HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JANE!
Jane
deLacey had only been living in the Big House by the Park for a few days when
the girls threw a birthday party for one of them; Clarice was turning
nine. Jane, having just come from 1594,
was fascinated by the ceremony since children’s birthdays weren’t given much
attention in Elizabethan England. It was
also her first exposure to chocolate cake and ice cream, and she was very
pleased with that!
“When is
your birthday, Jane?” asked Julia.
“I was
christened on the Friday after Lady Day, so methinks I was born on the
Wednesday.”
“When, and
what, is Lady Day?”
“’Tis also
called the Feast of the Annunciation.” Jane explained.
“March
Twenty-fifth,” added Leah, “Nine months before Christmas.”
“What day
of the week was Lady Day that year?” Julia asked.
“I know
not.”
“The big almanac in the public
library has a table in it for finding out calendar dates for any year; we could
easily look it up.” Leah offered, “Do you know what the year was?”
“Aye, ‘twas
1585, for I ken that I was three when the Great Armada was defeated in 1588.”
“Or,”
suggested Julia, “We could just celebrate her birthday on the Wednesday after
March Twenty-fifth, regardless of the date.”
Which is
what they decided to do. Eleven months
later, Jane’s birthday had come around, and, having taken part in the
celebrations for all the other girls, she was eagerly awaiting her own birthday
party. Chocolate was, of course, the
flavor du jour.
“This is
just ducky!” Jane exclaimed, as the cake was brought in, “A razzmatazz of a
bash!” The girls laughed and clapped.
“Now I needs must make a wish before I blow them out, but it beats me what I
should wish for.”
“Your
heart’s desire,” said Nellie.
Jane glanced at the paintings
around the room, closed her eyes, and blew out the candles in one breath.
“’Twas
dilly hard to think of what to wish for,” Jane said, “I nearly have my heart’s
desire living here in cushiness, surrounded by loving friends. Of my old life, back home, there is only one
thing I truly miss.”
She sighed, wistfully, then
laughed, “But there is chocolate cake here enow, and fain would I serve you
withal!”
They all ate their fill of ice cream
and cake.
When they had finished eating, and
cleared the table, Samantha spoke.
“Now we have your birthday present
for you, Jane. It’s from all of
us.”
Gila
presented Jane with a brightly wrapped box.
She had it open in no time.
“’TIS
NELL!” Jane shrieked, “’Tis my poppet!
Where so e’er didst find her?”
The girls
look at each other, mouths agape.
“This was
your doll?” asked Samantha, dumbfounded.
“Aye, in
sooth! I know it for a certainty, for
see? There is that self mark on her face
from whence I did let her fall ‘pon the stairs! La!”
“We had no
idea,” said Nellie, “I found her in the junk shop. She was missing a leg, her dress was faded
and in tatters, her headdress was gone, and her face paint had worn off. I knew she was very old, but not how
old. I felt so sorry for her that I had
to rescue her. The junk man didn’t know
what he had; it was just an old, broken toy.
He wanted a whole dime, but I talked him down to a nickel.”
Samantha
continued, “Katherine Alyse looked in her history of fashion book and found out
that she had been dressed in the style of the fifteen hundreds, around the time
you were back home We decided to fix her
up as a present for you.”
“A new leg
for her I carved,” said Gila, “and to her I fastened it. Katherine Alyse, what her headdress would
have been like, she found in her book, and Julia, the dress she made.”
“I did some
of the fine stitching,” said Samantha, “and painted her face. It never occurred to us that she could have
once been yours!”
Jane hugged Nell to her. “Gee willikers!
This day does lollapalooza it right well!
Oh, Nell! I am as pleased as
punch to hold you again! When first was
I supratemporally transmigrated here from my home, all I wanted was to go back,
lickety-split! I learned to love it here
pretty darn quick, though, and soon hoped I’d never go back. Now I know I am here for good and all!”
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