a girl of the limberlost-第46章

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grass…covered；　closely　set　with　trees；　and　a　barn　and　chicken

park　at　the　back　that　seemed　to　be　occupied。　　Elnora　stepped

on　the　veranda　which　was　furnished　with　straw　rugs；　bent…

hickory　chairs；　hanging　baskets；　and　a　table　with　a　work…

box　and　magazines；　and　knocked　at　the　screen　door。



Inside　she　could　see　polished　floors；　walls　freshly　papered

in　low…toned　harmonious　colours；　straw　rugs　and　madras　curtains。　

It　seemed　to　be　a　restful；　homelike　place　to　which　she　had　come。　

A　second　later　down　an　open　stairway　came　a　tall；　dark…eyed

woman　with　cheeks　faintly　pink　and　a　crown　of　fluffy　snow…

white　hair。　　She　wore　a　lavender　gingham　dress　with　white

collar　and　cuffs；　and　she　called　as　she　advanced：　　〃That　screen

isn't　latched！　　Open　it　and　come　see　your　brand…new　mother；

my　girl。〃



Elnora　stepped　inside　the　door。　　〃Mother！〃　she　cried。　

〃You　my　mother！　　I　don't　believe　it！〃



〃Well；　you　better！〃　said　Mrs。　Comstock；　〃because

it's　true！　　You　said　you　wished　I　were　like　the　other

girls'　mothers；　and　I've　shot　as　close　the　mark　as　I　could

without　any　practice。　　I　thought　that　walk　would　be

too　much　for　you　this　winter；　so　I　just　rented　this　house

and　moved　in；　to　be　near　you；　and　help　more　in　case　I'm　needed。　

I've　only　lived　here　a　day；　but　I　like　it　so　well　I've　a

mortal　big　notion　to　buy　the　place。〃



〃But　mother！〃　protested　Elnora；　clinging　to　her　wonderingly。　

〃You　are　perfectly　beautiful；　and　this　house　is　a　little

paradise；　but　how　will　we　ever　pay　for　it？　　We　can't　afford　it！〃



〃Humph！　　Have　you　forgotten　I　telegraphed　you　I'd

found　some　money　I　didn't　know　about？　　All　I've　done

is　paid　for；　and　plenty　more　to　settle　for　all　I

propose　to　do。〃



Mrs。　Comstock　glanced　around　with　satisfaction。



〃I　may　get　homesick　as　a　pup　before　spring；〃　she　said；

〃but　if　I　do　I　can　go　back。　　If　I　don't；　I'll　sell　some

timber　and　put　a　few　oil　wells　where　they　don't　show　much。　

I　can　have　land　enough　cleared　for　a　few　fields　and　put

a　tenant　on　our　farm；　and　we　will　buy　this　and　settle　here。　

It's　for　sale。〃



〃You　don't　look　it；　but　you've　surely　gone　mad！〃



〃Just　the　reverse；　my　girl；〃　said　Mrs。　Comstock；

〃I've　gone　sane。　　If　you　are　going　to　undertake　this

work；　you　must　be　convenient　to　it。　　And　your　mother

should　be　where　she　can　see　that　you　are　properly　dressed；

fed；　and　cared　for。　　This　is　ourlet　me　thinkreception…room。　

How　do　you　like　it？　　This　door　leads　to　your　workroom　and　study。　

I　didn't　do　much　there　because　I　wasn't　sure　of　my　way。　

But　I　knew　you　would　want　a　rug；　curtains；　table；　shelves

for　books；　and　a　case　for　your　specimens；　so　I　had　a

carpenter　shelve　and　enclose　that　end　of　it。　　Looks　pretty

neat　to　me。　　The　dining…room　and　kitchen　are　back；　one

of　the　cows　in　the　barn；　and　some　chickens　in　the　coop。　

I　understand　that　none　of　the　other　girls'　mothers　milk　a

cow；　so　a　neighbour　boy　will　tend　to　ours　for　a　third　of

the　milk。　　There　are　three　bedrooms；　and　a　bath　upstairs。　

Go　take　one；　put　on　some　fresh　clothes；　and　come　to　supper。　

You　can　find　your　room　because　your　things　are　in　it。〃



Elnora　kissed　her　mother　over　and　over；　and　hurried　upstairs。　

She　identified　her　room　by　the　dressing…case。　　There　were

a　pretty　rug；　and　curtains；　white　iron　bed；　plain　and

rocking　chairs　to　match　her　case；　a　shirtwaist　chest；

and　the　big　closet　was　filled　with　her　old　clothing　and

several　new　dresses。　　She　found　the　bathroom；　bathed；

dressed　in　fresh　linen　and　went　down　to　a　supper　that

was　an　evidence　of　Mrs。　Comstock's　highest　art　in　cooking。　

Elnora　was　so　hungry　she　ate　her　first　real　meal　in　two　weeks。　

But　the　bites　went　down　slowly　because　she　forgot　about　them

in　watching　her　mother。



〃How　on　earth　did　you　do　it？〃　she　asked　at　last。　　〃I　always

thought　you　were　naturally　brown　as　a　nut。〃



〃Oh；　that　was　tan　and　sunburn！〃　explained　Mrs。　Comstock。　

〃I　always　knew　I　was　white　underneath　it。　　I　hated　to

shade　my　face　because　I　hadn't　anything　but　a　sunbonnet；

and　I　couldn't　stand　for　it　to　touch　my　ears；　so　I　went

bareheaded　and　took　all　the　colour　I　accumulated。　

But　when　I　began　to　think　of　moving　you　in　to　your　work；

I　saw　I　must　put　up　an　appearance　that　wouldn't　disgrace

you；　so　I　thought　I'd　best　remove　the　crust。　　It　took

some　time；　and　I　hope　I　may　die　before　I　ever　endure

the　feel　and　the　smell　of　the　stuff　I　used　again；　but　it

skinned　me　nicely。　　What　you　now　see　is　my　own　with　a

little　dust　of　rice　powder；　for　protection。　　I'm　sort　of

tender　yet。〃



〃And　your　lovely；　lovely　hair？〃　breathed　Elnora。



〃Hairdresser　did　that！〃　said　Mrs。　Comstock。　　〃It　cost

like　smoke。　　But　I　watched　her；　and　with　a　little

help　from　you　I　can　wash　it　alone　next　time；　though　it

will　be　hard　work。　　I　let　her　monkey　with　it　until　she

said　she　had　found　‘my　style。'　　Then　I　tore　it　down　and

had　her　show　me　how　to　build　it　up　again　three　times。　

I　thought　my　arms　would　drop。　　When　I　paid　the　bill　for

her　work；　the　time　I'd　taken；　the　pins；　and　combs　she'd

used；　I　nearly　had　heart　failure；　but　I　didn't　turn　a　hair

before　her。　　I　just　smiled　at　her　sweetly　and　said；　‘How

reasonable　you　are！'　Come　to　think　of　it；　she　was！　　She　might

have　charged　me　ten　dollars　for　what　she　did　quite　as　well

as　nine　seventy…five。　　I　couldn't　have　helped　myself。　

I　had　made　no　bargain　to　begin　on。〃



Then　Elnora　leaned　back　in　her　chair　and　shouted；　in　a

gust　of　hearty　laughter；　so　a　little　of　the　ache　ceased

in　her　breast。　　There　was　no　time　to　think；　the　remainder

of　that　evening；　she　was　so　tired　she　had　to　sleep；　while

her　mother　did　not　awaken　her　until　she　barely　had　time

to　dress；　breakfast　and　reach　school。　　There　was　nothing

in　the　new　life　to　remind　her　of　the　old。　　It　seemed　as

if　there　never　came　a　minute　for　retrospection；　but　her

mother　appeared　on　the　scene　with　more　work；　or　some

entertaining　thing　to　do。



Mrs。　Comstock　invited　Elnora's　friends　to　visit　her；

and　proved　herself　a　bright　and　interesting　hostess。　

She　digested　a　subject　before　she　spoke；　and　when　she

advanced　a　view；　her　point　was　sure　to　be　original　and

tersely　expressed。　　Before　three　months　people　waited

to　hear　what　she　had　to　say。　　She　kept　her　appearance　so

in　mind　that　she　made　a　handsome　and　a　distinguished　figure。



Elnora　never　mentioned　Philip　Ammon；　neither　did

Mrs。　Comstock。　　Early　in　December　came　a　note　and　a

big　box　from　him。　　It　contained　several　books　on　nature

subjects　which　would　be　of　much　help　in　school　work；

a　number　of　conveniences　Elnora　could　not　afford；　and　a

pair　of　glass…covered　plaster　casts；　for　each　large　moth

she　had。　　In　these　the　upper　and　underwings　of　male　and

female　showed。　　He　explained　that　she　would　break　her

specimens　easily；　carrying　them　around　in　boxes。　　He　had

seen　these　and　thought　they　would　be　of　use。　　Elnora　was

delighted　with　them；　and　at　once　began　the　tedious　process

of　softening　the　mounted　moths　and　fitting　them　to　the

casts　moulded　to　receive　them。　　Her　time　was　so　taken　in

school；　she　progressed　slowly；　so　her　mother　undertook

this　work。　　After　trying　one　or　two　very　common　ones　she

learned　to　handle　the　most　delicate　with　ease。　　She　took

keen　pride　in　relaxing　the　tense　moths；　fitting　them　to　the

cases；　polishing　the　glass　covers　to　the　last　degree　and

sealing　them。　　The　results　were　beautiful　to　behold。



Soon　after　Elnora　wrote　to　Philip：



DEAR　FRIEND：



I　am　writing　to　thank　you　for　the　books；　and　the　box　of　conveniences

sent　me　for　my　work。　　I　can　use　everything　with　fine　results。　

Hope　I　am　giving　good　satisfaction　in　my　position。　　You　will　be

interested　to　learn　that　when　the　summer's　work　was　classified　and

pinned；　I　again　had　my　complete　collection　for　the　man　of　India；

save　a　Yellow　Emperor。　　I　have　tried　everywhere　I　know；　so　has　the

Bird　Woman。　　We　cannot　find　a　pair　for　sale。　　Fate　is　against　me；

at　least　this　season。　　I　shall　have　to　wait　until　next　year　and　try　again。



Thank　you　very　much　for　helping　me　with　my　collection　and　for　the

books　and　cases。



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Sincerely　yours；



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　ELNORA　COMSTOCK。





Philip　was　disappointed　over　that　note　and　instead　of

keeping　it　he　tore　it　into　bits　and　dropped　them　into　the

waste　basket。



That　was　precisely　what　Elnora　had　intended　he　should　do。　

Christmas　brought　beautiful　cards　of　greeting　to

Mrs。　Comstock　and　Elnora；　Easter　others；　and　the　year

ran　rapidly　toward　spring。　　Elnora's　position　had　been

intensely　absorbing；　while　she　had　worked　with　all　her　power。　

She　had　made　a　wonderful　success　and　won　new　friends。　

Mrs。　Comstock　had　helped　in　every　way　she　could；　so　she　was

very　popular　also。



Throughout　the　winter　they　had　enjoyed　the　city　thoroughly；

and　the　change　of　life　it　afforded；　but　signs　of　spring

did　wonderful　things　to　the　hearts　of　the　country…bred　women。　

A　restlessness　began　on　bright　February　days；　calmed　during

March　storms　and　attacked　full　force　in　April。　　When　neither

could　bear　it　any　longer　they　were　forced　to　discuss　the　matter

and　admit　they　were　growing　ill　with　pure　homesickness。　

They　decided　to　keep　the　city　house　during　the　summer；

but　to　return　to　the　farm　to　live　as　soon　as　school　closed。



So　Mrs。　Comstock　would　prepare　breakfast　and　lunch

and　then　slip　away　to　the　farm　to　make　up　beds　in　her

ploughed　garden；　plant　seeds；　trim　and　tend　her　flowers；

and　prepare　the　cabin　for　occupancy。　　Then　she　would　go

home　and　make　the　evening　as　cheerful　as　possible　for

Elnora；　in　these　days　she　lived　only　for　the　girl。



Both　of　them　were　glad　when　the　last　of　May　came　and　the

schools　closed。　　They　packed　the　books　and　clothing　they

wished　to　take　into　a　wagon　and　walked　across　the　fields

to　the　old　cabin。　　As　they　approached　it；　Mrs。　Comstock

said　to　Elnora：　　〃You　are　sure　you　won't　be　lonely　here？〃



Elnora　knew　what　she　really　meant。



〃Quite　sure；〃　she　said。　　〃For　a　time　last　fall　I　was

glad　to　be　away；　but　that　all　wore　out　with　the　winter。　

Spring　made　me　homesick　as　I　could　be。　　I　can　scarcely　wait

until　we　get　back　again。〃



So　they　began　that　summer　as　they　had　begun　all　others

with　work。　　But　both　of　them　took　a　new　joy　in　everything；

and　the　violin　sang　by　the　hour　in　the　twilight。









CHAPTER　XIX





WHEREIN　PHILIP　AMMON　GIVES　A　BALL　IN　HONOUR　OF　EDITH　CARR；

AND　HART　HENDERSON　APPEARS　ON　THE　SCENE





Edith　Carr　stood　in　a　vine…enclosed　side　veranda

of　the　Lake　Shore　Club　House　waiting　while　Philip

Ammon　gave　some　important　orders。　　In　a　few　days

she　would　sail　for　Paris　to　select　a　wonderful　trousseau

she　had　planned　for　her　marriage　in　October。　　To…night

Philip　was　giving　a　club　dance　in　her　honour。　　He　had

spent　days　in　devising　new　and　exquisite　effects　in

decorations；　entertainment；　and　supper。　　Weeks　before　the

favoured　gues