Carolyn Wells

“ Probably not, for Mona’s table, with the coloured electric lights blazing from the pretty Christmas tree, the soft radiance of the room, the fragrance of flowers, the exquisite table appointments, and the pretty, kindly hostesses, was a scene well worthy of praise.
Anna Gorman trembled a little as she took her seat, and sat, wide-eyed, looking almost as if in a trance of delight. Celeste Arleson was less embarrassed, as her profession took her into fine mansions and in presence of fashionable people every day.
Jenny Bisbee looked rapturous. “Oh,” she said, “Oh! I am so happy!” ”

“ And then Patty went away, and Christine smiled, knowing that Patty’s words were merely jesting, and knowing too, with a heart full of content, that Gilbert Hepworth really wanted her, and not the radiant, mischievous Patty.
Promptly at four o’clock, the old, well-known music sounded forth, and Patty came slowly downstairs. Her gown was of white chiffon, over pink chiffon, and fell in soft, shimmering draperies, that looked like classic simplicity, but were in reality rather complicated. Christine had designed both their gowns, and they were marvels of beauty. ”

“ At any rate, while you’re up here, forget it, won’t you, and be good to Mona.”
“Oh, I’ll be good to her fast enough, if she’ll be good to me. I think a heap of that girl, Patty, and I don’t want to see her in the clutches of a bad man like Lansing.”
“You don’t know that he’s a bad man.”
“Well, he’s a fortune-hunter,—that’s bad enough.”
“Pooh, every man that looks at a girl doesn’t want to marry her for her money.”
“But that man does.”
“Then cut him out! Why, Roger, you’re worth a dozen Lansings, and if you want to marry Mona, why don’t you tell her so?” ”

“ Ferris proved himself tactful as well as kind, for he divided his attentions impartially among the four ladies.
“A little shy of men; aren’t we, Adèle?” he said to his sister. “Even Jim seems to have disappeared. Not that I mind being the only pebble on the beach,—far from it,—but I’m afraid I can’t prove entertaining enough for four.”
“You’re doing nobly so far,” said Patty, cuddling into her cushion, for she loved luxurious warmth, like a kitten.
“Two more men are coming to dinner, girls,” said their hostess; “and to-morrow, you know, we’ll have two more house-party guests. ”

“ Patty realised that it was a bother of some kind, and she said, gently, “Leave it till morning, Daisy; we’ll both feel brighter then.”
“No; Jim said I must tell you to-night. Oh, pshaw, it’s nothing, anyway! Only there was a letter for you from Bill Farnsworth, and I took it from May, and kept it for a while, just to tease you. I was going to give it to you to-morrow, anyway; but Jim came and asked me about it, and made such a fuss! Men are so silly!”
“Why, no, Daisy, it isn’t anything much; only you know people do like to have letters that belong to them! ”

“ We’re going to have a club, just a little club,—only four of us girls. And, Nan, you know there are so many clubs that make an awful fuss and yet don’t really do anything. Well, this is going to be a Doing Club. We’re going to be real doers.”
“It sounds lovely, Patty. What are you going to do?”
“We don’t know yet, that’s what the meeting’s for this afternoon. But we’re going to do good, you know—some kind of good. You know, Nan, I always said I didn’t want to be just a social butterfly and nothing else. I want to accomplish something that will give some joy or comfort to somebody.” ”

“ Why, Mona Galbraith, if it isn’t a lace scarf! Real Brussels point! You generous girl, it’s too beautiful!”
“Isn’t it lovely?” cried Daisy. “Now, this is mine to you, Patty. It isn’t nearly as handsome; it’s just a bag.”
“But what a grand one!” exclaimed Patty, as she unwrapped the beautiful French confection. “I simply adore bags. I can’t have too many of them. My goodness! I’m getting as many presents as baby May!”
Sure enough, Patty was surrounded with gifts and trinkets of all sorts. Philip’s present was a small but exquisite water-color in a gilded frame. ”

“ Fay,” said Philip. “She’s really sensible in most ways, but she’s an absolute idiot about mice, and she can’t help it. Why, the other night——”
Patty drew her hand away from Philip’s clasp, and put it over his mouth. “Stop!” she said, blushing furiously. “Don’t you say another word! I’m not afraid of mice, Mrs. Fay.”
“There, there, child; I know you are, and I don’t blame you a mite. I am, too, or leastways, I used to be. I’ve kinder got over it of late years. But I know just how you feel. Now, let me tell you; honest, never a mouse dares show the tip of his nose outside the cellar! ”

“ When they reached home, Patty said good-night, declaring she was weary enough to go straight to bed at once.
“Will you come down again later, if you’re hungry?” said Philip, smiling at the recollection of Christmas Eve.
“No,” and Patty flashed her dimples at him; and knowing that Farnsworth was listening, she added, “There’s no moonlight to-night!”
“Moonlight does help,” said Philip. “Good-night, Little Bo-Peep.”
“Good-night, Bobby Shafto,” and Patty started upstairs, then turned, and holding out her hand to Farnsworth, said “Good-night, King Lear; shall I see you in the morning?” ”

“ The doll Patty had brought, with its wonderful wardrobe, pleased the baby especially, and she declared at once that the doll’s name should be Patty.
Having undone all her treasures, the baby elected to have a general romp with Santa Claus, whom she well knew to be her father. Jim had made no attempt to disguise lest it should frighten the child, and so his own gay young face looked out from a voluminous snow-white wig and long white beard. His costume was the conventional red, belted coat, edged 172 with white fur, and a fur-trimmed red cap with a bobbing tassel. ”

“ You don’t want to remember a man who was a wrong-doer, I’m sure; nor do you want to remember a man who goes away and deserts you because he has been found out. Mona, is not his going away as he did, enough proof of his guilt?”
But Mona was sobbing so that she could not speak. Not angry sobs now, but pathetic, repentant sorrow.
“Now, it’s up to you, Patty,” said Farnsworth, cheerily. “You and Mona get into the tonneau of this Galbraith car, and I’ll drive you 331 home. You chirk her up, Patty, and tell her there’s no harm done, and that all her friends love her just the same. ”

“ Hal Ferris gave each of the girls a beautiful book, and everybody had so many presents of all sorts that it was almost impossible to remember who gave anything.
“What I need is a card catalogue,” said Patty. “I never can remember which is which, I know.”
“And I know another thing,” said Adèle. “If you girls don’t scamper off and dress, you won’t be ready for dinner at eight o’clock. And there are lots of guests coming. And more this evening for the country dance. Now, disperse, all of you, and put on your prettiest frocks for Christmas Eve.” ”

“ And of course he does!—You speak as if he were dead!—and I think a great deal of him, and I think a heap of Christine, and I think they are perfectly suited to each other, and I think it’s all just lovely! Don’t you?”
“Yes,” said Nan, slowly. “Then, you didn’t care for him especially, Patty?”
“Good gracious, Nan, if you mean was I in love with him, I sure was not! Little girls like me don’t fall in love with elderly gentlemen; and this particular little girl isn’t falling in love anyway. Why, Nan, I’m only just out, and I do perfectly adore being out! ”

“ Lansing. That would be the best way to make her lose interest in him.”
“Patty Fairfield! I’m ashamed of you. I always knew you were a flirt, but anything like that would be downright deception.”
“Oh, fiddle-de-dee! All’s fair in love and war. You’re too matter-of-fact, Roger,—too staid and practical. Brace up and tease Mona. Get her guessing—and the game will be all in your own hands.”
“How do you know these things, Patty? You’re too young for such worldly wisdom.”
“Oh, women are born with a spirit of contrariness. And, anyway, it’s human nature. ”

“ Laughingly, Patty pushed the three out of her room, and closing the door after them, turned its key, unheeding their protests, and returned to her hair-brushing.
“It’s no use, Patricia,” she said, talking to herself in the mirror, as she often did, “letting those girls keep you up till all hours! You need your beauty sleep, to preserve what small pretence to good looks you have left.” ”

“ Now, your suggestion, Mona, is definite, and just the right sort of thing.”
“But aren’t we going to have a president and treasurer, and things like that?” asked Elise.
“No,” said Patty; “my mind is clearing now, and I begin to see our club. Instead of a president, we’ll all four be presidents, and instead of a treasurer, we’ll all four be treasurers. We’ll give money when it’s necessary, or we’ll use our motor cars, or buy flowers, or whatever we like; but we won’t have dues and officers and things.”
“But the shop girls are always busy; how can we take them motoring?” asked Elise. ”

“ Mona, you’re a perfect darling!” And Patty grasped Mona’s shoulders and swung her about in a mad dance of jubilation.
“And, Patty,” Mona went on, “Mr. Lansing wants to help us with our Happy Saturdays Club. He says he could go with us some afternoon, to take a lot of newsboys to the circus.”
“Why, Mona Galbraith!” and Patty stared at her friend in astonishment. “Have you been telling him about our club?”
“Yes; of course, I have. It’s no secret society, is it?”
“No; but we don’t want men for members.” ”

“ She’s too little, and her table manners are informal, to say the least. However, the tradition still holds, so dinner’s at two o’clock, and you may as well all go and get dressed, for it’s after one, now. There’ll be a few extra guests, so you girls will have somebody to dress up for.”
“I like that,” said Roger; “as if we boys weren’t enough for any girls to dress up for!”
“But you’ve seen all our pretty frocks,” laughed Patty. “It’s only strangers we can hope to impress with them now. I shall wear my most captivating gown, if Mr. Collins is coming. Is he, Adèle?” ”

“ But, somehow or other, I wheedled them into it, and at last they said Jenny might come. She was just crazy about it. She said, she never has any fun in her life, except looking at the new ribbons when they come in! Oh, girls, isn’t it awful never to have any fun? I expect Jenny will be embarrassed, but I’m sure she’ll enjoy it all. Oh, how lovely the table looks! Mona, you are a wonder! I never should have thought of all those Christmas fixings.”
“I’m glad you like them. Say, Clementine, don’t you think it would be nice to have men members in our club?” ”

“ It was not quite so easy as Patty had anticipated. She didn’t want to go so far as to explain the real situation, and she became suddenly aware that she was somewhat embarrassed. Her face flushed rosy pink, and she cast an appealing glance from her violet-blue eyes into the amused face of the man beside her.
“I haven’t an idea of what it is all about, Miss Fairfield, but please consider me entirely at the orders of yourself and Miss Galbraith. A man at a party is at best but a puppet to dance at the bidding of any fair lady. ”

“ Could anything be more delightfuller?”
“Who, where, what, when?” And Nan patiently awaited further enlightenment.
“Oh, Nan, it’s too gorgeous!” And Patty’s eyes ran through the letter again. “You know Adèle Kenerley, who was down at Mona’s last summer,—well, she and Jim have bought a place at Fern Falls,—wherever that may be,—somewhere up in Connecticut,—in the Berkshires, you know. Heavenly in summer, dunno what it’ll be in winter. But all the same that’s where the house party is, Christmas,—stay two or three weeks,—all our crowd,—oh, Nan! isn’t it beatific!” ”

“ No, I guess not, though my brother Clifford says it’s a great game, and he’d like to help us.”
“Yes, and I know another man who wants to help,” said Mona, eagerly, when Clementine interrupted her. 75
“I hope it isn’t that strange being you brought to Patty’s party! Wherever did you pick up that freak, Mona?”
“He isn’t a freak! Mr. Lansing is not a rich man, but he’s very exclusive. He told me so himself.”
“Don’t you believe it!” and Clementine laughed merrily. “As a rule, people who say themselves that they’re exclusive, are not. And one glance at that man is enough to show his standing.” ”

“ But the masterpiece of the costume, and one that did great credit to the ingenuity of Fräulein, was a pair of wings that were fastened to Patty’s shoulders. They were made of fine net, covered with fringed tissue paper, which had the effect of soft white feathers.
Altogether Patty was a lovely vision, and it is doubtful if “The Christmas Spirit” was represented more beautifully anywhere on earth that Christmas Eve.
She floated about the room, delighted to be “dressed up.”
Then, flying into the hall, she listened over the banister till she heard Adèle’s signal from the piano. ”