a girl of the limberlost-第29章

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〃I　know　you　well　enough　to　know　that　whatever　you　do　will

be　beautiful。〃



Elnora　was　pleased　over　that；　and　as　she　tried　on　her

dress　for　the　last　fitting　she　was　really　happy。　　She　was

lovely　in　the　dainty　gown：　it　would　serve　finely　for　the　ball

and　many　other　like　occasions；　and　it　was　her　very　own。



The　Bird　Woman's　driver　took　Elnora　in　the　carriage　and

she　called　on　all　the　girls　with　whom　she　was　especially

intimate；　and　left　her　picture　and　the　package　containing

her　gift　to　them。　　By　the　time　she　returned　parcels　for

her　were　arriving。　　Friends　seemed　to　spring　from　everywhere。　

Almost　every　one　she　knew　had　some　gift　for　her；　while

because　they　so　loved　her　the　members　of　her　crowd　had

made　her　beautiful　presents。　　There　were　books；　vases；

silver　pieces；　handkerchiefs；　fans；　boxes　of　flowers

and　candy。　　One　big　package　settled　the　trouble　at　Sinton's；

for　it　contained　a　dainty　dress　from　　Margaret；

a　five…dollar　gold　piece；　conspicuously　labelled；

〃I　earned　this　myself；〃　from　Billy；　with　which　to　buy

music；　and　a　gorgeous　cut…glass　perfume　bottle；　it　would

have　cost　five　dollars　to　fill　with　even　a　moderate…

priced　scent；　from　Wesley。



In　an　expressed　crate　was　a　fine　curly…maple　dressing

table；　sent　by　Freckles。　　The　drawers　were　filled　with

wonderful　toilet　articles　from　the　Angel。　　The　Bird

Woman　added　an　embroidered　linen　cover　and　a　small

silver　vase　for　a　few　flowers；　so　no　girl　of　the　class　had

finer　gifts。　　Elnora　laid　her　head　on　the　table　sobbing

happily；　and　the　Bird　Woman　was　almost　crying　herself。　

Professor　Henley　sent　a　butterfly　book；　the　grade　rooms　in

which　Elnora　had　taught　gave　her　a　set　of　volumes　covering

every　phase　of　life　afield；　in　the　woods；　and　water。　

Elnora　had　no　time　to　read　so　she　carried　one　of　these

books　around　with　her　hugging　it　as　she　went。　　After　she

had　gone　to　dress　a　queer…looking　package　was　brought

by　a　small　boy　who　hopped　on　one　foot　as　he　handed　it

in　and　said：　　〃Tell　Elnora　that　is　from　her　ma。〃



〃Who　are　you？〃　asked　the　Bird　Woman　as　she　took

the　bundle。



〃I'm　Billy！〃　announced　the　boy。　　〃I　gave　her　the　five　dollars。　

I　earned　it　myself　dropping　corn；　sticking　onions；　and

pulling　weeds。　　My；　but　you　got　to　drop；　and　stick；　and

pull　a　lot　before　it's　five　dollars'　worth。〃



〃Would　you　like　to　come　in　and　see　Elnora's　gifts？〃



〃Yes；　ma'am！〃　said　Billy；　trying　to　stand　quietly。　



〃Gee…mentley！〃　he　gasped。　　〃Does　Elnora　get　all　this？〃



〃Yes。〃



〃I　bet　you　a　thousand　dollars　I　be　first　in　my　class

when　I　graduate。　　Say；　have　the　others　got　a　lot　more

than　Elnora？〃



〃I　think　not。〃



〃Well；　Uncle　Wesley　said　to　find　out　if　I　could；　and　if

she　didn't　have　as　much　as　the　rest；　he'd　buy　till　she　did；

if　it　took　a　hundred　dollars。　　Say；　you　ought　to　know　him！　

He's　just　scrumptious！　　There　ain't　anybody　any　where　finer

'an　he　is。　　My；　he's　grand！〃



〃I'm　very　sure　of　it！〃　said　the　Bird　Woman。　　〃I've　often

heard　Elnora　say　so。〃



〃I　bet　you　nobody　can　beat　this！〃　he　boasted。　　Then　he

stopped；　thinking　deeply。　　〃I　don't　know；　though；〃

he　began　reflectively。　　〃Some　of　them　are　awful　rich；

they　got　big　families　to　give　them　things　and　wagon　loads

of　friends；　and　I　haven't　seen　what　they　have。　　Now；　maybe

Elnora　is　getting　left；　after　all！〃



〃Don't　worry；　Billy；〃　she　said。　　〃I　will　watch；　and

if　I　find　Elnora　is　‘getting　left'　I'll　buy　her　some　more

things　myself。　　But　I'm　sure　she　is　not。　　She　has　more

beautiful　gifts　now　than　she　will　know　what　to　do　with；　and

others　will　come。　　Tell　your　Uncle　Wesley　his　girl　is

bountifully　remembered；　very　happy；　and　she　sends　her

dearest　love　to　all　of　you。　　Now　you　must　go；　so　I　can

help　her　dress。　　You　will　be　there　to…night　of　course？〃



〃Yes；　sir…ee！　　She　got　me　a　seat；　third　row　from　the

front；　middle　section；　so　I　can　see；　and　she's　going　to

wink　at　me；　after　she　gets　her　speech　off　her　mind。　

She　kissed　me；　too！　　She's　a　perfect　lady；　Elnora　is。　

I'm　going　to　marry　her　when　I　am　big　enough。〃



〃Why　isn't　that　splendid！〃　laughed　the　Bird　Woman

as　she　hurried　upstairs。



〃Dear！〃　she　called。　　〃Here　is　another　gift　for　you。〃



Elnora　was　half　disrobed　as　she　took　the　package　and；

sitting　on　a　couch；　opened　it。　　The　Bird　Woman　bent　over

her　and　tested　the　fabric　with　her　fingers。



〃Why；　bless　my　soul！〃　she　cried。　　〃Hand…woven；　hand…

embroidered　linen；　fine　as　silk。　　It's　priceless'　I　haven't

seen　such　things　in　years。　　My　mother　had　garments　like

those　when　I　was　a　child；　but　my　sisters　had　them　cut　up

for　collars；　belts；　and　fancy　waists　while　I　was　small。　

Look　at　the　exquisite　work！〃



〃Where　could　it　have　come　from？〃　cried　Elnora。



She　shook　out　a　petticoat；　with　a　hand…wrought　ruffle

a　foot　deep；　then　an　old…fashioned　chemise　the　neck　and

sleeve　work　of　which　was　elaborate　and　perfectly　wrought。　

On　the　breast　was　pinned　a　note　that　she　hastily　opened。



〃I　was　married　in　these；〃　it　read；　〃and　I　had　intended

to　be　buried　in　them；　but　perhaps　it　would　be　more　sensible

for　you　to　graduate　and　get　married　in　them　yourself；　if

you　like。　　Your　mother。〃



〃From　my　mother！〃　　Wide…eyed；　Elnora　looked　at

the　Bird　Woman。　　〃I　never　in　my　life　saw　the　like。　

Mother　does　things　I　think　I　never　can　forgive；　and　when

I　feel　hardest；　she　turns　around　and　does　something　that

makes　me　think　she　just　must　love　me　a　little　bit；　after　all。　

Any　of　the　girls　would　give　almost　anything　to　graduate

in　hand…embroidered　linen　like　that。　　Money　can't　buy

such　things。　　And　they　came　when　I　was　thinking　she

didn't　care　what　became　of　me。　　Do　you　suppose　she　can

be　insane？〃



〃Yes；〃　said　the　Bird　Woman。　　〃Wildly　insane；　if　she

does　not　love　you　and　care　what　becomes　of　you。〃



Elnora　arose　and　held　the　petticoat　to　her。　　〃Will　you

look　at　it？〃　she　cried。　　〃Only　imagine　her　not　getting　my

dress　ready；　and　then　sending　me　such　a　petticoat　as　this！　

Ellen　would　pay　fifty　dollars　for　it　and　never　blink。　

I　suppose　mother　has　had　it　all　my　life；　and　I　never　saw

it　before。〃



〃Go　take　your　bath　and　put　on　those　things；〃　said　the

Bird　Woman。　　〃Forget　everything　and　be　happy。　　She　is

not　insane。　　She　is　embittered。　　She　did　not　understand

how　things　would　be。　　When　she　saw；　she　came　at　once　to

provide　you　a　dress。　　This　is　her　way　of　saying　she　is

sorry　she　did　not　get　the　other。　　You　notice　she　has　not

spent　any　money；　so　perhaps　she　is　quite　honest　in　saying

she　has　none。〃



〃Oh；　she　is　honest！〃　said　Elnora。　　〃She　wouldn't　care

enough　to　tell　an　untruth。　　She'd　say　just　how　things　were；

no　matter　what　happened。〃



Soon　Elnora　was　ready　for　her　dress。　　She　never　had

looked　so　well　as　when　she　again　headed　the　processional

across　the　flower　and　palm　decked　stage　of　the　high

school　auditorium。　　As　she　sat　there　she　could　have

reached　over　and　dropped　a　rose　she　carried　into　the

seat　she　had　occupied　that　September　morning　when　she

entered　the　high　school。　　She　spoke　the　few　words　she

had　to　say　in　behalf　of　the　class　beautifully；　had　the

tiny　wink　ready　for　Billy；　and　the　smile　and　nod　of

recognition　for　Wesley　and　Margaret。　　When　at　last　she

looked　into　the　eyes　of　a　white…faced　woman　next　them；

she　slipped　a　hand　to　her　side　and　raised　her　skirt　the

fraction　of　an　inch；　just　enough　to　let　the　embroidered

edge　of　a　petticoat　show　a　trifle。　　When　she　saw　the　look

of　relief　which　flooded　her　mother's　face；　Elnora　knew

that　forgiveness　was　in　her　heart；　and　that　she　would

go　home　in　the　morning。



It　was　late　afternoon　before　she　arrived；　and　a　dray

followed　with　a　load　of　packages。　　Mrs。　Comstock　was

overwhelmed。　　She　sat　half　dazed　and　made　Elnora　show

her　each　costly　and　beautiful　or　simple　and　useful　gift；

tell　her　carefully　what　it　was　and　from　where　it　came。　

She　studied　the　faces　of　Elnora's　particular　friends。　

The　gifts　from　them　had　to　be　set　in　a　group。　　Several　times

she　started　to　speak　and　then　stopped。　　At　last；　between

her　dry　lips；　came　a　harsh　whisper。



〃Elnora；　what　did　you　give　back　for　these　things？〃



〃I'll　show　you；〃　said　Elnora　cheerfully。　　〃I　made　the

same　gifts　for　the　Bird　Woman；　Aunt　Margaret　and　you

if　you　care　for　it。　　But　I　have　to　run　upstairs　to　get　it。〃



When　she　returned　she　handed　her　mother　an　oblong　frame；

hand　carved；　enclosing　Elnora's　picture；　taken　by　a

schoolmate's　camera。　　She　wore　her　storm…coat　and　carried

a　dripping　umbrella。　　From　under　it　looked　her　bright　face；

her　books　and　lunchbox　were　on　her　arm；　and　across　the

bottom　of　the　frame　was　carved；　〃Your　Country　Classmate。〃



Then　she　offered　another　frame。



〃I　am　strong　on　frames；〃　she　said。　　〃They　seemed　to

be　the　best　I　could　do　without　money。　　I　located　the

maple　and　the　black　walnut　myself；　in　a　little　corner　that

had　been　overlooked　between　the　river　and　the　ditch。　

They　didn't　seem　to　belong　to　any　one　so　I　just　took　them。　

Uncle　Wesley　said　it　was　all　right；　and　he　cut　and　hauled

them　for　me。　　I　gave　the　mill　half　of　each　tree　for　sawing

and　curing　the　remainder。　　Then　I　gave　the　wood…carver

half　of　that　for　making　my　frames。　　A　photographer　gave

me　a　lot　of　spoiled　plates；　and　I　boiled　off　the　emulsion；　and

took　the　specimens　I　framed　from　my　stuff。　　The　man

said　the　white　frames　were　worth　three　and　a　half；　and　the

black　ones　five。　　I　exchanged　those　little　framed　pictures

for　the　photographs　of　the　others。　　For　presents；　I　gave

each　one　of　my　crowd　one　like　this；　only　a　different　moth。　

The　Bird　Woman　gave　me　the　birch　bark。　　She　got　it　up

north　last　summer。〃



Elnora　handed　her　mother　a　handsome　black…walnut

frame　a　foot　and　a　half　wide　by　two　long。　　It　finished　a

small；　shallow　glass…covered　box　of　birch　bark；　to　the

bottom　of　which　clung　a　big　night　moth　with　delicate　pale

green　wings　and　long　exquisite　trailers。



〃So　you　see　I　did　not　have　to　be　ashamed　of　my　gifts；〃

said　Elnora。　　〃I　made　them　myself　and　raised　and

mounted　the　moths。〃



〃Moth；　you　call　it；〃　said　Mrs。　Comstock。　　〃I've　seen　a

few　of　the　things　before。〃



〃They　are　numerous　around　us　every　June　night；　or　at

least　they　used　to　be；〃　said　Elnora。　　〃I've　sold　hundreds

of　them；　with　butterflies；　dragonflies；　and　other　specimens。　

Now；　I　must　put　away　these　and　get　to　work；　for　it　is

almost　June　and　there　are　a　few　more　I　want　dreadfully。　

If　I　find　them　I　will　be　paid　some　money　for　which　I　have

been　working。〃



She　was　afraid　to　say　college　at　that　time。　　She　thought　it

would　be　better　to　wait　a　few　days　and　see　if　an　opportunity

would　not　come　when　it　would　work　in　more　naturally。　

Besides；　unless　she　could　secure　the　Yellow　Emperor　she

needed　to　complete　her　collection；　she　could　not　talk

college　until　she　was　of　age；　for　she　would　have　no　money。









CHAPTER　XII





WHEREIN　MARGARET　SINTON　REVEALS　A　SECRET；