a girl of the limberlost-第22章

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AND　BILLY　DISCIPLINES　MARGARET





Elnora　missed　the　little　figure　at　the　bridge　the

following　morning。　　She　slowly　walked　up　the

street　and　turned　in　at　the　wide　entrance　to　the

school　grounds。　　She　scarcely　could　comprehend　that

only　a　week　ago　she　had　gone　there　friendless；　alone；　and

so　sick　at　heart　that　she　was　physically　ill。　　To…day　she

had　decent　clothing；　books；　friends；　and　her　mind　was　at

ease　to　work　on　her　studies。



As　she　approached　home　that　night　the　girl　paused

in　amazement。　　Her　mother　had　company；　and　she　was　laughing。　

Elnora　entered　the　kitchen　softly　and　peeped　into　the

sitting…room。　　Mrs。　Comstock　sat　in　her　chair　holding

a　book　and　every　few　seconds　a　soft　chuckle　broke　into

a　real　laugh。　　Mark　Twain　was　doing　his　work；　while

Mrs。　Comstock　was　not　lacking　in　a　sense　of　humour。　

Elnora　entered　the　room　before　her　mother　saw　her。　

Mrs。　Comstock　looked　up　with　flushed　face。



〃Where　did　you　get　this？〃　she　demanded。



〃I　bought　it；〃　said　Elnora。



〃Bought　it！　　With　all　the　taxes　due！〃



〃I　paid　for　it　out　of　my　Indian　money；　mother；〃　said　Elnora。　

〃I　couldn't　bear　to　spend　so　much　on　myself　and　nothing

at　all　on　you。　　I　was　afraid　to　buy　the　dress　I　should

have　liked　to；　and　I　thought　the　book　would　be　company；

while　I　was　gone。　　I　haven't　read　it；　but　I　do　hope　it's　good。〃



〃Good！　　It's　the　biggest　piece　of　foolishness　I　have

read　in　all　my　life。　　I've　laughed　all　day；　ever　since　I

found　it。　　I　had　a　notion　to　go　out　and　read　some　of　it

to　the　cows　and　see　if　they　wouldn't　laugh。〃



〃If　it　made　you　laugh；　it's　a　wise　book；〃　said　Elnora。



〃Wise！〃　cried　Mrs。　Comstock。　　〃You　can　stake　your　life

it's　a　wise　book。　　It　takes　the　smartest　man　there　is

to　do　this　kind　of　fooling；〃　and　she　began　laughing　again。



Elnora；　highly　satisfied　with　her　purchase；　went　to　her

room　and　put　on　her　working　clothes。　　Thereafter　she

made　a　point　of　bringing　a　book　that　she　thought　would

interest　her　mother；　from　the　library　every　week；　and

leaving　it　on　the　sitting…room　table。　　Each　night　she

carried　home　at　least　two　school　books　and　studied　until

she　had　mastered　the　points　of　her　lessons。　　She　did

her　share　of　the　work　faithfully；　and　every　available

minute　she　was　in　the　fields　searching　for　cocoons；　for

the　moths　promised　to　become　her　largest　source　of　income。



She　gathered　baskets　of　nests；　flowers；　mosses；　insects；

and　all　sorts　of　natural　history　specimens　and　sold　them

to　the　grade　teachers。　　At　first　she　tried　to　tell　these

instructors　what　to　teach　their　pupils　about　the　specimens；

but　recognizing　how　much　more　she　knew　than　they；　one　after

another　begged　her　to　study　at　home；　and　use　her　spare　hours

in　school　to　exhibit　and　explain　nature　subjects　to

their　pupils。　　Elnora　loved　the　work；　and　she　needed　the

money；　for　every　few　days　some　matter　of　expense　arose

that　she　had　not　expected。



From　the　first　week　she　had　been　received　and　invited

with　the　crowd　of　girls　in　her　class；　and　it　was　their

custom　in　passing　through　the　business　part　of　the　city

to　stop　at　the　confectioners'　and　take　turns　in　treating

to　expensive　candies；　ice　cream　sodas；　hot　chocolate；　or

whatever　they　fancied。　　When　first　Elnora　was　asked　she

accepted　without　understanding。　　The　second　time　she

went　because　she　seldom　had　tasted　these　things；　and

they　were　so　delicious　she　could　not　resist。　　After　that

she　went　because　she　knew　all　about　it；　and　had　decided

to　go。



She　had　spent　half　an　hour　on　the　log　beside　the　trail

in　deep　thought　and　had　arrived　at　her　conclusions。　

She　worked　harder　than　usual　for　the　next　week；　but　she

seemed　to　thrive　on　work。　　It　was　October　and　the　red

leaves　were　falling　when　her　first　time　came　to　treat。

As　the　crowd　flocked　down　the　broad　walk　that　night

Elnora　called；　〃Girls；　it's　my　treat　to…night！　　Come　on！〃



She　led　the　way　through　the　city　to　the　grocery　they

patronized　when　they　had　a　small　spread；　and　entering

came　out　with　a　basket；　which　she　carried　to　the　bridge

on　her　home　road。　　There　she　arranged　the　girls　in　two

rows　on　the　cement　abutments　and　opening　her　basket

she　gravely　offered　each　girl　an　exquisite　little　basket　of

bark；　lined　with　red　leaves；　in　one　end　of　which　nestled　a

juicy　big　red　apple　and　in　the　other　a　spicy　doughnut　not

an　hour　from　Margaret　Sinton's　frying　basket。



Another　time　she　offered　big　balls　of　popped　corn　stuck

together　with　maple　sugar；　and　liberally　sprinkled　with

beechnut　kernels。　　Again　it　was　hickory…nut　kernels

glazed　with　sugar；　another　time　maple　candy；　and　once

a　basket　of　warm　pumpkin　pies。　　She　never　made　any

apology；　or　offered　any　excuse。　　She　simply　gave　what

she　could　afford；　and　the　change　was　as　welcome　to　those

city　girls　accustomed　to　sodas　and　French　candy；　as　were

these　same　things　to　Elnora　surfeited　on　popcorn　and　pie。　

In　her　room　was　a　little　slip　containing　a　record　of　the

number　of　weeks　in　the　school　year；　the　times　it　would　be

her　turn　to　treat　and　the　dates　on　which　such　occasions

would　fall；　with　a　number　of　suggestions　beside　each。　

Once　the　girls　almost　fought　over　a　basket　lined　with

yellow　leaves；　and　filled　with　fat；　very　ripe　red　haws。　

In　late　October　there　was　a　riot　over　one　which　was　lined

with　red　leaves　and　contained　big　fragrant　pawpaws

frost…bitten　to　a　perfect　degree。　　Then　hazel　nuts　were

ripe；　and　once　they　served。　　One　day　Elnora　at　her　wits'

end；　explained　to　her　mother　that　the　girls　had　given　her

things　and　she　wanted　to　treat　them。　　Mrs。　Comstock；

with　characteristic　stubbornness；　had　said　she　would　leave

a　basket　at　the　grocery　for　her；　but　firmly　declined　to　say

what　would　be　in　it。　　All　day　Elnora　struggled　to　keep

her　mind　on　her　books。　　For　hours　she　wavered　in　tense

uncertainty。　　What　would　her　mother　do？　　Should　she

take　the　girls　to　the　confectioner's　that　night　or　risk

the　basket？　　Mrs。　Comstock　could　make　delicious　things　to

eat；　but　would　she？



As　they　left　the　building　Elnora　made　a　final　rapid

mental　calculation。　　She　could　not　see　her　way　clear　to

a　decent　treat　for　ten　people　for　less　than　two　dollars　and

if　the　basket　proved　to　be　nice；　then　the　money　would

be　wasted。　　She　decided　to　risk　it。　　As　they　went　to　the

bridge　the　girls　were　betting　on　what　the　treat　would　be；

and　crowding　near　Elnora　like　spoiled　small　children。　

Elnora　set　down　the　basket。



〃Girls；〃　she　said；　〃I　don't　know　what　this　is　myself；　so

all　of　us　are　going　to　be　surprised。　　Here　goes！〃



She　lifted　the　cover　and　perfumes　from　the　land　of　spices

rolled　up。　　In　one　end　of　the　basket　lay　ten　enormous

sugar　cakes　the　tops　of　which　had　been　liberally　dotted

with　circles　cut　from　stick　candy。　　The　candy　had　melted

in　baking　and　made　small　transparent　wells　of　waxy　sweetness

and　in　the　centre　of　each　cake　was　a　fat　turtle　made　from

a　raisin　with　cloves　for　head　and　feet。　　The　remainder

of　the　basket　was　filled　with　big　spiced　pears　that　could

be　held　by　their　stems　while　they　were　eaten。　　The　girls

shrieked　and　attacked　the　cookies；　and　of　all　the　treats

Elnora　offered　perhaps　none　was　quite　so　long　remembered

as　that。



When　Elnora　took　her　basket；　placed　her　books　in　it；

and　started　home；　all　the　girls　went　with　her　as　far　as　the

fence　where　she　crossed　the　field　to　the　swamp。　　At　parting

they　kissed　her　good…bye。　　Elnora　was　a　happy　girl　as　she

hurried　home　to　thank　her　mother。　　She　was　happy　over　her

books　that　night；　and　happy　all　the　way　to　school　the

following　morning。



When　the　music　swelled　from　the　orchestra　her　heart

almost　broke　with　throbbing　joy。　　For　music　always　had

affected　her　strangely；　and　since　she　had　been　comfortable

enough　in　her　surroundings　to　notice　things；　she　had

listened　to　every　note　to　find　what　it　was　that　literally　hurt

her　heart；　and　at　last　she　knew。　　It　was　the　talking　of

the　violins。　　They　were　human　voices；　and　they　spoke　a

language　Elnora　understood。　　It　seemed　to　her　that　she

must　climb　up　on　the　stage；　take　the　instruments　from　the

fingers　of　the　players　and　make　them　speak　what　was　in

her　heart。



That　night　she　said　to　her　mother；　〃I　am　perfectly　crazy

for　a　violin。　　I　am　sure　I　could　play　one；　sure　as　I　live。　

Did　any　one〃　　Elnora　never　completed　that　sentence。



〃Hush！〃　thundered　Mrs。　Comstock。　　〃Be　quiet！　

Never　mention　those　things　before　me　againnever　as

long　as　you　live！　　I　loathe　them！　　They　are　a　snare　of　the

very　devil　himself！　　They　were　made　to　lure　men　and

women　from　their　homes　and　their　honour。　　If　ever　I　see

you　with　one　in　your　fingers　I　will　smash　it　in　pieces。〃



Naturally　Elnora　hushed；　but　she　thought　of　nothing　else

after　she　had　finished　her　lessons。　　At　last　there　came

a　day　when　for　some　reason　the　leader　of　the　orchestra

left　his　violin　on　the　grand　piano。　　That　morning　Elnora

made　her　first　mistake　in　algebra。　　At　noon；　as　soon　as　the

building　was　empty；　she　slipped　into　the　auditorium；　found

the　side　door　which　led　to　the　stage；　and　going　through　the

musicians'　entrance　she　took　the　violin。　　She　carried　it　back

into　the　little　side　room　where　the　orchestra　assembled；　closed

all　the　doors；　opened　the　case　and　lifted　out　the　instrument。



She　laid　it　on　her　breast；　dropped　her　chin　on　it　and

drew　the　bow　softly　across　the　strings。　　One　after　another

she　tested　the　open　notes。　　Gradually　her　stroke　ceased　to

tremble　and　she　drew　the　bow　firmly。　　Then　her　fingers

began　to　fall　and　softly；　slowly　she　searched　up　and　down

those　strings　for　sounds　she　knew。　　Standing　in　the　middle

of　the　floor；　she　tried　over　and　over。　　It　seemed　scarcely　a

minute　before　the　hall　was　filled　with　the　sound　of　hurrying

feet；　and　she　was　forced　to　put　away　the　violin　and　go

to　her　classes。　　The　next　day　she　prayed　that　the　violin

would　be　left　again；　but　her　petition　was　not　answered。　

That　night　when　she　returned　from　the　school　she　made　an

excuse　to　go　down　to　see　Billy。　　He　was　engaged　in　hulling

walnuts　by　driving　them　through　holes　in　a　board。　　His

hands　were　protected　by　a　pair　of　Margaret's　old　gloves；

but　he　had　speckled　his　face　generously。　　He　appeared

well；　and　greeted　Elnora　hilariously。



〃Me　an'　the　squirrels　are　laying　up　our　winter　stores；〃

he　shouted。　　〃Cos　the　cold　is　coming；　an'　the　snow　an'

if　we　have　any　nuts　we　have　to　fix　'em　now。　　But　I'm

ahead；　cos　Uncle　Wesley　made　me　this　board；　and　I　can

hull　a　big　pile　while　the　old　squirrel　does　only　ist　one

with　his　teeth。〃



Elnora　picked　him　up　and　kissed　him。　　〃Billy；　are　you

happy？〃　she　asked。



〃Yes；　and　so's　Snap；〃　answered　Billy。　　〃You　ought　to

see　him　make　the　dirt　fly　when　he　gets　after　a　chipmunk。　

I　bet　you　he　could　dig　up　pa；　if　anybody　wanted　him　to。〃



〃Billy！〃　gasped　Margaret　as　she　came　out　to　them。



〃Well；　me　and　Snap　don't　want　him　up；　and　I　bet　you

Jimmy　and　Belle　don't；　eit