A bulky figure in the background puzzled Ruth at first; but when a hoarse voice commanded: “Now sing de Christ-childt song—coom! Ein—zwei—drei!” she recognized Mrs. Kranz, the proprietor of the delicatessen store.
The lustily caroling children were some of the Maronis, Sadie Goronofski and her half-brothers and sisters, and other children of the tenants in the Meadow Street property from which the Corner House girls collected rents.
“Oh, my!” murmured Agnes again. “Isn’t it great? We ought to throw them largesse—”
“What’s that, Aggie?” demanded Dot. “It—it sounds like a kind of cheese. Mr. Maroni sells it.”
“No, no!” gasped Tess. “That’s gorgonzola—I asked Maria. And—it—smells!”
“Goosey!” laughed Agnes. “Largesse is money. Rich folks used to throw it to the poor.”
“My!” observed Dot. “I guess they don’t do it now. Poor folks have to work for money.”
“It’s just dear of them to come and serenade us,” Ruth declared. “But it’s so cold! Do call them in to get warm, Mrs. Mac.”
Already the housekeeper was scurrying downstairs. She had routed out Linda early to make coffee against this very emergency, for Mrs. MacCall had known that the Corner House girls were to be serenaded on Christmas morning.
The four sisters dressed hastily and ran down to greet their little friends from Meadow Street, as well as Mrs. Kranz and Joe Maroni. The latter had brought “the leetla padrona,” as he called Ruth, his usual offering of a basket of fruit. Mrs. Kranz kissed the Kenway girls all around, declaring: