a girl of the limberlost-第30部分

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her　half…way　to　her　cabin。　　She　said　she　had　grown

tired　of　sitting；　and　walked　on　ahead。　　That　night　she

asked　Billy　to　remain　with　her　and　sleep　on　Elnora's　bed。　

Then　she　pitched　headlong　upon　her　own；　and　suffered

agony　of　soul　such　as　she　never　before　had　known。　

The　swamp　had　sent　back　the　soul　of　her　loved　dead　and

put　it　into　the　body　of　the　daughter　she　resented；

and　it　was　almost　more　than　she　could　endure　and　live。









CHAPTER　XI





WHEREIN　ELNORA　GRADUATES；

AND　FRECKLES　AND　THE　ANGEL　SEND　GIFTS





That　was　Friday　night。　　Elnora　came　home　Saturday　morning

and　began　work。　　Mrs。　Comstock　asked　no　questions；　and

the　girl　only　told　her　that　the　audience　had　been　large

enough　to　more　than　pay　for　the　piece　of　statuary　the　class

had　selected　for　the　hall。　　Then　she　inquired　about　her

dresses　and　was　told　they　would　be　ready　for　her。　　She　had

been　invited　to　go　to　the　Bird　Woman's　to　prepare　for　both

the　sermon　and　Commencement　exercises。　　Since　there　was　so

much　practising　to　do；　it　had　been　arranged　that　she　should

remain　there　from　the　night　of　the　sermon　until　after　she

was　graduated。　　If　Mrs。　Comstock　decided　to　attend　she　was

to　drive　in　with　the　Sintons。　　When　Elnora　begged　her　to

come　she　said　she　cared　nothing　about　such　silliness。



It　was　almost　time　for　Wesley　to　come　to　take　Elnora　to

the　city；　when　fresh　from　her　bath；　and　dressed　to　her　outer

garment；　she　stood　with　expectant　face　before　her　mother

and　cried：　　〃Now　my　dress；　mother！〃



Mrs。　Comstock　was　pale　as　she　replied：　　〃It's　on　my　bed。　

Help　yourself。〃



Elnora　opened　the　door　and　stepped　into　her　mother's

room　with　never　a　misgiving。　　Since　the　night　Margaret

and　Wesley　had　brought　her　clothing；　when　she　first　started

to　school；　her　mother　had　selected　all　of　her　dresses；　with

Mrs。　Sinton's　help　made　most　of　them；　and　Elnora　had

paid　the　bills。　　The　white　dress　of　the　previous　spring　was

the　first　made　at　a　dressmaker's。　　She　had　worn　that　as

junior　usher　at　Commencement；　but　her　mother　had　selected

the　material；　had　it　made；　and　it　had　fitted　perfectly　and

had　been　suitable　in　every　way。　　So　with　her　heart　at　rest　on

that　point；　Elnora　hurried　to　the　bed　to　find　only　her　last

summer's　white　dress；　freshly　washed　and　ironed。　　For　an

instant　she　stared　at　it；　then　she　picked　up　the　garment；

looked　at　the　bed　beneath　it；　and　her　gaze　slowly　swept　the　room。



It　was　unfamiliar。　　Perhaps　this　was　the　third　time　she

had　been　in　it　since　she　was　a　very　small　child。　　Her　eyes

ranged　over　the　beautiful　walnut　dresser；　the　tall　bureau；

the　big　chest；　inside　which　she　never　had　seen；　and　the　row

of　masculine　attire　hanging　above　it。　　Somewhere　a

dainty　lawn　or　mull　dress　simply　must　be　hanging：　but　it

was　not。　　Elnora　dropped　on　the　chest　because　she　felt　too

weak　to　stand。　　In　less　than　two　hours　she　must　be　in

the　church；　at　Onabasha。　　She　could　not　wear　a　last

year's　washed　dress。　　She　had　nothing　else。　　She　leaned

against　the　wall　and　her　father's　overcoat　brushed　her　face。　

She　caught　the　folds　and　clung　to　it　with　all　her　might。



〃Oh　father！　　Father！〃　she　moaned。　　〃I　need　you！　　I　don't

believe　you　would　have　done　this！〃　　At　last　she

opened　the　door。



〃I　can't　find　my　dress；〃　she　said。



〃Well；　as　it's　the　only　one　there　I　shouldn't　think　it

would　be　much　trouble。〃



〃You　mean　for　me　to　wear　an　old　washed　dress　to…night？〃



〃It's　a　good　dress。　　There　isn't　a　hole　in　it！　　There's　no

reason　on　earth　why　you　shouldn't　wear　it。〃



〃Except　that　I　will　not；〃　said　Elnora。　　〃Didn't　you

provide　any　dress　for　Commencement；　either？〃



〃If　you　soil　that　to…night；　I've　plenty　of　time　to　wash

it　again。〃



Wesley's　voice　called　from　the　gate。



〃In　a　minute；〃　answered　Elnora。



She　ran　upstairs　and　in　an　incredibly　short　time　came

down　wearing　one　of　her　gingham　school　dresses。　　Her　face

cold　and　hard；　she　passed　her　mother　and　went　into

the　night。　　Half　an　hour　later　Margaret　and　Billy　stopped

for　Mrs。　Comstock　with　the　carriage。　　She　had　determined

fully　that　she　would　not　go　before　they　called。　　With　the

sound　of　their　voices　a　sort　of　horror　of　being　left　seized　her；

so　she　put　on　her　hat；　locked　the　door　and　went　out　to　them。



〃How　did　Elnora　look？〃　inquired　Margaret　anxiously。



〃Like　she　always　does；〃　answered　Mrs。　Comstock　curtly。



〃I　do　hope　her　dresses　are　as　pretty　as　the　others；〃

said　Margaret。　　〃None　of　them　will　have　prettier　faces　or

nicer　ways。〃



Wesley　was　waiting　before　the　big　church　to　take　care　of

the　team。　　As　they　stood　watching　the　people　enter　the

building；　Mrs。　Comstock　felt　herself　growing　ill。　　When　they

went　inside　among　the　lights；　saw　the　flower…decked　stage；

and　the　masses　of　finely　dressed　people；　she　grew　no　better。　

She　could　hear　Margaret　and　Billy　softly　commenting　on　what

was　being　done。



〃That　first　chair　in　the　very　front　row　is　Elnora's；〃

exulted　Billy；　〃cos　she's　got　the　highest　grades；　and　so　she

gets　to　lead　the　procession　to　the　platform。〃



〃The　first　chair！〃　　〃Lead　the　procession！〃　　Mrs。　Comstock

was　dumbfounded。　　The　notes　of　the　pipe　organ　began　to　fill

the　building　in　a　slow　rolling　march。　　Would　Elnora　lead

the　procession　in　a　gingham　dress？　　Or　would　she　be　absent

and　her　chair　vacant　on　this　great　occasion？　　For　now；　Mrs。

Comstock　could　see　that　it　was　a　great　occasion。　　Every　one

would　remember　how　Elnora　had　played　a　few　nights　before；

and　they　would　miss　her　and　pity　her。　　Pity？　　Because　she　had

no　one　to　care　for　her。　　Because　she　was　worse　off　than　if　she

had　no　mother。　　For　the　first　time　in　her　life；　Mrs。　Comstock

began　to　study　herself　as　she　would　appear　to　others。　

Every　time　a　junior　girl　came　fluttering　down　the　aisle；

leading　some　one　to　a　seat；　and　Mrs。　Comstock　saw　a　beautiful

white　dress　pass；　a　wave　of　positive　illness　swept　over　her。　

What　had　she　done？　　What　would　become　of　Elnora？



As　Elnora　rode　to　the　city；　she　answered　Wesley's

questions　in　monosyllables　so　that　he　thought　she　was

nervous　or　rehearsing　her　speech　and　did　not　care　to　talk。　

Several　times　the　girl　tried　to　tell　him　and　realized　that　if

she　said　the　first　word　it　would　bring　uncontrollable　tears。　

The　Bird　Woman　opened　the　screen　and　stared　unbelievingly。



〃Why；　I　thought　you　would　be　ready；　you　are　so　late！〃



she　said。　　〃If　you　have　waited　to　dress　here；　we　must　hurry。〃



〃I　have　nothing　to　put　on；〃　said　Elnora。



In　bewilderment　the　Bird　Woman　drew　her　inside。



〃Diddid〃　she　faltered。　　〃Did　you　think　you　would　wear　that？〃



〃No。　　I　thought　I　would　telephone　Ellen　that　there　had

been　an　accident　and　I　could　not　come。　　I　don't　know　yet

how　to　explain。　　I'm　too　sick　to　think。　　Oh；　do　you　suppose

I　can　get　something　made　by　Tuesday；　so　that　I　can　graduate？〃



〃Yes；　and　you'll　get　something　on　you　to…night；　so　that

you　can　lead　your　class；　as　you　have　done　for　four　years。　

Go　to　my　room　and　take　off　that　gingham；　quickly。　　Anna；　drop

everything；　and　come　help　me。〃



The　Bird　Woman　ran　to　the　telephone　and　called　Ellen　Brownlee。



〃Elnora　has　had　an　accident。　　She　will　be　a　little　late；〃

she　said。　　〃You　have　got　to　make　them　wait。　　Have　them

play　extra　music　before　the　march。〃



Then　she　turned　to　the　maid。　　〃Tell　Benson　to　have　the

carriage　at　the　gate；　just　as　soon　as　he　can　get　it　there。　

Then　come　to　my　room。　　Bring　the　thread　box　from　the

sewing…room；　that　roll　of　wide　white　ribbon　on　the　cutting

table；　and　gather　all　the　white　pins　from　every　dresser　in

the　house。　　But　first　come　with　me　a　minute。〃



〃I　want　that　trunk　with　the　Swamp　Angel's　stuff　in　it；

from　the　cedar　closet；〃　she　panted　as　they　reached　the　top

of　the　stairs。　



They　hurried　down　the　hall　together　and　dragged　the

big　trunk　to　the　Bird　Woman's　room。　　She　opened　it　and

began　tossing　out　white　stuff。



〃How　lucky　that　she　left　these　things！〃　she　cried。　

〃Here　are　white　shoes；　gloves；　stockings；　fans；　everything！〃



〃I　am　all　ready　but　a　dress；〃　said　Elnora。



The　Bird　Woman　began　opening　closets　and　pulling　out

drawers　and　boxes。



〃I　think　I　can　make　it　this　way；〃　she　said。



She　snatched　up　a　creamy　lace　yoke　with　long　sleeves

that　recently　had　been　made　for　her　and　held　it　out。　

Elnora　slipped　into　it；　and　the　Bird　Woman　began　smoothing

out　wrinkles　and　sewing　in　pins。　　It　fitted　very　well

with　a　little　lapping　in　the　back。　　Next；　from　among　the

Angel's　clothing　she　caught　up　a　white　silk　waist　with　low

neck　and　elbow　sleeves；　and　Elnora　put　it　on。　　It　was

large　enough；　but　distressingly　short　in　the　waist；　for　the

Angel　had　worn　it　at　a　party　when　she　was　sixteen。　　The　Bird

Woman　loosened　the　sleeves　and　pushed　them　to　a　puff　on

the　shoulders；　catching　them　in　places　with　pins。　

She　began　on　the　wide　draping　of　the　yoke；　fastening　it

front；　back　and　at　each　shoulder。　　She　pulled　down　the

waist　and　pinned　it。　　Next　came　a　soft　white　dress　skirt

of　her　own。　　By　pinning　her　waist　band　quite　four　inches

above　Elnora's；　the　Bird　Woman　could　secure　a　perfect

Empire　sweep；　with　the　clinging　silk。　　Then　she　began

with　the　wide　white　ribbon　that　was　to　trim　a　new　frock　for

herself；　bound　it　three　times　around　the　high　waist　effect

she　had　managed；　tied　the　ends　in　a　knot　and　let　them　fall

to　the　floor　in　a　beautiful　sash。



〃I　want　four　white　roses；　each　with　two　or　three

leaves；〃　she　cried。



Anna　ran　to　bring　them；　while　the　Bird　Woman　added　pins。



〃Elnora；〃　she　said；　〃forgive　me；　but　tell　me　truly。　　Is　your

mother　so　poor　as　to　make　this　necessary？〃



〃No；〃　answered　Elnora。　　〃Next　year　I　am　heir　to　my　share

of　over　three　hundred　acres　of　land　covered　with　almost

as　valuable　timber　as　was　in　the　Limberlost。　　We　adjoin　it。　

There　could　be　thirty　oil　wells　drilled　that　would　yield

to　us　the　thousands　our　neighbours　are　draining　from　under