a girl of the limberlost-第39章

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sleep　as　long　as　she　would。〃



〃Maybe　I　could　sit　here　and　wait；〃　said　Mrs。　Comstock。　

〃I　want　to　see　about　getting　her　a　dress　for　to…morrow。　

I　am　her　mother。〃



〃Then　you　don't　need　wait　or　worry；〃　said　the　girl　cheerfully。　

〃There　are　two　women　up　in　the　sewing…room　at　work　on　a

dress　for　her　right　now。　　It　will　be　done　in　time；　and　it　will

be　a　beauty。〃



Mrs。　Comstock　turned　and　trudged　back　to　the　Limberlost。　

The　bitterness　in　her　soul　became　a　physical　actuality；

which　water　would　not　wash　from　her　lips。　　She　was

too　late！　　She　was　not　needed。　　Another　woman　was

mothering　her　girl。　　Another　woman　would　prepare　a

beautiful　dress　such　as　Elnora　had　worn　the　previous　night。　

The　girl's　love　and　gratitude　would　go　to　her。　　Mrs。　Comstock

tried　the　old　process　of　blaming　some　one　else；　but　she　felt

no　better。　　She　nursed　her　grief　as　closely　as　ever　in

the　long　days　of　the　girl's　absence。　　She　brooded

over　Elnora's　possession　of　the　forbidden　violin　and　her

ability　to　play　it　until　the　performance　could　not　have

been　told　from　her　father's。　　She　tried　every　refuge　her

mind　could　conjure；　to　quiet　her　heart　and　remove　the　fear

that　the　girl　never　would　come　home　again；　but　it　persisted。　

Mrs。　Comstock　could　neither　eat　nor　sleep。　　She　wandered

around　the　cabin　and　garden。　　She　kept　far　from　the　pool

where　Robert　Comstock　had　sunk　from　sight　for　she　felt

that　it　would　entomb　her　also　if　Elnora　did　not　come　home

Wednesday　morning。　　The　mother　told　herself　that　she　would

wait；　but　the　waiting　was　as　bitter　as　anything　she　ever　had　known。



When　Elnora　awoke　Monday　another　dress　was　in　the　hands

of　a　seamstress　and　was　soon　fitted。　　It　had　belonged

to　the　Angel；　and　was　a　soft　white　thing　that　with　a

little　alteration　would　serve　admirably　for　Commencement

and　the　ball。　　All　that　day　Elnora　worked；　helping　prepare

the　auditorium　for　the　exercises；　rehearsing　the　march

and　the　speech　she　was　to　make　in　behalf　of　the　class。　

The　following　day　was　even　busier。　　But　her　mind　was　at

rest；　for　the　dress　was　a　soft　delicate　lace　easy　to

change；　and　the　marks　of　alteration　impossible　to　detect。



The　Bird　Woman　had　telephoned　to　Grand　Rapids；　explained

the　situation　and　asked　the　Angel　if　she　might　use　it。　

The　reply　had　been　to　give　the　girl　the　contents　of　the　chest。　

When　the　Bird　Woman　told　Elnora；　tears　filled　her　eyes。



〃I　will　write　at　once　and　thank　her；〃　she　said。　　〃With　all

her　beautiful　gowns　she　does　not　need　them；　and　I　do。　

They　will　serve　for　me　often；　and　be　much　finer　than　anything

I　could　afford。　　It　is　lovely　of　her　to　give　me　the　dress

and　of　you　to　have　it　altered　for　me；　as　I　never　could。〃



The　Bird　Woman　laughed。　　〃I　feel　religious　to…day；〃

she　said。　　〃You　know　the　first　and　greatest　rock　of　my

salvation　is　‘Do　unto　others。'　　I'm　only　doing　to　you

what　there　was　no　one　to　do　for　me　when　I　was　a　girl

very　like　you。　　Anna　tells　me　your　mother　was　here　early

this　morning　and　that　she　came　to　see　about　getting　you

a　dress。〃



〃She　is　too　late！〃　said　Elnora　coldly。　　〃She　had　over

a　month　to　prepare　my　dresses；　and　I　was　to　pay　for　them；

so　there　is　no　excuse。〃



〃Nevertheless；　she　is　your　mother；〃　said　the　Bird

Woman；　softly。　　〃I　think　almost　any　kind　of　a　mother

must　be　better　than　none　at　all；　and　you　say　she　has　had

great　trouble。〃



〃She　loved　my　father　and　he　died；〃　said　Elnora。　　〃The　same

thing；　in　quite　as　tragic　a　manner；　has　happened　to

thousands　of　other　women；　and　they　have　gone　on　with

calm　faces　and　found　happiness　in　life　by　loving　others。　

There　was　something　else　I　am　afraid　I　never　shall　forget；

this　I　know　I　shall　not；　but　talking　does　not　help。　　I　must

deliver　my　presents　and　photographs　to　the　crowd。　　I　have

a　picture　and　I　made　a　present　for　you；　too；　if　you　would

care　for　them。〃



〃I　shall　love　anything　you　give　me；〃　said　the　Bird　Woman。　

〃I　know　you　well　enough　to　know　that　whatever　you　do　will

be　beautiful。〃



Elnora　was　pleased　over　that；　and　as　she　tried　on　her

dress　for　the　last　fitting　she　was　really　happy。　　She　was

lovely　in　the　dainty　gown：　it　would　serve　finely　for　the　ball

and　many　other　like　occasions；　and　it　was　her　very　own。



The　Bird　Woman's　driver　took　Elnora　in　the　carriage　and

she　called　on　all　the　girls　with　whom　she　was　especially

intimate；　and　left　her　picture　and　the　package　containing

her　gift　to　them。　　By　the　time　she　returned　parcels　for

her　were　arriving。　　Friends　seemed　to　spring　from　everywhere。　

Almost　every　one　she　knew　had　some　gift　for　her；　while

because　they　so　loved　her　the　members　of　her　crowd　had

made　her　beautiful　presents。　　There　were　books；　vases；

silver　pieces；　handkerchiefs；　fans；　boxes　of　flowers

and　candy。　　One　big　package　settled　the　trouble　at　Sinton's；

for　it　contained　a　dainty　dress　from　　Margaret；

a　five…dollar　gold　piece；　conspicuously　labelled；

〃I　earned　this　myself；〃　from　Billy；　with　which　to　buy

music；　and　a　gorgeous　cut…glass　perfume　bottle；　it　would

have　cost　five　dollars　to　fill　with　even　a　moderate…

priced　scent；　from　Wesley。



In　an　expressed　crate　was　a　fine　curly…maple　dressing

table；　sent　by　Freckles。　　The　drawers　were　filled　with

wonderful　toilet　articles　from　the　Angel。　　The　Bird

Woman　added　an　embroidered　linen　cover　and　a　small

silver　vase　for　a　few　flowers；　so　no　girl　of　the　class　had

finer　gifts。　　Elnora　laid　her　head　on　the　table　sobbing

happily；　and　the　Bird　Woman　was　almost　crying　herself。　

Professor　Henley　sent　a　butterfly　book；　the　grade　rooms　in

which　Elnora　had　taught　gave　her　a　set　of　volumes　covering

every　phase　of　life　afield；　in　the　woods；　and　water。　

Elnora　had　no　time　to　read　so　she　carried　one　of　these

books　around　with　her　hugging　it　as　she　went。　　After　she

had　gone　to　dress　a　queer…looking　package　was　brought

by　a　small　boy　who　hopped　on　one　foot　as　he　handed　it

in　and　said：　　〃Tell　Elnora　that　is　from　her　ma。〃



〃Who　are　you？〃　asked　the　Bird　Woman　as　she　took

the　bundle。



〃I'm　Billy！〃　announced　the　boy。　　〃I　gave　her　the　five　dollars。　

I　earned　it　myself　dropping　corn；　sticking　onions；　and

pulling　weeds。　　My；　but　you　got　to　drop；　and　stick；　and

pull　a　lot　before　it's　five　dollars'　worth。〃



〃Would　you　like　to　come　in　and　see　Elnora's　gifts？〃



〃Yes；　ma'am！〃　said　Billy；　trying　to　stand　quietly。　



〃Gee…mentley！〃　he　gasped。　　〃Does　Elnora　get　all　this？〃



〃Yes。〃



〃I　bet　you　a　thousand　dollars　I　be　first　in　my　class

when　I　graduate。　　Say；　have　the　others　got　a　lot　more

than　Elnora？〃



〃I　think　not。〃



〃Well；　Uncle　Wesley　said　to　find　out　if　I　could；　and　if

she　didn't　have　as　much　as　the　rest；　he'd　buy　till　she　did；

if　it　took　a　hundred　dollars。　　Say；　you　ought　to　know　him！　

He's　just　scrumptious！　　There　ain't　anybody　any　where　finer

'an　he　is。　　My；　he's　grand！〃



〃I'm　very　sure　of　it！〃　said　the　Bird　Woman。　　〃I've　often

heard　Elnora　say　so。〃



〃I　bet　you　nobody　can　beat　this！〃　he　boasted。　　Then　he

stopped；　thinking　deeply。　　〃I　don't　know；　though；〃

he　began　reflectively。　　〃Some　of　them　are　awful　rich；

they　got　big　families　to　give　them　things　and　wagon　loads

of　friends；　and　I　haven't　seen　what　they　have。　　Now；　maybe

Elnora　is　getting　left；　after　all！〃



〃Don't　worry；　Billy；〃　she　said。　　〃I　will　watch；　and

if　I　find　Elnora　is　‘getting　left'　I'll　buy　her　some　more

things　myself。　　But　I'm　sure　she　is　not。　　She　has　more

beautiful　gifts　now　than　she　will　know　what　to　do　with；　and

others　will　come。　　Tell　your　Uncle　Wesley　his　girl　is

bountifully　remembered；　very　happy；　and　she　sends　her

dearest　love　to　all　of　you。　　Now　you　must　go；　so　I　can

help　her　dress。　　You　will　be　there　to…night　of　course？〃



〃Yes；　sir…ee！　　She　got　me　a　seat；　third　row　from　the

front；　middle　section；　so　I　can　see；　and　she's　going　to

wink　at　me；　after　she　gets　her　speech　off　her　mind。　

She　kissed　me；　too！　　She's　a　perfect　lady；　Elnora　is。　

I'm　going　to　marry　her　when　I　am　b