a summer in a canyon-第28章
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famous doctor。' And Bell finished dressing hurriedly； and went to
her mother's tent； while Polly and Margery smoothed the bed with a
furtive kick of straw over the offending gopher…holes； and hung a
dark shawl so as to shield Laura's eyes。
Aunt Truth entered speedily； with a family medical guide under one
arm； and a box of remedies under the other。
'The doctor has told me just what to do； and he will see you after
breakfast himself。 It doesn't look so very bad a case； dear； don't
run about in the sun for a day or two； and we'll bring you out all
right。 The doctor has had us all under treatment at some time or
other； because of that troublesome little plant。'
'I don't want to get up to breakfast；' moaned Laura。
'Just as you like。 But it is Polly's birthday； you know （many happy
returns； my sweet Pollykins）； and there are great preparations going
on。'
'I can't help it； Mrs。 Winship。 The boys would make fun of my looks；
and I shouldn't blame them。'
'Appear as the Veiled Lady；' suggested Margery； as Mrs。 Winship went
out。
'I won't come； and that's the end of it；' said Laura。 'Perhaps if I
bathe my face all the morning I can come to dinner。'
After breakfast was cleared away； Hop Yet and Mrs。 Howard's little
China boy Gin were given a half…holiday； and allowed to go to a
neighbouring ranch to see a 'flend' of Hop Yet's； for it was a part
of the birthday scheme that Bell and Geoffrey should cook the
festival dinner。
Jack was so delighted at the failure of Polly's scheme to sew him in
his tent； that he simply radiated amiability； and spent the whole
morning helping Elsie and Margery with a set of elaborate dinner…
cards； executed on half…sheets of note…paper。
The dinner itself was a grand success。 Half of the cards bore a
caricature of Polly in the shape of a parrot； with the inscription
'Polly want a cracker？' The rest were adorned with pretty sketches
of her in her camping…dress； a kettle in one hand； and underneath；
'Polly； put the kettle on；
We'll all have tea。'
This was the bill of fare arranged by Bell and Geoffrey； and written
on the reverse side of the dinner…cards
DINNER A LA MOTHER GOOSE。
CAMP CHAPARRAL。
August 15； 18…。
'Come with a whoop； come with a call；
Come with a good will； or not at all。'
'VICTUALS AND DRINK。'
BEAN SOUP。
'She gave them some broth； she gave them some bread。'
SALT CODFISH。
'You shall have a fishy
In a little dishy。'
ROAST MUTTON A LA VENISON。
'Dear sensibility； O la！
I heard a little lamb cry ba…a！'
POTATOES IN JACKETS。
'The butcher； the baker； the candlestick…maker；
All jumped out of a roasted potato。'
STEWED BEANS。
'You； nor I； nor nobody knows；
Where oats； peas； beans； and barley grows。'
CHICKEN AND BEEF SANDWICHES。
'Hickety； pickety； my pretty hen
Laid good eggs for gentlemen。'
Taffy was a Welshman； Taffy was a thief；
Taffy came to my house and stole a piece of beef。'
LEMON PIE。
'A pie sat on a pear…tree。'
PLUM TARTS。
'The Queen of Hearts； she made some tarts；
All on a summer's day。'
FRUIT； NUTS； AND RAISINS。
'You shall have an apple；
You shall have a plum。'
'I had a little nut…tree； nothing would it bear
But a silver nutmeg and a golden pear。'
BREAD AND CHEESE。
'When I was a bachelor I lived by myself；
And all the bread and cheese I got I put upon the shelf。'
COFFEE AND LEMONADE。
'One； two； three； how good you be！
I love coffee and Billy loves tea。'
'Oranges and lemons；
Says the bell of St。 Clemen's。'
'What they ate I can't tell；
But 'tis known very well
That none of the party grew fat。'
Bell and Geoff took turns at 'dishing up' in the kitchen； and sat
down at the table between whiles； and they barely escaped being
mobbed when they omitted one or two dishes on the programme； and
confessed that they had been put on principally for the 'style' of
the thing；a very poor excuse to a company of people who have made
up their mouths for all the delicacies of the season。
Jack was head waiter； and having donned a clean white blouse of Hop
Yet's and his best cap with the red button； from which dangled a
hastily improvised queue of black worsted； he proceeded to convulse
everybody with his Mongolian antics。 These consisted of most
informal remarks in clever pigeon English； and snatches of Chinese
melody； rendered from time to time as he carried dishes into the
kitchen。 Elsie laughed until she cried； and Laura sat in the
shadiest corner； her head artistically swathed in white tarlatan。
Polly occupied the seat of honour at the end of the table opposite
Dr。 Winship； and was happier than a queen。 She wore her new green
cambric； with a bunch of leaves at her belt。 She was sun…burned； but
the freckles seemed to have disappeared mysteriously from her nose；
and almost any one would have admired the rosy skin； the dancing
eyes； and the graceful little auburn head； 'sunning over with curls。'
When the last bit of dessert had been disposed of； and Dicky had gone
to sleep in his mother's lap； like an infant boa…constrictor after a
hearty meal； the presentation of gifts and reading of poems took
place； and Polly had to be on the alert to answer all the nonsensical
jokes that were aimed at her。
Finally； Bell crowned the occasion by producing a song of Miss
Mulock's； which had come in the morning mail from some girl friend of
Polly's in the East； who had discovered that Polly's name had
appeared in poetry and song without her knowledge； and who thought
she might be interested to hear the composition。 With the aid of
Bell's guitar and Jack's banjo the girls and boys soon caught the
pretty air； and sung it in chorus。
1。 Pretty Pol…ly Ol…i…ver； will you be my own？
Pret…ty Pol…ly Ol…i…ver； as cold as a
stone； But my love has grown warm…er as
cold…er you've grown； O Pret…ty Pol…ly
Ol…i…ver； will you be my own？
2。 Pret…ty Pol…ly Ol…i…ver； I love you so dear！
Pret…ty Pol…ly Ol…i…ver； my hope and my
fear； I've wait…ed for you； sweet…heart； this
many a long year； For Pret…ty Pol…ly
Ol…i…ver； I've loved you so dear！
3。 Pret…ty Pol…ly Ol…i…ver； I'll bid you good bye：
Pret…ty Pol…ly Ol…i…ver； for you I'll not
die； You'll nev…er get a tru…er true
lov…er than I； So Pret…ty Pol…ly
Ol…i…ver； good…bye； love； good…bye！
At the end； Dr。 Winship raised his glass of lemonade； and proposed to
drink Miss Oliver's health。 This was done with enthusiasm； and
Geoffrey immediately cried； 'Speech； speech！'
'I can't；' said Polly； blushing furiously。
'Speech！' sung Jack and Philip vociferously； pounding on the table
with knife…handles to increase the furore。
'Speech！' demanded the genial doctor； going over to the majority； and
smiling encouragingly at Polly； who was pushed to her feet before she
knew very well what she was doing。 'Oh； if Laura were not looking at
me；' she thought； 'I'd just like to speak right out； and tell them a
little bit of what is in my heart。 I don't careI will！'
'I know you are all in fun；' she said； looking bravely into the good
doctor's eyes； 'and of course no one could make a proper speech with
Jack grinning like a Cheshire cat； but I can't help telling you that
this is the happiest summer and the happiest birthday of my whole
life； and that I scarcely remember nowadays that I have no father and
no brothers and sisters； for I have never been alone or unhappy since
you took me in among you and Bell chose me for her friend； and I
think that if you knew how grateful I am for my beautiful summer；
dear Dr。 Paul and Aunt Truth； you would be glad that you gave it to
me； and I love you all； dearly； dearly； dearly！' Whereupon the
impulsive little creature finished her maiden speech by dashing round
the table and giving Mrs。 Winship one of her 'bear hugs；' at which
everybody laughed and rose from the table。
Laura Burton； who was thoroughly out of conceit with the world； and
who was never quite happy when other people seemed for the moment to
be preferred to herself； thought this burst of affection decidedly
theatrical； but she did not know of any one to whom she could confine
her opinions just then； indeed； she felt too depressed and out of
sorts to join in the general hilarity。
Dinner being over；
