A stifled laugh greeted her, but of this she took no notice; walking slowly to the table that had been prepared for her, she turned a solemn face toward the girls, opened a German prayer-book, and began to read the service for Christmas morning, stopping when she came to the places for the chant, and, motioning to her audience to rise and join her, she sang in sweet tones music familiar to the girls, in which, with the English words they were accustomed to, they all joined.
Then down she fell upon her knees, the others following her example, and with her eyes half shut, and her little hands folded reverently upon her prayer-book, she rattled off prayer after prayer with astonishing rapidity.
Now, though the young ladies had come in anything but a solemn frame of mind, which the Fräulein’s droll appearance was not calculated to change, there was something so devotional, almost solemn, in her rapidly changing expression of face, that they became at once and unconsciously devout. Dropping on their knees, and covering their faces, they joined her “Amens” with hushed voices, and into their susceptible hearts the hallowing influence of the religious festival found ready entrance. 193
They were hardly prepared to see the Fräulein spring lightly upon her feet, to hear a merry laugh ring out, and “Good-morgen! good-morgen!” spoken with the accompaniment of a cloud of white batting, that flew off from her arms and shoulders as she laughed.
Queer little Fräulein! but good and kind as she was queer!
All day long she worked indefatigably alone in the big parlor. Not one of the girls was allowed even so much as a peep within the doors.
The day was a rarely fine one for a New England Christmas. The sun shone out of a cloudless sky; a warm south wind blew gently over the deep snow-drifts; little sparrows hopped delightedly upon the branches of the Norway spruces that grew close to the house, lifted their pretty wings as if to coax the wind and sun, while they chirped their cheerful Christmas carols, stole the late berries from the trees, and twisted their round heads so they could send loving glances up to the bevy of pretty girls that watched and smiled down upon them, as they fed them from their windows.
At seven o’clock the gong was sounded, and the young ladies in gala dresses filed into the bright parlor.
In the centre of the room was a large tree. Near it stood the Fräulein, smiling and courtesying to each one as she entered. A quaint little figure she was; yet, with all her quaintness, there was enough of 194 dignity to suppress any merriment her appearance might have caused.
The number and variety of these gifts was a marvel to them. When they were fairly distributed, the Fräulein lifted the cover of an unopened box, and took from it a gift for every teacher.