudden warmth. Patty had quite won his selfish little heart by many services.

  “She’ll make Mother a nice helper as she grows up, and I consider it a good speculation. In four years, she’ll be eighteen, and if she goes on doing so well, I won’t begrudge her wages,” added Mr. Murray, who sat nearby with a small son on each knee.

  “She’d be quite pretty if she were straight and plump and jolly. But she is as sober as a deacon, and when her work is done, she sits in a corner watching us with big eyes as shy and mute as a mouse,” said Ned, the big brother, lounging on the sofa.

  “A dull, steady-going girl, suited for a servant and no more,” concluded Mrs. Murray, setting down her cup as if the subject were closed.

  “You are quite mistaken, and I’ll prove it!” Aunt Jane announced, jumping up so energetically that the boys laughed and the elders looked annoyed. Pulling out a portfolio, Aunt Jane untied a little bundle of letters, saying impressively—

  “Now listen, all of you, and see what has been going on with Patty this year.”

  Then Miss Jane read the little letters one by one, and it was curious to see how the faces of the listeners first grew attentive, then touched, then self-reproachful, and finally filled with interest and respect and something very like affection for little Patty.

  These letters were pathetic, as Aunty read them to listeners who could supply much that the writer generously left unsaid, and the involuntary comments of the hearers proved the truth of Patty’s words.

  “Does she envy me because I’m pretty and gay and have a good time? I never thought how hard it must be for her to see me have all the fun and she all the work. She’s a girl like me, and I might have done more for her than give her my old clothes and let her help me get dressed for parties,” said Ella hastily as Aunt Jane laid aside one letter in which poor Patty told of many “good times and she not in ’em.”

  “Sakes alive! If I’d known the child wanted me to kiss her now and then as I do the rest, I’d have done it in a minute!” said Mrs. Murray, with sudden softness in her sharp eyes as Aunt Jane read this little bit—

  “I am grateful, but, oh! I’m so lonely, and it’s so hard not to have any mother like the other children. If Mrs. Murray would only kiss me good night sometimes, it would do me more good than pretty clothes or nice food.”

  “I’ve been thinking I’d let her go to school ever since I heard her showing Bob how to do his lessons. But Mother didn’t think she could spare her,” broke in Mr. Murray apologetically.

  “If Ella would help a little, I guess I could allow it. Anyway, we might try for awhile, since she is so eager to learn,” added his wife, anxious not to seem unjust in Jane’s eyes.

  “Well, Joe laughed at her as much as I did when the boys hunched up their shoulders the way she does,” cried conscious-stricken Bob, who had just heard a sad little paragraph about her crooked figure and learned that it came from lugging heavy babies at the orphanage.

  “I cuffed ’em both for it, and I have always liked Patty,” said Harry, in a moral tone, wh
ich moved Ned to say—

  “You’d be a selfish little rascal if you didn’t, when she slaves so for you and gets no thanks for it. Now that I know how it tires her poor little back to carry wood and water, I shall do it myself, of course. If she’d only told me, I’d have done it all the time.”

  And so it went until the letters were done and they knew Patty as she was. Each felt sorry that he or she had not found her out before. Aunt Jane freed her mind on the subject, but the others continued to discuss it until quite an enthusiastic state of feeling set in, and Patty was in danger of being killed with kindness.

  It is astonishing how generous and clever people are when once awakened to duty, a charity, or a wrong. Now everyone was eager to repair past neglect, and if Aunt Jane had not wisely restrained them, the young folks would have done something absurd.

  They laid many nice little plans to surprise Patty, and each privately resolved not only to give her a Christmas gift but also to do the better thing by turning over a new leaf for the new year.

  All the way home, they talked over their various projects, and the boys kept bouncing into the seat with Aunt Jane to ask advice about their funny ideas.

  “It must have been rather lonesome for the poor little soul all day. I declare, I wish we’d taken her along!” said Mrs. Murray, as they approached the house through the softly falling snow.

  “She’s got a jolly good fire all ready for us, and that’s a mercy, for I’m half frozen,” said Harry, hopping up the step.

  “Don’t you think if I touch up my blue merino, it would fit Patty and make a nice dress along with one of my white aprons?” whispered Ella, as she helped Aunt Jane out of the sleigh.

  “I hope the child isn’t sick or scared. It’s two hours later than I expected to be home,” added Mr. Murray, stepping up to peep in at the kitchen window, for no one came to open the door and no light but the blaze of the fire shone out.