a girl of the limberlost- 第40部分

Philip's　eyes　strayed　to　the　beautiful　cabin；　to　the

mixture　of　flowers　and　vegetables　stretching　down　to　the

road；　and　to　the　singing　bird　with　his　red…splotched　breast

of　white　and　he　said：　　〃I　can't　realize　now　that　I　ever　lay　in

ice　packs　in　a　hospital。　　How　I　wish　all　the　sick　folks　could

come　here　to　grow　strong！〃



The　grosbeak　sang　on；　a　big　Turnus　butterfly　sailed

through　the　arbour　and　poised　over　the　table。　　Elnora　held

up　a　lump　of　sugar　and　the　butterfly；　clinging　to　her

fingers；　tasted　daintily。　　With　eager　eyes　and　parted

lips；　the　girl　held　steadily。　　When　at　last　it　wavered

away；　〃That　made　a　picture！〃　said　Philip。　　〃Ask　me　some

other　time　how　I　lost　my　illusions　concerning　butterflies。　

I　always　thought　of　them　in　connection　with　sunshine；

flower　pollen；　and　fruit　nectar；　until　one　sad　day。〃



〃I　know！〃　laughed　Elnora。　　〃I've　seen　that；　too；　but

it　didn't　destroy　any　illusion　for　me。　　I　think　quite　as

much　of　the　butterflies　as　ever。〃



Then　they　talked　of　flowers；　moths；　dragonflies；　Indian

relics；　and　all　the　natural　wonders　the　swamp　afforded；

straying　from　those　subjects　to　books　and　school　work。　

When　they　cleared　the　table　Philip　assisted；　carrying

several　tray　loads　to　the　kitchen。　　He　and　Elnora　mounted

specimens　while　Mrs　Comstock　washed　the　dishes。　　Then　she

came　out　with　a　ruffle　she　was　embroidering。



〃I　wonder　if　I　did　not　see　a　picture　of　you　in　Onabasha

last　night；〃　Philip　said　to　Elnora。　　〃Aunt　Anna　took　me

to　call　on　Miss　Brownlee。　　She　was　showing　me　her

crowdof　course；　it　was　you！　　But　it　didn't　half　do　you

justice；　although　it　was　the　nearest　human　of　any　of　them。　

Miss　Brownlee　is　very　fond　of　you。　　She　said　the　finest　things。〃



Then　they　talked　of　Commencement；　and　at　last　Philip　said

he　must　go　or　his　friends　would　become　anxious　about　him。



Mrs。　Comstock　brought　him　a　blue　bowl　of　creamy　milk

and　a　plate　of　bread。　　She　stopped　a　passing　team　and

secured　a　ride　to　the　city　for　him；　as　his　exercise　of　the

morning　had　been　too　violent；　and　he　was　forced　to　admit

he　was　tired。



〃May　I　come　to…morrow　afternoon　and　hunt　moths　awhile？〃

he　asked　Mrs。　Comstock　as　he　arose。　　〃We　will　‘sugar'　a

tree　and　put　a　light　beside　it；　if　I　can　get　stuff　to

make　the　preparation。　　Possibly　we　can　take　some　that　way。　

I　always　enjoy　moth　hunting；　I'd　like　to　help　Miss　Elnora；

and　it　would　be　a　charity　to　me。　　I've　got　to　remain

outdoors　some　place；　and　I'm　quite　sure　I'd　get　well

faster　here　than　anywhere　else。　　Please　say　I　may　come。〃



〃I　have　no　objections；　if　Elnora　really　would　like　help；〃

said　Mrs。　Comstock。



In　her　heart　she　wished　he　would　not　come。　　She　wanted

her　newly　found　treasure　all　to　herself；　for　a　time；

at　least。　　But　Elnora's　were　eager；　shining　eyes。　

She　thought　it　would　be　splendid　to　have　help；　and

great　fun　to　try　book　methods　for　taking　moths；　so　it

was　arranged。　　As　Philip　rode　away；　Mrs。　Comstock's　eyes

followed　him。　　〃What　a　nice　young　man！〃　she　said。



〃He　seems　fine；〃　agreed　Elnora。



〃He　comes　of　a　good　family；　too。　　I've　often　heard　of

his　father。　　He　is　a　great　lawyer。〃



〃I　am　glad　he　likes　it　here。　　I　need　help。　　Possibly〃



〃Possibly　what？〃



〃We　can　find　many　moths。〃



〃What　did　he　mean　about　the　butterflies？〃



〃That　he　always　had　connected　them　with　sunshine；

flowers；　and　fruits；　and　thought　of　them　as　the　most

exquisite　of　creations；　then　one　day　he　found　some

clustering　thickly　over　carrion。〃



〃Come　to　think　of　it；　I　have　seen　butterflies〃



〃So　had　he；〃　laughed　Elnora。　　〃And　that　is　what　he　meant。〃









CHAPTER　XIV





WHEREIN　A　NEW　POSITION　IS　TENDERED　ELNORA；

AND　PHILIP　AMMON　IS　SHOWN　LIMBERLOST　VIOLETS





The　next　morning　Mrs。　Comstock　called　to　Elnora；

〃The　mail　carrier　stopped　at　our　box。〃



Elnora　ran　down　the　walk　and　came　back　carrying　an

official　letter。　　She　tore　it　open　and　read：



MY　DEAR　MISS　COMSTOCK：



At　the　weekly　meeting　of　the　Onabasha　School　Board　last　night；　it

was　decided　to　add　the　position　of　Lecturer　on　Natural　History　to

our　corps　of　city　teachers。　　It　will　be　the　duty　of　this　person　to

spend　two　hours　a　week　in　each　of　the　grade　schools　exhibiting　and

explaining　specimens　of　the　most　prominent　objects　in　nature：　

animals；　birds；　insects；　flowers；　vines；　shrubs；　bushes；　and　trees。　

These　specimens　and　lectures　should　be　appropriate　to　the　seasons

and　the　comprehension　of　the　grades。　　This　position　was　unanimously

voted　to　you。　　I　think　you　will　find　the　work　delightful　and　much

easier　than　the　routine　grind　of　the　other　teachers。　　It　is　my　advice

that　you　accept　and　begin　to　prepare　yourself　at　once。　　Your　salary

will　be　750　a　year；　and　you　will　be　allowed　200　for　expenses　in

procuring　specimens　and　books。　　Let　us　know　at　once　if　you　want　the

position；　as　it　is　going　to　be　difficult　to　fill　satisfactorily　if

you　do　not。



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Very　truly　yours；



　　　　　　　　　　DAVID　THOMPSON；　President；　Onabasha　Schools。





〃I　hardly　understand；〃　marvelled　Mrs。　Comstock。



〃It　is　a　new　position。　　They　never　have　had　anything

like　it　before。　　I　suspect　it　arose　from　the　help　I've　been

giving　the　grade　teachers　in　their　nature　work。　　They　are

trying　to　teach　the　children　something；　and　half　the

instructors　don't　know　a　blue　jay　from　a　king…fisher；　a

beech　leaf　from　an　elm；　or　a　wasp　from　a　hornet。〃



〃Well；　do　you？〃　anxiously　inquired　Mrs。　Comstock。



〃Indeed；　I　do！〃　laughed　Elnora；　〃and　several　other

things　beside。　　When　Freckles　bequeathed　me　the

swamp；　he　gave　me　a　bigger　inheritance　than　he　knew。　

While　you　have　thought　I　was　wandering　aimlessly；　I

have　been　following　a　definite　plan；　studying　hard；　and

storing　up　the　stuff　that　will　earn　these　seven　hundred

and　fifty　dollars。　　Mother　dear；　I　am　going　to　accept

this；　of　course。　　The　work　will　be　a　delight。　　I'd　love

it　most　of　anything　in　teaching。　　You　must　help　me。　

We　must　find　nests；　eggs；　leaves；　queer　formations　in

plants　and　rare　flowers。　　I　must　have　flower　boxes　made

for　each　of　the　rooms　and　filled　with　wild　things。　

I　should　begin　to　gather　specimens　this　very　day。〃



Elnora's　face　was　flushed　and　her　eyes　bright。



〃Oh；　what　great　work　that　will　be！〃　she　cried。　　〃You　must

go　with　me　so　you　can　see　the　little　faces　when　I　tell

them　how　the　goldfinch　builds　its　nest；　and　how　the

bees　make　honey。〃



So　Elnora　and　her　mother　went　into　the　woods　behind

the　cabin　to　study　nature。



〃I　think；〃　said　Elnora；　〃the　idea　is　to　begin　with　fall

things　in　the　fall；　keeping　to　the　seasons　throughout　the　year。〃



〃What　are　fall　things？〃　inquired　Mrs。　Comstock。



〃Oh；　fringed　gentians；　asters；　ironwort；　every　fall

flower；　leaves　from　every　tree　and　vine；　what　makes　them

change　colour；　abandoned　bird　nests；　winter　quarters

of　caterpillars　and　insects；　what　becomes　of　the

butterflies　and　grasshoppersmyriads　of　stuff。　　I　shall

have　to　be　very　wise　to　select　the　things　it　will　be　most

beneficial　for　the　children　to　learn。〃



〃Can　I　really　help　you？〃　Mrs。　Comstock's　strong　face

was　pathetic。



〃Indeed；　yes！〃　cried　Elnora。　　〃I　never　can　get　through

it　alone。　　There　will　be　an　immense　amount　of　work

connected　with　securing　and　preparing　specimens。〃



Mrs。　Comstock　lifted　her　head　proudly　and　began

doing　business　at　once。　　Her　sharp　eyes　ranged　from

earth　to　heaven。　　She　investigated　everything；　asking

innumerable　questions。　　At　noon　Mrs。　Comstock　took

the　specimens　they　had　collected；　and　went　to　prepare

dinner；　while　Elnora　followed　the　woods　down　to　the

Sintons'　to　show　her　letter。



She　had　to　explain　what　became　of　her　moths；　and　why

college　would　have　to　be　abandoned　for　that　year；　but

Margaret　and　Wesley　vowed　not　to　tell。　　Wesley　waved

the　letter　excitedly；　explaining　it　to　Margaret　as　if　it

were　a　personal　possession。　　Margaret　was　deeply　impressed；

while　Billy　volunteered　first　aid　in　gathering　material。



〃Now　anything　you　want　in　the　ground；　Snap　can　dig

it　out；〃　he　said。　　〃Uncle　Wesley　and　I　found　a　hole

three　times　as　big　as　Snap；　that　he　dug　at　the　roots　of

a　tree。〃



〃We　will　train　him　to　hunt　pupae　cases；〃　said　Elnora。



〃Are　you　going　to　the　woods　this　afternoon？〃　asked　Billy。



〃Yes；〃　answered　Elnora。　　〃Dr。　Ammon's　nephew

from　Chicago　is　visiting　in　Onabasha。　　He　is　going　to

show　me　how　men　put　some　sort　of　compound　on　a　tree；

hang　a　light　beside　it；　and　take　moths　that　way。　　It　will

be　interesting　to　watch　and　learn。〃



〃May　I　come？〃　asked　Billy。



〃Of　course　you　may　come！〃　answered　Elnora。



〃Is　this　nephew　of　Dr。　Ammon　a　young　man？〃　inquired　Margaret。



〃About　twenty…six；　I　should　think；〃　said　Elnora。　

〃He　said　he　had　been　out　of　college　and　at　work　in　his

father's　law　office　three　years。〃



〃Does　he　seem　nice？〃　asked　Margaret；　and　Wesley　smiled。



〃Finest　kind　of　a　person；〃　said　Elnora。　　〃He　can

teach　me　so　much。　　It　is　very　interesting　to　hear

him　talk。　　He　knows　considerable　about　moths　that　will

be　a　help　to　me。　　He　had　a　fever　and　he　has　to　stay

outdoors　until　he　grows　strong　again。〃



〃Billy；　I　guess　you　better　help　me　this　afternoon；〃

said　Margaret。　　〃Maybe　Elnora　had　rather　not　bother

with　you。〃



〃There's　no　reason　on　earth　why　Billy　should　not

come！〃　cried　Elnora；　and　Wesley　smiled　again。



〃I　must　hurry　home　or　I　won't　be　ready；〃　she　added。



Hastening　down　the　road　she　entered　the　cabin；　her

face　glowing。



〃I　thought　you　never　would　come；〃　said　Mrs。　Comstock。　

〃If　you　don't　hurry　Mr。　Ammon　will　be　here　before　you

are　dressed。〃



〃I　forgot　about　him　until　just　now；〃　said　Elnora。　

〃I　am　not　going　to　dress。　　He's　not　coming　to　visit。　

We　are　only　going　to　the　woods　for　more　specimens。　

I　can't　wear　anything　that　requires　care。　　The　limbs

take　the　most　dreadful　liberties　with　hair　and　clothing。〃