"Your packet is much the smallest, papa," I said; and watched to see what would come out of the white paper. My father's face lit up with pleasure as he opened a small case and discovered a beautifully executed miniature of my mother.
"Willie," he said, "I think the lady who left this for me yesterday must have been very like mamma."
"Yes, papa, she was very like indeed," I answered; and then we proceeded to inspect the contents of my mother's parcel, and admired, as much as it is in boys to admire jewelry, a beautiful bracelet, with which she seemed quite as much pleased as my father was with his present, and which had attached to it a locket in the form of a heart, containing, as we presently discovered, my hair twined with his.
Then Aleck and I had to present our nosegays, which were, of course, greatly praised.
"An unusual honour for me!" said my father merrily, when he received his. "Willie generally cuts me off with a sprig for my button-hole."
"Aleck gathered it for you quite out of his own head, papa."
"Indeed!" said my father; "that is really the most wonderful thing I ever heard! Gathered the nosegay out of his own head! Well, I have been told of flowers growing in many strange places before, but never in so strange a place as a person's head. Aleck, my dear boy, you will be the wonder of the age, so prepare to be made a show of! a flower-garden in your head! We must let the gardener know! We ought to place you under his cultivation instead of Mr. Glengelly's!"
What a merry breakfast-table we had that morning. My father declared that he felt just like a boy, so happy in having his holiday; and Aleck and I thought him more amusing and pleasant than any boy, no one ever seemed to make us laugh as he did.
"Of course, however," he suggested, "as it is going to be a whole holiday, and no work, there need be no eating either."
But that was by no means our view of the matter; we declared ourselves more hungry than usual, and made such inroads on the honey that my father asked at last whether he had not better send out for the hive.