a girl of the limberlost-第20章

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with　a　quarter　of　a　stale　loaf　of　baker's　bread；　and　a

big　piece　of　ancient　bologna。



〃But　don't　you　want　this　yourselves？〃　she　asked　in　surprise。



〃Gosh；　no！　　I　mean　ist　no；〃　said　the　boy。　　〃We　always

have　it。　　We　got　stacks　this　morning。　　Pa's　come　out

of　it　now；　and　he's　so　sorry　he　got　more　'an　ever　we

can　eat。　　Have　you　had　any　before？〃



〃No；〃　said　Elnora；　〃I　never　did！〃



The　boy's　eyes　brightened　and　the　girl　moved　restlessly。



〃We　thought　maybe　you　hadn't；〃　said　the　boy。　　〃First　you

ever　have；　you　like　it　real　well；　but　when　you　don't

have　anything　else　for　a　long　time；　years　an'　years；　you

git　so　tired。〃　　He　hitched　at　the　string　which　held　his

trousers　and　watched　Elnora　speculatively。



〃I　don't　s'pose　you'd　trade　what　you　got　in　that　box

for　ist　old　bread　and　bologna　now；　would　you？　　Mebby　you'd

like　it！　　And　I　know；　I　ist　know；　what　you　got　would

taste　like　heaven　to　Jimmy　and　Belle。　　They　never　had

nothing　like　that！　　Not　even　Belle；　and　she's　most　ten！　

No；　sir…ee；　they　never　tasted　things　like　you　got！〃



It　was　in　Elnora's　heart　to　be　thankful　for　even　a　taste

in　time；　as　she　knelt　on　the　bridge；　opened　the　box　and

divided　her　lunch　into　three　equal　parts；　the　smaller　boy

getting　most　of　the　milk。　　Then　she　told　them　it　was

school　time　and　she　must　go。



〃Why　don't　you　put　your　bread　and　bologna　in　the　nice　box？〃

asked　the　boy。



〃Of　course；〃　said　Elnora。　　〃I　didn't　think。〃



When　the　box　was　arranged　to　the　children's　satisfaction

all　of　them　accompanied　Elnora　to　the　corner　where　she

turned　toward　the　high　school。



〃Billy；〃　said　Elnora；　〃I　would　like　you　much　better　if

you　were　cleaner。　　Surely；　you　have　water！　　Can't　you

children　get　some　soap　and　wash　yourselves？　　Gentlemen　are

never　dirty。　　You　want　to　be　a　gentleman；　don't　you？〃



〃Is　being　clean　all　you　have　to　do　to　be　a　gentleman？〃



〃No；〃　said　Elnora。　　〃You　must　not　say　bad　words；　and

you　must　be　kind　and　polite　to　your　sister。〃



〃Must　Belle　be　kind　and　polite　to　me；　else　she　ain't　a　lady？〃



〃Yes。〃



〃Then　Belle's　no　lady！〃　said　Billy　succinctly。



Elnora　could　say　nothing　more　just　then；　and　she　bade

them　good…bye　and　started　them　home。



〃The　poor　little　souls！〃　she　mused。　　〃I　think　the　Almighty

put　them　in　my　way　to　show　me　real　trouble。　　I　won't　be

likely　to　spend　much　time　pitying　myself　while　I　can

see　them。〃　　　She　glanced　at　the　lunchbox。　　〃What　on

earth　do　I　carry　this　for？　　I　never　had　anything　that　was

so　strictly　ornamental！　　One　sure　thing！　　I　can't　take

this　stuff　to　the　high　school。　　You　never　seem　to　know

exactly　what　is　going　to　happen　to　you　while　you　are　there。〃



As　if　to　provide　a　way　out　of　her　difficulty　a　big　dog

arose　from　a　lawn；　and　came　toward　the　gate　wagging　his　tail。　

〃If　those　children　ate　the　stuff；　it　can't　possibly　kill　him！〃

thought　Elnora；　so　she　offered　the　bologna。　　The　dog

accepted　it　graciously；　and　being　a　beast　of　pedigree

he　trotted　around　to　a　side　porch　and　laid　the　bologna

before　his　mistress。　　The　woman　snatched　it；　screaming：　

〃Come；　quick！　　Some　one　is　trying　to　poison　Pedro！〃　

Her　daughter　came　running　from　the　house。　　〃Go　see

who　is　on　the　street。　　Hurry！〃　cried　the　excited　mother。



Ellen　Brownlee　ran　and　looked。　　Elnora　was　half　a

block　away；　and　no　one　nearer。　　Ellen　called　loudly；　and

Elnora　stopped。　　Ellen　came　running　toward　her。



〃Did　you　see　any　one　give　our　dog　something？〃　she

cried　as　she　approached。



Elnora　saw　no　escape。



〃I　gave　it　a　piece　of　bologna　myself；〃　she　said。　　〃It　was

fit　to　eat。　　It　wouldn't　hurt　the　dog。〃



Ellen　stood　and　looked　at　her。　　〃Of　course；　I　didn't

know　it　was　your　dog；〃　explained　Elnora。　　〃I　had　something

I　wanted　to　throw　to　some　dog；　and　that　one　looked　big

enough　to　manage　it。〃



Ellen　had　arrived　at　her　conclusions。　　〃Pass　over　that

lunch　box；〃　she　demanded。



〃I　will　not！〃　said　Elnora。



〃Then　I　will　have　you　arrested　for　trying　to　poison　our

dog；〃　laughed　the　girl　as　she　took　the　box。



〃One　chunk　of　stale　bread；　one　half　mile　of　antique

bologna　contributed　for　dog　feed；　the　remains　of　cake；　salad

and　preserves　in　an　otherwise　empty　lunch　box。　　One　ham

sandwich　yesterday。　　I　think　it's　lovely　you　have　the　box。　

Who　ate　your　lunch　to…day？〃



〃Same；〃　confessed　Elnora；　〃but　there　were　three　of

them　this　time。〃



〃Wait；　until　I　run　back　and　tell　mother　about　the　dog；

and　get　my　books。〃



Elnora　waited。　　That　morning　she　walked　down　the

hall　and　into　the　auditorium　beside　one　of　the　very　nicest

girls　in　Onabasha；　and　it　was　the　fourth　day。　　But　the

surprise　came　at　noon　when　Ellen　insisted　upon　Elnora

lunching　at　the　Brownlee　home；　and　convulsed　her　parents

and　family；　and　overwhelmed　Elnora　with　a　greatly　magnified；

but　moderately　accurate　history　of　her　lunch　box。



〃Gee！　but　it's　a　box；　daddy！〃　cried　the　laughing　girl。　

〃It's　carved　leather　and　fastens　with　a　strap　that　has　her

name　on　it。　　Inside　are　trays　for　things　all　complete；　and

it　bears　evidence　of　having　enclosed　delicious　food；　but

Elnora　never　gets　any。　　She's　carried　it　two　days　now；　and

both　times　it　has　been　empty　before　she　reached　school。　

Isn't　that　killing？〃



〃It　is；　Ellen；　in　more　ways　than　one。　　No　girl　is　going

to　eat　breakfast　at　six　o'clock；　walk　three　miles；　and　do

good　work　without　her　lunch。　　You　can't　tell　me　anything

about　that　box。　　I　sold　it　last　Monday　night　to　Wesley

Sinton；　one　of　my　good　country　customers。　　He　told　me　it

was　a　present　for　a　girl　who　was　worthy　of　it；　and　I　see　he

was　right。〃



〃He's　so　good　to　me；〃　said　Elnora。　　〃Sometimes　I　look

at　him　and　wonder　if　a　neighbour　can　be　so　kind　to　one；

what　a　real　father　would　be　like。　　I　envy　a　girl　with　a

father　unspeakably。〃



〃You　have　cause；〃　said　Ellen　Brownlee。　　〃A　father　is

the　very　dearest　person　in　the　whole　round　world；　except　a

mother；　who　is　just　a　dear。〃　　The　girl；　starting　to　pay

tribute　to　her　father；　saw　that　she　must　include　her　mother；

and　said　the　thing　before　she　remembered　what　Mrs。　Sinton

had　told　the　girls　in　the　store。　　She　stopped　in　dismay。　

Elnora's　face　paled　a　trifle；　but　she　smiled　bravely。



〃Then　I'm　fortunate　in　having　a　mother；〃　she　said。



Mr。　Brownlee　lingered　at　the　table　after　the　girls　had

excused　themselves　and　returned　to　school。



〃There's　a　girl　Ellen　can't　see　too　much　of；　in　my

opinion；〃　he　said。　　〃She　is　every　inch　a　lady；　and　not　a

foolish　notion　or　action　about　her。　　I　can't　understand

just　what　combination　of　circumstances　produced　her　in

this　day。〃



〃It　has　been　an　unusual　case　of　repression；　for　one　thing。　

She　waits　on　her　elders　and　thinks　before　she　speaks；〃

said　Mrs。　Brownlee。



〃She's　mighty　pretty。　　She　looks　so　sound　and　wholesome；

and　she's　neatly　dressed。〃



〃Ellen　says　she　was　a　fright　the　first　two　days。　　Long　brown

calico　dress　almost　touching　the　floor；　and　big；

lumbering　shoes。　　Those　Sinton　people　bought　her　clothes。　

Ellen　was　in　the　store；　and　the　woman　stopped　her　crowd

and　asked　them　about　their　dresses。　　She　said　the　girl

was　not　poor；　but　her　mother　was　selfish　and　didn't

care　for　her。　　But　Elnora　showed　a　bank　book　the　next

day；　and　declared　that　she　paid　for　the　things　herself；

so　the　Sinton　people　must　just　have　selected　them。　

There's　something　peculiar　about　it；　but　nothing　wrong

I　am　sure。　　I'll　encourage　Ellen　to　ask　her　again。〃



〃I　should　say　so；　especially　if　she　is　going　to　keep　on

giving　away　her　lunch。〃



〃She　lunched　with　the　Bird　Woman　one　day　this　week。〃



〃She　did！〃



〃Yes；　she　lives　out　by　the　Limberlost。　　You　know　the

Bird　Woman　works　there　a　great　deal；　and　probably

knows　her　that　way。　　I　think　the　girl　gathers　specimens

for　her。　　Ellen　says　she　knows　more　than　the　teachers

about　any　nature　question　that　comes　up；　and　she　is　going

to　lead　all　of　them　in　mathematics；　and　make　them　work

in　any