THE CHRISTMAS SURPRISE

Taranaki Daily News, 17 December 1926, Page 12 (Supplement)

THE CHRISTMAS SURPRISE

Written and Illustrated by HILDA COWHAM.

Mummy , and Daddy had both said they were much too poor—they’d no money to buy any presents this Christmas, so Bobbie and I just made up our minds to save up and buy them some ourselves, and give everybody a most lovely surprise. Our locked money-box was on the nursery shelf, and if necessary we could force it open. "There must be lots of money in it, ’cos it’s quite heavy.” said Bobbie, "and Uncle John and Aunt Addie put something in before they went to Brazil.”

"What fun it will be,” said I. "I love shopping. We must find out secretly what they each want." “What do you like best?” said I to Grannie, when she was telling me my bedtime story. “What do I like best, darling? What do you mean?" “What would you like to have given you if you had your choice,” said I, this limo with a wink at Bobbie, who was silling on the hassock. "Well, 1 don't know. A thimble. I think. Mine's got a hole in the top." “I wish someone would buy me a new mop," said cook, as she washed up the dishes the next day. "This one is moulting.” "Make a note of that.” said Bobbie, with hfs mouth full of bread and dripping. "I’m sick of this old black tie—l wish I could afford a decent one," Said Daddy, as he was dressing to go out to dinner. “This one's getting so rusty.” - Bobbie, was sitting on the bed watching him. "Note No. two," lie murmured.

"Oh, dear! anything for a pair of soft slippers.” cried Mummy, after a day's shopping. "Fin ate my only pair, the little wretch!'* "Miew! Miew! for a few black beeties or a mouse,” said Blinko, Die cat, as she licked her whiskers. “I'm tired of milk." "Anything I can gnaw." said Fid, Hie little wretch, "I'm sick of old boots." "A rubber sponge is what I like for my face," Nanna was overheard to say to Polly, the housemaid, as they were cleaning out I lie nursery. “Pooh ! —no,” said Polly. "Give me a box of powder any day. I hale rubber on my face, my skin's too fine.” It was from conversations like this that we collected our list, and by Christmas we pretty well knew what everyone wanted. On Christmas Eve wc opened the. money-box . with Bobbie's knife ami found it contained over a pound; not bad for one year’s work! And wo ourselves had saved three and sixpence. “May v.e go alone and look at the shops, Mummy?", said I, after lunch that day.

“I don't mind, darlings, but Nanna had better go with you." "But can’t we go alone—just for once? We'll take Fill, eh?” After a little coaxing she agreed. But I was never to let go of Bobbie’s hand, the ■whole lime, and Fill was .strictly warned Io guard us. What ah exciting time we had, to be sure, poking in all the- shops by ourselves. Fill. of course. liad. rnshe.'l after the first cat he'd seen on a wall, so'we missed him at the start.' Wc managed to get everything—-a clockwork mouse, just like a real one. you could baldly 1011, for Blinko; a rubber ball, good job he’d left, us, or his present would have been no surprise for Fitl, “little wretch.”

spanking mop for cook—it looked like a gollywog. Granny's thimble was real silver in a dear little case. Daddy’s tie had spots on it, the others all looked so plain and dull. But Mummy's slippers were lovely pink velvet with

grey furry bobs on them. It was while we were buying these that. Fill, "little wretch." turned up. I gave him a heavy pal and told him lie must follow properly in future, or "he’d lose what lie didn’t, know he waj going to get." After all was complete we’d just enough money left to buy a bar ot chocoate each. Laden will) our treasures, we started for home; luckily wc met nobody, and all our treasures were safely landed in a corner of the floor of the play cupboard. We were excited! How surprised and pleased they all would be on the morrow. Christmas Day would have al least one present for each of them. We decided, as we sat over the tire after tea in the drawing-room with Mummy, that we should put the things on their breakfast plates next morning. Of course, all this ’was done by nods and winks and signs, so that mother shouldn’t “twig.” Fill, the wretch, wasn't there-—he. I expect was worrying cook over the join! in the. kitchen. We were just getting a bit drowsy will l , the fire when we heard a thump' ■ —thump! Wc didn't lake much notice at first, but as it got louder Mummy looked up from her book and said. "What’s that? Has Fit! got anything he’s chewing up?”

Across the hearthrug rolled a rubber ball, with, a great rent in its side, and at the same moment Polly's voice was heard outside in the. ball, saying, “Whatever is all this? Gracious me!—powder; and ail over my clean stairs." "If you please, mum. Hie whole staircase is littered with things. I don't know if they’re yours, mum, but they’re, in an awful mess. I’m afraid Fill's been at his tricks again.” I looked round, and there was Fid •creeping out from under the sofa, with' something dangling (it looked like a mangled rat : from liis mouth. "Whatever has he got?” said Mother. “Take it from him, Bobbie, whatever it is, the little wretch!" It was one of Mummy's new slip-, pers!! Bobbie and I rushed forward, he holding the mangled slipper—it could not be! It would be 100 awful’! But alas, it was 100 true- —such a sight met our eyes. Swimming in a sea of powder ail over the stairs were the “presents" chewed, bent, torn and muiataleii —it was 100 much. We both burst out crying. "Darlings! What's the matter', said Mummy. “1 don’t know" booed Bobbie. “I don’t know,” booed 1. Even then wc couldn’t give it away. "But where have, all these tilings come from? They look quite new. "I don’t- know," booed us both. “But —we—wc bought them for you all as a great surprise, for you all to-morrow, 'cos you said you were so poor, and Christmas would have been . so dull ” and wc both booed again. "How sweet of you," said Grannie, as she camo down the stairs. “Fitl. I’ll kill you! You naughty, naughty dog!" screamed Polly. Anil then cook came, and Daddy came, and Blinko peeped out of a cupboard, and we were all there. And Bobbie explained what we hud done and nearly booed again when he said it was to be a great surprise. And Mummy and Daddy and Grannie and Cook (Polly was chasing Fill, the little wrcteb Ml hugged us al once, till we were nearly smothered, ami, do you know, after all, wc had the surprise, ’e.,s the next day after our stockings, which Santa. Claus had filled, we came down io breakfast to find that everyone had their present — even Fill —just as we had arranged, and Bobby had a huge steamboat which “went by steam" on his plate, and I had a “real baby doll” which cried at night. So Mummy and Daddy must have had some money after all. Gan you explain it?