Betsy and Billy (5 page)

Betsy said, "Merry Christmas to you, too," and hurried along with Mother.

Soon they reached a great big department store. Inside of the store there were Christmas trees everywhere. They were all hung with stars that twinkled.

Betsy and Mother walked into an elevator and it shot right up to the top floor. When they stepped out of the elevator, Betsy knew that she was in Toy-Land. She didn't know which way to look first. She could hear music, like the music of a merry-go-round.

"Oh, Mother!" cried Betsy, "there are Jack and Jill and the Three Little Pigs!" Betsy pointed to the top of one of the big posts that held up the roof of the store. Sure enough, there they were, moving slowly around the post.

"And there is Old Mother Hubbard and Tom, Tom the Piper's Son," said Betsy, pointing to another post. Betsy walked around, looking at all of the posts. All of the nursery rhyme people were there, going round and round.

Betsy and Mother looked at all kinds of toys, at games and dollhouses, trains and tricycles, sleds and doll coaches. Betsy saw many toys that she told Mother she would love to have for Christmas. Each time Mother said, "Well, we'll see.

At last they came to the big glass case that was filled with beautiful dolls. There were big dolls and little dolls, baby dolls and lady dolls. There were little boys and little girls. There were dolls with light yellow curls and dolls with soft brown hair. Betsy thought that all of the dolls in the world must be here. She wandered around and around the glass case. After a while Betsy said, "Mother, I don't want a make-believe baby for Christmas. Do you know what I want, Mother?"

Mother made no reply. Betsy looked up. Mother wasn't there. Betsy looked all around her. Mother was nowhere to be seen. There were a great many people but not one of them was Mother. Betsy stood very still. At first she felt terribly frightened, but then she remembered that Mother had told her that if she ever became separated from her, she should stand very still and wait. No matter how long it seemed, she must not take a step because Mother would always come back for her.

Betsy leaned her little back against the nearest post and waited. She felt surrounded with trouser legs and skirts. They were all walking this way and that way. Ladies' pocketbooks knocked against her head as they pushed past her. Men carrying packages bumped against her hat.

After a while a pair of bright red legs with high black boots came along. Betsy looked up and there, looking down at her, was another Santa Claus. "Well, little girl," he said, "are you lost?"

"No, I'm not lost," replied Betsy, "but I'm afraid my mother is."

"Well," said Santa Claus, "suppose I lift you up and perhaps you will see her. We can't have any lost mothers in Toy-Land."

Santa Claus lifted Betsy up in his big strong arms. Now she could see over everyone's head. There was Mother coming towards her! When Mother reached her, Betsy said, "I stood still, Mother; I stood still and I wasn't scared." Mother patted Betsy's hand.

"And now," said Santa Claus, as he put Betsy down, "tell me what you want for Christmas."

"Well," said Betsy, "I want something very special."

"Very special?" said Santa Claus.

"Yes," said Betsy, "I want a baby."

"You mean a doll-baby that says 'Mamma' and opens and shuts its eyes?" asked Santa Claus.

"No," said Betsy; "a real one that I can have for a baby sister."

"Gracious me!" said Santa Claus. "That's a rather large order, but we'll see about it."

"I would like to have a bicycle too," said Betsy. "But if I can't have both, I want the baby sister."

"I'll make a note of that," said Santa Claus.

Betsy took hold of Mother's hand. As they walked towards the elevator, she said, "Do you think I will get a baby sister for Christmas, Mother?"

"Well, we'll see," said Mother. "Would a baby brother do just as well?"

"Not quite as well," said Betsy; "but it would be better than none."

After Betsy had bought a flashlight for Father and a hair ribbon for Ellen and some handkerchiefs for her granddaddy, Mother said, "I think you had better buy some handkerchiefs for Mrs. Beckett. She is coming to spend Christmas with us.

Mrs. Beckett had been Betsy's nurse when she was a baby and Betsy loved Mrs. Beckett

very much indeed. Betsy picked out two pretty handkerchiefs for Mrs. Beckett. One was pink and the other one was blue.

"Father is going with me to buy your present, Mother," said Betsy. "It's a secret. I'll tell you this much, though. It's something to wear on your hands."

"Oh, my!" said Mother. "Is it a ring?"

"No," replied Betsy. "It's something that covers your hands all up, but I'm not going to tell you because it's a secret."

"Something that covers my hands all up?" said Mother. "Well now, what could that be?"

"It's going to be a surprise," said Betsy, laughing.

Betsy held her presents on her lap in the train. She was very quiet. After a while she said, "Mother, why are there so many Santa Clauses?"

"You see," said Mother, "Santa Claus is the love that makes everyone want to give presents."

"I see," said Betsy. "So there are a lot of Santa Clauses because there is a lot of love."

"Exactly," replied Mother.

A few days before Christmas Mrs. Beckett arrived. Betsy was so glad to see her.

"Do you know what I want for Christmas, Mrs. Beckett?" said Betsy.

"No, I don't believe I do," said Mrs. Beckett.

"I want a baby sister," said Betsy. "Do you think I will get a baby sister, Mrs. Beckett?"

"Well," said Mrs. Beckett, "we'll see."

"That is what Mother says," replied Betsy.

At last Christmas Eve arrived. Betsy went to bed early so that Christmas morning would come sooner. Mother heard her say her prayers and tucked her into bed.

"Mother," said Betsy, as she held her very tight, "do you think I will get a baby sister?"

"I'm not sure," said Mother, as she kissed her little girl.

Soon Betsy fell fast asleep. It seemed like no time at all when she was awake again. Betsy knew that it was morning because she could see a little bit of light in the sky. Just then Mrs. Beckett tiptoed into the room. She was dressed in a stiff white dress and she was wearing white shoes.

"Can I get up now?" whispered Betsy.

"Yes," said Mrs. Beckett. "Come and see the present that Mother has for you."

Betsy rubbed her eyes. She put on her woolly bathrobe and her bunny bedroom slippers. Father was waiting for her in the hall. "Be very quiet," said Father, as he opened the door of Mother's room. Mother was in bed. Betsy thought she was asleep.

Father led Betsy over to the corner of the room. There was the white bassinet that had once been Betsy's. Betsy's eyes were very big as she looked into the bassinet, for there lay a tiny baby, sound asleep.

"Oh," whispered Betsy, "is it a baby sister?"

"Yes," whispered Father, "it's a baby sister!"

Betsy couldn't take her eyes off the baby. As she stood looking at her, she heard some voices far away singing Christmas carols. They were singing a song that Betsy knew.

"Silent night, holy night.
All is calm, all is bright
Round yon Virgin Mother and Child.
Holy infant so tender and mild,
Sleep in heavenly peace. Sleep in heavenly peace."

Betsy tiptoed over to her mother's bed. She leaned over and Mother opened her eyes. She smiled at her little girl.

"Thank you for my present," said Betsy. "Do you hear 'Holy Night,' Mother?"

"Yes, darling," said Mother. "Holy Night."

Betsy had the happiest Christmas day she had ever known. After she saw her baby sister she went downstairs with Father. The house was still quite dark. When they went into the living room, Father pushed the electric light button. Suddenly the room seemed full of twinkling stars. There stood the Christmas tree covered with colored lights and shining balls. Tinsel dripped from the branches like icicles. On the very tip top there was a shining silver star.

Betsy stood in the doorway and looked at the Christmas tree. "Oh!" she sighed; "it's beautiful."

Then she walked over to look at the things that were under the tree. She didn't know what to look at first. Everything seemed to dance before her eyes. She looked around the room to see if there was a bicycle but she didn't see any. There were rollerskates from Aunt Jane, a camera from Granddaddy, a game from Uncle Jim, and a red sweater from Mother, but there wasn't any bicycle. There was a book from Mrs. Beckett.

"Well," said Father. "Aren't you going to see what is in your stocking?"

"Oh, I almost forgot about my stocking," said Betsy.

Betsy went over to the fireplace and Father took down her stocking. It was bulging, and sticking out of the top was a gingerbread boy. Betsy found a lot more presents in her stocking. There were a string of pink beads, a little red pocketbook, a new pencil box, six pencils with her name stamped in gold letters, and a box of

crayons. There were also candies and nuts and a big orange down near the foot. In the very toe of her stocking Betsy found a little silver thimble. She was delighted with this, for Mother was teaching her to sew.