Page:Ragged Trousered Philanthropists.djvu/263

 CHAPTER XXII

had not only accepted the invitation to the Christmas party but had promised to bring his home-made 'Pandoramer' with him, to entertain the other guests. It was, as he explained, 'a show, like what they have at the Hippodrome'; and he supplied his own orchestra in the shape of a mouth organ.

Although the party was not to begin till six o'clock, Bert turned up at half past four, bringing the 'Pandoramer' under his arm.

At about half past five the other guests began to arrive. Elsie and Charley Linden came first, the girl in a pretty blue frock trimmed with white lace, and Charley resplendent in a new suit, which, like his sister's dress, had been made out of somebody's cast off clothes that had been given to their mother by a visiting lady. It had taken Mrs Linden many hours of hard work to contrive these garments; in fact, more time than the things were worth, for although they looked all right, especially Elsie's, the stuff was so old that it would not wear very long; but as this was the only way in which she could get clothes for the children, she spent hours and hours making things which she knew would fall to pieces almost as soon as they were made.

Then followed Nellie, Rosie and Tommy Newman, who presented a much less prosperous appearance as their mother was not so skilful in contriving new clothes out of old. Nellie was wearing a grown up woman's blouse, and by way of ulster she had on an old-fashioned jacket of thick cloth with large pearl buttons. This was also a grown up person's garment. It was shaped to fit the figure of a tall woman with wide shoulders and a small waist. Consequently it did not fit Nellie to perfection, the waist reaching below the poor child's hips.

Tommy was arrayed in the patched remains of what had 251