THE BIRTHDAY CHRISTMAS GIFT

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21355, 24 December 1934, Page 16 (Supplement)

THE BIRTHDAY CHRISTMAS GIFT

V v.a; Jen's birthday and Chnstrus Eve her tall brother David jfcici it was a silly day to have for • birthday because people always gave vou ju.-.t one present—birth-riav-und-Christmas-t.ll-in-one. But her mother comforted her ana reminded her of last year when shf six; there had been Frances for iier birthday and the woolly white mull and scarf lor Christmas. Jen had been very proud •wh'-.'s she '-'howed Frances to all iier littie friends and she had f/o::« 'he -cvrf ai.ri mull all through ir.' <-0.'.l Canadian weather. She toe I'jlv ramu'lv "f Frances, a doll ■ v:-:i <:.'••!.;":ig "and shutting eves, rr;:! >-.:/•!• ~';<.',--j.nld hi colour, and • -..Vi-,';.- .-'.'lt and lively as any <,;.;,.. ;;, );;,'{ ,-VC'J SCI.TI. She -a;- , .. ~-<■■■ ;•'•<.'•'■(-.- because she ««:■.- ';,' v.-h.'i- ticket with blue r::":>._' "Mode .n France." : ;-,,-,. '-rjv .leu.' said her U.-'i',.'," " ■ A ' pennv for your XL', ■:'-.■■ :-Y;v ■• ■ ' ■',;■. answered Willi a 4» : '■■■■>■ >; ■:<■:• blue eyes and a t-'-jr.tj < : h' :• l-.nu-.-hort hair. She tiv■;■••.-; ■■■■:-;-. Ed inr hair like her /io.'lV. a:--" hi r mollier suggested «'«rr'.t.--, '■■: trie colour and crusts for the curl. J' n had tried both; v.a hn-i <'.-.;;-: i maiiv little carrots iQc ■:■.,■>.!;• ■ <•! crusts, but she %i- . t. , <-:'::"d Snowball and her fiftr v.a •■■■! •'aa'Ji'- though her tr.'A:'.; ;'■■:::■■■■ an; ii had a bend. '.'..a ':. '.'■■.'■ air! v.vi.t on with 5 :,;■<;,:.!..-■.' 'i live was a penny • , i • •,, r tT-other and her r ■•.'■: i-'.'i ,-• r ; .-u:'htfully crinkly f.aa ■-.■ • • a:aina surface. Jen {■'■■_■ ■ ,i :■'*■.<.; morning. ",\:< „•,!'!•-' '.<• mve Jen ).■. • ■ : '■ ' ' '-■ !'i-morrow, ;.'.'■:'■.:■ v , a :>;:■ id with a sidev,:'. .■;.• ■ ■ ~- i; ; -.'nail sister. ''.'.. ]' • ■■ i. j/'i-ii the table. *\jr ■ •.- ;.:;:. imiv.-, you young I'.a.-o." • . a •' .V ho went out t'. •■■ • • .;■ ■ liaiuaht lie had :>,.:<■ <■ - ; ..-.ii' ■<: her-Mrs V . : .-. ■■ ■ • ,- 'lib' notling par- <.'■• . : ■ .. ,- ;.. :■ !!-..m her lap i:.-i •'.• • ' _• David look a mateh''lJ...' .-.:' ' ■■ ; ''are u lazy boy. You v ;-va. 'r • ■ . ■ '.■rai'ped your present

"Present?" asked David with an innocent expression. "This is an old match-box." "Ever since you came home irom boarding school you've delighted in teasing Jen. But you don't mind do you, Jen? Here's Daddy." Mr Pierce came towards the table with his hands empty, but with that secret look on his face. Jen was very much puzzled. Then her father gave her a twinkling look and picked up a very flat parcel from the chair he had been sitting on. "It must be a drawing book or it would be too fat to sit on," thought Jen. ••Birthday e,irl in birthday chair," the three cried at once, and Jen was hustled out of her chair into her mother's at the head of the table. At least mother and Jen always said it was the head, though Daddy and David sometimes said the other end was the head.

"You first, David," she said with so many smiles she could hardly see him. Her eyes had a way of c-losiim up when she smiled much. But she was sure the match-box must be a joke because she had seen David playing so many pranks on his schoolboy friends. With very careful lingers she poked at the box: il slid open and there was a little brown screw of paper. Still she thought it might be a joke. Perhaps there was a worm. She sat back a moment and then undid the paper. Ah! David had made her a beautiful little wooden

whistle; there were three blue rings painted on it and two notches cut a long one and a fat one. It blew with a gurgling joyful whistle, the sound of a stream or a bird. She looked up at David and David leaned down to kiss her. "Thank you for making it, Dabie' —he knew she liked it very much because she had called him Dabie. Then there was an argument about Mother or Daddy first. And in the end it was both together because Jen had never been able to discover if Daddy was older than Mother or the other way round.

But the. krinkly white paper was on top and Jen unrolled it with tender lingers. There lay a silvery chain—no, two silvery chains with blue enamel bits. Jen made "ooh and "aah" sounds, long sounds of pleasure. Her mother fastened the chain round her neck while Jen fixed the bangle. Then her mother nearly lost her breath for Jen was hugging her so. /V"! netfather had to come to t:m rescue with his flat parcel. But now Jen found a bump at one end. She has never forgotten that present; a baby hot water bag

covered with white teddy bear material with hairs that were so new they were a little bit prickly; and round the edge was a binding of the blue of the summer sky. She held it by the tag at the bottom and then right-way-up by the ear handle at the top. It had a proper stopper that screwed in. She hugged the bag and her father hugged Jen, lifting her high in the air. She had just time to clutch the whistle. There she was, six feet up in the air with all her presents. Feeling gloriously excited. Did I say all her presents? A mistake. "Look! the sun." cried David and they all turned to the wide glass doors. There was indeed a flash of sunlight. But there was something else that made Jen gasp and struggle in her father's arms. She was gurgling as it she had just become three instead of six years old. "Oh! a pony, Daduy, a real live pony—a pony a pony is it a Shetland quick pony pony pony, oh darling pony." It is no use trying to write all the things she said or trying to punctuate properly, for by that time they had opened the door and Jen was tumbling down the steps and rushing at the shaggy head of the small creature that she had wanted more than anything else on earth. Soon she had a mouthful of the long warm hair, but she did not mind that a bit. She just wanted to keep her amis round the warm neck or to rub her face against the smooth nuzzling nose of this pony; so round and small and compact; Jen knew at once that Dot was the only name for the darling. tier mother and father and David all stood round smoothing and stroking the quiet Shetland; and old Pat from the stables chuckled his appreciation. Jen said "dear" and "darling" and "darlingest" more times than she had ever said them before—though they had been her favourite words for a long time. At last she sighed and murmured: "Oh! Dabie, isn't she a perfectly beautiful birthday-and-Chnstmas-all-in-oneV" And they all agreed that she was.