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a girl of the limberlost-第57部分
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secured a ride to the city for him; as his exercise of the
morning had been too violent; and he was forced to admit
he was tired。
〃May I come to…morrow afternoon and hunt moths awhile?〃
he asked Mrs。 Comstock as he arose。 〃We will ‘sugar' a
tree and put a light beside it; if I can get stuff to
make the preparation。 Possibly we can take some that way。
I always enjoy moth hunting; I'd like to help Miss Elnora;
and it would be a charity to me。 I've got to remain
outdoors some place; and I'm quite sure I'd get well
faster here than anywhere else。 Please say I may come。〃
〃I have no objections; if Elnora really would like help;〃
said Mrs。 Comstock。
In her heart she wished he would not come。 She wanted
her newly found treasure all to herself; for a time;
at least。 But Elnora's were eager; shining eyes。
She thought it would be splendid to have help; and
great fun to try book methods for taking moths; so it
was arranged。 As Philip rode away; Mrs。 Comstock's eyes
followed him。 〃What a nice young man!〃 she said。
〃He seems fine;〃 agreed Elnora。
〃He comes of a good family; too。 I've often heard of
his father。 He is a great lawyer。〃
〃I am glad he likes it here。 I need help。 Possibly〃
〃Possibly what?〃
〃We can find many moths。〃
〃What did he mean about the butterflies?〃
〃That he always had connected them with sunshine;
flowers; and fruits; and thought of them as the most
exquisite of creations; then one day he found some
clustering thickly over carrion。〃
〃Come to think of it; I have seen butterflies〃
〃So had he;〃 laughed Elnora。 〃And that is what he meant。〃
CHAPTER XIV
WHEREIN A NEW POSITION IS TENDERED ELNORA;
AND PHILIP AMMON IS SHOWN LIMBERLOST VIOLETS
The next morning Mrs。 Comstock called to Elnora;
〃The mail carrier stopped at our box。〃
Elnora ran down the walk and came back carrying an
official letter。 She tore it open and read:
MY DEAR MISS COMSTOCK:
At the weekly meeting of the Onabasha School Board last night; it
was decided to add the position of Lecturer on Natural History to
our corps of city teachers。 It will be the duty of this person to
spend two hours a week in each of the grade schools exhibiting and
explaining specimens of the most prominent objects in nature:
animals; birds; insects; flowers; vines; shrubs; bushes; and trees。
These specimens and lectures should be appropriate to the seasons
and the comprehension of the grades。 This position was unanimously
voted to you。 I think you will find the work delightful and much
easier than the routine grind of the other teachers。 It is my advice
that you accept and begin to prepare yourself at once。 Your salary
will be 750 a year; and you will be allowed 200 for expenses in
procuring specimens and books。 Let us know at once if you want the
position; as it is going to be difficult to fill satisfactorily if
you do not。
Very truly yours;
DAVID THOMPSON; President; Onabasha Schools。
〃I hardly understand;〃 marvelled Mrs。 Comstock。
〃It is a new position。 They never have had anything
like it before。 I suspect it arose from the help I've been
giving the grade teachers in their nature work。 They are
trying to teach the children something; and half the
instructors don't know a blue jay from a king…fisher; a
beech leaf from an elm; or a wasp from a hornet。〃
〃Well; do you?〃 anxiously inquired Mrs。 Comstock。
〃Indeed; I do!〃 laughed Elnora; 〃and several other
things beside。 When Freckles bequeathed me the
swamp; he gave me a bigger inheritance than he knew。
While you have thought I was wandering aimlessly; I
have been following a definite plan; studying hard; and
storing up the stuff that will earn these seven hundred
and fifty dollars。 Mother dear; I am going to accept
this; of course。 The work will be a delight。 I'd love
it most of anything in teaching。 You must help me。
We must find nests; eggs; leaves; queer formations in
plants and rare flowers。 I must have flower boxes made
for each of the rooms and filled with wild things。
I should begin to gather specimens this very day。〃
Elnora's face was flushed and her eyes bright。
〃Oh; what great work that will be!〃 she cried。 〃You must
go with me so you can see the little faces when I tell
them how the goldfinch builds its nest; and how the
bees make honey。〃
So Elnora and her mother went into the woods behind
the cabin to study nature。
〃I think;〃 said Elnora; 〃the idea is to begin with fall
things in the fall; keeping to the seasons throughout the year。〃
〃What are fall things?〃 inquired Mrs。 Comstock。
〃Oh; fringed gentians; asters; ironwort; every fall
flower; leaves from every tree and vine; what makes them
change colour; abandoned bird nests; winter quarters
of caterpillars and insects; what becomes of the
butterflies and grasshoppersmyriads of stuff。 I shall
have to be very wise to select the things it will be most
beneficial for the children to learn。〃
〃Can I really help you?〃 Mrs。 Comstock's strong face
was pathetic。
〃Indeed; yes!〃 cried Elnora。 〃I never can get through
it alone。 There will be an immense amount of work
connected with securing and preparing specimens。〃
Mrs。 Comstock lifted her head proudly and began
doing business at once。 Her sharp eyes ranged from
earth to heaven。 She investigated everything; asking
innumerable questions。 At noon Mrs。 Comstock took
the specimens they had collected; and went to prepare
dinner; while Elnora followed the woods down to the
Sintons' to show her letter。
She had to explain what became of her moths; and why
college would have to be abandoned for that year; but
Margaret and Wesley vowed not to tell。 Wesley waved
the letter excitedly; explaining it to Margaret as if it
were a personal possession。 Margaret was deeply impressed;
while Billy volunteered first aid in gathering material。
〃Now anything you want in the ground; Snap can dig
it out;〃 he said。 〃Uncle Wesley and I found a hole
three times as big as Snap; that he dug at the roots of
a tree。〃
〃We will train him to hunt pupae cases;〃 said Elnora。
〃Are you going to the woods this afternoon?〃 asked Billy。
〃Yes;〃 answered Elnora。 〃Dr。 Ammon's nephew
from Chicago is visiting in Onabasha。 He is going to
show me how men put some sort of compound on a tree;
hang a light beside it; and take moths that way。 It will
be interesting to watch and learn。〃
〃May I come?〃 asked Billy。
〃Of course you may come!〃 answered Elnora。
〃Is this nephew of Dr。 Ammon a young man?〃 inquired Margaret。
〃About twenty…six; I should think;〃 said Elnora。
〃He said he had been out of college and at work in his
father's law office three years。〃
〃Does he seem nice?〃 asked Margaret; and Wesley smiled。
〃Finest kind of a
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