a girl of the limberlost-第13部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！



her　sewing；　and　turned　pleading　eyes　toward　the　door。　

Mrs。　Comstock　closed　her　book　and　grimly　smiled。



〃Mother；　please　open　the　door；〃　called　Elnora。



Mrs。　Comstock　arose；　and　swung　back　the　screen。

Elnora　stepped　in　beside　her；　bent　half　double；　the　whole

front　of　her　dress　gathered　into　a　sort　of　bag　filled　with　a

heavy　load；　and　one　arm　stacked　high　with　books。　　In　the

dim　light　she　did　not　see　the　Sintons。



　〃Please　hand　me　the　empty　bucket　in　the　kitchen；

mother；〃　she　said。　　〃I　just　had　to　bring　these　arrow

points　home；　but　I'm　scared　for　fear　I've　spoiled　my　dress

and　will　have　to　wash　it。　　I'm　to　clean　them；　and　take

them　to　the　banker　in　the　morning；　and　oh；　mother；　I've

sold　enough　stuff　to　pay　for　my　books；　my　tuition；　and

maybe　a　dress　and　some　lighter　shoes　besides。　　Oh；　mother

I'm　so　happy！　　Take　the　books　and　bring　the　bucket！〃



Then　she　saw　Margaret　and　Wesley。　　〃Oh；　glory！〃

she　exulted。　　〃I　was　just　wondering　how　I'd　ever　wait　to

tell　you；　and　here　you　are！　　It's　too　perfectly　splendid　to

be　true！〃



〃Tell　us；　Elnora；〃　said　Sinton。



〃Well　sir；〃　said　Elnora；　doubling　down　on　the　floor　and

spreading　out　her　skirt；　〃set　the　bucket　here；　mother。　

These　points　are　brittle；　and　should　be　put　in　one　at　a　time。　

If　they　are　chipped　I　can't　sell　them。　　Well　sir！　　I've　had

a　time！　　You　know　I　just　had　to　have　books。　　I　tried　three

stores；　and　they　wouldn't　trust　me；　not　even　three　days；

I　didn't　know　what　in　this　world　I　could　do　quickly　enough。　

Just　when　I　was　almost　frantic　I　saw　a　sign　in　a　bank　window

asking　for　caterpillars；　cocoons；　butterflies；　arrow　points；

and　everything。　　I　went　in；　and　it　was　this　Bird　Woman　who

wants　the　insects；　and　the　banker　wants　the　stones。　　I　had

to　go　to　school　then；　but；　if　you'll　believe　it〃Elnora

beamed　on　all　of　them　in　turn　as　she　talked　and　slipped

the　arrow　points　from　her　dress　to　the　pail〃if　you'll

believe　itbut　you　won't；　hardly；　until　you　look　at　the

booksthere　was　the　mathematics　teacher；　waiting　at　his

door；　and　he　had　a　set　of　books　for　me　that　he　had

telephoned　a　Sophomore　to　bring。〃



〃How　did　he　happen　to　do　that；　Elnora？〃　interrupted　Sinton。



Elnora　blushed。



〃It　was　a　fool　mistake　I　made　yesterday　in　thinking

books　were　just　handed　out　to　one。　　There　was　a　teachers'

meeting　last　night　and　the　history　teacher　told　about　that。　

Professor　Henley　thought　of　me。　　You　know　I　told　you　what

he　said　about　my　algebra；　mother。　　Ain't　I　glad　I　studied

out　some　of　it　myself　this　summer！　　So　he　telephoned　and

a　girl　brought　the　books。　　Because　they　are　marked　and

abused　some　I　get　the　whole　outfit　for　two　dollars。　

I　can　erase　most　of　the　marks；　paste　down　the　covers；

and　fix　them　so　they　look　better。　　But　I　must　hurry　to

the　joy　part。　　I　didn't　stop　to　eat；　at　noon；　I　just

ran　to　the　Bird　Woman's；　and　I　had　lunch　with　her。　　It　was

salad；　hot　chocolate；　and　lovely　things；　and　she　wants

to　buy　most　every　old　scrap　I　ever　gathered。　　She　wants

dragonflies；　moths；　butterflies；　and　hethe　banker；　I

meanwants　everything　Indian。　　This　very　night　she

came　to　the　swamp　with　me　and　took　away　enough　stuff　to

pay　for　the　books　and　tuition；　and　to…morrow　she　is　going

to　buy　some　more。〃



Elnora　laid　the　last　arrow　point　in　the　pail　and　arose；

shaking　leaves　and　bits　of　baked　earth　from　her　dress。　

She　reached　into　her　pocket；　produced　her　money　and

waved　it　before　their　wondering　eyes。



〃And　that's　the　joy　part！〃　she　exulted。　　〃Put　it　up　in

the　clock　till　morning；　mother。　　That　pays　for　the　books

and　tuition　and〃　Elnora　hesitated；　for　she　saw　the

nervous　grasp　with　which　her　mother's　fingers　closed　on

the　bills。　　Then　she　continued；　but　more　slowly　and

thinking　before　she　spoke。



〃What　I　get　to…morrow　pays　for　more　books　and　tuition；

and　maybe　a　few；　just　a　few；　things　to　wear。　　These　shoes

are　so　dreadfully　heavy　and　hot；　and　they　make　such　a

noise　on　the　floor。　　There　isn't　another　calico　dress　in

the　whole　building；　not　among　hundreds　of　us。　　Why；　what

is　that？　　Aunt　Margaret；　what　are　you　hiding　in　your　lap？〃



She　snatched　the　waist　and　shook　it　out；　and　her　face

was　beaming。　　〃Have　you　taken　to　waists　all　fancy　and

buttoned　in　the　back？　　I　bet　you　this　is　mine！〃



〃I　bet　you　so　too；〃　said　Margaret　Sinton。　　〃You　undress

right　away　and　try　it　on；　and　if　it　fits；　it　will　be

done　for　morning。　　There　are　some　low　shoes；　too！〃



Elnora　began　to　dance。　　〃Oh；　you　dear　people！〃

she　cried。　　〃I　can　pay　for　them　to…morrow　night！　

Isn't　it　too　splendid！　　I　was　just　thinking　on　the

way　home　that　I　certainly　would　be　compelled　to

have　cooler　shoes　until　later；　and　I　was　wondering

what　I'd　do　when　the　fall　rains　begin。〃



〃I　meant　to　get　you　some　heavy　dress　skirts　and　a

coat　then；〃　said　Mrs。　Comstock。



〃I　know　you　said　so！〃　cried　Elnora。　　〃But　you　needn't；　now！　

I　can　buy　every　single　stitch　I　need　myself。　　Next　summer

I　can　gather　up　a　lot　more　stuff；　and　all　winter　on　the

way　to　school。　　I　am　sure　I　can　sell　ferns；　I　know

I　can　nuts；　and　the　Bird　Woman　says　the　grade　rooms

want　leaves；　grasses；　birds'　nests；　and　cocoons。　　Oh；　isn't

this　world　lovely！　　I'll　be　helping　with　the　tax；　next；　mother！〃



Elnora　waved　the　waist　and　started　for　the　bedroom。　

When　she　opened　the　door　she　gave　a　little　cry。



〃What　have　you　people　been　doing？〃　she　demanded。　

〃I　never　saw　so　many　interesting　bundles　in　all　my　life。　

I'm　‘skeered'　to　death　for　fear　I　can't　pay　for　them；　and

will　have　to　give　up　something。〃



〃Wouldn't　you　take　them；　if　you　could　not　pay　for

them；　Elnora？〃　asked　her　mother　instantly。



〃Why；　not　unless　you　did；〃　answered　Elnora。　　〃People　have

no　right　to　wear　things　they　can't　afford；　have　they？〃



〃But　from　such　old　friends　as　Maggie　and　Wesley！〃　

Mrs。　Comstock's　voice　was　oily　with　triumph。



〃From　them　least　of　all；〃　cried　Elnora　stoutly。　　〃From　a

stranger　sooner　than　from　them；　to　whom　I　owe　so　much　more

than　I　ever　can　pay　now。〃



〃Well；　you　don't　have　to；〃　said　Mrs。　Comstock。　

〃Maggie　just　selected　these　things；　because　she　is　more

in　touch　with　the　world；　and　has　got　such　good　taste。　

You　can　pay　as　long　as　your　money　holds　out；　and　if

there's　more　necessary；　maybe　I　can　sell　the　butcher　a

calf；　or　if　things　are　too　costly　for　us；　of　course；

they　can　take　them　back。　　Put　on　the　waist　now；　and　then

you　can　look　over　the　rest　and　see　if　they　are　suitable；

and　what　you　want。〃



Elnora　stepped　into　the　adjoining　room　and　closed　the　door。　

Mrs。　Comstock　picked　up　the　bucket　and　started　for　the　well

with　it。　　At　the　bedroom　she　paused。



〃Elnora；　were　you　going　to　wash　these　arrow　points？〃



〃Yes。　　The　Bird　Woman　says　they　sell　better　if　they　are　clean；

so　it　can　be　seen　that　there　are　no　defects　in　them。〃



〃Of　course；〃　said　Mrs。　Comstock。　　〃Some　of　them

seem　quite　baked。　　Shall　I　put　them　to　soak？　　Do　you

want　to　take　them　in　the　morning？〃



〃Ye