They had sweet dreams, as may be supposed, and appeared at the breakfast table the next morning, with fresh blooming complexions, and countenances full of meaning. This was an eventful day to them. They behaved very well considering all things; but George found it difficult to keep the interesting subject out of sight; and Emma would every now and then, put her head close to his, and whisper something in his ear. Howard would cast a significant look across the table, and father and mother could not but smile. In truth, these good parents were as happy as any king or queen, nay, far happier; for monarchs seldom feel the delights which spring from the social affections.
Dinner time now came round, the party were on tip-toe. As they all took their seats, Mrs. Barrington looked at them with much earnestness. She thought she discerned a little anxiety on Howard’s brow, and George seemed restive. But this might arise from impatience to be out; it was three o’clock, and they would have but two hours before sunset. She, however, took no notice of this, but bidding the servant hasten the dessert, she told them they might withdraw in a few minutes, without waiting, as was their custom, till the cloth was removed,—away they flew, were soon coated, and sallied forth.
The grand decision was made; they went to a number of shops—made their purchases, and just as it began to grow dark, they rang at the hall door, in high glee. Mrs. Barrington was seated on the sofa in the drawing room, when the door opened, and Emma first made her appearance, holding behind her a beautiful red morocco work box, which she produced as soon as she came near her mother. “See, mamma,” said she, “this was Howard’s choice; he thought it would be more useful than any toy: and I think, mamma, I shall be able to keep it a great while; see, it has thimble, scissors, needle case, and all in it.” “Yes, it is very complete,” said her mamma, “and very well chosen, for it is plain, and strongly made: now, if it only encourages you to be industrious, I shall be rejoiced.” “O yes, mamma,” said Emma, “I mean to begin to hem your cambrick handkerchiefs, this very evening, and will furnish my pretty box with needles, pins, cotton balls, &c.” Just at this moment in came Howard and George, and Mrs. B. could scarce refrain from laughing; the mingled sensations at the same time affected her, when the latter, with a military air, marched in, with his small barrelled gun, saying, “now I can be a sportsman, and by next Christmas, mother, you shall have as fine a brace of partridges as ever graced a gentleman’s table, or if you like them better, wood-cocks, or pheasants, or reed-birds; I dare say you will like them the best, they are so delicate. Mother, you look grave,” said the sprightly boy; “why it is not worth while, for I’m sure both General Washington and General La Fayette, handled a gun before they were my age, or else they never would have known how to frighten the British so; come, cheer up mother, may be I may be a General some of these days.”
The gun was only moderately commended; it was very good of its kind, his father said, (who by this time had come into the parlour to witness the scene,) and not a dear purchase; but Mrs. Barrington did not like to see it in George’s hand; she would not have felt so much fear had it belonged to Howard. However, the purchase was now made; she had told them they must not change their minds after once deciding; so nothing more could be done at present; but she intended making an appeal to his feelings when he returned into the country, and she hoped this would be regarded.
“Why don’t you take out your pretty books,” said Emma to Howard, as he stood looking at the gun, with very much the same train of thought as that which agitated his mother. With that he took from his coat pocket two very neat volumes, and handed them to his mother; one was a very good edition of Walker’s Dictionary, the other a neat pocket edition of The New Testament. He coloured as she opened this, and with his usual timidity, turned away. He had stepped into his father’s office, and that was the reason why he and George did not enter the parlour with Emma, that he might write in the title page of his Testament, “A Christmas gift from my dear mother, may her son derive profit from the perusal of it, that he may become a blessing to her.” When she saw these lines, tears started to her eyes; and an involuntary ejaculation of, “Heaven bless you, my son,” escaped from her lips. “You have done well,” she replied. “O that is not all yet,” exclaimed little Emma. “No,” said George, “for the gentleman at the Sunday School Bookstore seemed so pleased with him, that he allowed him to take the books at such a low price, that he had almost a dollar left.” Saying this, he ran behind Howard, and drew from his coat pocket, a striped woollen jacket. Here the party laughed aloud. Dr. Barrington, who seemed to enjoy the frolic, said, “why here is a sailor’s jacket, but where are the trowsers and hat? are you going, my dear boy, to turn sailor upon our hands?”
Howard’s feelings were by this time, a little touched; and George took upon himself, to clear up the mystery of the yellow jacket. “Howard,” he said, “had from the first, wanted to get something for poor Tom Sanders, who lives near our school: and sometimes he thought he would lay out all his money for him, he looked so ragged and distressed the day before we came away. But he had wished for a great while, to have a small Testament of his own, beside his school Testament, that he could carry in his pocket, and he thought if he had it, he could sometimes between school hours run through the woods to the house of Tom’s father and mother, who were poor wretched creatures, and by this means be of some service to them and Tom too; and the Dictionary he thought he could scarcely do without, but he had given this up, intending to lay out what he had left after buying the Testament, for poor Tom: but the gentleman let him have the Dictionary so cheap, that he found he could get the jacket too. So we stopped at a shop and got it.” Dr. B.’s eyes beamed with pleasure, and Mrs. B. felt as if she could have taken Howard to her arms. “My son, you have done well,” exclaimed the father, “and Tom shall have a pair of trowsers to suit the jacket.” “O, shall he,” says he, “then, dear father, I’ll run now and get them.” “No, my dear, you are fatigued. It is beside, snowing fast. Harry shall go early in the morning, before you are up; very little choice is required.” “He may take the jacket with him, father, may he not,” said Howard; “for Tom will be as well pleased to have them alike, as I should be. And father, do you think we could get the stage driver to take them to-morrow, so that he might put them on on Christmas day?” “Harry shall go with a request from your mother, and I have no doubt he will take them.”
Mrs. Barrington at the same time gave them in charge to the man servant, and added a nice fat little turkey, for the poor family. When Howard saw this, he felt that his mother was good indeed, to gratify him so highly: the next day, they were all despatched in time to reach the house of Tom’s father, at a very early hour. So that Tom had the comfort of his new clothes on Christmas day, and the family had as good a dinner as their richer neighbours. When the stage stopped at the door of the cabin, and the driver handed out the bundle, Tom’s surprise was so great at first that he could not speak; but he ran in to his mother, exclaiming, “only look mammy, what master Howard has sent us. Here’s a jacket and trowsers for me, and here’s a turkey for you and father!”
But we must return to the parlour in town. Christmas eve now came, and with it a small company, consisting of the children of persons, with whom Dr. and Mrs. B. were particularly acquainted, and beside them their cousins. Mrs. B. loved to encourage social feelings in her children, and during holiday times would treat them to some of these parties. It was her desire that all belonging to her family should be united in love, and an affectionate regard for each other; this she knew could not be the case unless they were brought frequently together: and as her boys were absent the greater part of the year, she embraced the opportunity of school vacations, to give them, not a dance, not a supper table covered with all the luxuries of the season—she could not bear to see children gormandize, as eating immoderately is called; her object was to bring them together, and make them happy in a rational way.
She interested herself on such occasions, in composing for them puzzles, which had infolded in them, some moral or religious precept: she treated them to apples, nuts, and sugar plums, and nice cakes; but then, these were the least part of the entertainment. She never left them to themselves to romp and disturb the neighbours with their noise; but would remain with them, to moderate the buoyancy of their spirits, and direct them in their innocent sports. She would once or twice during the evening, gather them around the table, and play teacher, while they were her scholars. This would lead to many useful questions and answers, and it must have been a very stupid child, who would go away without some instruction. Nine o’clock was the hour she fixed, for the young people to separate, and they seldom infringed upon these limits. Mrs. B. was so much respected and beloved by all young folks, that whatever she said was a law to them.
Christmas day was bright and clear; the children were in fine spirits, and their parents happy in seeing them so.