a girl of the limberlost-第1部分

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A　Girl　of　The　Limberlost

By　Gene　Stratton　Porter

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

TO　ALL　GIRLS　OF　THE　LIMBERLOST　IN　GENERAL

AND　ONE　JEANETTE　HELEN　PORTER　IN　PARTICULAR



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　



CHARACTERS



ELNORA；　who　collects　moths　to　pay　for　her　education；

　　　　　　　　and　lives　the　Golden　Rule。



PHILIP　AMMON；　who　assists　in　moth　hunting；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　and　gains　a　new　conception　of　love。



MRS。　COMSTOCK；　who　lost　a　delusion　and　found　a　treasure。



WESLEY　SINTON；　who　always　did　his　best。



MARGARET　SINTON；　who　〃mothers〃　Elnora。



BILLY；　a　boy　from　real　life。



EDITH　CARR；　who　discovers　herself。



HART　HENDERSON；　to　whom　love　means　all　things。



POLLY　AMMON；　who　pays　an　old　score。



TOM　LEVERING；　engaged　to　Polly。



TERENCE　O'MORE；　Freckles　grown　tall。



MRS。　O'MORE；　who　remained　the　Angel。



TERENCE；　ALICE　and　LITTLE　BROTHER；　the　O'MORE　children。







A　GIRL　OF　THE　LIMBERLOST











CHAPTER　I





WHEREIN　ELNORA　GOES　TO　HIGH　SCHOOL

AND　LEARNS　MANY　LESSONS　NOT　FOUND　IN　HER　BOOKS





Elnora　Comstock；　have　you　lost　your　senses？〃

demanded　the　angry　voice　of　Katharine　Comstock

while　she　glared　at　her　daughter。



〃Why　mother！〃　faltered　the　girl。



〃Don't　you　‘why　mother'　me！〃　cried　Mrs。　Comstock。　

〃You　know　very　well　what　I　mean。　　You've　given　me

no　peace　until　you've　had　your　way　about　this　going　to

school　business；　I've　fixed　you　good　enough；　and　you're

ready　to　start。　　But　no　child　of　mine　walks　the　streets

of　Onabasha　looking　like　a　play…actress　woman。　　You　wet

your　hair　and　comb　it　down　modest　and　decent　and　then

be　off；　or　you'll　have　no　time　to　find　where　you　belong。〃



Elnora　gave　one　despairing　glance　at　the　white　face；

framed　in　a　most　becoming　riot　of　reddish…brown　hair；

which　she　saw　in　the　little　kitchen　mirror。　　Then　she

untied　the　narrow　black　ribbon；　wet　the　comb　and　plastered

the　waving　curls　close　to　her　head；　bound　them　fast；　pinned

on　the　skimpy　black　hat　and　opened　the　back　door。



〃You've　gone　so　plumb　daffy　you　are　forgetting　your

dinner；〃　jeered　her　mother。



〃I　don't　want　anything　to　eat；〃　replied　Elnora。



〃You'll　take　your　dinner　or　you'll　not　go　one　step。　

Are　you　crazy？　　Walk　almost　three　miles　and　no　food

from　six　in　the　morning　until　six　at　night。　　A　pretty

figure　you'd　cut　if　you　had　your　way！　　And　after　I've

gone　and　bought　you　this　nice　new　pail　and　filled　it

especial　to　start　on！〃



Elnora　came　back　with　a　face　still　whiter　and　picked

up　the　lunch。　　〃Thank　you；　mother！　　Good…bye！〃　she

said。　　Mrs。　Comstock　did　not　reply。　　She　watched　the

girl　follow　the　long　walk　to　the　gate　and　go　from　sight

on　the　road；　in　the　bright　sunshine　of　the　first　Monday

of　September。



〃I　bet　a　dollar　she　gets　enough　of　it　by　night！〃

commented　Mrs。　Comstock。



Elnora　walked　by　instinct；　for　her　eyes　were　blinded

with　tears。　　She　left　the　road　where　it　turned　south；　at

the　corner　of　the　Limberlost；　climbed　a　snake　fence　and

entered　a　path　worn　by　her　own　feet。　　Dodging　under

willow　and　scrub　oak　branches　she　came　at　last　to　the

faint　outline　of　an　old　trail　made　in　the　days　when　the

precious　timber　of　the　swamp　was　guarded　by　armed

men。　　This　path　she　followed　until　she　reached　a　thick

clump　of　bushes。　　From　the　debris　in　the　end　of　a　hollow

log　she　took　a　key　that　unlocked　the　padlock　of　a　large

weatherbeaten　old　box；　inside　of　which　lay　several　books；

a　butterfly　apparatus；　and　a　small　cracked　mirror。　　The　walls

were　lined　thickly　with　gaudy　butterflies；　dragonflies；

and　moths。　　She　set　up　the　mirror　and　once　more

pulling　the　ribbon　from　her　hair；　she　shook　the　bright

mass　over　her　shoulders；　tossing　it　dry　in　the　sunshine。　

Then　she　straightened　it；　bound　it　loosely；　and　replaced

her　hat。　　She　tugged　vainly　at　the　low　brown　calico

collar　and　gazed　despairingly　at　the　generous　length　of

the　narrow　skirt。　　She　lifted　it　as　she　would　have　cut

it　if　possible。　　That　disclosed　the　heavy　high　leather

shoes；　at　sight　of　which　she　seemed　positively　ill；　and

hastily　dropped　the　skirt。　　She　opened　the　pail；　removed

the　lunch；　wrapped　it　in　the　napkin；　and　placed　it　in　a

small　pasteboard　box。　　Locking　the　case　again　she　hid

the　key　and　hurried　down　the　trail。



She　followed　it　around　the　north　end　of　the　swamp

and　then　entered　a　footpath　crossing　a　farm　leading　in

the　direction　of　the　spires　of　the　city　to　the　northeast。　

Again　she　climbed　a　fence　and　was　on　the　open　road。　　For

an　instant　she　leaned　against　the　fence　staring　before

her；　then　turned　and　looked　back。　　Behind　her　lay　the

land　on　which　she　had　been　born　to　drudgery　and　a

mother　who　made　no　pretence　of　loving　her；　before　her

lay　the　city　through　whose　schools　she　hoped　to　find

means　of　escape　and　the　way　to　reach　the　things　for

which　she　cared。　　When　she　thought　of　how　she　appeared

she　leaned　more　heavily　against　the　fence　and　groaned；

when　she　thought　of　turning　back　and　wearing　such

clothing　in　ignorance　all　the　days　of　her　life　she　set　her

teeth　firmly　and　went　hastily　toward　Onabasha。



On　the　bridge　crossing　a　deep　culvert　at　the　suburbs

she　glanced　around；　and　then　kneeling　she　thrust　the

lunch　box　between　the　foundation　and　the　flooring。　

This　left　her　empty…handed　as　she　approached　the　big　stone

high　school　building。　　She　entered　bravely　and　inquired

her　way　to　the　office　of　the　superintendent。　　There　she

learned　that　she　should　have　come　the　previous　week

and　arranged　about　her　classes。　　There　were　many　things

incident　to　the　opening　of　school；　and　one　man　unable　to

cope　with　all　of　them。



〃Where　have　you　been　attending　school？〃　he　asked；

while　he　advised　the　teacher　of　Domestic　Science　not　to

telephone　for　groceries　until　she　knew　how　many　she

would　have　in　her　classes；　wrote　an　order　for　chemicals

for　the　students　of　science；　and　advised　the　leader　of

the　orchestra　to　hire　a　professional　to　take　the　place　of

the　bass　violist；　reported　suddenly　ill。



〃I　finished　last　spring　at　Brushwood　school；　district

number　nine；〃　said　Elnora。　　〃I　have　been　studying　all　summer。　

I　am　quite　sure　I　can　do　the　first　year　work；　if　I　have

a　few　days　to　get　started。〃



〃Of　course；　of　course；〃　assented　the　superintendent。　

〃Almost　invariably　country　pupils　do　good　work。　　You　may

enter　first　year；　and　if　it　is　too　difficult；　we　will　find

it　out　speedily。　　Your　teachers　will　tell　you　the　list　of

books　you　must　have；　and　if　you　will　come　with　me　I　will

show　you　the　way　to　the　auditorium。　　It　is　now　time

for　opening　exercises。　　Take　any　seat　you　find　vacant。〃



Elnora　stood　before　the　entrance　and　stared　into　the

largest　room　she　ever　had　seen。　　The　floor　sloped　to　a

yawning　stage　on　which　a　band　of　musicians；　grouped

around　a　grand　piano；　were　tuning　their　instruments。　

She　had　two　fleeting　impressions。　　That　it　was　all　a

mistake；　this　was　no　school；　but　a　grand　display　of

enormous　ribbon　bows；　and　the　second；　that　she　was　sinking；

and　had　forgotten　how　to　walk。　　Then　a　burst　from　the

orchestra　nerved　her　while　a　bevy　of　daintily　clad；　sweet…

smelling　things　that　might　have　been　birds；　or　flowers；

or　possibly　gaily　dressed；　happy　young　girls；　pushed

her　forward。　　She　found　herself　plodding　across　the　back　of

the　auditorium；　praying　for　guidance；　to　an　empty　seat。



As　the　girls　passed　her；　vacancies　seemed　to　open　to

meet　them。　　Their　friends　were　moving　over；　beckoning

and　whispering　invitations。　　Every　one　else　was　seated；

but　no　one　paid　any　attention　to　the　white…faced　girl

stumbling　half…blindly　down　the　aisle　next　the　farthest　wall。　

So　she　went　on　to　the　very　end　facing　the　stage。　

No　one　moved；　and　she　could　not　summon　courage　to

crowd　past　others　to　several　empty　seats　she　saw。　

At　the　end　of　the　aisle　she　paused　in　desperation；　while

she　stared　back　at　the　whole　forest　of　faces　most　of　which

were　now　turned　upon　her。



In　a　flash　came　the　full　realization　of　her　scanty　dress；

her　pitiful　little　hat　and　ribbon；　her　big；　heavy　shoes；

her　ignorance　of　where　to　go　or　what　to　do；　and　from　a

sickening　wave　which　crept　over　her；　she　felt　she　was

going　to　become　very　ill。　　Then　out　of　the　mass　she　saw

a　pair　of　big；　brown　boy　eyes；　three　seats　from　her；　and

there　was　a　message　in　them。　　Without　moving　his　body

he　reached　forward　and　with　a　pencil　touched　the　back　of

the　seat　before　him。　　Instantly　Elnora　took　another　step

which　brought　her　to　a　row　of　vacant　front　seats。



She　heard　laughter　behind　her；　the　knowledge　that

she　wore　the　only　hat　in　the　room　burned　her；　every

matter　of　moment；　and　some　of　none　at　all；　cut　and　stung。　

She　had　no　books。　　Where　should　she　go　when　this

was　over？　　What　would　she　give　to　be　on　the　trail

going　home！　　She　was　shaking　with　a　nervous　chill　when

the　music　ceased；　and　the　superintendent　arose；　and

coming　down　to　the　front　of　the　flower…decked　platform；

opened　a　Bible　and　began　to　read。　　Elnora　did　not　know


what　he　was　reading；　and　she　felt　that　she　did　not　care。　

Wildly　she　was　racking　her　brain　to　decide　whether　she

should　sit　still　when　the　others　left　the　room　or　follow；

and　ask　some　one　where　the　Freshmen　went　first。



In　the　midst　of　the　struggle　one　sentence　fell　on　her　ear。　

〃Hide　me　under　the　shadow　of　Thy　wings。〃



Elnora　began　to　pray　frantically。　　〃Hide　me；　O　God；

hide　me；　under　the　shadow　of　Thy　wings。〃



Again　and　again　she　implored　that　prayer；　and　before

she　realized　what　was　coming；　every　one　had　arisen　and

the　room　was　emptying　rapidly。　　Elnora　hurried　after　the

nearest　girl　and　in　the　press　at　the　door　touched　her

sleeve　timidly。



〃Will　you　please　tell　me　where　the　Freshmen　go？〃　she

asked　huskily。



The　girl　gave　her　one　surprised　glance；　and　drew　away。



〃Same　place　as　the　fresh　women；〃　she　answered；　and