a girl of the limberlost-第15章

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you　must　be　kind　and　polite　to　your　sister。〃



〃Must　Belle　be　kind　and　polite　to　me；　else　she　ain't　a　lady？〃



〃Yes。〃



〃Then　Belle's　no　lady！〃　said　Billy　succinctly。



Elnora　could　say　nothing　more　just　then；　and　she　bade

them　good…bye　and　started　them　home。



〃The　poor　little　souls！〃　she　mused。　　〃I　think　the　Almighty

put　them　in　my　way　to　show　me　real　trouble。　　I　won't　be

likely　to　spend　much　time　pitying　myself　while　I　can

see　them。〃　　　She　glanced　at　the　lunchbox。　　〃What　on

earth　do　I　carry　this　for？　　I　never　had　anything　that　was

so　strictly　ornamental！　　One　sure　thing！　　I　can't　take

this　stuff　to　the　high　school。　　You　never　seem　to　know

exactly　what　is　going　to　happen　to　you　while　you　are　there。〃



As　if　to　provide　a　way　out　of　her　difficulty　a　big　dog

arose　from　a　lawn；　and　came　toward　the　gate　wagging　his　tail。　

〃If　those　children　ate　the　stuff；　it　can't　possibly　kill　him！〃

thought　Elnora；　so　she　offered　the　bologna。　　The　dog

accepted　it　graciously；　and　being　a　beast　of　pedigree

he　trotted　around　to　a　side　porch　and　laid　the　bologna

before　his　mistress。　　The　woman　snatched　it；　screaming：　

〃Come；　quick！　　Some　one　is　trying　to　poison　Pedro！〃　

Her　daughter　came　running　from　the　house。　　〃Go　see

who　is　on　the　street。　　Hurry！〃　cried　the　excited　mother。



Ellen　Brownlee　ran　and　looked。　　Elnora　was　half　a

block　away；　and　no　one　nearer。　　Ellen　called　loudly；　and

Elnora　stopped。　　Ellen　came　running　toward　her。



〃Did　you　see　any　one　give　our　dog　something？〃　she

cried　as　she　approached。



Elnora　saw　no　escape。



〃I　gave　it　a　piece　of　bologna　myself；〃　she　said。　　〃It　was

fit　to　eat。　　It　wouldn't　hurt　the　dog。〃



Ellen　stood　and　looked　at　her。　　〃Of　course；　I　didn't

know　it　was　your　dog；〃　explained　Elnora。　　〃I　had　something

I　wanted　to　throw　to　some　dog；　and　that　one　looked　big

enough　to　manage　it。〃



Ellen　had　arrived　at　her　conclusions。　　〃Pass　over　that

lunch　box；〃　she　demanded。



〃I　will　not！〃　said　Elnora。



〃Then　I　will　have　you　arrested　for　trying　to　poison　our

dog；〃　laughed　the　girl　as　she　took　the　box。



〃One　chunk　of　stale　bread；　one　half　mile　of　antique

bologna　contributed　for　dog　feed；　the　remains　of　cake；　salad

and　preserves　in　an　otherwise　empty　lunch　box。　　One　ham

sandwich　yesterday。　　I　think　it's　lovely　you　have　the　box。　

Who　ate　your　lunch　to…day？〃



〃Same；〃　confessed　Elnora；　〃but　there　were　three　of

them　this　time。〃



〃Wait；　until　I　run　back　and　tell　mother　about　the　dog；

and　get　my　books。〃



Elnora　waited。　　That　morning　she　walked　down　the

hall　and　into　the　auditorium　beside　one　of　the　very　nicest

girls　in　Onabasha；　and　it　was　the　fourth　day。　　But　the

surprise　came　at　noon　when　Ellen　insisted　upon　Elnora

lunching　at　the　Brownlee　home；　and　convulsed　her　parents

and　family；　and　overwhelmed　Elnora　with　a　greatly　magnified；

but　moderately　accurate　history　of　her　lunch　box。



〃Gee！　but　it's　a　box；　daddy！〃　cried　the　laughing　girl。　

〃It's　carved　leather　and　fastens　with　a　strap　that　has　her

name　on　it。　　Inside　are　trays　for　things　all　complete；　and

it　bears　evidence　of　having　enclosed　delicious　food；　but

Elnora　never　gets　any。　　She's　carried　it　two　days　now；　and

both　times　it　has　been　empty　before　she　reached　school。　

Isn't　that　killing？〃



〃It　is；　Ellen；　in　more　ways　than　one。　　No　girl　is　going

to　eat　breakfast　at　six　o'clock；　walk　three　miles；　and　do

good　work　without　her　lunch。　　You　can't　tell　me　anything

about　that　box。　　I　sold　it　last　Monday　night　to　Wesley

Sinton；　one　of　my　good　country　customers。　　He　told　me　it

was　a　present　for　a　girl　who　was　worthy　of　it；　and　I　see　he

was　right。〃



〃He's　so　good　to　me；〃　said　Elnora。　　〃Sometimes　I　look

at　him　and　wonder　if　a　neighbour　can　be　so　kind　to　one；

what　a　real　father　would　be　like。　　I　envy　a　girl　with　a

father　unspeakably。〃



〃You　have　cause；〃　said　Ellen　Brownlee。　　〃A　father　is

the　very　dearest　person　in　the　whole　round　world；　except　a

mother；　who　is　just　a　dear。〃　　The　girl；　starting　to　pay

tribute　to　her　father；　saw　that　she　must　include　her　mother；

and　said　the　thing　before　she　remembered　what　Mrs。　Sinton

had　told　the　girls　in　the　store。　　She　stopped　in　dismay。　

Elnora's　face　paled　a　trifle；　but　she　smiled　bravely。



〃Then　I'm　fortunate　in　having　a　mother；〃　she　said。



Mr。　Brownlee　lingered　at　the　table　after　the　girls　had

excused　themselves　and　returned　to　school。



〃There's　a　girl　Ellen　can't　see　too　much　of；　in　my

opinion；〃　he　said。　　〃She　is　every　inch　a　lady；　and　not　a

foolish　notion　or　action　about　her。　　I　can't　understand

just　what　combination　of　circumstances　produced　her　in

this　day。〃



〃It　has　been　an　unusual　case　of　repression；　for　one　thing。　

She　waits　on　her　elders　and　thinks　before　she　speaks；〃

said　Mrs。　Brownlee。



〃She's　mighty　pretty。　　She　looks　so　sound　and　wholesome；

and　she's　neatly　dressed。〃



〃Ellen　says　she　was　a　fright　the　first　two　days。　　Long　brown

calico　dress　almost　touching　the　floor；　and　big；

lumbering　shoes。　　Those　Sinton　people　bought　her　clothes。　

Ellen　was　in　the　store；　and　the　woman　stopped　her　crowd

and　asked　them　about　their　dresses。　　She　said　the　girl

was　not　poor；　but　her　mother　was　selfish　and　didn't

care　for　her。　　But　Elnora　showed　a　bank　book　the　next

day；　and　declared　that　she　paid　for　the　things　herself；

so　the　Sinton　people　must　just　have　selected　them。　

There's　something　peculiar　about　it；　but　nothing　wrong

I　am　sure。　　I'll　encourage　Ellen　to　ask　her　again。〃



〃I　should　say　so；　especially　if　she　is　going　to　keep　on

giving　away　her　lunch。〃



〃She　lunched　with　the　Bird　Woman　one　day　this　week。〃



〃She　did！〃



〃Yes；　she　lives　out　by　the　Limberlost。　　You　know　the

Bird　Woman　works　there　a　great　deal；　and　probably

knows　her　that　way。　　I　think　the　girl　gathers　specimens

for　her。　　Ellen　says　she　knows　more　than　the　teachers

about　any　nature　question　that　comes　up；　and　she　is　going

to　lead　all　of　them　in　mathematics；　and　make　them　work

in　any　branch。〃



When　Elnora　entered　the　coat　room　after　having　had

luncheon　with　Ellen　Brownlee　there　was　such　a　difference

in　the　atmosphere　that　she　could　feel　it。



〃I　am　almost　sorry　I　have　these　clothes；〃　she　said　to　Ellen。



〃In　the　name　of　sense；　why？〃　cried　the　astonished　girl。



〃Every　one　is　so　nice　to　me　in　them；　it　sets　me　to

wondering　if　in　time　I　could　have　made　them　be　equally

friendly　in　the　others。〃



Ellen　looked　at　her　introspectively。　　〃I　believe　you

could；〃　she　announced　at　last。　　〃But　it　would　have　taken

time　and　heartache；　and　your　mind　would　have　been　less

free　to　work　on　your　studies。　　No　one　is　happy　without

friends；　and　I　just　simply　can't　study　when　I　am　unhappy。〃



That　night　the　Bird　Woman　made　the　last　trip　to　the　swamp。　

Every　specimen　she　possibly　could　use　had　been　purchased

at　a　fair　price；　and　three　additions　had　been　made　to　the

bank　book；　carrying　the　total　a　little　past　two　hundred　dollars。　

There　remained　the　Indian　relics　to　sell　on　Saturday；

and　Elnora　had　secured　the　order　to　furnish　material　for

nature　work　for　the　grades。　　Life　suddenly　grew　very　full。　

There　was　the　most　excitingly　interesting　work　for　every　hour；

and　that　work　was　to　pay　high　school　expenses　and　start　the

college　fund。　　There　was　one　little　rift　in　her　joy。　

All　of　it　would　have　been　so　much　better　if　she　could　have

told　her　mother；　and　given　the　money　into　her　keeping；

but　the　struggle　to　get　a　start　had　been　so　terrible；

Elnora　was　afraid　to　take　the　risk。　　When　she　reached　home；

she　only　told　her　mother　that　the　last　of　the　things　had

been　sold　that　evening。



〃I　think；〃　said　Mrs。　Comstock；　〃that　we　will　ask　Wesley

to　move　that　box　over　here　back　of　the　garden　for　you。　

There　you　are　apt　to　get　tolled　farther　into　the　swamp

than　you　intend　to　go；　and　you　might　mire　or　something。　

There　ought　to　be　just　the　same　things　in　our　woods；

and　along　our　swampy　places；　as　there　are　in　the　Limberlost。　

Can't　you　hunt　your　stuff　here？〃



〃I　can　try；〃　said　Elnora。　　〃I　don't　know　what　I　can

find　until　I　do。　　Our　woods　are　undisturbed；　and　there

is　a　possibility　they　might　be　even　better　hunting　than

the　swamp。　　But　I　wouldn't　have　Freckles's　case　moved　for

the　world。　　He　might　come　back　some　day；　and　not　like　it。　

I've　tried　to　keep　his　room　the　best　I　could；　and　taking　out

the　box　would　make　a　big　hole　in　one　side　of　it。　　Store　boxes

don't　cost　much。　　I　will　have　Uncle　Wesley　buy　me　one；

and　set　it　up　wherever　hunting　looks　the　best；　early　in

the　spring。　　I　would　feel　safer　at　home。〃



〃Shall　we　do　the　work　or　have　supper　first？〃



〃Let's　do　the　work；〃　said　Elnora。　　〃I　can't　say　that

I'm　hungry　now。　　Doesn't　seem　as　if　I　ever　could　be

hungry　again　with　such　a　lunch。　　I　am　quite　sure　no　one

carried　more　delicious　things　to　eat　than　I。〃



Mrs。　Comstock　was　pleased。　　〃I　put　in　a　pretty　good

hunk　of　cake。　　Did　you　divide　it　with　any　one？〃



〃Why；　yes；　I　did；〃　admitted　Elnora。



〃Who？〃



This　was　becoming　uncomfortable。　　〃I　ate　the　biggest

piece　myself；〃　said　Elnora；　〃and　gave　the　rest　to　a　couple

of　boys　named　Jimmy　and　Billy　and　a　girl　named　Belle。　

They　said　it　was　the　very　best　cake　they　ever　tasted　in　all

their　lives。〃



Mrs。　Comstock　sat　straight。　　〃I　used　to　be　a　master

hand　at　spice　cake；〃　she　boasted。　　〃But　I'm　a　little　out

of　practice。　　I　must　get　to　work　again。　　With　the　very

weeds　growing　higher　than　our　heads；　we　should　raise

plenty　of　good　stuff　to　eat　on　this　land；　if　we　can't　afford

anything　else　but　taxes。〃



Elnora　laughed　and　hurried　up　stairs　to　change　her　dress。　

Margaret　Sinton　came　that　night　bringing　a　beautiful　blue

one　in　its　place；　and　carried　away　the　other　to　launder。



〃Do　you　mean　to　say　those　dresses　are　to　be　washed

every　two　days？〃　questioned　Mrs。　Comstock。



〃They　have　to　be；　to　look　fresh；〃　replied　Margaret。　

〃We　want　our　girl　sweet　as　a　rose。〃



〃Well；　of　all　things！〃　cried　Mrs。　Comstock。　　〃Every　two　days！　

Any　girl　who　can't　keep　a　dress　clean　longer　than　that　is　a

dirty　girl。　　You'll　wear　the　goods　out　and　fade　the　colours

with　so　much　washing。〃



〃We'll　have　a　clean　girl；　anyway。〃



〃Well；　if　you　like　the　job　you　can　have　it；〃　said　Mrs。　Comstock。　

〃I　don't　mind　the　washing；　but　I'm　so　inconvenient　with　an　iron。〃



Elnora　sat　late　that　night　working　over　her　lessons。　

The　next　morning　she　put　on　her　blue　dress　and　ribbon

and　in　those　she　was　a　picture。　　Mrs。　Comstock　caught

her　breath　with　a　queer　stirring　around　her　heart；　and

looked　twice　to　be　sure　of　what　she　saw。　　As　Elnora

gathered　her　books　her　mother　silently　gave　her　the　lunch　box。



〃Feels　heavy；〃　said　Elnora　gaily。　　〃And　smelly！　　Like　as　not

I'll　be　called　upon　to　divide　again。〃



〃Then　you　divide！〃　said　Mrs。　Comstock。　　〃Eating　is

the　one　thing　we　don't　have　to　economize　on；　Elnora。　

Spite　of　all　I　can　do