a girl of the limberlost-第2章

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〃One　minute　please；　oh　please；〃　begged　Elnora：　

〃Should　I　knock　or　just　open　the　door？〃



〃Go　in　and　take　a　seat；〃　replied　the　teacher。



〃What　if　there　aren't　any　seats？〃　gasped　Elnora。



〃Classrooms　are　never　half…filled；　there　will　be　plenty；〃

was　the　answer。



Elnora　removed　her　hat。　　There　was　no　place　to　put

it；　so　she　carried　it　in　her　hand。　　She　looked　infinitely

better　without　it。　　After　several　efforts　she　at　last　opened

the　door　and　stepping　inside　faced　a　smaller　and　more

concentrated　battery　of　eyes。



〃The　superintendent　sent　me。　　He　thinks　I　belong

here；〃　she　said　to　the　professor　in　charge　of　the　class；

but　she　never　before　heard　the　voice　with　which　she　spoke。　

As　she　stood　waiting；　the　girl　of　the　hall　passed

on　her　way　to　the　blackboard；　and　suppressed　laughter

told　Elnora　that　her　thrust　had　been　repeated。



〃Be　seated；〃　said　the　professor；　and　then　because　he

saw　Elnora　was　desperately　embarrassed　he　proceeded

to　lend　her　a　book　and　to　ask　her　if　she　had　studied　algebra。　

She　said　she　had　a　little；　but　not　the　same　book　they　were　using。　

He　asked　her　if　she　felt　that　she　could　do　the　work　they　were

beginning；　and　she　said　she　did。



That　was　how　it　happened；　that　three　minutes　after

entering　the　room　she　was　told　to　take　her　place　beside　the

girl　who　had　gone　last　to　the　board；　and　whose　flushed　face

and　angry　eyes　avoided　meeting　Elnora's。　　Being　compelled

to　concentrate　on　her　proposition　she　forgot　herself。　

When　the　professor　asked　that　all　pupils　sign　their　work

she　firmly　wrote　〃Elnora　Comstock〃　under　her　demonstration。　

Then　she　took　her　seat　and　waited　with　white　lips　and

trembling　limbs；　as　one　after　another　professor　called

the　names　on　the　board；　while　their　owners　arose　and

explained　their　propositions；　or　〃flunked〃　if　they　had

not　found　a　correct　solution。　　She　was　so　eager　to　catch

their　forms　of　expression　and　prepare　herself　for　her

recitation；　that　she　never　looked　from　the　work　on　the

board；　until　clearly　and　distinctly；　〃Elnora　Comstock；〃

called　the　professor。



The　dazed　girl　stared　at　the　board。　　One　tiny　curl

added　to　the　top　of　the　first　curve　of　the　m　in　her　name；

had　transformed　it　from　a　good　old　English　patronymic

that　any　girl　might　bear　proudly；　to　Cornstock。　

Elnora　sat　speechless。　　When　and　how　did　it　happen？　

She　could　feel　the　wave　of　smothered　laughter　in　the　air

around　her。　　A　rush　of　anger　turned　her　face　scarlet　and

her　soul　sick。　　The　voice　of　the　professor　addressed　her　directly。



〃This　proposition　seems　to　be　beautifully　demonstrated；

Miss　Cornstalk；〃　he　said。　　〃Surely；　you　can　tell　us　how

you　did　it。〃



That　word　of　praise　saved　her。　　She　could　do　good　work。　

They　might　wear　their　pretty　clothes；　have　their　friends

and　make　life　a　greater　misery　than　it　ever　before

had　been　for　her；　but　not　one　of　them　should　do　better

work　or　be　more　womanly。　　That　lay　with　her。　　She　was

tall；　straight；　and　handsome　as　she　arose。



〃Of　course　I　can　explain　my　work；〃　she　said　in　natural　tones。　

〃What　I　can't　explain　is　how　I　happened　to　be　so　stupid

as　to　make　a　mistake　in　writing　my　own　name。　　I　must

have　been　a　little　nervous。　　Please　excuse　me。〃



She　went　to　the　board；　swept　off　the　signature　with　one

stroke；then　rewrote　it　plainly。　　〃My　name　is　Comstock；〃

she　said　distinctly。　　She　returned　to　her　seat　and　following　the

formula　used　by　the　others　made　her　first　high　school　recitation。



As　Elnora　resumed　her　seat　Professor　Henley　looked　at

her　steadily。　　〃It　puzzles　me；〃　he　said　deliberately；

how　you　can　write　as　beautiful　a　demonstration；　and　explain

it　as　clearly　as　ever　has　been　done　in　any　of　my　classes　and

still　be　so　disturbed　as　to　make　a　mistake　in　your　own　name。　

Are　you　very　sure　you　did　that　yourself；　Miss　Comstock？〃



〃It　is　impossible　that　any　one　else　should　have　done　it；〃

answered　Elnora。



〃I　am　very　glad　you　think　so；〃　said　the　professor。　

〃Being　Freshmen；　all　of　you　are　strangers　to　me。　

I　should　dislike　to　begin　the　year　with　you　feeling　there

was　one　among　you　small　enough　to　do　a　trick　like　that。　

The　next　proposition；　please。〃



When　the　hour　had　gone　the　class　filed　back　to　the　study

room　and　Elnora　followed　in　desperation；　because　she　did

not　know　where　else　to　go。　　She　could　not　study　as　she　had

no　books；　and　when　the　class　again　left　the　room　to　go　to

another　professor　for　the　next　recitation；　she　went　also。　

At　least　they　could　put　her　out　if　she　did　not　belong　there。　

Noon　came　at　last；　and　she　kept　with　the　others　until　they

dispersed　on　the　sidewalk。　　She　was　so　abnormally　self…

conscious　she　fancied　all　the　hundreds　of　that　laughing；

throng　saw　and　jested　at　her。　　When　she　passed　the

brown…eyed　boy　walking　with　the　girl　of　her　encounter；

she　knew；　for　she　heard　him　say：　　〃Did　you　really　let　that

gawky　piece　of　calico　get　ahead　of　you？〃　　The　answer

was　indistinct。



Elnora　hurried　from　the　city。　　She　intended　to　get　her

lunch；　eat　it　in　the　shade　of　the　first　tree；　and　then　decide

whether　she　would　go　back　or　go　home。　　She　knelt　on　the

bridge　and　reached　for　her　box；　but　it　was　so　very　light　that

she　was　prepared　for　the　fact　that　it　was　empty；　before

opening　it。　　There　was　one　thing　for　which　to　be　thankful。　

The　boy　or　tramp　who　had　seen　her　hide　it；　had　left　the　napkin。　

She　would　not　have　to　face　her　mother　and　account　for

its　loss。　　She　put　it　in　her　pocket；　and　threw　the　box

into　the　ditch。　　Then　she　sat　on　the　bridge　and　tried

to　think；　but　her　brain　was　confused。



〃Perhaps　the　worst　is　over；〃　she　said　at　last。　　〃I　will

go　back。　　What　would　mother　say　to　me　if　I　came　home　now？〃



So　she　returned　to　the　high　school；　followed　some　other

pupils　to　the　coat　room；　hung　her　hat；　and　found　her　way

to　the　study　where　she　had　been　in　the　morning。　　Twice

that　afternoon；　with　aching　head　and　empty　stomach；　she

faced　strange　professors；　in　different　branches。　　Once　she

escaped　notice；　the　second　time　the　worst　happened。　　She　was

asked　a　question　she　could　not　answer。



〃Have　you　not　decided　on　your　course；　and　secured　your　books？〃

inquired　the　professor。



〃I　have　decided　on　my　course；〃　replied　Elnora；　〃I

do　not　know　where　to　ask　for　my　books。〃



〃Ask？〃　the　professor　was　bewildered。



〃I　understood　the　books　were　furnished；〃　faltered　Elnora。



〃Only　to　those　bringing　an　order　from　the　township

trustee；〃　replied　the　Professor。



〃No！　　Oh　no！〃　cried　Elnora。　　〃I　will　have　them　to…

morrow；〃　and　gripped　her　desk　for　support　for　she　knew

that　was　not　true。　　Four　books；　ranging　perhaps　at　a

dollar　and　a　half　apiece；　would　her　mother　buy　them？　

Of　course　she　would　notcould　not。



Did　not　Elnora　know　the　story　of　old。　　There　was

enough　land；　but　no　one　to　do　clearing　and　farm。　　Tax　on

all　those　acres；　recently　the　new　gravel　road　tax　added；

the　expense　of　living　and　only　the　work　of　two　women　to

meet　all　of　it。　　She　was　insane　to　think　she　could　come　to

the　city　to　school。　　Her　mother　had　been　right。　　The　girl

decided　that　if　only　she　lived　to　reach　home；　she　would

stay　there　and　lead　any　sort　of　life　to　avoid　more　of

this　torture。　　Bad　as　what　she　wished　to　escape　had　been；

it　was　nothing　like　this。　　She　never　could　live　down　the

movement　that　went　through　the　class　when　she　inadvertently

revealed　the　fact　that　she　had　expected　books　to

be　furnished。　　Her　mother　would　not　secure　them；　that

settled　the　question。



But　the　end　of　misery　is　never　in　a　hurry　to　come；　before

the　day　was　over　the　superintendent　entered　the　room　and

explained　that　pupils　from　the　country　were　charged　a

tuition　of　twenty　dollars　a　year。　　That　really　was　the　end。　

Previously　Elnora　had　canvassed　a　dozen　methods　for

securing　the　money　for　books；　ranging　all　the　way　from

offering　to　wash　the　superintendent's　dishes　to　breaking

into　the　bank。　　This　additional　expense　made　her　plans

so　wildly　impossible；　there　was　nothing　to　do　but　hold　up

her　head　until　she　was　from　sight。



Down　the　long　corridor　alone　among　hundreds；　down　the

long　street　alone　among　thousands；　out　into　the　country

she　came　at　last。　　Across　the　fence　and　field；　along　the　old

trail　once　trodden　by　a　boy's　bitter　agony；　now　stumbled　a

white…faced　girl；　sick　at　heart。　　She　sat　on　a　log　and　began

to　sob　in　spite　of　her　efforts　at　self…control。　　At　first　it

wasphysical　breakdown；　later；　thought　came　crowding。



Oh　the　shame；　the　mortification！　　Why　had　she　not

known　of　the　tuition？　　How　did　she　happen　to　think　that

in　the　city　books　were　furnished？　　Perhaps　it　was　because

she　had　read　they　were　in　several　states。　　But　why　did　she

not　know？　　Why　did　not　her　mother　go　with　her？　　Other　mothers

but　when　had　her　mother　ever　been　or　done　anything　at　all

like　other　mothers？　　Because　she　never　had　been　it　was

useless　to　blame　her　now。　　Elnora　realized　she　should　have

gone　to　town　the　week　before；　called　on　some　one　and

learned　all　these　things　herself。　　She　should　have　remembered

how　her　clothing　would　look；　before　she　wore　it　in

public　places。　　Now　she　knew；　and　her　dreams　were　over。　

She　must　go　home　to　feed　chickens；　calves；　and　pigs；

wear　calico　and　coarse　shoes；　and　with　averted　head；

pass　a　library　all　her　life。　　She　sobbed　again。



〃For　pity's　sake；　honey；　what's　the　matter？〃　asked　the

voice　of　the　nearest　neighbour；　Wesley　Sinton；　as　he

seated　himself　beside　Elnora。　　〃There；　there；〃　he　continued；

smearing　tears　all　over　her　face　in　an　effort　to　dry　them。　

〃Was　it　as　bad　as　that；　now？　　Maggie　has　been　just　wild

over　you　all　day。　　She's　got　nervouser　every　minute。　

She　said　we　were　foolish　to　let　you　go。　　She　said　your

clothes　were　not　right；　you　ought　not　to　carry　that　tin

pail；　and　that　they　would　laugh　at　you。　　By　gum；　I　see

they　did！〃



〃Oh；　Uncle　Wesley；〃　sobbed　the　girl；　〃why　didn't　she

tell　me？　〃



〃Well；　you　see；　Elnora；　she　didn't　like　to。　　You　got

such　a　way　of　holding　up　your　head；　and　going　through

with　things。　　She　thought　some　way　that　you'd　make　it；

till　you　got　started；　and　then　she　begun　to　see　a　hundred

things　we　should　have　done。　　I　reckon　you　hadn't　reached

that　building　before　she　remembered　that　your　skirt

should　have　been　pleated　instead　of　gathered；　your　shoes

been　low；　and　lighter　for　hot　September　weather；　and　a

new　hat。　　Were　your　clothes　right；　Elnora？〃



The　girl　broke　into　hysterical　laughter。　　〃Right！〃　she　cried。　

〃Right！　　Uncle　Wesley；　you　should　have　seen　me　among　them！　

I　was　a　picture！　　They'll　never　forget　me。　　No；　they　won't

get　the　chance；　for　they'll　see　me　again　to…morrow！



〃Now　that　is　what　I　call　spunk；　Elnora！　　Downright　grit；〃

said　Wesley　Sinton。　　〃Don't　you　let　them　laugh　you　out。　

You've　helped　Margaret　and　me　for　years　at　harvest　and

busy　times；　what　you've　earned　must　amount　to　quite　a　sum。　

You　can　get　yourself　a　good　many　clothes　with　it。〃