a girl of the limberlost-第3章

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！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



was　indistinct。



Elnora　hurried　from　the　city。　　She　intended　to　get　her

lunch；　eat　it　in　the　shade　of　the　first　tree；　and　then　decide

whether　she　would　go　back　or　go　home。　　She　knelt　on　the

bridge　and　reached　for　her　box；　but　it　was　so　very　light　that

she　was　prepared　for　the　fact　that　it　was　empty；　before

opening　it。　　There　was　one　thing　for　which　to　be　thankful。　

The　boy　or　tramp　who　had　seen　her　hide　it；　had　left　the　napkin。　

She　would　not　have　to　face　her　mother　and　account　for

its　loss。　　She　put　it　in　her　pocket；　and　threw　the　box

into　the　ditch。　　Then　she　sat　on　the　bridge　and　tried

to　think；　but　her　brain　was　confused。



〃Perhaps　the　worst　is　over；〃　she　said　at　last。　　〃I　will

go　back。　　What　would　mother　say　to　me　if　I　came　home　now？〃



So　she　returned　to　the　high　school；　followed　some　other

pupils　to　the　coat　room；　hung　her　hat；　and　found　her　way

to　the　study　where　she　had　been　in　the　morning。　　Twice

that　afternoon；　with　aching　head　and　empty　stomach；　she

faced　strange　professors；　in　different　branches。　　Once　she

escaped　notice；　the　second　time　the　worst　happened。　　She　was

asked　a　question　she　could　not　answer。



〃Have　you　not　decided　on　your　course；　and　secured　your　books？〃

inquired　the　professor。



〃I　have　decided　on　my　course；〃　replied　Elnora；　〃I

do　not　know　where　to　ask　for　my　books。〃



〃Ask？〃　the　professor　was　bewildered。



〃I　understood　the　books　were　furnished；〃　faltered　Elnora。



〃Only　to　those　bringing　an　order　from　the　township

trustee；〃　replied　the　Professor。



〃No！　　Oh　no！〃　cried　Elnora。　　〃I　will　have　them　to…

morrow；〃　and　gripped　her　desk　for　support　for　she　knew

that　was　not　true。　　Four　books；　ranging　perhaps　at　a

dollar　and　a　half　apiece；　would　her　mother　buy　them？　

Of　course　she　would　notcould　not。



Did　not　Elnora　know　the　story　of　old。　　There　was

enough　land；　but　no　one　to　do　clearing　and　farm。　　Tax　on

all　those　acres；　recently　the　new　gravel　road　tax　added；

the　expense　of　living　and　only　the　work　of　two　women　to

meet　all　of　it。　　She　was　insane　to　think　she　could　come　to

the　city　to　school。　　Her　mother　had　been　right。　　The　girl

decided　that　if　only　she　lived　to　reach　home；　she　would

stay　there　and　lead　any　sort　of　life　to　avoid　more　of

this　torture。　　Bad　as　what　she　wished　to　escape　had　been；

it　was　nothing　like　this。　　She　never　could　live　down　the

movement　that　went　through　the　class　when　she　inadvertently

revealed　the　fact　that　she　had　expected　books　to

be　furnished。　　Her　mother　would　not　secure　them；　that

settled　the　question。



But　the　end　of　misery　is　never　in　a　hurry　to　come；　before

the　day　was　over　the　superintendent　entered　the　room　and

explained　that　pupils　from　the　country　were　charged　a

tuition　of　twenty　dollars　a　year。　　That　really　was　the　end。　

Previously　Elnora　had　canvassed　a　dozen　methods　for

securing　the　money　for　books；　ranging　all　the　way　from

offering　to　wash　the　superintendent's　dishes　to　breaking

into　the　bank。　　This　additional　expense　made　her　plans

so　wildly　impossible；　there　was　nothing　to　do　but　hold　up

her　head　until　she　was　from　sight。



Down　the　long　corridor　alone　among　hundreds；　down　the

long　street　alone　among　thousands；　out　into　the　country

she　came　at　last。　　Across　the　fence　and　field；　along　the　old

trail　once　trodden　by　a　boy's　bitter　agony；　now　stumbled　a

white…faced　girl；　sick　at　heart。　　She　sat　on　a　log　and　began

to　sob　in　spite　of　her　efforts　at　self…control。　　At　first　it

wasphysical　breakdown；　later；　thought　came　crowding。



Oh　the　shame；　the　mortification！　　Why　had　she　not

known　of　the　tuition？　　How　did　she　happen　to　think　that

in　the　city　books　were　furnished？　　Perhaps　it　was　because

she　had　read　they　were　in　several　states。　　But　why　did　she

not　know？　　Why　did　not　her　mother　go　with　her？　　Other　mothers

but　when　had　her　mother　ever　been　or　done　anything　at　all

like　other　mothers？　　Because　she　never　had　been　it　was

useless　to　blame　her　now。　　Elnora　realized　she　should　have

gone　to　town　the　week　before；　called　on　some　one　and

learned　all　these　things　herself。　　She　should　have　remembered

how　her　clothing　would　look；　before　she　wore　it　in

public　places。　　Now　she　knew；　and　her　dreams　were　over。　

She　must　go　home　to　feed　chickens；　calves；　and　pigs；

wear　calico　and　coarse　shoes；　and　with　averted　head；

pass　a　library　all　her　life。　　She　sobbed　again。



〃For　pity's　sake；　honey；　what's　the　matter？〃　asked　the

voice　of　the　nearest　neighbour；　Wesley　Sinton；　as　he

seated　himself　beside　Elnora。　　〃There；　there；〃　he　continued；

smearing　tears　all　over　her　face　in　an　effort　to　dry　them。　

〃Was　it　as　bad　as　that；　now？　　Maggie　has　been　just　wild

over　you　all　day。　　She's　got　nervouser　every　minute。　

She　said　we　were　foolish　to　let　you　go。　　She　said　your

clothes　were　not　right；　you　ought　not　to　carry　that　tin

pail；　and　that　they　would　laugh　at　you。　　By　gum；　I　see

they　did！〃



〃Oh；　Uncle　Wesley；〃　sobbed　the　girl；　〃why　didn't　she

tell　me？　〃



〃Well；　you　see；　Elnora；　she　didn't　like　to。　　You　got

such　a　way　of　holding　up　your　head；　and　going　through

with　things。　　She　thought　some　way　that　you'd　make　it；

till　you　got　started；　and　then　she　begun　to　see　a　hundred

things　we　should　have　done。　　I　reckon　you　hadn't　reached

that　building　before　she　remembered　that　your　skirt

should　have　been　pleated　instead　of　gathered；　your　shoes

been　low；　and　lighter　for　hot　September　weather；　and　a

new　hat。　　Were　your　clothes　right；　Elnora？〃



The　girl　broke　into　hysterical　laughter。　　〃Right！〃　she　cried。　

〃Right！　　Uncle　Wesley；　you　should　have　seen　me　among　them！　

I　was　a　picture！　　They'll　never　forget　me。　　No；　they　won't

get　the　chance；　for　they'll　see　me　again　to…morrow！



〃Now　that　is　what　I　call　spunk；　Elnora！　　Downright　grit；〃

said　Wesley　Sinton。　　〃Don't　you　let　them　laugh　you　out。　

You've　helped　Margaret　and　me　for　years　at　harvest　and

busy　times；　what　you've　earned　must　amount　to　quite　a　sum。　

You　can　get　yourself　a　good　many　clothes　with　it。〃



〃Don't　mention　clothes；　Uncle　Wesley；〃　sobbed　Elnora；

〃I　don't　care　now　how　I　look。　　If　I　don't　go　back　all　of　them

will　know　it's　because　I　am　so　poor　I　can't　buy　my　books。〃



〃Oh；　I　don't　know　as　you　are　so　dratted　poor；〃　said

Sinton　meditatively。　　〃There　are　three　hundred　acres

of　good　land；　with　fine　timber　as　ever　grew　on　it。〃



〃It　takes　all　we　can　earn　to　pay　the　tax；　and　mother

wouldn't　cut　a　tree　for　her　life。〃



〃Well　then；　maybe；　I'll　be　compelled　to　cut　one　for　her；〃

suggested　Sinton。　　〃Anyway；　stop　tearing　yourself　to

pieces　and　tell　me。　　If　it　isn't　clothes；　what　is　it？〃



〃It's　books　and　tuition。　　Over　twenty　dollars　in　all。〃



〃Humph！　　First　time　I　ever　knew　you　to　be　stumped　by

twenty　dollars；　Elnora；〃　said　Sinton；　patting　her　hand。



〃It's　the　first　time　you　ever　knew　me　to　want　money；〃

answered　Elnora。　　〃This　is　different　from　anything　that　ever

happened　to　me。　　Oh；　how　can　I　get　it；　Uncle　Wesley？〃



〃Drive　to　town　with　me　in　the　morning　and　I'll　draw　it

from　the　bank　for　you。　　I　owe　you　every　cent　of　it。〃



〃You　know　you　don't　owe　me　a　penny；　and　I　wouldn't

touch　one　from　you；　unless　I　really　could　earn　it。　

For　anything　that's　past　I　owe　you　and　Aunt　Margaret　for

all　the　home　life　and　love　I've　ever　known。　　I　know　how

you　work；　and　I'll　not　take　your　money。〃



〃Just　a　loan；　Elnora；　just　a　loan　for　a　little　while

until　you　can　earn　it。　　You　can　be　proud　with　all　the

rest　of　the　world；　but　there　are　no　secrets　between　us；

are　there；　Elnora？〃



〃No；〃　said　Elnora；　〃there　are　none。　　You　and　Aunt

Margaret　have　given　me　all　the　love　there　has　been

in　my　life。　　That　is　the　one　reason　above　all　others　why

you　shall　not　give　me　charity。　　Hand　me　money　because

you　find　me　crying　for　it！　　This　isn't　the　first　time　this

old　trail　has　known　tears　and　heartache。　　All　of　us　know

that　story。　　Freckles　stuck　to　what　he　undertook　and

won　out。　　I　stick；　too。　　When　Duncan　moved　away　he