The Little Mixer | Page 4

papa?" she demanded with sudden inspiration. "You're so smarty, tell me about that!"
"Oh, God didn't have to have a father," Nellie answered easily. "Everything is free in Heaven; so He didn't have to have a father to work for Him when He was little."
"Then why did He have to have a mama?"
"To tell Him what to do, 'course. You know how 'tis. If you ask your papa anything, don't he always say, 'Go ask your mama'?"
Hannah had noticed this shifting of masculine responsibility more than once. "That's so," she acquiesced. Then a terrible thought struck her. "I don't want to go to Heaven! I don't want to go anywhere unless my papa can go too."
Nellie's nimble Irish wits were ready. "I just said God didn't need any papa. 'Course our papas will go to Heaven, 'cause that's the only place they can quit working. Didn't I hear my papa say one time he hoped he'd get a little rest in Heaven, 'cause he never got any on this earth?"
"But, you have to die before you can get to Heaven," sighed Hannah.
Virginia, who had been maintaining a most dignified silence, looked as if she must speak or explode. "No you don't. Heaven begins here and now," she recited. "If you are good, you are well and happy, and that's Heaven."
"'Tisn't," scoffed Nellie. "Do you see any angels flying 'round in this here yard? I don't."
Hannah rather took to Virginia's argument, and resolved to have conversation with her some time, undampened by Nellie's skepticism. If there could be feasting on the joys of Heaven here and now, Hannah had every intention of being at the banquet table. At the present moment, however, the rosary beads were of fascinating interest; she must hold them in her own hands, and watch the play of purple lights upon the snow as she flashed them in the sun. Questions about the crucifix, she found, brought on an embarrassing silence. Nellie looked at Virginia. Virginia looked at Nellie. Then the two excused themselves for a whispered colloquy at the other end of the yard. When they returned, Virginia acted as spokesman, fixing Nellie with an unrelenting eye.
"That is Jesus nailed to the cross, Hannah. Some very wicked people did it."
There was nothing exciting in this to Hannah; wicked people were doing wicked things the world over, all the time. The statement fell flat, and Nellie, disappointed at the lack of dramatic effect, broke treaty. "I 'spect the Jews did it," she said.
"They did not!" Hannah's voice trembled. "The Jews are nice people; they wouldn't do a wicked thing like that!"
Virginia put an arm across Hannah's shoulders. "Now see what you've done," she snapped at Nellie.
"Oh, I 'spect the Irish helped them," Nellie added magnanimously. "My papa says the Irish are into every thing."
Not having to bear the ignominy alone Hannah was comforted. "What makes you say prayers on the beads?" she asked.
"'Cause I want Santy to bring me a doll to-night. I wrote him 'bout sixteen letters, and I'm going to say my rosary a dozen times to-day."
To-morrow was Christmas Day! Hannah's face fell. All her sorrows returned with a rush. "Have you got any more of those beads?" she asked.
"Yes, but they wouldn't do you any good," Nellie answered with quick understanding. "You're not a Catholic."
"Couldn't I be one?"
"Not unless you're baptized with holy water. The priest does it."
The leaven had begun to work.
"What did your mama say about asking Santa Claus to come?" Virginia inquired, with a quick glance toward the beads.
Hannah shook her head, speechless. She compressed her lips into a tight line with an effort at self-control, but two large tears rolled down her cheeks and splashed on her scarlet coat. Again Virginia placed an arm protectingly across Hannah's shoulder.
Nellie's bright blue eyes grew soft with pity. "I tell you what," she exclaimed. "I'll baptize Hannah, then she'll be a Gentile, and Santa Claus will come, no matter what. And when your mama sees how nice it is, she won't care."
"But, you said a priest has to baptize anybody," objected Virginia.
"He does 'less it's a time of danger and you can't get any priest. Then any Catholic can baptize anybody. My mama baptized our washerwoman's little baby 'cause they knew it was going to die before Father Murphy could get there. And ain't this a time of danger?"
"Nobody's dying." Virginia was distressingly literal.
Hannah looked from one friend to the other, hoping against hope.
"No, but there's danger Santa Claus won't come to see Hannah less'n sump'n is done mighty quick," came Nellie's ready reply. "And can we get a priest? You go get one, Virginia. Go get one."
Clearly there was no answer to this. The ceremony was set for early afternoon when Grandmother Halloran took her nap and Nellie could borrow the bottle of