CHAPTER VI
A BIRTHDAY PARTY
It was almost summer, however, before Jeremy Todd was able to carry out the plan which had occurred to him on the day when the dogs had had their “wetting.” In the meantime the days had gone busily for Ellen. What with keeping up with her class at school, performing the duties her cousin allotted her at home, and giving such attention as was possible to her music, there was no time for moping. Christmas passed quietly. Some little gifts came from the old friends in the city, Caro gave her a large box of candy which brought the charge from Miss Rindy that she was not to make herself sick eating it, and from some unknown quarter came a box of flowers. Dear old Jeremy smuggled in a set of Browning, looking furtively around as he produced it, as if he suspected Bessie would be on his track. Miss Rindy sniffed when Ellen displayed the gift.
“I don’t see where he got the money to buy it,” she said. “Perfect nonsense, anyway. Don’t try to make me read the stuff.” Ellen, however, was delighted, and ransacked her mother’s trunks, at last pouncing on a collection of bound music which was almost new, and which she decided would make a suitable gift for her good friend.
Her happiest hours were those spent in the church at the organ, or in listening to Jeremy as he poured forth his soul in music. Ellen made great progress, to the intense satisfaction of her teacher. “Not a doubt but you’ll take my place one of these days,” he told her.
“But I don’t want to take your place,” declared Ellen vehemently.
“Not when I’m no longer able to do my duty by the old organ? I’m counting on you as my successor.”
Ellen had no answer to make to this, for it was a subject she did not care to dwell upon.
One day in May, when trees were in blossom and birds were singing, Jeremy wound up his playing with Mendelssohn’s “Spring Song,” saying, as he turned on his bench, “Hackneyed as it is, I had to play that to-day. Songs without words are all around us, and we must join in. Let’s see how well you can play the ‘Wedding March’ for the birds who are mating.” He produced the music and gave his place to Ellen, listening critically as she went on. He did not interrupt, but when she had sounded the last notes he said, “Let me give you one or two suggestions and then you play it over.”
Ellen obeyed, carefully following out his directions.