10 What Katy Did - Bedtime Tales Stephanie Poppins

You're listening to S.

D.

Hudson Magic What Katie Did By Susan Coolidge This story follows the adventures of a 12 year old American girl,

Katie Carr,

And her family who live in the fictional lakeside Ohio town of Burnett in the 1860s.

Chapter 10 St.

Nicholas and St.

Valentine What are the children doing today?

Said Katie,

Laying down Norway and the Louisians,

Which she was reading for the fourth time.

I haven't seen them since breakfast.

Aunt Izzy,

Who was sewing on the other side of the room,

Looked up from her work.

I don't know,

She said,

They're over at Ceci's or somewhere.

They'll be back before long,

I guess.

Her voice sounded a little odd and mysterious,

But Katie didn't notice it.

I thought of such a nice plan yesterday,

She went on,

That all of them should hang their stockings up here tomorrow night instead of in the nursery.

Then I could see them open their presents,

You know.

Mayn't they,

Aunt Izzy?

It would be great fun.

I don't believe there will be any objection,

Replied her aunt.

She looked as if she were trying not to laugh.

Katie wondered what was the matter with her.

It was more than two months now since Cousin Helen went away,

And winter had fairly come.

Snow was falling out of doors.

Katie could see the thick flakes go whirling past the window,

But the sight did not chill her.

It only made the room look warmer and more cosy.

It was a pleasant room now.

There was a bright fire in the grate.

Everything was neat and orderly.

The air was sweet with mignonette from a little glass of flowers which stood on the table.

And the Katie who lay in bed was a very different looking Katie from the forlorn girl of the last chapter.

Cousin Helen's visit,

Though it only lasted one day,

Did great good.

Not that Katie grew perfect all at once.

None of us do that,

Even in books.

But it is everything to be started in the right path.

Katie's feet were on it now,

And though she often stumbled and slipped,

And often sat down discouraged,

She kept on pretty steadily in spite of bad days which made her say to herself that she was not getting forward at all.

These bad days,

When everything seemed hard,

And she herself was cross and fretful and drove the children out of her room,

Cost Katie many bitter tears.

But after them she would pick herself up and try again and harder.

And I think that in spite of drawbacks,

The little scholar,

On the whole,

Was learning her lesson pretty well.

Cousin Helen was a great comforter this time.

She never forgot Katie.

Nearly every week some little thing came from her.

Sometimes it was a pencil note written from her sofa.

Sometimes it was an interesting book or a new magazine,

Or some pretty little thing for the room.

The crimson wrapper which Katie wore was one,

Her presence.

So were the bright chromos of autumn leaves which hung on the wall,

The little stand for the books,

All sorts of things.

Katie loved to look about her as she lay.

All the room seemed full of Cousin Helen and her kindness.

I wish I had something pretty to put into everybody's stocking,

She went on wistfully,

But I've only got the muffatees for Papa and these reins for Phil.

She took them from under her pillow as she spoke.

Gay,

Worsted affairs with bells so long here and there.

She had nipped them herself,

A very little bit at a time.

There's my pink sash,

She said suddenly.

I might give that to Clover.

I only wore it once,

You know,

And I don't think I got any spots on it.

Would you please fetch it and let me see,

Aunt Izzy?

It's in the top drawer.

Aunt Izzy brought the sash.

It proved to be quite fresh and they both decided it would do nicely for Clover.

You know,

I shan't want sashes for ever so long,

Said Katie in rather a sad tone,

And this is a beauty.

When she spoke next,

Her voice was bright again.

I wish I had something real nice for Elsie.

Do you know,

Aunt Izzy,

I think Elsie's the dearest little girl that ever was.

I'm glad you found it out,

Said Aunt Izzy,

Who had always been specially fond of Elsie.

What she wants most of all is a writing desk,

Continued Katie,

And John wants a sled,

But those things are such big things and I've only got two dollars and a quarter.

Aunt Izzy marched out of the room without saying anything.

When she came back,

She had something folded in her hand.

I didn't know what to give you for Christmas,

Katie,

She said,

Because Helen sent you such a lot of things,

There doesn't seem to be anything you haven't got already.

So I thought I'd give you this.

And if you've set your heart on getting presents for the children,

Perhaps you'd rather have it now.

So saying that,

Aunt Izzy laid on the bed a crisp new five dollar bill.

How good you are,

Cried Katie flush with pleasure.

And indeed Aunt Izzy did seem to have grown wonderfully good of late.

Perhaps Katie had got hold of her smooth handle.

Being now in possession of seven dollars and a quarter,

Katie could afford to be gorgeously generous.

She gave Aunt Izzy an exact description of the desk she wanted.

It's no matter about it being very big,

Said Katie,

But it must have a blue velvet lining and an ink stand with a silver top.

And please buy some little sheets of paper and envelopes and a pen handle,

The prettiest you can find.

And there must be a lock and key.

Don't forget that,

Aunt Izzy.

No,

I won't.

What else?

I'd like the sled to be green,

Went on Katie,

And to have a nice name.

Skyscraper would be nice.

Johnny saw a sled once called Skyscraper and he said it was splendid.

And if there's money enough left,

Aunty,

Won't you buy me a real nice book for Dory and another for Ceci and a silver thimble for Mary?

Her old one is full of holes.

Oh,

And some candy.

And something for Debbie and Bridget.

Some little thing,

You know.

I think that's all.

Was ever seven dollars and a quarter expected to do so much?

Aunt Izzy must have been a witch indeed to make it hold out.

But she did.

And next day all the precious bundles came home.

How Katie enjoyed untying the strings.

Everything was exactly right.

There wasn't any skyscraper,

Said Aunt Izzy,

So I got Snow Skimmer instead.

It's beautiful and I like it just as well,

Said Katie contentedly.

Oh,

Hide them,

Hide them,

She cried with a sudden terror.

Someone's coming.

But the somebody was only Papa,

Who put his head into the room as Aunt Izzy,

Laden with bundles,

Scuttled across the hall.

Katie was glad to catch him alone.

She had a little private secret to talk over with him.

It was about Aunt Izzy,

From whom she,

As yet,

Had no present.

I thought perhaps you'd get me a book like one of Cousin Helen's,

Which Aunt Izzy liked so much,

She said.

I don't recollect the name exactly.

It was something about a shadow.

But I've spent all my money.

Never mind about that,

Said Dr.

Carr.

We'll make that right.

The Shadow of the Cross,

Was that it?

I'll buy it this afternoon.

Oh,

Thank you,

Papa.

Please get a brown cover if you can,

Because Cousin Helen's was brown.

And you won't let Aunt Izzy know,

Will you?

Be careful,

Papa.

I'll swallow the book first,

Brown cover and all,

Said Papa,

Making a funny face.

He was pleased to see Katie so interested about anything again.

These delightful secrets took up so much of Katie's thoughts that she scarcely found time to wonder at the absence of the children,

Who generally haunted her room,

But who for three days back had hardly been seen.

However,

After supper they all came up in a body looking very merry and as if they'd been having a good time somewhere.

You don't know what we've been doing,

Began Philly.

Hush,

Phil,

Said Clover in a warning voice.

Then she divided the stockings which she held in her hand and everybody proceeded to hang them up.

Dory hung his on one side of the fireplace and John hers exactly opposite.

Clover and Phil suspended theirs side by side on two handles of the bureau.

I'm going to put mine here,

Close to Katie,

So she can see it first thing in the morning,

Said Elsie,

Pinning hers to the bedpost.

Then they all sat down round the fire to write their wishes on bits of paper and see whether they would burn or fly up the chimney.

If they did the latter,

It was a sign that Santa Claus had them safe and would bring all the things they wished for.

John wished for a sled and a doll's tea set and the continuation of the Swiss family,

Robinson.

Dory's list ran thus.

A plum cake,

A new Bible,

Harry and Lucy,

A kaleidoscope,

Everything else Santa Claus likes.

When they had written these lists,

They threw them into the fire.

The fire gave a flicker just then and the papers vanished.

Nobody saw exactly how.

Johnny thought they flew up the chimney,

But Dory said they didn't.

Phil dropped his piece in very solemnly.

It flamed for a minute,

Then sank into ashes.

There,

You won't get it,

Whatever it was,

Said Dory.

What did you write,

Phil?

Nothing,

Said Phil,

Only just Philly car.

The children shouted.

I wrote a writing disc on mine,

Remarked Elsie sorrowfully,

But it all burned up.

Katie chuckled when she heard this.

Now Clover produced her list.

She read aloud,

Strive and thive,

A pair of cake gloves,

A muff,

A good temper.

Then she dropped it into the fire and behold,

It flew straight up the chimney.

How queer,

Said Katie.

None of the rest of them did that.

The truth was that Clover,

Who was a canny little thing,

Had slipped across the room and opened the door just before putting her wishes in.

This,

Of course,

Made a draft and sent the paper right upward.

Pretty soon Aunt Izzy came in and swept them all off to bed.

I know how it'll be in the morning,

She said.

You'll all be up and racing about as soon as it's light.

So you must get your sleep now,

If ever.

After they had gone,

Katie recollected that nobody had offered to hang a stocking for her.

She felt a little hurt when she thought of it.

But I suppose they forgot,

She said to herself.

A little later Papa and Aunt Izzy came in and they filled the stockings.

It was great fun.

Each was brought to Katie as she lay in bed that she might arrange it as she liked.

The toes were stuffed with candy and oranges.

Then came the parcels,

All shapes and sizes,

Tied in white paper with ribbons and labelled.

What's that?

Asked Dr Carr as Aunt Izzy rammed a long narrow package into Clover's stocking.

A nail brush,

Answered Aunt Izzy.

Clover needed a new one.

How Papa and Katie laughed.

I don't believe Santa Claus ever had such a thing before,

Said Dr Carr.

He's a very dirty old gentleman then,

Observed Aunt Izzy grimly.

The desk and sled were too big to go into any stocking,

So they were wrapped in paper and hung beneath the other things.

It was ten o'clock before all was done and Papa and Aunt Izzy went away.

Katie lay a long time watching the queer shapes of the stocking legs as they dangled in the firelight.

Then she fell asleep.

It seemed only a minute before something touched her and she woke up.

It was daytime and there was Filly in his nightgown climbing up on the bed to kiss her.

The rest of the children half-dressed were dancing about with their stockings in their hands.

Merry,

Merry Christmas,

They cried.

Oh Katie,

Such beautiful,

Beautiful things.

Oh,

Shrieked Elsie who at that moment spied her desk.

Santa Claus did bring it after all.

It's got From Katie written on it.

Oh Katie,

It's so sweet and I'm so happy.

And Elsie hugged Katie and sobbed for pleasure.

But what was that strange thing beside the bed?

Katie stared and rubbed her eyes.

It certainly had not been there when she went to sleep.

It was a little evergreen tree planted in a red flower pot.

The pot had stripes of gilt paper stuck on it and gilt stars and crosses,

Which made it look very gay.

The boughs of the tree were hung with oranges and nuts and shiny red apples and popcorn balls and strings of bright berries.

There were also a number of little packages tied with blue and crimson ribbon and altogether the tree looked so pretty that Katie gave a cry of delighted surprise.

It's a Christmas tree for you because you're sick,

You know,

Said the children all trying to hug her at once.

We made it ourselves,

Said Dory,

Hopping about on one foot.

I pasted the black stars on the pot and I popped the call,

Cried Filly.

Do you like it?

Asked Elsie,

Cuddling close to Katie.

That's my present,

The one tied with a green ribbon.

I wish it was nicer.

Do you want to open right away?

Of course Katie wanted to and all sorts of things came out of the little bundles.

Elsie's present was a pen wiper with a grey flannel kitten on it.

Johnny's a doll's tea set of scarlet tin.

Isn't it beautiful?

She said admiringly.

Dory's gift,

I regret to say,

Was a huge red and yellow spider which whirred wildly when waved at.

They didn't want me to buy it,

Said he,

But I did.

I thought it would amuse you.

Does it amuse you,

Katie?

Yes indeed,

Said Katie,

Laughing and blinking as Dory waved the spider to and fro.

You can play with it when we ain't here and you're all alone,

You know,

Remarked Dory,

Highly gratified.

But you don't notice what the tree is standing upon,

Said Clover.

It was a chair,

A very large and curious one with a long cushioned back which ended in a footstool.

That's Papa's present,

Said Clover.

It tips back so as to be just like a bed and Papa says he thinks pretty soon you can lie on it in the window where you can see us play.

Does he really,

Said Katie doubtfully.

It still hurt her very much to be touched or moved.

And see what's tied to the arm of the chair,

Said Elsie.

It was a little silver bell with Katie engraved on the handle.

Cousin Helen sent it.

It's for you to ring when you want anyone to come,

Explained Elsie.

Then more surprises.

To the other arm of the chair was fastened a beautiful book,

The Wide Wide World.

There was Katie's name written on it,

From her affectionate Ceci.

On it stood a great parcel of dried cherries from Mrs Hall.

Mrs Hall had the most delicious dried cherries the children thought.

How perfectly lovely everybody is,

Said Katie,

With grateful tears in her eyes.

That was a pleasant Christmas.

The children declared it to be the nicest Christmas they had ever had.

And though Katie couldn't quite say that,

She enjoyed it too and was very happy.

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