a girl of the limberlost- 第50部分

the　sooner　she'll　feel　better　about　it；〃　she　muttered。



She　arose；　went　to　the　bank　and　inquired　for　the　cashier。



〃I　want　to　know　just　how　I　am　fixed　here；〃　she　said。



The　cashier　laughed。　　〃You　haven't　been　in　a　hurry；〃

he　replied。　　〃We　have　been　ready　for　you　any　time　these

twenty　years；　but　you　didn't　seem　to　pay　much　attention。　

Your　account　is　rather　flourishing。　　Interest；　when　it　gets

to　compounding；　is　quite　a　money　breeder。　　Come　back

here　to　a　table　and　I　will　show　you　your　balances。〃



Mrs。　Comstock　sank　into　a　chair　and　waited　while

the　cashier　read　a　jumble　of　figures　to　her。　　It　meant

that　her　deposits　had　exceeded　her　expenses　from　one

to　three　hundred　dollars　a　year；　according　to　the　cattle；

sheep；　hogs；　poultry；　butter；　and　eggs　she　had　sold。　

The　aggregate　of　these　sums　had　been　compounding　interest

throughout　the　years。　　Mrs。　Comstock　stared　at　the

total　with　dazed　and　unbelieving　eyes。　　Through　her

sick　heart　rushed　the　realization；　that　if　she　merely　had

stood　before　that　wicket　and　asked　one　question；　she

would　have　known　that　all　those　bitter　years　of　skimping

for　Elnora　and　herself　had　been　unnecessary。　　She　arose

and　went　back　to　the　depot。



〃I　want　to　send　a　message；〃　she　said。　　She　picked

up　the　pencil；　and　with　rash　extravagance；　wrote；　〃Found

money　at　bank　didn't　know　about。　　If　you　want　to　go

to　college；　come　on　first　train　and　get　ready。〃　

She　hesitated　a　second　and　then　she　said　to　herself　grimly；

〃Yes；　I'll　pay　for　that；　too；〃　and　recklessly　added；　〃With

love；　Mother。〃　　Then　she　sat　waiting　for　the　answer。　　It　came

in　less　than　an　hour。　　〃Will　teach　this　winter。　　With　dearest

love；　Elnora。〃



Mrs。　Comstock　held　the　message　a　long　time。　　When　she

arose　she　was　ravenously　hungry；　but　the　pain　in　her

heart　was　a　little　easier。　　She　went　to　a　restaurant

and　ate　some　food；　then　to　a　dressmaker　where　she　ordered

four　dresses：　two　very　plain　every…day　ones；　a　serviceable

dark　gray　cloth　suit；　and　a　soft　light　gray　silk　with

touches　of　lavender　and　lace。　　She　made　a　heavy　list

of　purchases　at　Brownlee's；　and　the　remainder　of　the　day

she　did　business　in　her　direct　and　spirited　way。　　At　night

she　was　so　tired　she　scarcely　could　walk　home；　but　she

built　a　fire　and　cooked　and　ate　a　hearty　meal。



Later　she　went　out　beside　the　west　fence　and　gathered

an　armful　of　tansy　which　she　boiled　to　a　thick　green　tea。　

Then　she　stirred　in　oatmeal　until　it　was　a　stiff　paste。　

She　spread　a　sheet　over　her　bed　and　began　tearing　strips

of　old　muslin。　　She　bandaged　each　hand　and　arm　with　the

mixture　and　plastered　the　soggy；　evil…smelling　stuff　in　a

thick　poultice　over　her　face　and　neck。　　She　was　so　tired

she　went　to　sleep；　and　when　she　awoke　she　was　half　skinned。　

She　bathed　her　face　and　hands；　did　the　work　and　went　back

to　town；　coming　home　at　night　to　go　through　the　same　process。



By　the　third　morning　she　was　a　raw　even　red；　the　fourth

she　had　faded　to　a　brilliant　pink　under　the　soothing

influence　of　a　cream　recommended。　　That　day　came　a

letter　from　Elnora　saying　that　she　would　remain　where

she　was　until　Saturday　morning；　and　then　come　to　Ellen

Brownlee's　at　Onabasha　and　stay　for　the　Saturday's

session　of　teachers　to　arrange　their　year's　work。　

Sunday　was　Ellen's　last　day　at　home；　and　she　wanted　Elnora

very　much。　　She　had　to　call　together　the　orchestra　and

practise　them　Sunday；　and　could　not　come　home　until

after　school　Monday　night。　　Mrs。　Comstock　at　once

answered　the　letter　saying　those　arrangements　suited　her。



The　following　day　she　was　a　pale　pink；　later　a　delicate

porcelain　white。　　Then　she　went　to　a　hairdresser　and

had　the　rope　of　snowy　hair　which　covered　her　scalp　washed；

dressed；　and　fastened　with　such　pins　and　combs　as　were

decided　to　be　most　becoming。　　She　took　samples　of　her

dresses；　went　to　a　milliner；　and　bought　a　street　hat　to

match　her　suit；　and　a　gray　satin　with　lavender　orchids　to

wear　with　the　silk　dress。　　Her　last　investment　was　a　loose

coat　of　soft　gray　broadcloth　with　white　lining；　and　touches

of　lavender　on　the　embroidered　collar；　and　gray　gloves　to　match。



Then　she　went　home；　rested　and　worked　by　turns

until　Monday。　　When　school　closed　on　that　evening；

Elnora；　so　tired　she　almost　trembled；　came　down　the

long　walk　after　a　late　session　of　teachers'　meeting；

to　be　stopped　by　a　messenger　boy。



〃There's　a　lady　wants　to　see　you　most　important。　

I　am　to　take　you　to　the　place；〃　he　said。



Elnora　groaned。　　She　could　not　imagine　who　wanted

her；　but　there　was　nothing　to　do　but　find　out；　tired　and

anxious　to　see　her　mother　as　she　was。



〃This　is　the　place；〃　said　the　boy；　and　went　his　way　whistling。　

Elnora　was　three　blocks　from　the　high　school　building　on　the

same　street。　　She　was　before　a　quaint　old　house；　fresh　with

paint　and　covered　with　vines。　　There　was　a　long　wide　lot；

grass…covered；　closely　set　with　trees；　and　a　barn　and　chicken

park　at　the　back　that　seemed　to　be　occupied。　　Elnora　stepped

on　the　veranda　which　was　furnished　with　straw　rugs；　bent…

hickory　chairs；　hanging　baskets；　and　a　table　with　a　work…

box　and　magazines；　and　knocked　at　the　screen　door。



Inside　she　could　see　polished　floors；　walls　freshly　papered

in　low…toned　harmonious　colours；　straw　rugs　and　madras　curtains。　

It　seemed　to　be　a　restful；　homelike　place　to　which　she　had　come。　

A　second　later　down　an　open　stairway　came　a　tall；　dark…eyed

woman　with　cheeks　faintly　pink　and　a　crown　of　fluffy　snow…

white　hair。　　She　wore　a　lavender　gingham　dress　with　white

collar　and　cuffs；　and　she　called　as　she　advanced：　　〃That　screen

isn't　latched！　　Open　it　and　come　see　your　brand…new　mother；

my　girl。〃



Elnora　stepped　inside　the　door。　　〃Mother！〃　she　cried。　

〃You　my　mother！　　I　don't　believe　it！〃



〃Well；　you　better！〃　said　Mrs。　Comstock；　〃because

it's　true！　　You　said　you　wished　I　were　like　the　other

girls'　mothers；　and　I've　shot　as　close　the　mark　as　I　could

without　any　practice。　　I　thought　that　walk　would　be

too　much　for　you　this　winter；　so　I　just　rented　this　house

and　moved　in；　to　be　near　you；　and　help　more　in　case　I'm　needed。　

I've　only　lived　here　a　day；　but　I　like　it　so　well　I've　a

mortal　big　notion　to　buy　the　place。〃



〃But　mother！〃　protested　Elnora；　clinging　to　her　wonderingly。　

〃You　are　perfectly　beautiful；　and　this　house　is　a　little

paradise；　but　how　will　we　ever　pay　for　it？　　We　can't　afford　it！〃



〃Humph！　　Have　you　forgotten　I　telegraphed　you　I'd

found　some　money　I　didn't　know　about？　　All　I've　done

is　paid　for；　and　plenty　more　to　settle　for　all　I

propose　to　do。〃



Mrs。　Comstock　glanced　around　with　satisfaction。



〃I　may　get　homesick　as　a　pup　before　spring；〃　she　said；

〃but　if　I　do　I　can　go　back。　　If　I　don't；　I'll　sell　some

timber　and　put　a　few　oil　wells　where　they　don't　show　much。　

I　can　have　land　enough　cleared　for　a　few　fields　and　put

a　tenant　on　our　farm；　and　we　will　buy　this　and　settle　here。　

It's　for　sale。〃



〃You　don't　look　it；　but　you've　surely　gone　mad！〃



〃Just　the　reverse；　my　girl；〃　said　Mrs。　Comstock；

〃I've　gone　sane。　　If　you　are　going　to　undertake　this

work；　you　must　be　convenient　to　it。　　And　your　mother

should　be　where　she　can　see　that　you　are　properly　dressed；

fed；　and　cared　for。　　This　is　ourlet　me　thinkreception…room。　

How　do　you　like　it？　　This　door　leads　to　your　workroom　and　study。　

I　didn't　do　much　there　because　I　wasn't　sure　of　my　way。　

But　I　knew　you　would　want　a　rug；　curtains；　table；　shelves

for　books；　and　a　case　for　your　specimens；　so　I　had　a

carpenter　shelve　and　enclose　that　end　of　it。　　Looks　pretty

neat　to　me。　　The　dining…room　and　kitchen　are　back；　one

of　the　cows　in　the　barn；　and　some　chickens　in　the　coop。　

I　understand　that　none　of　the　other　girls'　mothers　milk　a

cow；　so　a　neighbour　boy　will　tend　to　ours　for　a　third　of

the　milk。　　There　are　three　bedrooms；　and　a　bath　upstairs。　

Go　take　one；　put　on　some　fresh　clothes；　and　come　to　supper。　

You　can　find　your　room　because　your　things　are　in　it。〃



Elnora　kissed　her　mother　over　and　over；　and　hurried　upstairs。　

She　identified　her　room　by　the　dressing…case。　　There　were

a　pretty　rug；　and　curtains；　white　iron　bed；　plain　and

rocking　chairs　to　match　her　case；　a　shirtwaist　chest；

and　the　big　closet　was　filled　with　her　old　clothing　and

several　new　dresses。　　She　found　the　bathroom；　bathed；

dressed　in　fresh　linen　and　went　down　to　a　supper　that

was　an　evidence　of　Mrs。　Comstock's　highest　art　in　cooking。　

Elnora　was　so　hungry　she　ate　her　first　real　meal　in　two　weeks。　

But　the　bites　went　down　slowly　because　she　forgot　about　them

in　watching　her　mother。



〃How　on　earth　did　you　do　it？〃　she　asked　at　last。　　〃I　always

thought　you　were　naturally　brown　as　a　nut。〃



〃Oh；　that　was　tan　and　sunburn！〃　explained　Mrs。　Comstock。　

〃I　always　knew　I　was　white　underneath　it。　　I　hated　to

shade　my　face　because　I　hadn't　anything　but　a　sunbonnet；

and　I　couldn't　stand　for　it　to　touch　my　ears；　so　I　went

bareheaded　and　took　all　the　colour　I　accumulated。　

But　when　I　began　to　think　of　moving　you　in　to　your　work；

I　saw　I　must　put　up　an　appearance　that　wouldn't　disgrace

you；　so　I　thought　I'd　best　remove　the　crust。　　It　took

some　time；　and　I　hope　I　may　die　before　I　ever　endure

the　feel　and　the　smell　of　the　stuff　I　used　again；　but　it

skinned　me　nicely。　　What　you　now　see　is　my　own　with　a

little　dust　of　rice　powder；　for　protection。　　I'm　sort　of

tender　yet。〃



〃And　your　lovely；　lovely　hair？〃　breathed　Elnora。



〃Hairdresser　did　that！〃　said　Mrs。　Comstock。　　〃It　cost

like　smoke。　　But　I　watched　her；　and　with　a　little

help　from　you　I　can　wash　it　alone　next　time；　though　it

will　be　hard　work。　　I　let　her　monkey　with　it　until　she

said　she　had　found　‘my　style。'　　Then　I　tore　it　down　and

had　her　show　me　how　to　build　it　up　again　three　times。　

I　thought　my　arms　would　drop。　　When　I　paid　the　bill　for

her　work；　the　time　I'd　taken；　the　pins；　and　combs　she'd

used；　I　nearly　had　h