The professor paused for a moment, then replied, "Certainly you may; only on one condition, boys: you must promise not to let all the trouble fall on your sister, for she has more than enough on her shoulders already. It is a marvel to me the amount of work she gets through, mental and otherwise. She puts many a man to shame, though she is 'only a girl.'"
Prissy laughed; the once dreaded sobriquet had lost its terrors. "Well, father," she said, "if you agree, I second the boys, for I like the thought of having a tree as much as they do, for, you see, in one sense I am still 'only a girl.'"
A loud shout of "Thanks, father, thanks," rung round the room, till Prissy dismissed them all, saying, "Now do run down to the M'Ivors and enlist them to help in the Christmas tree."
"That will be capital," said Archie. "And may we take Ruth also?"
"Yes, you may, if you won't let her get into mischief. And, Archie, please just look in on Joe Smith for a moment, and tell him that, if possible, I will come down to-morrow and help him with his studies. Poor Joe! Isn't it a pity we can't have him at our Christmas tree? He is so much stronger now, if he could only be got here, he would enjoy it. Now off with you all. I don't wish to see any of you for a couple of hours at least."
"All right," said Archie laughing; "but—" and he lingered for a moment behind the others as he said, "remember that during holiday time, I'm to read to father every day. He is not to learn to depend on his daughter for everything, though she is a jolly good daughter and sister also." And so saying, he endorsed his opinion by a loud-sounding slap on his sister's shoulder, then ran off, slamming the door after him in true boy-like fashion, which made his father exclaim—
"Gently, Archie, gently!" Then turning to Prissy, he said, "I fear, my daughter, this Christmas tree plan will throw a great deal of extra trouble on you. If so, just tell me, and I will put a stop to it at once."
"Oh no, father; I would not have it stopped on any account. At first I was selfish enough not to wish to have it at all; but now that I see how set the boys and little Ruth are on having it, I am thankful I yielded. I would like Archie and Claude to have a bright home Christmas. Archie is a fine boy, father, and a steady one."
"Yes," said Dr. Warner, "he is;" and he sighed as his thoughts wandered to the son whom in face and figure Archie so strongly resembled. "Dr. Sparling, too, speaks highly of him. He says his talent lies more for languages than for mathematics; he also says his general conduct is so good that he sets an example to the whole school. He has to thank you, Priscilla, for the home influence he has had. You are a comfort to us all, my daughter."
A flush of pleasure mantled Prissy's face. A word of commendation from her father was very sweet to her.