Page:St. Nicholas, vol. 40.1 (1912-1913).djvu/282

190 But there was a big window at one end, before which stood two children, a boy and girl about as old as John and Rose. And through the window you could see clear into another house, where there was another tree, as fine as the one they had just left. Many children played around it, and ate cakes and laughed.

“Oh, come and look!” cried the two children at the window, as soon as they saw Rose and John. “Is n’t it wonderful! is n’t it beautiful!” And then they, too, began to dance.

Just then, the door opened, and in came a queer, little, old lady, looking rather like a funny old witch.

“It ’s the Bluebird,” whispered John and Rose, greatly excited. “Oh, see, see!”

For, sure enough, the little old woman, who had been talking all this while, suddenly waved her stick—and then all sorts of wonderful things began to happen.

Out of the clock came the wonderful Hours, misty and radiant, and began their lovely dance. And there were the Dog and the Cat, talking away, and Bread, and Milk, and Light, most wonderful of all. John and Rose were so delighted they could n’t even speak. But they clutched tight hold of each other and of the fairy, who was twinkling and smiling at a great rate.

Wilder got the dance, till every one was at it, round and round, and in and out. The Dog barked as well as talked, and the Cat got quite angry, and complained to Rose, who stroked him. Bread and Milk chased each other, and every one laughed—my, what a noise!

Suddenly it all began to grow dim; but the laughter and the talk grew louder than ever, and so did the barking—so loud that—

There were John and Rose, sitting close together in the big arm-chair!

And the door into the hall was being opened, and outside a prodigious racket was going on! Towzer was barking his head off, and Papa and Mama were laughing and exclaiming.

“Children, children, wake up! Here is your Uncle Jack, straight from fairyland, I do believe,” their mother was saying. “And Santa Claus never brought any more Christmas than he has with him.”

Through the door came Papa, and Mama, and Towzer, and a big man in a fur coat with quantities of parcels. John and Rose gave one loud shout of joy, and jumped straight at him. It really was their Uncle Jack, who had gone away to the West, and whom they had n’t seen for ages!

“Why, Rose, it ’s just as though we were in a story ourselves,” said Jack, when things had quieted down a bit; “but where ’s the Christmas fairy?”

Somehow, she had slipped away, and, so far, they have never seen her again.