“But why do you invite poor old folks like us?” asked Olava.
“Oh, because I am heir of Kingthorpe, you know, and because everybody likes to go to a party.”
All the old women laughed, and Johnny said, “Welcome to Kingthorpe, then, on Saturday,” and bowed and went his way.
Later he invited many, many children from the town as well as from his own school, and all the teachers.
Oh, it was wonderful! wonderful! Johnny Blossom had to stand on his head in the grass, time after time—everything was so unspeakably joyful!
At last the great day came and the weather could not have been finer. The gates to Kingthorpe stood wide open and people thronged inside. The flags waved, the sunbeams danced, and under the old trees there was a continual buzz of gay talk and laughter.
At first, however, it was a little ceremonious. Johnny Blossom had to stand beside Father and Mother on the great marble steps and welcome the guests. He was rather sober and felt a little shy. Father and Mother, too, although they smiled, were somewhat serious. Mother’s eyes even had tears in them.
All the old women came clambering up the steps and shook hands with Johnny; and then Mother took them into the drawing room and said, “Please feel free to go anywhere you wish about the house and to look at everything.”
Gradually the great rooms were filled, the park overflowed with children, and the band in the walnut tree avenue sent everywhere its strong, rich tones. On a bench near the bandstand sat Katrina the dwarf in a bright red dress. When Johnny Blossom saw her he ran to the garden and picked as many plums as he could carry and put them in her lap. “I promised you these, you know,” he said.
It wasn’t long before there were children in the trees everywhere, shaking the branches, throwing the fruit down to the grassy ground, where their fathers and mothers sat laughing and wondering at everything. To the children it was all like a fairy tale. There were dances and games and every kind of jollity under the stately old trees, and it took some skill to get the people to their places when the feast was ready.