This was arrestive. Very few letters came to the house when there were no visitors, and never before had there been one for Tommy. Often, certainly, he had picked up old envelopes, and by licking the torn flaps had made them stick down for a time so that he could pretend that they were letters that had come for him. But now there was a real letter all for his very own, and it was held in Mammy’s hand only a few yards off. He ran hastily, tripped over a stone, picked himself up and ran on again. Then he actually held his own real letter in his grimy hand.
He could read the two capital T’s without any difficulty, and of course he knew that they stood for his name. This knowledge gave him much satisfaction; it was a fine thing to be educated. He was all for opening the envelope then and there, but, persuaded by Mammy, they returned to the house together, and in Daddy’s presence the flap was torn.
Inside the envelope was a gilt-edged card. At the top left-hand corner of this a gaily-dressed boy with powdered hair was bowing to a Watteau shepherdess who curtsied before him. The picture absorbed them until Mammy discovered that there was interest, too, in the old-fashioned, pointed handwriting below:
“Miss Lavinia invites Tommy Tregennis to a party on New Year’s Day, from four o’clock until seven.”
There was no R.S.V.P. in the bottom, right-hand corner. The invited guests would not have known what it meant; but when New Year’s Day came of course all who were bidden to the party would go.
“My dear life,” ejaculated Mammy. “I was never at a Christmas party in all my born days. You’m a lucky boy, Tommy Tregennis!”
Tommy nodded.
After dinner on New Year’s Day there was no rest for Mrs. Tregennis until Tommy was dressed in the new brown jersey suit. He was ready before half-past two and wished to set off for the party at once. When Mammy, however, pictured to him how very disappointed Granny and Aunt Keziah Kate would be if he did not go and show himself in his new clothes, he decided to run in to see them first. He was gratified when they unstintingly praised his personal appearance, although it was only what he had expected.
With one little thing or another it was half-past three before Tommy was able to leave for Miss Lavinia’s house. On such an occasion as this no-one would have thought of referring to it as school. Following his usual custom Tommy called for his cousin. He was much taken aback when Auntie Jessie told him that Ruthie was upstairs and was not quite ready, but would be brought to the party later.