Toto's Merry Winter

by Laura Elizabeth Howe Richards

  CHAPTER VI.

  IT was a bright clear night, when Toto, accompanied by the raccoon andthe squirrel, started from home to attend the wedding of the woodmouse'seldest son. The moon was shining gloriously, and her bright cold raysturned everything they touched to silver. The long icicles hanging fromthe eaves of the cottage glittered like crystal spears; the snowsparkled as if diamond-dust were strewn over its powdery surface. Theraccoon shook himself as he walked along, and looked about him with hiskeen bright eyes.

  "What a fine night this would be for a hunt!" he said, sniffing the coldbracing air eagerly. "I smell something, surely! What is it?"

  "Rats, maybe!" suggested the squirrel. "There is the track of oneyonder."

  "No, this is not a rat!" said the raccoon, sniffing again. "It's a--it'sa cat! that's what it is, a cat! Do you see a track anywhere? I wonderhow a cat came here, anyhow. I should like to chase her! It is a longtime since I chased a cat."

  "Oh, never mind the cat now, Coon!" cried Toto. "We are late for thewedding as it is, with all your prinking. Besides," he added slyly, "Ididn't lend you that red cravat to chase cats in."

  The raccoon instantly threw off his professional eagerness, and resumedthe air of complacent dignity with which he had begun the walk. Neverbefore had he been so fully impressed with the sense of his own charms.The red ribbon which he had begged from Toto set off his dark fur andbright eyes to perfection; and he certainly was a very handsome fellow,as he frisked daintily along, his tail curling gracefully over his back.

  "We shall make a sensation!" he said cheerfully; "we shall certainlymake a sensation. Don't you think so, Toto?"

  "I do, indeed," replied Toto; "though it is a great pity that you andCracker didn't let me put your tails in curl-papers last night, as Ioffered to do. You can't think what an improvement it would have been."

  "The cow offered to lend me her bell," said Cracker, "to wear round myneck, but it was too big, you know. She's the dearest old thing, thatcow! I had a grand game, this morning, jumping over her back andbalancing myself on her horns. Why doesn't she live in the house, withthe rest of us?"

  "Oh!" said Toto, "one _couldn't_ have a cow in the house. She's too big,in the first place; and besides, Granny would not like it. One could notmake a companion of a cow! I don't know exactly why, but that sort ofanimal is entirely different from you wood-creatures."

  "The difference is, my dear," said the raccoon, loftily, "that we havebeen accustomed to good society, and know something of its laws; whilepersons like Mrs. Cow are absolutely ignorant of such matters.Absolutely ignorant!" he repeated, impressively. "Why, only yesterday Iwent out to the barn, and being in need of a little exercise, thought Iwould amuse myself by swinging on her tail. And the creature, instead ofsaying, 'Mr. Coon, I am sensible of the honor you bestow upon me, butyour well-proportioned figure is perhaps heavier than you are aware of,'or something of that sort, just kicked me off, without saying a word._Kicked_, Toto! I give you my word for it. Kicked _me_!"

  "Humph!" said the squirrel, "I think I should have done the same in herplace. But see, here we are at the cave. Just look at the tracks in thesnow! Why, there must be a thousand persons here, at least."

  Indeed, the snow was covered in every direction with the prints oflittle feet,--feet that had hopped, had run, had crept from all sides ofthe forest, and had met in front of this low opening, from which thebrambles and creeping vines had been carefully cleared away. Torches oflight-wood were blazing on either side, lighting up the gloomy entrancefor several feet, and from within came a confused murmur of many voices,as of hundreds of small creatures squeaking, piping, and chattering inevery variety of tone.

  "We are late!" said Coon. "Everybody is here. So much the better; weshall make all the more sensation. Toto, is my neck-tie straight?"

  "Quite straight," replied Toto. "You look like--like--"

  "Like a popinjay!" muttered the squirrel, who had no neck-tie. "Comealong, will you, Coon?" And the three companions entered the cavetogether.

  A brilliant scene it was that presented itself before their eyes. Thecave was lighted not only by glow-worms, but by light-wood torches stuckin every available crack and cranny of the walls. The floor wassprinkled with fine white sand, clean and glittering, while branches ofholly and alder placed in the corners added still more to the generalair of festivity. As to the guests, they were evidently enjoyingthemselves greatly, to judge from the noise they were making. There werea great many of them,--hundreds, or perhaps even thousands, though itwas impossible to count them, as they were constantly moving, hopping,leaping, jumping, creeping, trotting, running, even flying. Never wereso many tiny creatures seen together. There were woodmice, of course, bythe hundred,--old and young, big and little; cousins, uncles, aunts,grandmothers, of the bride and bridegroom. There were respectablefield-mice, looking like well-to-do farmers, as indeed they were; friskykangaroo-mice, leaping about on their long hind-legs, to the admirationof all those whose legs were short. There were all the moles, of bothfamilies,--those who wore plain black velvet without any ornament, andthose who had lovely rose-colored stars at the end of their noses. Theselast gentlemen were very aristocratic indeed, and the woodmice felthighly honored by their presence. Besides all these, the squirrels hadbeen invited, and had come in full force, the Grays and the Reds and theChipmunks; and Mr. and Mrs. Titmouse were there, and old Mrs. Shrew andher daughters, and I don't know how many more. Hundreds and hundreds ofguests, none of them bigger than a squirrel, and most of them muchsmaller.

  You can perhaps imagine the effect that was produced on this gayassembly by the sudden appearance among them of a RACCOON and a BOY!There was a confused murmur for a moment, a quick affrighted glance, andthen dead silence. Not a creature dared to move; not a tail waved, not awhisker quivered; all the tiny creatures stood as if turned to stone,gazing in mute terror and supplication at their formidable visitors. Thebride, who had just entered from a side-cave on her father's arm,prepared to faint; the bridegroom threw his arms about her and glaredfiercely at the intruders, his tiny heart swelling as high as if he werea lion instead of a very small red mouse. Mr. Woodmouse, Senior, aloneretained his presence of mind. He hastened to greet his formidableguests, and bade them welcome in a voice which, though tremulous, triedhard to be cordial.

  "Mr. Coon," he said, "you are welcome, most welcome. Mr. Toto, your mostobedient, sir. Cracker, I am delighted to see you. Very good of you all,I'm sure, to honor this little occasion with your distinguishedpresence. Will you--ah!--hum--will you sit down?"

  The little host hesitated over this invitation; it would not be politeto ask his guests to be careful lest they should sit down _on_ the otherguests, and yet they were so _very_ large, and took up so _much_room,--two of them, at least! Coon, delighted at the sensation he hadproduced, was as gracious as possible, and sitting down with great careso as to avoid any catastrophe, looked about him with so benign anexpression that the rest of the company began to take heart, andwhiskers were pricked and tails were cocked again.

  "This is delightful, Mr. Woodmouse!" he said heartily,--"this is reallydelightful! A brilliant occasion, indeed! But I do not see your son, thehappy-- Ah! there he is. Prick-ear, you rascal, come here! Are you tooproud to speak to your old friends?"

  Thus adjured, the young woodmouse left his bride in her mother's careand came forward, looking half pleased and half angry. "Good evening,Coon!" he said. "I was not sure whether you _were_ a friend, after ourlast meeting. But I am very glad to see you, and I bear no malice."

  And with this he shook paws with an air of magnanimity. Coon rubbed hisnose, as he was apt to do when a little confused.

  "Oh! ah! to be sure!" he said. "I had quite forgotten that littlematter. But say no more about it, my boy; say no more about it! By-gonesare by-gones, and we should think of nothing but pleasure on an occasionlike the present." With a graceful and condescending wave of his paw hedismissed the past, and continued: "Pray, introduce me to your charmingbride! I assure you I am posi
tively longing to make her acquaintance.After you, my boy; after you!" and he crossed the room and joined thebridal party.

  "What trouble did your son have with Coon?" Toto inquired of Mr.Woodmouse. "Nothing serious, I trust?"

  "Why--ah!--well!" said his host, in some embarrassment, "it came _near_being serious,--at least Prick-ear thought it did. It seems he met Mr.Coon one day last autumn, when he was bringing home a load ofcheckerberries for supper. Mr. Coon wanted the checkerberries,and--ah!--in point of fact, ate them; and when Prick-ear remonstrated,he chased him all round the forest, vowing that if he caught him hewould--if you will excuse my mentioning such a thing--eat _him_ too.Now, that sort of thing is very painful, Mr. Toto; very painful indeedit is, I assure you, sir. And though Prick-ear escaped by running intoa mole's burrow, I must confess that he has _not_ felt kindly toward Mr.Coon since then."

  "Very natural," said Toto, gravely. "I don't wonder at it."

  "It _has_ occurred to me," continued the woodmouse, "that possibly itmay have been only a joke on Mr. Coon's part. Eh? what do you think?Seeing him so friendly and condescending here to-night, one can hardlysuppose that he _really_--eh?--could have intended--"

  "He certainly would not do such a thing _now_," said Toto, decidedly,"certainly not. He has the kindest feeling for all your family."

  "A--exactly! exactly!" cried the woodmouse, highly delighted. "Mostgratifying, I'm sure. But I see that the ceremony is about to begin. Ifyou _would_ excuse me, Mr. Toto--"

  And the little host bowed himself away, leaving Toto to seat himself atleisure and watch the proceedings. These were certainly veryinteresting. The bride, an extremely pretty little mouse, was attired ina very becoming travelling-dress of brown fur, which fitted her toperfection. The ceremony was performed by a star-nosed mole of highdistinction, who delivered a learned and impressive discourse to theyoung couple, and ended by presenting them with three leaves ofwintergreen, of which one was eaten by each separately, while theynibbled the third together, in token of their united lives. When theymet in the middle of the leaf, they rubbed noses together, and theceremony was finished.

  Then everybody advanced to rub noses with the bride, and to shake pawswith the happy bridegroom. One of the first to do so was the raccoon,who comported himself with a grace and dignity which attracted theadmiration of all. The little bride was nearly frightened to death, itis true; but she bore up bravely, for her husband whispered in her earthat Mr. Coon was one of his dearest friends, _now_.

  Meanwhile, no one was enjoying the festivity more thoroughly than ourlittle friend Cracker. He was whisking and frisking about from one groupto another, greeting old friends, making new acquaintances, hearing allthe wood-gossip of the winter, and telling in return of the wonderfullife that he and Bruin and Coon were leading. His own relations weremost deeply interested in all he had to tell; but while his cousins wereloud in their expressions of delight and of envy, some of the eldersshook their heads. Uncle Munkle, a sedate and portly chipmunk, lookedvery grave as he heard of all the doings at the cottage, and presentlyhe beckoned Cracker to one side, and addressed him in a low tone.

  "Cracker, my boy," he said, "I don't quite like all this, do you know?Toto and his grandmother are all very well, though they seem to have abarbarous way of living; but who is this Mrs. Cow, about whom you haveso much to say; not a domestic animal, I trust?"

  "Why--yes!" Cracker admitted, rather reluctantly, "she _is_ a domesticanimal, Uncle; but she is a very good one, I assure you, and notobjectionable in any way."

  The old chipmunk looked deeply offended. "I did not expect this of you,Cracker!" he said severely, "I did not, indeed. This is the first time,to my knowledge, that a member of my family has had anything to do witha domestic animal. I am disappointed in you, sir; distinctlydisappointed!"

  There was a pause, in which the delinquent Cracker found nothing to say,and then his uncle added:--

  "And in what condition are your teeth, pray? I suppose you are lettingthem grow, while you eat those wretched messes of soft food. Have you_any_ proper food, at all?"

  "Oh, yes!" exclaimed Cracker. "Indeed, Uncle Munkle, my teeth are inexcellent condition. Just look at them!" and he exhibited two shiningrows of teeth as sharp as those of a newly-set saw. "We have plenty ofnuts; more than I ever had before, I assure you. Toto got quantities ofthem in the autumn, on purpose for me; and there are great heaps ofhazels and beech-nuts and hickories piled up in the barn-chamber, whereI can go and help myself when I please. And almonds, too!" he added."Oh, they are _so_ jolly!"

  Uncle Munkle looked mollified; he even seemed interested.

  "Almonds?" he said. "They are foreign nuts, and don't grow in this partof the world. I tasted some once. Where did Toto get them, do youthink?"

  "He bought them of a pedler," said Cracker. "I know he would give yousome, Uncle, if you asked him. Why won't you come out and see us, someday?"

  At this moment a loud and lively whistle was heard,--first three notesof warning, and then Toto's merriest jig,--which put all seriousthoughts to flight, and set the whole company dancing. Cracker flewacross the room to a charming young red squirrel on whom he had had hiseye for some time, made his bow, and was soon showing off to heradmiring gaze the fine steps which he had learned in the kitchen athome. The woodmice skipped and hopped merrily about; the kangaroo-micedanced with long, graceful bounds,--three short hops after each one. Itis easy to do when you know just how. As for the moles, they ran roundand round in a circle, with their noses to the ground, and thought verywell of themselves.

  Presently Toto changed his tune from a jig to a waltz; and then he andCoon danced together, to the admiration of all beholders. Round theywent, and round and round, circling in graceful curves,--Toto neverpausing in his whistle, Coon's scarlet neck-tie waving like a banner inthe breeze.

  "Yes, that is a sight worth seeing!" said a woodmouse to a mole. "It isa pity, just for this once, that you have not eyes to see it."

  "Are their coats of black velvet?" inquired the mole. "And have theystars on their noses? Tell me that."

  "No," replied the woodmouse.

  "I thought as much!" said the mole, contemptuously. "Vulgar people,probably. I have no desire to _see_ them, as you call it. Are we tohave anything to eat?" he added. "That is of more consequence, to mymind. One can show one's skill in dancing, but that does not fill thestomach, and mine warns me that it is empty."

  At this very moment the music stopped, and the voice of the host washeard announcing that supper was served in the side-cave. The molewaited to hear no more, but rushed as fast as his legs would carry him,following his unerring nose in the direction where the food lay. Boltinginto the supper-room, he ran violently against a neatly arranged pyramidof hazel-nuts, and down it came, rattling and tumbling over the greedymole, and finally burying him completely. The rest of the company comingsoberly in, each gentleman with his partner, saw the heaving and quakingmountain of nuts beneath which the mole was struggling, and he wasrescued amid much laughter and merriment.

  That was a supper indeed! There were nuts of all kinds,--butternuts,chestnuts, beech-nuts, hickories, and hazels. There were huge piles ofacorns, of several kinds,--the long slender brown-satin ones, and thefat red-and-brown ones, with a woolly down on them. There werepartridge-berries and checkerberries, and piles of fragrant, spicyleaves of wintergreen. And there was sassafras-bark and spruce-gum, anda great dish of golden corn,--a present from the field-cousins. Really,it gives one an appetite only to think of it! And I verily believe thatthere never was such a nibbling, such a gnawing, such a champing andcracking and throwing away of shells, since first the forest was aforest. When the guests were thirsty, there was root-beer, served inbirch-bark goblets; and when one had drunk all the beer one ate thegoblet; which was very pleasant, and moreover saved some washing ofdishes. And so all were very merry, and the star-nosed moles ate so muchthat their stars turned purple, and they had to be led home by theirfieldmouse neighbors.

  At the close of the fea
st, the bride and groom departed for their ownhome, which was charmingly fitted up under an elder-bush, from theberries of which they could make their own wine. "Such a convenience!"said all the family. And finally, after a last wild dance, the companyseparated, the lights were put out, and "the event of the season" wasover.