“Wish you many merry Christmases,” said Mrs. Dobson, looking up in surprise.
“In dem wagin out doors,” said Hugo. “Mad-am Hallock she be coming by soon,” and without another word Hugo walked out again and presently reappeared with the headboard of a bedstead in his arms. It was very bright blue, and most charmingly designed and painted.
Grandma Dobson could only look on in silent wonder as he put it down and walked off again to fetch another part.
By the time Mrs. Hallock came upon the scene, Hugo had transferred a complete set of bedroom furniture to Mrs. Dobson’s kitchen—that is, all but one piece.
While the amazed little woman stood looking at it and wondering in her heart what it all could mean, with a bang and a thump on the back door, appeared a rocking chair, and Kate Hallock’s blue eyes peeping through the cane holes in the back of it.
Kate half stumbled into the room behind her burden, and before Mrs. Dobson really had time to hurry forward and help, Kate had put the pretty blue rocking chair right in the middle of the kitchen. The next thing that she did was to walk up to Mrs. Dobson, seize her in her two arms and push her right into the blue rocking chair, saying, “There! you belong in that whenever you are tired, or are not tired either.”
“Kittie-my-Christmas Clover!” was all that Mrs. Dobson could say, and then the foolish woman made a motion just as though she was going to pick up the corner of her blue-checked apron (which just matched the chair, Kate thought), but before she had time, Kate had been at her own pocket and tossed a nice fine handkerchief into Mrs. Dobson’s lap, so that her hand fell upon that when she was about to catch up the corner of the apron.
“What next?” and Mrs. Dobson’s coming tears hastened into a little laugh. “I’m afraid you’re going to spoil me,” she said.
“Why, Mrs. Dobson, you didn’t think, did you, that all these things, this bedroom set, was for you?”
“Well, what could I think, I should like to know?”