a girl of the limberlost-第26章

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〃But　I　can't；　unless　I　have　things　enough　like　the

class；　that　I　don't　look　as　I　did　that　first　day。〃



〃Well；　please　remember　I　didn't　get　you　into　this；

and　I　can't　get　you　out。　　You　are　set　on　having　your

own　way。　　Go　on；　and　have　it；　and　see　how　you　like　it！〃



Elnora　went　upstairs　and　did　not　come　down　again

that　night；　which　her　mother　called　pouting。



〃I've　thought　all　night；〃　said　the　girl　at　breakfast；

〃and　I　can't　see　any　way　but　to　borrow　the　money　of

Uncle　Wesley　and　pay　it　back　from　some　that　the　Bird

Woman　will　owe　me；　when　I　get　one　more　specimen。　

But　that　means　that　I　can't　go　tothat　I　will　have　to

teach　this　winter；　if　I　can　get　a　city　grade　or　a

country　school。〃



〃Just　you　dare　go　dinging　after　Wesley　Sinton　for　money；〃

cried　Mrs。　Comstock。　　〃You　won't　do　any　such　a　thing！〃



〃I　can't　see　any　other　way。　　I've　got　to　have　the　money！〃



〃Quit；　I　tell　you！〃



〃I　can't　quit！I've　gone　too　far！〃



〃Well　then；　let　me　get　your　clothes；　and　you　can　pay

me　back。〃



〃But　you　said　you　had　no　money！〃



〃Maybe　I　can　borrow　some　at　the　bank。　　Then　you

can　return　it　when　the　Bird　Woman　pays　you。〃



〃All　right；〃　said　Elnora。　　〃I　don't　need　expensive　things。　

Just　some　kind　of　a　pretty　cheap　white　dress　for　the　sermon；

and　a　white　one　a　little　better　than　I　had　last　summer；

for　Commencement　and　the　ball。　　I　can　use　the　white

gloves　and　shoes　I　got　myself　for　last　year；　and　you　can

get　my　dress　made　at　the　same　place　you　did　that　one。　

They　have　my　measurements；　and　do　perfect　work。　

Don't　get　expensive　things。　　It　will　be　warm　so　I　can

go　bareheaded。〃



Then　she　started　to　school；　but　was　so　tired　and

discouraged　she　scarcely　could　walk。　　Four　years'　plans

going　in　one　day！　　For　she　felt　that　if　she　did　not　start

to　college　that　fall　she　never　would。　　Instead　of　feeling

relieved　at　her　mother's　offer；　she　was　almost　too　ill　to

go　on。　　For　the　thousandth　time　she　groaned：　　〃Oh；　why

didn't　I　keep　account　of　my　money？〃



After　that　the　days　passed　so　swiftly　she　scarcely　had

time　to　think；　but　several　trips　her　mother　made　to　town；

and　the　assurance　that　everything　was　all　right；

satisfied　Elnora。　　She　worked　very　hard　to　pass　good

final　examinations　and　perfect　herself　for　the　play。　

For　two　days　she　had　remained　in　town　with　the　Bird　Woman

in　order　to　spend　more　time　practising　and　at　her　work。



Often　Margaret　had　asked　about　her　dresses　for　graduation；

and　Elnora　had　replied　that　they　were　with　a　woman　in　the

city　who　had　made　her　a　white　dress　for　last　year's

Commencement　when　she　was　a　junior　usher；　and　they　would

be　all　right。　　So　Margaret；　Wesley；　and　Billy　concerned

themselves　over　what　they　would　give　her　for　a　present。　

Margaret　suggested　a　beautiful　dress。　　Wesley　said　that

would　look　to　every　one　as　if　she　needed　dresses。　

The　thing　was　to　get　a　handsome　gift　like　all　the　others

would　have。　　Billy　wanted　to　present　her　a　five…dollar　gold

piece　to　buy　music　for　her　violin。　　He　was　positive　Elnora

would　like　that　best　of　anything。



It　was　toward　the　close　of　the　term　when　they　drove　to

town　one　evening　to　try　to　settle　this　important　question。　

They　knew　Mrs。　Comstock　had　been　alone　several　days；

so　they　asked　her　to　accompany　them。　　She　had

been　more　lonely　than　she　would　admit；　filled　with　unusual

unrest　besides；　and　so　she　was　glad　to　go。　　But　before

they　had　driven　a　mile　Billy　had　told　that　they　were　going

to　buy　Elnora　a　graduation　present；　and　Mrs。　Comstock

devoutly　wished　that　she　had　remained　at　home。　　She　was

prepared　when　Billy　asked：　　〃Aunt　Kate；　what　are　you　going

to　give　Elnora　when　she　graduates？〃



〃Plenty　to　eat；　a　good　bed　to　sleep　in；　and　do　all

the　work　while　she　trollops；〃　answered　Mrs。　Comstock　dryly。



Billy　reflected。　　〃I　guess　all　of　them　have　that；〃　he　said。　

〃I　mean　a　present　you　buy　at　the　store；　like　Christmas？〃



〃It　is　only　rich　folks　who　buy　presents　at　stores；〃

replied　Mrsstock。　〃I　can't　afford　it。〃





〃Well；　we　ain't　rich；〃　he　said；　〃but　we　are　going　to　buy

Elnora　something　as　fine　as　the　rest　of　them　have　if　we　sell

a　corner　of　the　farm。　　Uncle　Wesley　said　so。〃



〃A　fool　and　his　land　are　soon　parted；〃　said　Mrs。

Comstock　tersely。　　Wesley　and　Billy　laughed；　but

Margaret　did　not　enjoy　the　remark。



While　they　were　searching　the　stores　for　something　on

which　all　of　them　could　decide；　and　Margaret　was　holding

Billy　to　keep　him　from　saying　anything　before　Mrs。　Comstock

about　the　music　on　which　he　was　determined；　Mr。　Brownlee

met　Wesley　and　stopped　to　shake　hands。



〃I　see　your　boy　came　out　finely；〃　he　said。



〃I　don't　allow　any　boy　anywhere　to　be　finer　than　Billy；〃

said　Wesley。



〃I　guess　you　don't　allow　any　girl　to　surpass　Elnora；〃

said　Mr。　Brownlee。　　〃She　comes　home　with　Ellen　often；

and　my　wife　and　I　love　her。　　Ellen　says　she　is　great　in　her

part　to…night。　　Best　thing　in　the　whole　play！　　Of　course；

you　are　in　to　see　it！　　If　you　haven't　reserved　seats；　you'd

better　start　pretty　soon；　for　the　high　school　auditorium

only　seats　a　thousand。　　It's　always　jammed　at　these　home…

talent　plays。　　All　of　us　want　to　see　how　our　children　perform。〃



〃Why　yes；　of　course；〃　said　the　bewildered　Wesley。　

Then　he　hurried　to　Margaret。　　〃Say；〃　he　said；　〃there　is

going　to　be　a　play　at　the　high　school　to…night；　and　Elnora

is　in　it。　　Why　hasn't　she　told　us？〃



〃I　don't　know；〃　said　Margaret；　〃but　I'm　going。〃



〃So　am　I；〃　said　Billy。



〃Me　too！〃　said　Wesley；　〃unless　you　think　for　some

reason　she　doesn't　want　us。　　Looks　like　she　would　have

told　us　if　she　had。　　I'm　going　to　ask　her　mother。〃



〃Yes；　that's　what's　she's　been　staying　in　town　for；〃　said

Mrs。　Comstock。　　〃It's　some　sort　of　a　swindle　to　raise

money　for　her　class　to　buy　some　silly　thing　to　stick　up　in

the　school　house　hall　to　remember　them　by。　　I　don't　know

whether　it's　now　or　next　week；　but　there's　something　of　the

kind　to　be　done。〃



〃Well；　it's　to…night；〃　said　Wesley；　〃and　we　are　going。　

It's　my　treat；　and　we've　got　to　hurry　or　we　won't　get　in。　

There　are　reserved　seats；　and　we　have　none；　so　it's　the

gallery　for　us；　but　I　don't　care　so　I　get　to　take　one　good

peep　at　Elnora。〃



〃S'pose　she　plays？〃　whispered　Margaret　in　his　ear。



〃Aw；　tush！　　She　couldn't！〃　said　Wesley。



〃Well；　she's　been　doing　it　three　years　in　the　orchestra；

and　working　like　a　slave　at　it。〃



〃Oh；　well　that's　different。　　She's　in　the　play　to…night。　

Brownlee　told　me　so。　　Come　on；　quick！　　We'll　drive　and

hitch　closest　place　we　can　find　to　the　building。〃



Margaret　went　in　the　excitement　of　the　moment；　but

she　was　troubled。



When　they　reached　the　building　Wesley　tied　the　team

to　a　railing　and　Billy　sprang　out　to　help　Margaret。　

Mrs。　Comstock　sat　still。



〃Come　on；　Kate；〃　said　Wesley；　reaching　his　hand。



〃I'm　not　going　anywhere；〃　said　Mrs。　Comstock；

settling　comfortably　back　against　the　cushions。



All　of　them　begged　and　pleaded；　but　it　was　no　use。　　Not　an

inch　would　Mrs。　Comstock　budge。　　The　night　was　warm　and

the　carriage　comfortable；　the　horses　were　securely　hitched。　

She　did　not　care　to　see　what　idiotic　thing　a　pack　of　school

children　were　doing；　she　would　wait　until　the　Sintons　returned。　

Wesley　told　her　it　might　be　two　hours；　and　she　said　she　did

not　care　if　it　were　four；　so　they　left　her。



〃Did　you　ever　see　such？〃



〃Cookies！〃　cried　Billy。



〃Such　blamed　stubbornness　in　all　your　life？〃　demanded　Wesley。　

〃Won't　come　to　see　as　fine　a　girl　as　Elnora　in　a

stage　performance。　　Why；　I　wouldn't　miss　it　for　fifty　dollars！



〃I　think　it's　a　blessing　she　didn't；〃　said　Margaret　placidly。　

〃I　begged　unusually　hard　so　she　wouldn't。　　I'm　scared　of　my

life　for　fear　Elnora　will　play。〃



They　found　seats　near　the　door　where　they　could　see

fairly　well。　　Billy　stood　at　the　back　of　the　hall　and　had　a

good　view。　　By　and　by；　a　great　volume　of　sound　welled

from　the　orchestra；　but　Elnora　was　not　playing。



〃Told　you　so！〃　said　Sinton。　　〃Got　a　notion　to　go　out

and　see　if　Kate　won't　come　now。　　She　can　take　my　seat；

and　I'll　stand　with　Billy。〃



〃You　sit　　still！〃　said　Margaret　emphatically。　　〃This　is

not　over　yet。〃



So　Wesley　remained　in　his　seat。　　The　play　opened　and

progressed　very　much　as　all　high　school　plays　have　gone

for　the　past　fifty　years。　　But　Elnora　did　not　appear　in　any

of　the　scenes。



Out　in　the　warm　summer　night　a　sour；　grim　woman

nursed　an　aching　heart　and　tried　to　justify　herself。　

The　effort　irritated　her　intensely。　　She　felt　that　she

could　not　afford　the　things　that　were　being　done。　

The　old　fear　of　losing　the　land　that　she　and　Robert

Comstock　had　purchased　and　started　clearing　was　strong

upon　her。　　She　was　thinking　of　him；　how　she　needed　him；

when　the　orchestra　music　poured　from　the　open　windows

near　her。　　Mrs。　Comstock　endured　it　as　long　as　she

could；　and　then　slipped　from　the　carriage　and　fled　down

the　street。



She　did　not　know　how　far　she　went　or　how　long　she　stayed；

but　everything　was　still；　save　an　occasional　raised

voice　when　she　wandered　back。　　She　stood　looking　at

the　building。　　Slowly　she　entered　the　wide　gates　and

followed　up　the　walk。　　Elnora　had　been　coming　here　for

almost　four　years。　　When　Mrs。　Comstock　reached　the　door　she

looked　inside。　　The　wide　hall　was　lighted　with　electricity；

and　the　statuary　and　the　decorations　of　the　walls　did　not

seem　like　pieces　of　foolishness。　　The　marble　appeared

pure；　white；　and　the　big　pictures　most　interesting。　

She　walked　the　length　of　the　hall　and　slowly　read　the　titles

of　the　statues　and　the　names　of　the　pupils　who　had　donated　them。　

She　speculated　on　where　the　piece　Elnora's　class　would　buy

could　be　placed　to　advantage。



Then　she　wondered　if　they　were　having　a　large　enough

audience　to　buy　marble。　　She　liked　it　better　than　the

bronze；　but　it　looked　as　if　it　cost　more。　　How　white　the

broad　stairway　was！　　Elnora　had　been　climbing　those

stairs　for　years　and　never　told　her　they　were　marble。　

Of　course；　she　thought　they　were　wood。　　Probably　the　upper

hall　was　even　grander　than　this。　　She　went　over　to　the

fountain；　took　a　drink；　climbed　to　the　first　landing　and

looked　around　her；　and　then　without　thought　to　the　second。　

There　she　came　opposite　the　wide…open　doors　and　the

entrance　to　the　auditorium　packed　with　people　and　a

crowd　standing　outside。　　When　they　noticed　a　tall

woman　with　white　face　and　hair　and　black　dress；　one　by

one　they　stepped　a　little　aside；　so　that　Mrs。　Comstock

could　see　the　stage。　　It　was　covered　with　curtains；　and　no

one　was　doing　anything。　　Just　as　she　turned　to　go　a　sound

so　faint　that　every　one　leaned　forward　and　listened；

drifted　down　the　auditorium。　　It　was　difficult　to　tell　just

what　it　was；　after　one　instant　half　the　audience　looked

toward　the　windows；　for　it　seemed　only　a　breath　of　wind

rustling　freshly　opened　leaves；　m