a girl of the limberlost-第4章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
be something enormous。 I don't know as I can spare
you； even if you are willing to be a laughing…stock for
the town。〃
With every bite Elnora's courage returned； for she was
a healthy young thing。
〃You've heard about doing evil that good might come
from it；〃 she said。 〃Well； mother mine； it's something
like that with me。 I'm willing to bear the hard part
to pay for what I'll learn。 Already I have selected the
ward building in which I shall teach in about four years。
I am going to ask for a room with a south exposure so
that the flowers and moths I take in from the swamp
to show the children will do well。〃
〃You little idiot！〃 said Mrs。 Comstock。 〃How are
you going to pay your expenses？〃
〃Now that is just what I was going to ask you！〃 said Elnora。
〃You see； I have had two startling pieces of news to…day。
I did not know I would need any money。 I thought the city
furnished the books； and there is an out…of…town tuition； also。
I need ten dollars in the morning。 Will you please let me have it？〃
〃Ten dollars！〃 cried Mrs。 Comstock。 〃Ten dollars！
Why don't you say a hundred and be done with it！ I could
get one as easy as the other。 I told you！ I told you
I couldn't raise a cent。 Every year expenses grow bigger
and bigger。 I told you not to ask for money！〃
〃I never meant to；〃 replied Elnora。 〃I thought
clothes were all I needed and I could bear them。
I never knew about buying books and tuition。〃
〃Well； I did！〃 said Mrs。 Comstock。 〃I knew what
you would run into！ But you are so bull…dog stubborn；
and so set in your way； I thought I would just let you
try the world a little and see how you liked it！〃
Elnora pushed back her chair and looked at her mother。
〃Do you mean to say；〃 she demanded； 〃that you knew；
when you let me go into a city classroom and reveal the
fact before all of them that I expected to have my books
handed out to me； do you mean to say that you knew I had
to pay for them？〃
Mrs。 Comstock evaded the direct question。
〃Anybody but an idiot mooning over a book or wasting
time prowling the woods would have known you had
to pay。 Everybody has to pay for everything。 Life is
made up of pay； pay； pay！ It's always and forever pay！
If you don't pay one way you do another！ Of course；
I knew you had to pay。 Of course； I knew you would come
home blubbering！ But you don't get a penny！ I haven't
one cent； and can't get one！ Have your way if you are
determined； but I think you will find the road somewhat rocky。〃
〃Swampy； you mean； mother；〃 corrected Elnora。 She arose
white and trembling。 〃Perhaps some day God will teach
me how to understand you。 He knows I do not now。
You can't possibly realize just what you let me go
through to…day； or how you let me go； but I'll tell you this：
You understand enough that if you had the money； and
would offer it to me； I wouldn't touch it now。 And I'll
tell you this much more。 I'll get it myself。 I'll raise it；
and do it some honest way。 I am going back to…morrow；
the next day； and the next。 You need not come out； I'll do
the night work； and hoe the turnips。〃
It was ten o'clock when the chickens； pigs； and cattle
were fed； the turnips hoed； and a heap of bean vines was
stacked beside the back door。
CHAPTER II
WHEREIN WESLEY AND MARGARET GO SHOPPING；
AND ELNORA'S WARDROBE IS REPLENISHED
Wesley Sinton walked down the road half a
mile and turned at the lane leading to his home。
His heart was hot and filled with indignation。
He had told Elnora he did not blame her mother；
but he did。 His wife met him at the door。
〃Did you see anything of Elnora？〃 she questioned。
〃Most too much； Maggie；〃 he answered。 〃What do
you say to going to town？ There's a few things has
to be got right away。〃
〃Where did you see her； Wesley？〃
〃Along the old Limberlost trail； my girl； torn to
pieces sobbing。 Her courage always has been fine； but the
thing she met to…day was too much for her。 We ought to have
known better than to let her go that way。 It wasn't only
clothes； there were books； and entrance fees for out…of…
town people； that she didn't know about； while there must
have been jeers； whispers； and laughing。 Maggie； I feel
as if I'd been a traitor to those girls of ours。 I ought to
have gone in and seen about this school business。
Don't cry； Maggie。 Get me some supper； and I'll hitch up
and see what we can do now。〃
〃What can we do； Wesley？
〃I don't just know。 But we've got to do something。
Kate Comstock will be a handful； while Elnora will be
two； but between us we must see that the girl is not too
hard pressed about money； and that she is dressed so she
is not ridiculous。 She's saved us the wages of a woman
many a day； can't you make her some decent dresses？〃
〃Well； I'm not just what you call expert； but I could
beat Kate Comstock all to pieces。 I know that skirts
should be pleated to the band instead of gathered； and full
enough to sit in； and short enough to walk in。 I could try。
There are patterns for sale。 Let's go right away； Wesley。〃
〃Set me a bit of supper； while I hitch up。〃
Margaret built a fire； made coffee； and fried ham and eggs。
She set out pie and cake and had enough for a hungry
man by the time the carriage was at the door； but she
had no appetite。 She dressed while Wesley ate； put away
the food while he dressed； and then they drove toward
the city through the beautiful September evening；
and as they went they planned for Elnora。 The trouble
was； not whether they were generous enough to buy what
she needed； but whether she would accept their purchases；
and what her mother would say。
They went to a drygoods store and when a clerk asked
what they wanted to see neither of them knew； so they
stepped aside and held a whispered consultation。
〃What had we better get； Wesley？〃
〃Dresses；〃 said Wesley promptly；
〃But how many dresses； and what kind？〃
〃Blest if I know！〃 exclaimed Wesley。 〃I thought you
would manage that。 I know about some things I'm going
to get。〃
At that instant several high school girls came into the
store and approached them。
〃There！〃 exclaimed Wesley breathlessly。 〃There； Maggie！
Like them！ That's what she needs！ Buy like they have！〃
Margaret stared。 What did they wear？ They were
rapidly passing； they seemed to have so much； and she
could not decide so quickly。 Before she knew it she was
among them。
〃I beg your pardon； but won't you wait one minute？〃
she asked。
The girls stopped with wondering faces。
〃It's your clothes；〃 explained Mrs。 Sinton。 〃You look
just beautiful to me。 You look exactly as I should have
wanted to see my girls。 They both died of diphtheria
when they were little； but they had yellow hair； dark eyes
and pink cheeks； and everybody thought they were lovely。
If they had lived； they'd been near your age now； and I'd
want them to look like you。〃
There was sympathy on every girl face。
〃Why thank you！〃 said one of them。 〃We are very
sorry for you。〃
〃Of course you are；〃 said Margaret。 〃Everybody always
has been。 And because I can't ever have the joy of
a mother in thinking for my girls and buying pretty things
for them； there is nothing left for me； but to do what I can
for some one who has no mother to care for her。 I know
a girl； who would be just as pretty as any of you； if she had
the clothes； but her mother does not think about her； so I
mother her some myself。〃
〃She must be a lucky girl；〃 said another。
〃Oh； she loves me；〃 said Margaret； 〃and I love her。
I want her to look just like you do。 Please tell me
about your clothes。 Are these the dresses and hats you
wear to school？ What kind of goods are they； and where
do you buy them？〃
The girls began to laugh and cluster around Margaret。
Wesley strode down the store with his head high through
pride in her； but his heart was sore over the memory of two
little faces under Brushwood sod。 He inquired his way to
the shoe department。
〃Why； every one of us have on gingham or linen
dresses；〃 they said； 〃and they are our school clothes。〃
For a few moments there was a babel of laughing voices
explaining to the delighted Margaret that school dresses
should be bright and pretty； but simple and plain； and
until cold weather they should wash。
〃I'll tell you；〃 said Ellen Brownlee； 〃my father owns
this store； I know all the clerks。 I'll take you to Miss
Hartley。 You tell her just how much you want to spend；
and what you want to buy； and she will know how to get
the most for your money。 I've heard papa say she was
the best clerk in the store for people who didn't know
precisely what they wanted。〃
〃That's the very thing；〃 agreed Margaret。 〃But before
you go； tell me about your hair。 Elnora's hair is
bright and wavy； but yours is silky as hackled flax。
How do you do it？〃
〃Elnora？〃 asked four girls in concert。
〃Yes； Elnora is the name of the girl I want these things for。〃
〃Did she come to the high school to…day？〃 questioned
one of them。
〃Was she in your classes？〃 demanded Margaret without reply。
Four girls stood silent and thought fast。 Had there
been a strange girl among them； and had she been overlooked
and passed by with indifference； because she was so
very shabby？ If she had appeared as much better than
they； as she had looked worse； would her reception have
been the same？
〃There was a strange girl from the country in the Freshman
class to…day；〃 said Ellen Brownlee； 〃and her name was Elnora。〃
〃That was the girl；〃 said Margaret。
〃Are her people so very poor？〃 questioned Ellen。
〃No； not poor at all； come to think of it；〃 answered Margaret。
〃It's a peculiar case。 Mrs。 Comstock had a great trouble
and she let it change her whole life and make a different
woman of her。 She used to be lovely； now she is forever
saving and scared to death for fear they will go to the
poorhouse； but there is a big farm； covered with lots
of good timber。 The taxes are high for women who can't
manage to clear and work the land。 There ought to be
enough to keep two of them in good shape all their lives；
if they only knew how to do it。 But no one ever told
Kate Comstock anything； and never will； for she won't listen。
All she does is droop all day； and walk the edge of the
swamp half the night； and neglect Elnora。 If you girls
would make life just a little easier for her it would
be the finest thing you ever did。〃
All of them promised they would。
〃Now tell me about your hair；〃 persisted Margaret Sinton。
So they took her to a toilet counter； and she bought the
proper hair soap； also a nail file； and cold cream； for use
after windy days。 Then they
