a girl of the limberlost-第25章

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dream　remained　with　Elnora。　　She　worked　her　way　cheerfully；

doing　all　she　could　to　interest　her　mother　in　things

that　happened　in　school；　in　the　city；　and　by　carrying　books

that　were　entertaining　from　the　public　library。



Three　years　had　changed　Elnora　from　the　girl　of　sixteen

to　the　very　verge　of　womanhood。　　She　had　grown　tall；

round；　and　her　face　had　the　loveliness　of　perfect

complexion；　beautiful　eyes　and　hair　and　an　added　touch

from　within　that　might　have　been　called　comprehension。　

It　was　a　compound　of　self…reliance；　hard　knocks；　heart

hunger；　unceasing　work；　and　generosity。　　There　was　no

form　of　suffering　with　which　the　girl　could　not　sympathize；

no　work　she　was　afraid　to　attempt；　no　subject　she　had

investigated　she　did　not　understand。　　These　things　combined

to　produce　a　breadth　and　depth　of　character　altogether　unusual。　

She　was　so　absorbed　in　her　classes　and　her　music　that　she

had　not　been　able　to　gather　many　specimens。　　When　she

realized　this　and　hunted　assiduously；　she　soon　found

that　changing　natural　conditions　had　affected　such　work。　

Men　all　around　were　clearing　available　land。　　The　trees

fell　wherever　corn　would　grow。　　The　swamp　was　broken　by

several　gravel　roads；　dotted　in　places　around　the　edge

with　little　frame　houses；　and　the　machinery　of　oil　wells；

one　especially　low　place　around　the　region　of　Freckles's

room　was　nearly　all　that　remained　of　the　original。　

Wherever　the　trees　fell　the　moisture　dried；　the　creeks

ceased　to　flow；　the　river　ran　low；　and　at　times　the

bed　was　dry。　　With　unbroken　sweep　the　winds　of　the

west　came；　gathering　force　with　every　mile　and　howled　and

raved；　threatening　to　tear　the　shingles　from　the　roof；

blowing　the　surface　from　the　soil　in　clouds　of　fine　dust　and

rapidly　changing　everything。　　From　coming　in　with　two　or

three　dozen　rare　moths　in　a　day；　in　three　years'　time　Elnora

had　grown　to　be　delighted　with　finding　two　or　three。　

Big　pursy　caterpillars　could　not　be　picked　from　their　favourite

bushes；　when　there　were　no　bushes。　　Dragonflies　would

not　hover　over　dry　places；　and　butterflies　became　scarce

in　proportion　to　the　flowers；　while　no　land　yields　over　three

crops　of　Indian　relics。



All　the　time　the　expense　of　books；　clothing　and

incidentals　had　continued。　　Elnora　added　to　her　bank

account　whenever　she　could；　and　drew　out　when　she　was

compelled；　but　she　omitted　the　important　feature　of　calling

for　a　balance。　　So；　one　early　spring　morning　in　the　last

quarter　of　the　fourth　year；　she　almost　fainted　when　she

learned　that　her　funds　were　gone。　　Commencement　with　its

extra　expense　was　coming；　she　had　no　money；　and　very　few

cocoons　to　open　in　June；　which　would　be　too　late。　　She　had

one　collection　for　the　Bird　Woman　complete　to　a　pair　of

Imperialis　moths；　and　that　was　her　only　asset。　　On　the

day　she　added　these　big　Yellow　Emperors　she　had　been

promised　a　check　for　three　hundred　dollars；　but　she　would

not　get　it　until　these　specimens　were　secured。　

She　remembered　that　she　never　had　found　an　Emperor

before　June。



Moreover；　that　sum　was　for　her　first　year　in　college。　

Then　she　would　be　of　age；　and　she　meant　to　sell　enough　of

her　share　of　her　father's　land　to　finish。　　She　knew　her

mother　would　oppose　her　bitterly　in　that；　for　Mrs。

Comstock　had　clung　to　every　acre　and　tree　that　belonged　to

her　husband。　　Her　land　was　almost　complete　forest　where　her

neighbours　owned　cleared　farms；　dotted　with　wells　that

every　hour　sucked　oil　from　beneath　her　holdings；　but　she

was　too　absorbed　in　the　grief　she　nursed　to　know　or　care。　

The　Brushwood　road　and　the　redredging　of　the　big　Limberlost

ditch　had　been　more　than　she　could　pay　from　her　income；

and　she　had　trembled　before　the　wicket　as　she　asked

the　banker　if　she　had　funds　to　pay　it；　and　wondered　why　he

laughed　when　he　assured　her　she　had。　　For　Mrs。　Comstock

had　spent　no　time　on　compounding　interest；　and

never　added　the　sums　she　had　been　depositing　through

nearly　twenty　years。　　Now　she　thought　her　funds　were

almost　gone；　and　every　day　she　worried　over　expenses。　

She　could　see　no　reason　in　going　through　the　forms　of

graduation　when　pupils　had　all　in　their　heads　that　was

required　to　graduate。　　Elnora　knew　she　had　to　have　her

diploma　in　order　to　enter　the　college　she　wanted　to　attend；

but　she　did　not　dare　utter　the　word；　until　high　school

was　finished；　for；　instead　of　softening　as　she　hoped　her

mother　had　begun　to　do；　she　seemed　to　remain　very

much　the　same。



When　the　girl　reached　the　swamp　she　sat　on　a　log　and

thought　over　the　expense　she　was　compelled　to　meet。　

Every　member　of　her　particular　set　was　having　a　large

photograph　taken　to　exchange　with　the　others。　　Elnora　loved

these　girls　and　boys；　and　to　say　she　could　not　have

their　pictures　to　keep　was　more　than　she　could　endure。　

Each　one　would　give　to　all　the　others　a　handsome

graduation　present。　　She　knew　they　would　prepare　gifts　for

her　whether　she　could　make　a　present　in　return　or　not。　

Then　it　was　the　custom　for　each　graduating　class　to　give　a

great　entertainment　and　use　the　funds　to　present　the　school

with　a　statue　for　the　entrance　hall。　　Elnora　had　been　cast

for　and　was　practising　a　part　in　that　performance。　　She　was

expected　to　furnish　her　dress　and　personal　necessities。　

She　had　been　told　that　she　must　have　a　green　gauze　dress；

and　where　was　it　to　come　from？



Every　girl　of　the　class　would　have　three　beautiful　new

frocks　for　Commencement：　one　for　the　baccalaureate

sermon；　another；　which　could　be　plain；　for　graduation

exercises；　and　a　handsome　one　for　the　banquet　and　ball。　

Elnora　faced　the　past　three　years　and　wondered　how　she

could　have　spent　so　much　money　and　not　kept　account　of　it。　

She　did　not　realize　where　it　had　gone。　　She　did　not

know　what　she　could　do　now。　　She　thought　over　the

photographs；　and　at　last　settled　that　question　to

her　satisfaction。　　She　studied　longer　over　the　gifts；

ten　handsome　ones　there　must　be；　and　at　last　decided　she

could　arrange　for　them。　　The　green　dress　came　first。　

The　lights　would　be　dim　in　the　scene；　and　the　setting

deep　woods。　　She　could　manage　that。　　She　simply　could　not

have　three　dresses。　　She　would　have　to　get　a　very　simple　one

for　the　sermon　and　do　the　best　she　could　for　graduation。　

Whatever　she　got　for　that　must　be　made　with　a　guimpe　that

could　be　taken　out　to　make　it　a　little　more　festive　for

the　ball。　　But　where　could　she　get　even　two　pretty　dresses？



The　only　hope　she　could　see　was　to　break　into　the　collection

of　the　man　from　India；　sell　some　moths；　and　try　to　replace

them　in　June。　　But　in　her　soul　she　knew　that　never

would　do。　　No　June　ever　brought　just　the　things　she

hoped　it　would。　　If　she　spent　the　college　money　she　knew

she　could　not　replace　it。　　If　she　did　not；　the　only　way　was

to　secure　a　room　in　the　grades　and　teach　a　year。　　Her　work

there　had　been　so　appreciated　that　Elnora　felt　with

the　recommendation　she　knew　she　could　get　from　the

superintendent　and　teachers　she　could　secure　a　position。　

She　was　sure　she　could　pass　the　examinations　easily。　

She　had　once　gone　on　Saturday；　taken　them　and　secured　a

license　for　a　year　before　she　left　the　Brushwood　school。



She　wanted　to　start　to　college　when　the　other　girls　were　going。　

If　she　could　make　the　first　year　alone；　she　could　manage

the　remainder。　　But　make　that　first　year　herself；　she　must。　

Instead　of　selling　any　of　her　collection；　she　must　hunt

as　she　never　before　had　hunted　and　find　a　Yellow　Emperor。　

She　had　to　have　it；　that　was　all。　　Also；　she　had　to　have

those　dresses。　　She　thought　of　Wesley　and　dismissed　it。　

She　thought　of　the　Bird　Woman；　and　knew　she　could　not

tell　her。　　She　thought　of　every　way　in　which　she　ever　had

hoped　to　earn　money　and　realized　that　with　the　play；

committee　meetings；　practising；　and　final　examinations

she　scarcely　had　time　to　live；　much　less　to　do　more　than

the　work　required　for　her　pictures　and　gifts。　　Again　Elnora

was　in　trouble；　and　this　time　it　seemed　the　worst　of　all。



It　was　dark　when　she　arose　and　went　home。



〃Mother；〃　she　said；　〃I　have　a　piece　of　news　that　is

decidedly　not　cheerful。〃



〃Then　keep　it　to　yourself！〃　said　Mrs。　Comstock。　　〃I　think

I　have　enough　to　bear　without　a　great　girl　like　you

piling　trouble　on　me。〃



〃My　money　is　all　gone！〃　said　Elnora。



〃Well；　did　you　think　it　would　last　forever？　　It's　been

a　marvel　to　me　that　it's　held　out　as　well　as　it　has；　the　way

you've　dressed　and　gone。〃



〃I　don't　think　I've　spent　any　that　I　was　not　compelled

to；〃　said　Elnora。　　〃I've　dressed　on　just　as　little　as　I

possibly　could　to　keep　going。　　I　am　heartsick。　　I　thought

I　had　over　fifty　dollars　to　put　me　through　Commencement；

but　they　tell　me　it　is　all　gone。〃



〃Fifty　dollars！　　To　put　you　through　Commencement！　

What　on　earth　are　you　proposing　to　do？〃



〃The　same　as　the　rest　of　them；　in　the　very　cheapest

way　possible。〃



〃And　what　might　that　be？〃



Elnora　omitted　the　photographs；　the　gifts　and　the　play。　

She　told　only　of　the　sermon；　graduation　exercises；　and　the　ball。



〃Well；　I　wouldn't　trouble　myself　over　that；〃　sniffed

Mrs。　Comstock。　　〃If　you　want　to　go　to　a　sermon；　put　on

the　dress　you　always　use　for　meeting。　　If　you　need　white

for　the　exercises　wear　the　new　dress　you　got　last　spring。　

As　for　the　ball；　the　best　thing　for　you　to　do　is　to　stay　a

mile　away　from　such　folly。　　In　my　opinion　you'd　best

bring　home　your　books；　and　quit　right　now。　　You　can't

be　fixed　like　the　rest　of　them；　don't　be　so　foolish

as　to　run　into　it。　　Just　stay　here　and　let　these　last　few

days　go。　　You　can't　learn　enough　more　to　be　of　any　account。〃



〃But；　mother；〃　gasped　Elnora。　　〃You　don't　understand！〃



〃Oh；　yes；　I　do！〃　said　Mrs。　Comstock。　　〃I　understand　perfectly。　

So　long　as　the　money　lasted；　you　held　up　your　head；

and　went　sailing　without　even　explaining　how　you　got　it

from　the　stuff　you　gathered。　　Goodness　knows　I　couldn't　see。　

But　now　it's　gone；　you　come　whining　to　me。　　What　have　I　got？　

Have　you　forgot　that　the　ditch　and　the　road　completely

strapped　me？　　I　haven't　any　money。　　There's　nothing　for　you

to　do　but　get　out　of　it。〃



〃I　can't！〃　said　Elnora　desperately。　　〃I've　gone　on　too　long。　

It　would　make　a　break　in　everything。　　They　wouldn't　let　me

have　my　diploma！〃



〃What's　the　difference？　　You've　got　the　stuff　in　your　head。　

I　wouldn't　give　a　rap　for　a　scrap　of　paper。　　That　don't

mean　anything！〃



〃But　I've　worked　four　years　for　it；　and　I　can't　enter

I　ought　to　have　it　to　help　me　get　a　school；　when　I　want

to　teach。　　If　I　don't　have　my　grades　to　show；　people

will　think　I　quit　because　I　couldn't　pass　my　examinations。　

I　must　have　my　diploma！〃



〃Then　get　it！〃　said　Mrs。　Comstock。



〃The　only　way　is　to　graduate　with　the　others。〃



〃Well；　graduate　if　you　are　bound　to！〃



〃But　I　can't；　unless　I　have　things　enough　like　the

class；　that　I　don't　look　as　I　did　that　first　day。〃