(no subject)
It's taken Mary Lennox some time to acquire all the Christmas gifts she's been meaning to distribute.
When she finally enters, she's dragging a small wheelbarrow borrowed - without asking - from Ben Weatherstaff. It's loaded with packages, each with a note attached, which she proceeds to set on the Bar one by one. Every note is written in an extremely careful, rounded hand.
Dear Ace,
It was very kind of you to take me to India, especially since it might have been dangerous with the pisachas. I know you are always moving about in time and watches are always breaking down so I read about these in a book and I thought it might be useful to have.
Mary Lennox
Inside the package is a cardboard model sundial. The pointer is made from a straight twig.
Dear Adam,
I do not know if I like you very much still. You are still very rude. But you helped when the Dark was rising and so I thought I ought to give you a Christmas present anyways.
Mary Lennox
Inside the package is a set of nice, clean, extremely proper handkerchiefs. It is possible that Mary is making a point.
Dear Archie,
I have not seen you very much lately. I hope you are very happy with Mrs. Kennedy and that all is well and you had a merry Christmas.
Mary Lennox
Inside the package is a woven welcome mat with a border of violets flowers, picked up in the village. Mary apparently feels that this is something that homeowners would appreciate, even if 'home' here means 'a room at a bar'.
Dear Aslan,
I only met you once. But you are special and it felt like I ought.
Mary Lennox
Inside the package is a cutting from Mary's apple sapling, carefully wrapped and insulated. Just in case he should like to plant one of his own.
Dear Achedrez,
I do not think you have ever been to Yorkshire. It is a nice place and you ought sometime.
Mary Lennox
Inside the package is a map of Yorkshire. Mistlethwaite is carefully circled, as being the prettiest part.
Dear Beverly,
Slingshots are useful but it is also useful to hit things. If you like I can teach you exercises for how to use it. Lots of people have taught me so I know how, and it is fair because you taught me about slingshots.
Mary Lennox
Inside the package is a leather punching bag, attached to a strap from which to hang it.
Dear Bran,
I do not know how much music you know. Likely it is a lot but I saw this in a store and I thought there might be music in it you did not know. Anyways it is Christmas and there are Christmas songs.
Mary Lennox
Inside the package is a book of (very easy) beginner's harp music. There are indeed Christmas songs included.
Dear Mr. Belar,
It was very kind of you to give me Angel to take care of - for me and Angel both. The seeds are from me. Martha helped me buy them. I do not know if they will grow in other worlds but I thought you might like to try.
Mary Lennox
Inside the package are several packages of the basic seeds Mary started out with - mignonette and poppies and blue larkspur. There is also a dead mouse, which is presumably from Angel.
Dear Danny,
I thought you might like to know about different kinds of ghosts. It might be helpful.
Mary Lennox
Inside the package is a book of Indian ghost stories.
Dear Mr. Dexter,
I am awfully glad you could help out with who hurt Wellard. Even if no one else was glad I still think it was very important. It is good to know that there is a detective about. I hope you had a merry Christmas.
Mary Lennox
Inside the package is a set of very nice white gentleman's gloves. If you're going to be breaking into people's rooms to find evidence, Mary figures that it's better not to leave yet more evidence in the form of fingerprints on the way.
Dear Duo,
I hope you like it.
Mary Lennox
Inside the package is a book of blank paper. On each page has been carefully (although in most cases not very artistically) sketched a picture of one of the flowers growing in Mary's garden, with the name beneath it, as well as instructions for its care.
It's a good bet that the ones that don't have names came from the seeds that Duo brought her after his trip.
Dear Mr. FX,
It was very nice of you to give me the knife. Duo is finally going to teach me to use it now that I am going to be eleven. I hope that you are well.
Mary Lennox
Inside the package is a very pretty penwiper and a small pamphlet about the evils of alcohol. (Such things are not hard to obtain in the Edwardian era.)
Dear Miss Faith,
I have not seen you in a long long time or I would have told you, but I thought you might like to know that it worked and my parents will not be pisachas now. Thank you again for the cross. I think perhaps it helped.
Inside the package is a very simple daisy chain, woven by Mary - a necklace for a necklace.
Dear Mr. Tam,
I do not know if they have Christmas in the future. I hope they do. It is a very nice time and it is all about the Christmas spirit. I hope you had a nice one even if you do not really have it. The flower is for taking with you even when you have to be on spaceships without plants or anything.
Mary Lennox
Inside the package is a copy (taken from Colin) of A Christmas Carol - just in case Mr. Tam is unclear as to what the whole holiday is about. There is also small potted gardenia.
Dear Goldy,
It looks as if my uncle is coming here now so you can talk straight to him if you like about teaching. I got you this because you like clothes. I hope you had a very merry Christmas.
Mary Lennox
Inside the package is an extremely Edwardian hat, fresh from the milliner's.
Dear Harth,
I do not know if pisachas get Christmas. I do not think they can because it is all about God and things and pisachas do not get to go to Heaven. But it does not seem fair that they ought not to get presents too.
Mary Lennox
Inside the package is an extremely shiny new watering can. There is also a book of Indian stories, because Mary would like to show that she does know something about pisachas.
Dear Ingress,
I hope you had a very good time in Valdemar. If you like I shall teach you how to use this when you get back.
Mary Lennox
Inside the package is a slingshot made by Mary, out of a stick found at Mistlethwaite.
Dear Iris,
I am going to plant the seeds you gave me only as soon as it gets warm. These will not be lots of colors but they will come up soonest if you plant them.
Mary Lennox
Inside the package are carefully wrapped cuttings from Mary's crocuses - the first flowers that come up after winter.
Dear Jason,
I have not seen you in a long time but I hope you are well and had a merry Christmas. This is for dancing to.
Mary Lennox
Inside the package is a small wooden music box purchased in town. It is painted red and green and plays Good King Wenceslas. Some things purchase-able in Yorkshire are extremely seasonal.
Dear Kaylee,
Thank you for the book and also for carrying me about when we went to see the elephants. It was very kind of you. The book has also been very helpful.
Mary Lennox
Inside the package is a set of colored ribbons. They are very pretty ribbons, in a variety of fabrics, silk and velvet among them. It's a step up from handkerchiefs, at least.
Dear Lucy,
I am taking care of your tree for you, but at Christmas you ought to have trees. I asked Ben to help me with this. It is only very small yet but it will grow. But it ought to be planted somewhere.
Mary Lennox
Inside the oddly-shaped package is what looks like a very young silver birch sapling. It is wrapped around with red and green ribbons, in the holiday spirit, even if it is a little too small to properly decorate.
Dear Professor Lyon,
Thank you for teaching me about King Arthur and also for fixing me after the witch.
Mary Lennox
Inside the package is an extremely nice edition of Tennyson's Idylls of the King. (Every mention of Merlin is circled, with a small question mark.)
Dear Miss Moiraine,
Thank you for working good magic when the Dark was rising. It might have been very bad if you were not there. This is from my apple tree which protects against the Dark. If you like you can plant one too. It does not have apples yet but when it does you will get one of the first ones.
Mary Lennox
Inside the package is a very small cutting from the apple sapling in front of the greenhouse.
Dear Puss in Boots,
Thank you for the feather. It is awfully pretty even if I do not need panache. They sell very nice hats in the village. I thought you might like to have a different one in case you ever needed it.
Mary Lennox
Inside the package is a very elegant black top hat.
Dear Steve,
Thank you for helping with the kitten's name. We decided to name it Angel eventually but Kate is still a very good name too. I hope you had a merry Christmas.
Mary Lennox
Inside the package is a prettily illustrated copy of A Midsummer Night's Dream - the only Shakespeare play deemed appropriate for Colin's consumption, because it had fairies and other childish things. (The person who sent it hadn't read it very closely.)
Dear River,
I hope that Christmas is nice in the future. I gave your father a book on it so you can read it if you like.
Mary Lennox
Inside the package is a woven bracelet of flowers - mostly from the greenhouse, as the season for blooms has passed in Yorkshire.
Dear Wellard,
Please have this with you on your ship always when you build it.
Mary Lennox
Inside the package is a book on basic first aid (Edwardian era). There is also a rather wobbly model ship, constructed out of cardboard pieces according to instructions in a book and painted a pretty blue.
Dear Mr. and Mrs. Wells,
I hope you had a very nice Christmas.
Mary Lennox
Inside the package are several postcard-size paintings of Yorkshire, apparently designed to appeal to tourist sensibilities. Mary saw them in a shop and thought they were pretty.
Dear Will,
Thank you for helping when the witch was here.
Mary Lennox
Inside the package is a set of handkerchiefs with small flowers that might possibly be apple blossoms, if you squinted (but are probably not) embroidered around the edges. Shopping for avatars of the Light is rather difficult.
Dear Puss,
I do not know if you can read this but in any case you will like your present I think. So just in case.
Mary Lennox
Inside the package is a tin of sardines. Mary has thoughtfully provided a tin-opener along with it, in the assumption that Yrael will be able to find someone to open it for him easily enough.
When all the packages have been distributed, Mary marches out, looking triumphant. Finally, she has taken care of things Properly.
When she finally enters, she's dragging a small wheelbarrow borrowed - without asking - from Ben Weatherstaff. It's loaded with packages, each with a note attached, which she proceeds to set on the Bar one by one. Every note is written in an extremely careful, rounded hand.
Dear Ace,
It was very kind of you to take me to India, especially since it might have been dangerous with the pisachas. I know you are always moving about in time and watches are always breaking down so I read about these in a book and I thought it might be useful to have.
Mary Lennox
Inside the package is a cardboard model sundial. The pointer is made from a straight twig.
Dear Adam,
I do not know if I like you very much still. You are still very rude. But you helped when the Dark was rising and so I thought I ought to give you a Christmas present anyways.
Mary Lennox
Inside the package is a set of nice, clean, extremely proper handkerchiefs. It is possible that Mary is making a point.
Dear Archie,
I have not seen you very much lately. I hope you are very happy with Mrs. Kennedy and that all is well and you had a merry Christmas.
Mary Lennox
Inside the package is a woven welcome mat with a border of violets flowers, picked up in the village. Mary apparently feels that this is something that homeowners would appreciate, even if 'home' here means 'a room at a bar'.
Dear Aslan,
I only met you once. But you are special and it felt like I ought.
Mary Lennox
Inside the package is a cutting from Mary's apple sapling, carefully wrapped and insulated. Just in case he should like to plant one of his own.
Dear Achedrez,
I do not think you have ever been to Yorkshire. It is a nice place and you ought sometime.
Mary Lennox
Inside the package is a map of Yorkshire. Mistlethwaite is carefully circled, as being the prettiest part.
Dear Beverly,
Slingshots are useful but it is also useful to hit things. If you like I can teach you exercises for how to use it. Lots of people have taught me so I know how, and it is fair because you taught me about slingshots.
Mary Lennox
Inside the package is a leather punching bag, attached to a strap from which to hang it.
Dear Bran,
I do not know how much music you know. Likely it is a lot but I saw this in a store and I thought there might be music in it you did not know. Anyways it is Christmas and there are Christmas songs.
Mary Lennox
Inside the package is a book of (very easy) beginner's harp music. There are indeed Christmas songs included.
Dear Mr. Belar,
It was very kind of you to give me Angel to take care of - for me and Angel both. The seeds are from me. Martha helped me buy them. I do not know if they will grow in other worlds but I thought you might like to try.
Mary Lennox
Inside the package are several packages of the basic seeds Mary started out with - mignonette and poppies and blue larkspur. There is also a dead mouse, which is presumably from Angel.
Dear Danny,
I thought you might like to know about different kinds of ghosts. It might be helpful.
Mary Lennox
Inside the package is a book of Indian ghost stories.
Dear Mr. Dexter,
I am awfully glad you could help out with who hurt Wellard. Even if no one else was glad I still think it was very important. It is good to know that there is a detective about. I hope you had a merry Christmas.
Mary Lennox
Inside the package is a set of very nice white gentleman's gloves. If you're going to be breaking into people's rooms to find evidence, Mary figures that it's better not to leave yet more evidence in the form of fingerprints on the way.
Dear Duo,
I hope you like it.
Mary Lennox
Inside the package is a book of blank paper. On each page has been carefully (although in most cases not very artistically) sketched a picture of one of the flowers growing in Mary's garden, with the name beneath it, as well as instructions for its care.
It's a good bet that the ones that don't have names came from the seeds that Duo brought her after his trip.
Dear Mr. FX,
It was very nice of you to give me the knife. Duo is finally going to teach me to use it now that I am going to be eleven. I hope that you are well.
Mary Lennox
Inside the package is a very pretty penwiper and a small pamphlet about the evils of alcohol. (Such things are not hard to obtain in the Edwardian era.)
Dear Miss Faith,
I have not seen you in a long long time or I would have told you, but I thought you might like to know that it worked and my parents will not be pisachas now. Thank you again for the cross. I think perhaps it helped.
Inside the package is a very simple daisy chain, woven by Mary - a necklace for a necklace.
Dear Mr. Tam,
I do not know if they have Christmas in the future. I hope they do. It is a very nice time and it is all about the Christmas spirit. I hope you had a nice one even if you do not really have it. The flower is for taking with you even when you have to be on spaceships without plants or anything.
Mary Lennox
Inside the package is a copy (taken from Colin) of A Christmas Carol - just in case Mr. Tam is unclear as to what the whole holiday is about. There is also small potted gardenia.
Dear Goldy,
It looks as if my uncle is coming here now so you can talk straight to him if you like about teaching. I got you this because you like clothes. I hope you had a very merry Christmas.
Mary Lennox
Inside the package is an extremely Edwardian hat, fresh from the milliner's.
Dear Harth,
I do not know if pisachas get Christmas. I do not think they can because it is all about God and things and pisachas do not get to go to Heaven. But it does not seem fair that they ought not to get presents too.
Mary Lennox
Inside the package is an extremely shiny new watering can. There is also a book of Indian stories, because Mary would like to show that she does know something about pisachas.
Dear Ingress,
I hope you had a very good time in Valdemar. If you like I shall teach you how to use this when you get back.
Mary Lennox
Inside the package is a slingshot made by Mary, out of a stick found at Mistlethwaite.
Dear Iris,
I am going to plant the seeds you gave me only as soon as it gets warm. These will not be lots of colors but they will come up soonest if you plant them.
Mary Lennox
Inside the package are carefully wrapped cuttings from Mary's crocuses - the first flowers that come up after winter.
Dear Jason,
I have not seen you in a long time but I hope you are well and had a merry Christmas. This is for dancing to.
Mary Lennox
Inside the package is a small wooden music box purchased in town. It is painted red and green and plays Good King Wenceslas. Some things purchase-able in Yorkshire are extremely seasonal.
Dear Kaylee,
Thank you for the book and also for carrying me about when we went to see the elephants. It was very kind of you. The book has also been very helpful.
Mary Lennox
Inside the package is a set of colored ribbons. They are very pretty ribbons, in a variety of fabrics, silk and velvet among them. It's a step up from handkerchiefs, at least.
Dear Lucy,
I am taking care of your tree for you, but at Christmas you ought to have trees. I asked Ben to help me with this. It is only very small yet but it will grow. But it ought to be planted somewhere.
Mary Lennox
Inside the oddly-shaped package is what looks like a very young silver birch sapling. It is wrapped around with red and green ribbons, in the holiday spirit, even if it is a little too small to properly decorate.
Dear Professor Lyon,
Thank you for teaching me about King Arthur and also for fixing me after the witch.
Mary Lennox
Inside the package is an extremely nice edition of Tennyson's Idylls of the King. (Every mention of Merlin is circled, with a small question mark.)
Dear Miss Moiraine,
Thank you for working good magic when the Dark was rising. It might have been very bad if you were not there. This is from my apple tree which protects against the Dark. If you like you can plant one too. It does not have apples yet but when it does you will get one of the first ones.
Mary Lennox
Inside the package is a very small cutting from the apple sapling in front of the greenhouse.
Dear Puss in Boots,
Thank you for the feather. It is awfully pretty even if I do not need panache. They sell very nice hats in the village. I thought you might like to have a different one in case you ever needed it.
Mary Lennox
Inside the package is a very elegant black top hat.
Dear Steve,
Thank you for helping with the kitten's name. We decided to name it Angel eventually but Kate is still a very good name too. I hope you had a merry Christmas.
Mary Lennox
Inside the package is a prettily illustrated copy of A Midsummer Night's Dream - the only Shakespeare play deemed appropriate for Colin's consumption, because it had fairies and other childish things. (The person who sent it hadn't read it very closely.)
Dear River,
I hope that Christmas is nice in the future. I gave your father a book on it so you can read it if you like.
Mary Lennox
Inside the package is a woven bracelet of flowers - mostly from the greenhouse, as the season for blooms has passed in Yorkshire.
Dear Wellard,
Please have this with you on your ship always when you build it.
Mary Lennox
Inside the package is a book on basic first aid (Edwardian era). There is also a rather wobbly model ship, constructed out of cardboard pieces according to instructions in a book and painted a pretty blue.
Dear Mr. and Mrs. Wells,
I hope you had a very nice Christmas.
Mary Lennox
Inside the package are several postcard-size paintings of Yorkshire, apparently designed to appeal to tourist sensibilities. Mary saw them in a shop and thought they were pretty.
Dear Will,
Thank you for helping when the witch was here.
Mary Lennox
Inside the package is a set of handkerchiefs with small flowers that might possibly be apple blossoms, if you squinted (but are probably not) embroidered around the edges. Shopping for avatars of the Light is rather difficult.
Dear Puss,
I do not know if you can read this but in any case you will like your present I think. So just in case.
Mary Lennox
Inside the package is a tin of sardines. Mary has thoughtfully provided a tin-opener along with it, in the assumption that Yrael will be able to find someone to open it for him easily enough.
When all the packages have been distributed, Mary marches out, looking triumphant. Finally, she has taken care of things Properly.