Mimi ran her fingers up and down the crinkles of the blue and white striped bed cover. She made with her fists for lakes then smoothed them all out and began again. This time she made a deep curving gulley which was Green River flowing around Camp. The flat space over her stomach was the open space around the flag pole where the campers had gathered as soon after reveille as they could slide into their bathing suits. The small point she had pinched up with her fingers was the and the great bump her doubled up knees made was the Hotel far up on the hill above camp.
Chimes rang out in the distance, suddenly her knees and she her flushed face in the pillow. A miniature earthquake had leveled her make-believe land. Now it was raining on her pillow. What a great god she was to build country and shake it down and wash away the with rain.
After the she was as alone as in the beginning. All of her best friends were gone. They had not been permitted in the to say goodbye. When Nurse relayed their farewells from the corridor to the patient some of the sadness melted away, but not all, not by any means.
She had begun all the make-believe nonsense to keep from remembering it was Christmas and that she was sick-a-bed without her family, without her chums. But it was no use. Stubbornly she put her mind back to her “Child’s Garden of Verse.” She said “The Friendly Cow,” “Singing in the Rain,” “Sea Cups,” and in spite of herself between each one she would to “When I was sick and lay abed——”
The siege of flu had begun to look like an . There were six single beds in a row in the Infirmary and this Christmas morning each bed cradled a sick girl. Mimi, however, was the only one awake.
Ding, dong—ding, dong.
Mimi listened to the bells ring out. Perhaps they could do what trying-very-hard and poetry had failed to do. But she gave up. There was no use trying to forget it was Christmas for all day there would be . She must hope that somewhere in Leipzig Junior was dumping the contents of a stocking on his bed instead of with her and winning by sliding down the bannisters to their usual tree at home. She hoped the gifts she had sent arrived in time. If it took as long for things to go to Leipzig as it did for them to come from there to America, the gifts would be late. Mimi knew that Mother Dear had sent her something in plenty of time but so far no package had reached her. As soon as Nurse would let her get up she would go to the Post Office and ask them to send a tracer. She was that sure Mother and Daddy had not failed her.
Gray morning was peeping around the cracks of the window shades. Mimi leaned over and eased her shade up the tiniest bit; at least that is what she intended to do but the shade slipped from her cold fingers and went whr-r-r—zip—all the way to the top. Mimi shut her eyes against the sound, and when she opened them and looked out, wonder of wonders a fairy world bade her good-morning. So softly the snow had fallen that no had heard.
Nose against the , breath making fantastic wreaths on the glass, hands clutched as if praying, Mimi in . Then because she could never be unhappy long and because it was Christmas inside her, a WHITE Christmas, she sang out:
“Merry CHRISTMAS! Oh wake up, wake up, there is snow!”
Weak hands rubbing eyes. Tousled heads rearing from pillows. Necks craned toward nearest windows.
“Merry Christmas yourself.” “Snow.” “Oh, SNOW!”
“Merry Christmas!” Nurse’s clear, crisp voice rose above the others. “What chance does an amateur Santa Claus have with all you girls already wide awake? I was outside in the hall hanging the last bangles on your tree when ‘there arose such a , I sprang to the DOOR to see what was the matter’!”
“Our tree?” came the chorus.
“Yes, your tree. You don’t think I’m mean enough to make you stay in bed and feast on orange juice instead of plum pudding without doing something for you?”
“May I come in?” It was Mrs. Cole in a fresh blouse and newly pressed skirt. She looked sweeter than Mimi had ever seen her. “Merry Christmas, girls. If you’ll help me, Nurse, we’ll roll the tree in.”
It was not a large tree; a living growing in a wooden tub and riding into the sick room on a rolling white hospital cart-table. Mimi had passed it by the steps many times scarcely noticing but today, decked so gayly and glittering so magnificently, it was as new as the snow. As they pushed the tree along the made an elfin .
Yesterday Mimi had wished her bed were at one end of the ward or the other so that she could lie on one side with her back to illness and forget it. Now she was glad that she was in the center of the room because the tree, placed in the middle of the room, was at the foot of her bed. If nurse had not made up the bed with tight square corners she could her toes free and touch it.
“There!”
Nurse and Mrs. Cole stood one to either side admiring their handiwork.
“But no presents or mail until baths, temperatures taken all around, and breakfast.”
Mimi knew Nurse meant exactly what she said and that no amount of begging would change her orders. Now if it were Mrs. Cole in charge.... But she wasn’t. Nurse’s word was law and obeyed to the letter. So was Dr. Ansley’s. Mimi tried not to show how impatient she was but eagerness danced in her merry blue eyes.
The hour finally came and for once, Mimi had more surprises than she could stand. The last one was the biggest and it brought tears.
First the mail was distributed. Nurse did not call out the names. She had it all sorted and handed each girl a neat stack. Otherwise, she would have read “Mimi Hammond” every other name for Mimi had as much mail as all the others put together.
Now for the packages.
The first one handed to Mimi made her heart leap. From Leipzig.—Careful not the tear the stamps, she ripped it open and lifted out three separate packages. She opened the lumpy one from Junior first. Not a guess what it was. It didn’t or move about. What could it be? A peasant doll! Braided hair, crisp white cap, full skirts held in place by a tight bodice. Precious! The doll would sit on top of Mimi’s trunk in the living room so that all who opened the door of two hundred and seven could see and admire. And what could this one from Daddy be? Shake it. Feel it. No; guess again. Wrong both times. A Bohemian necklace with a crystal pendant to wear to Christmas parties. Daddy liked every one well and gay. He must realize, too, that she was growing up. This thin, flat package from Mother. Not as thick as a book but about that shape. Careful! Don’t tear. A picture and what a sweet one! Mimi did not appreciate what she had until the letter came telling about the trip to the Dresden Gallery to see Coregio’s, “The Holy Night,” and the “Sistine Madonna.” The print they sent Mimi was a Hanfstaengel called “The Cherubim,” copying the little angels who around the in the full picture of the Madonna. Beaming faces. Mimi loved them. What wonderful gifts from Leipzig!
Then the small packages. from Chloe with Tumble Inn hand blocked in the upper left corner. Oh, these art students. Mimi’s fingers felt thick and clumsy as she Betsy’s package. It did not look neat but Mimi never judged inside by outside. An enviable black and white sport belt to wear with her riding habit. Two plain sport ............