a girl of the limberlost-第16章

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〃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　food　goes　to　waste　in　this　soil

every　day。　　If　you　can　give　some　of　those　city　children

a　taste　of　the　real　thing；　why；　don't　be　selfish。〃



Elnora　went　down　the　road　thinking　of　the　city　children

with　whom　she　probably　would　divide。　　Of　course；

the　bridge　would　be　occupied　again。　　So　she　stopped　and

opened　the　box。



〃I　don't　want　to　be　selfish；〃　murmured　Elnora；　〃but

it　really　seems　as　if　I　can't　give　away　this　lunch。　

If　mother　did　not　put　love　into　it；　she's　substituted

something　that's　likely　to　fool　me。〃



She　almost　felt　her　steps　lagging　as　she　approached

the　bridge。　　A　very　hungry　dog　had　been　added　to　the　trio

of　children。　　Elnora　loved　all　dogs；　and　as　usual；　this　one

came　to　her　in　friendliness。　　The　children　said　〃Good　morning！〃

with　alacrity；　and　another　paper　parcel　layconspicuous。



〃How　are　you　this　morning？〃　inquired　Elnora。



〃All　right！〃　cried　the　three；　while　the　dog　sniffed　ravenously

at　the　lunch　box；　and　beat　a　perfect　tattoo　with　his　tail。



〃How　did　you　like　the　bologna？〃　questioned　Billy　eagerly。



〃One　of　the　girls　took　me　to　lunch　at　her　home　yesterday；〃

answered　Elnora。



Dawn　broke　beautifully　over　Billy's　streaked　face。　

He　caught　the　package　and　thrust　it　toward　Elnora。



〃Then　maybe　you'd　like　to　try　the　bologna　to…day！〃



The　dog　leaped　in　glad　apprehension　of　something；　and

Belle　scrambled　to　her　feet　and　took　a　step　forward。　

The　look　of　famished　greed　in　her　eyes　was　more　than　Elnora

could　endure。　　It　was　not　that　she　cared　for　the　food

so　much。　　Good　things　to　eat　had　been　in　abundance　all

her　life。　　She　wanted　with　this　lunch　to　try　to　absorb

what　she　felt　must　be　an　expression　of　some　sort　from　her

mother；　and　if　it　were　not　a　manifestation　of　love；　she

did　not　know　what　to　think　it。　　But　it　was　her　mother

who　had　said　〃be　generous。〃　　She　knelt　on　the　bridge。　

〃Keep　back　the　dog！〃　she　warned　the　elder　boy。



She　opened　the　box　and　divided　the　milk　between　Billy

and　the　girl。　　She　gave　each　a　piece　of　cake　leaving

one　and　a　sandwich。　　Billy　pressed　forward　eagerly；　bitter

disappointment　on　his　face；　and　the　elder　boy　forgot　his　charge。



〃Aw；　I　thought　they'd　be　meat！〃　lamented　Billy。



Elnora　could　not　endure　that。



〃There　is！〃　she　said　gladly。　　〃There　is　a　little　pigeon　bird。　

I　want　a　teeny　piece　of　the　breast；　for　a　sort　of　keepsake；

just　one　bite；　and　you　can　have　the　rest　among　you〃。



Elnora　drew　the　knife　from　its　holder　and　cut　off

the　wishbone。　　Then　she　held　the　bird　toward　the　girl。



〃You　can　divide　it；〃　she　said。　　The　dog　made　a　bound

and　seizing　the　squab　sprang　from　the　bridge　and　ran

for　life。　　The　girl　and　boy　hurried　after　him。　　With　awful

eyes　Billy　stared　and　swore　tempestuously。　　Elnora　caught

him　and　clapped　her　hand　over　the　little　mouth。　

A　delivery　wagon　came　tearing　down　the　street；　the　horse

running　full　speed；　passed　the　fleeing　dog　with　the　girl

and　boy　in　pursuit；　and　stopped　at　the　bridge。　　High　school

girls　began　to　roll　from　all　sides　of　it。



〃A　rescue！　　A　rescue！〃　they　shouted。



It　was　Ellen　Brownlee　and　her　crowd；　and　every　girl

of　them　carried　a　big　parcel。　　They　took　in　the　scene

as　they　approached。　　The　fleeing　dog　with　something

in　its　mouth；　the　half…naked　girl　and　boy　chasing　it　told

the　story。　　Those　girls　screamed　with　laughter　as　they

watched　the　pursuit。



〃Thank　goodness；　I　saved　the　wishbone！〃　said　Elnora。　

〃As　usual；　I　can　prove　that　there　was　a　bird。〃　

She　turned　toward　the　box。　　Billy　had　improved　the　time。　

He　had　the　last　piece　of　cake　in　one　hand；　and　the　last

bite　of　salad　disappeared　in　one　great　gulp。　　Then　the

girls　shouted　again。



〃Let's　have　a　sample　ourselves；〃　suggested　one。　　She　caught

up　the　box　and　handed　out　the　remaining　sandwich。　　Another　girl

divided　it　into　bites　each　little　over　an　inch　square；　and

then　she　lifted　the　cup　lid　and　deposited　a　preserved

strawberry　on　each　bite。　　〃One；　two；　three；　altogether　now！〃

she　cried。



〃You　old　mean　things！〃　screamed　Billy。



In　an　instant　he　was　down　in　the　road　and　handfuls　of　dust

began　to　fly　among　them。　　The　girls　scattered　before　him。



〃Billy！〃　cried　Elnora。　　〃Billy！　　I'll　never　give　you

another　bite；　if　you　throw　dust　on　any　one！〃



Then　Billy　dropped　the　dust；　bored　both　fists　into　his

eyes；　and　fled　sobbing　into　Elnora's　new　blue　skirt。　

She　stooped　to　meet　him　and　consolation　began。　　Those　girls

laughed　on。　　They　screamed　and　shouted　until　the　little

bridge　shook。



〃To…morrow　might　as　well　be　a　clear　day；〃　said　Ellen；

passing　around　and　feeding　the　remaining　berries　to　the

girls　as　they　could　compose　themselves　enough　to　take　them。　

〃Billy；　I　admire　your　taste　more　than　your　temper。〃



Elnora　looked　up。　　〃The　little　soul　is　nothing　but　skin

and　bones；〃　she　said。　　〃I　never　was　really　hungry　myself；

were　any　of　you？〃



〃Well；　I　should　say　so；〃　cried　a　plump；　rosy　girl。

〃I'm　famished　right　now。　　Let's　have　breakfast　immediate！〃



〃We　got　to　refill　this　box　first！〃　said　Ellen　Brownlee。

〃Who's　got　the　butter？〃　　A　girl　advanced　with　a　wooden　tray。



〃Put　it　in　the　preserve　cup；　a　little　strawberry　flavour

won't　hurt　it。　　Next！〃　called　Ellen。



A　loaf　of　bread　was　produced　and　Ellen　cut　off　a　piece

which　filled　the　sandwich　box。



〃Next！〃　　A　bottle　of　olives　was　unwrapped。　　The　grocer's

boy　who　was　waiting　opened　that；　and　Ellen　filled　the

salad　dish。



〃Next！〃



A　bag　of　macaroons　was　produced　and　the　cake　compartment　filled。



〃Next！〃



〃I　don't　suppose　this　will　make　quite　as　good　dog　feed

as　a　bird；〃　laughed　a　girl　holding　open　a　bag　of　sliced

ham　while　Ellen　filled　the　meat　dish。



〃Next！〃



A　box　of　candy　was　handed　her　and　she　stuffed　every

corner　of　the　lunch　box　with　chocolates　and　nougat。　

Then　it　was　closed　and　formally　presented　to　Elnora。　

The　girls　each　helped　themselves　to　candy　and　olives；

and　gave　Billy　the　remainder　of　the　food。　　Billy　took

one　bite　of　ham；　and　approved。　　Belle　and　Jimmy　had

given　up　chasing　the　dog；　and　angry　and　ashamed；　stood

waiting　half　a　block　away。



〃Come　back！〃　cried　Billy。　　〃You　great　big　dunces；

come　back！　　They's　a　new　kind　of　meat；　and　cake　and　candy。〃



The　boy　delayed；　but　the　girl　joined　Billy。　　Ellen　wiped

her　fingers；　stepped　to　the　cement　abutment　and　began

reciting　〃Horatio　at　the　Bridge！〃　substituting　Elnora

wherever　the　hero　appeared　in　the　lines。



Elnora　gathered　up　the　sacks；　and　gave　them　to　Belle；

telling　her　to　take　the　food　home；　cut　and　spread　the

bread；　set　things　on　the　table；　and　eat　nicely。



Then　Elnora　was　taken　into　the　wagon　with　the　girls；

and　driven　on　the　run　to　the　high　school。　　They　sang　a

song　beginning



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Elnora；　please　give　me　a　sandwich。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　I'm　ashamed　to　ask　for　cake〃



as　they　went。　　Elnora　did　not　know　it；　but　that　was

her　initiation。　　She　belonged　to　〃the　crowd。〃　　She　only

knew　that　she　was　happy；　and　vaguely　wondered　what

her　mother　and　Aunt　Margaret　would　have　said　about

the　proceedings。









CHAPTER　VII





WHEREIN　MRS。　COMSTOCK　MANIPULATES　MARGARET

AND　BILLY　ACQUIRES　A　RESIDENCE





Saturday　morning　Elnora　helped　her　mother　with　the　work。　

When　she　had　finished　Mrs。　Comstock　told　her　to　go　to

Sintons'　and　wash　her　Indian　relics；　so　that　she　would

be　ready　to　accompany　Wesley　to　town　in　the　afternoon。　

Elnora　hurried　down　the　road　and　was　soon　at　the　cistern

with　a　tub　busily　washing　arrow　points；　stone　axes；　tubes；

pipes；　and　skin…cleaning　implements。



Then　she　went　home；　dressed　and　was　waiting　when　the

carriage　reached　the　gate。　　She　stopped　at　the　bank　with

the　box；　and　Sinton　went　to　do　his　marketing　and　some

shopping　for　his　wife。



At　the　dry　goods　store　Mr。　Brownlee　called　to　him；　

〃Hello；　Sinton！　　How　do　you　like　the　fate　of　your　lunch

box？〃　Then　he　began　to　laugh



〃I　always　hate　to　see　a　man　laughing　alone；〃　said　Sinton。　

It　looks　so　selfish！　　Tell　me　the　fun；　and　let　me

help　you。〃



Mr。　Brownlee　wiped　his　eyes。



〃I　supposed　you　knew；　but　I　see　she　hasn't　told。〃



Then　the　three　days'　history　of　the　lunch　box　was

repeated　with　particulars　which　included　the　dog。



〃Now　laugh！〃　concluded　Mr。　Brownlee。



〃Blest　if　I　see　anything　funny！〃　replied　Wesley　Sinton。　

〃And　if　you　had　bought　that　box　and　furnished　one　of

those　lunches　yourself；　you　wouldn't　either。　　I　call　such

a　work　a　shame！　　I'll　have　it　stopped。〃



〃Some　one　must　see　to　that；　all　right。　　They　are

little　leeches。　　Their　father　earns　enough　to　support　them；

but　they　have　no　mother；　and　they　run　wild。　　I　suppose

they　are　crazy　for　cooked　food。　　But　it　is　funny；　and

when　you　think　it　over　you　will　see　it；　if　you　don't　now。〃



〃About　where　would　a　body　find　that　father？〃　inquired

Wesley　Sinton　grimly。　　Mr。　Brownlee　told　him　and　he

started；　locating　the　house　with　little　difficulty。　

House　was　the　proper　word；　for　of　home　there　was　no　sign。　

Just　a　small　empty　house　with　three　unkept　little　children

racing　through　and　around　it。　　The　girl　and　the　elder

boy　hung　back；　but　dirty　little　Billy　greeted　Sinton　with：　

〃What　you　want　here？〃



〃I　want　to　see　your　father；〃　said　Sinton。）



〃Well；　he's　asleep；〃　said　Billy。



〃Where？〃　asked　Sinton。



〃In　the　house；〃　answered　Billy；　〃and　you　can't　wake　him。〃



〃Well；　I'll　try；〃　said　Wesley。



Billy　led　the　way。　　〃There　he　is！〃　he　said。　　〃He　is

drunk　again。〃



On　a　dirty　mattress　in　a　corner　lay　a　man　who　appeared

to　be　strong　and　well。　　Billy　was　right。　　You　could　not

awake　him。　　He　had　gone　the　limit；　and　a　little　beyond。



He　was　now　facing　eternity。　　Sinton　went　out　and　closed

the　door。



〃Your　father　is　sick　and　needs　help；〃　he　said。　

〃You　stay　here；　and　I　will　send　a　man　to　see　him。〃



〃If　you　just　let　him　'lone；　he'll　sleep　it　off；〃

volunteered　Billy。　　〃He's　that　way　all　the　time；

but　he　wakes　up　and　gets　us　something　to　eat　after　awhile。　

Only　waitin'　twists　you　up　inside　pretty　bad。〃



The　boy　wore　no　air　of　complaint。　　He　was　merely

stating　facts。



Wesley　Sinton　looked　intently　at　Billy。　　〃Are　you

twisted　up　inside　now？〃　he　asked。



Billy　laid　a　grimy　hand　on　the　region　of　his　stomach　and

the　filthy　little　waist　sank　close　to　the　backbone。　

〃Bet　yer　life；　boss；〃　he　said　cheerfully。



〃How　long　have　you　been　twisted？〃　asked　Sinton。



Billy　appealed　to　the　others。　　〃When　was　it　we　had　the

stuff　on　the　bridge？〃



〃Yesterday　morning；〃　said　the　girl。



〃Is　that　all　gone？〃　asked　Sinton。



〃She　went　and　told　us　to　take　it　home；〃　said　Billy　ruefully；

〃and　'cos　she　said　to；　we　took　it。　　Pa　had　come　back；

he　was　drinking　some　more；　and　he　ate　a　lot　of　it