The Empire Annual for Girls, 1911 | Page 3

Patricia was Peg's bosom chum.
What could you wish for more? A Christmas spent with the Revells
would be a pure delight; but alas! fifty miles of some of the wildest and
bleakest country in England stretched between the two homes, which,
being on different lines of railway, were inaccessible by the ordinary
route. Moreover, the Revells were, as they themselves cheerfully
declared, "reduced paupers," and inhabited a picturesquely dilapidated
old farmhouse, and the problem, "Where do they all sleep?" was as
engrossing as a jig-saw puzzle to their inquisitive friends. Impossible
that even a cat could be invited to swing itself within those crowded
portals; equally impossible to attempt to separate such an affectionate
family at Christmas-time of all seasons of the year.
[Sidenote: Peg Startles Everybody]
And yet here was Peg deliberately raking up the painful topic; and after
the other members of the family had duly reproached and abused, ready

to level another bolt at their heads.
"S--uppose we went a burst--hired a car, drove over early in the
morning, and marched into church before their very eyes!"
Silence! Sparkling eyes; alert, thoughtful gaze. Could they? Should
they? Would it be right? A motor for the day meant an expenditure of
four or five pounds, and though the exchequer was in a fairly
prosperous condition, five-pound notes could not be treated with
indifference. Still, in each mind ran the echo of Peg's words. It was
Christmas-time. Why should they not, just for once, give themselves a
treat--themselves, and their dear friends into the bargain?
The sparkle deepened; a flash passed from eye to eye, a flash of
determination! Without a word of dissent or discussion the proposal
was seconded, and carried through.
"Fifty miles! We can't go above twenty-five an hour through those bad
roads. We shall have to be off by nine, if we want to be in time for
church. What will they think when they see us marching in?"
"No, no, we mustn't do that. Mrs. Revell would be in a fever the whole
time, asking herself, 'Will the pudding go round?' It really wouldn't be
kind," pleaded Margaret earnestly, and her hearers chuckled
reminiscently. Mrs. Revell was a darling, but she was also an
appallingly bad housekeeper. Living two miles from the nearest shop,
she yet appeared constitutionally incapable of "thinking ahead"; and it
was a common experience to behold at the afternoon meal different
members of the family partaking respectively of tea, coffee, and cocoa,
there being insufficient of any one beverage to go round.
Margaret's sympathies went out involuntarily towards her friend, but
her listeners, it is to be feared, were concerned entirely for themselves.
It might be the custom to abuse the orthodox Christmas dinner, but
since it was a national custom which one did not care to break, it
behoved one to have as good a specimen as possible, and the prospect
of short commons, and indifferent short commons at that, was not
attractive. Who could be sure that the turkey might not arrive at the

table singed and charred, and the pudding in a condition of soup?
Schoolboy Tom was quick with a suggestion.
"I say--tell you what! Do the surprise-party business, and take a hamper
with us. . . . Only decent thing to do, when you march in four strong to
another person's feed. Dennis would love a hamper----"
"Ha! Good! Fine idea! So we will! A real old-fashioned hamper, full of
all the good things they are least likely to have. Game pie----"
"Tongue--one of those big, shiny fellows, with scriggles of sugar down
his back----"
"Ice-pudding in a tin----"
"Fancy creams----"
"French fruits----"
"Crackers! Handsome ones, with things inside that are worth
having----"
"Bon-bons----"
Each one had a fresh suggestion to make, and Margaret scribbled them
all down on the ivory tablet which hung from her waist, and promptly
adjourned into the kitchen to give the necessary orders, and to rejoice
the hearts of her handmaidens by granting a day's leave all round.
On further consideration it was decided to attend early service at home,
and to start off on the day's expedition at eleven o'clock, arriving at the
Revell homestead about one, by which time it was calculated that the
family would have returned from church, and would be hanging
aimlessly about the garden, in the very mood of all others to welcome
an unexpected excitement.
Christmas Day broke clear and bright. Punctual to the minute the motor
came puffing along, the youthful-looking chauffeur drawing up before

the door with an air of conscious complaisance.
Despite his very professional attire--perhaps, indeed, because of it--so
very youthful did he appear, that Jack was visited by a qualm.
"Er--er--are you going to drive us all the way?" he inquired anxiously.
"When I engaged the car, I saw .