a girl of the limberlost-第31节

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ten　handsome　ones　there　must　be；　and　at　last　decided　she

could　arrange　for　them。　　The　green　dress　came　first。　

The　lights　would　be　dim　in　the　scene；　and　the　setting

deep　woods。　　She　could　manage　that。　　She　simply　could　not

have　three　dresses。　　She　would　have　to　get　a　very　simple　one

for　the　sermon　and　do　the　best　she　could　for　graduation。　

Whatever　she　got　for　that　must　be　made　with　a　guimpe　that

could　be　taken　out　to　make　it　a　little　more　festive　for

the　ball。　　But　where　could　she　get　even　two　pretty　dresses？



The　only　hope　she　could　see　was　to　break　into　the　collection

of　the　man　from　India；　sell　some　moths；　and　try　to　replace

them　in　June。　　But　in　her　soul　she　knew　that　never

would　do。　　No　June　ever　brought　just　the　things　she

hoped　it　would。　　If　she　spent　the　college　money　she　knew

she　could　not　replace　it。　　If　she　did　not；　the　only　way　was

to　secure　a　room　in　the　grades　and　teach　a　year。　　Her　work

there　had　been　so　appreciated　that　Elnora　felt　with

the　recommendation　she　knew　she　could　get　from　the

superintendent　and　teachers　she　could　secure　a　position。　

She　was　sure　she　could　pass　the　examinations　easily。　

She　had　once　gone　on　Saturday；　taken　them　and　secured　a

license　for　a　year　before　she　left　the　Brushwood　school。



She　wanted　to　start　to　college　when　the　other　girls　were　going。　

If　she　could　make　the　first　year　alone；　she　could　manage

the　remainder。　　But　make　that　first　year　herself；　she　must。　

Instead　of　selling　any　of　her　collection；　she　must　hunt

as　she　never　before　had　hunted　and　find　a　Yellow　Emperor。　

She　had　to　have　it；　that　was　all。　　Also；　she　had　to　have

those　dresses。　　She　thought　of　Wesley　and　dismissed　it。　

She　thought　of　the　Bird　Woman；　and　knew　she　could　not

tell　her。　　She　thought　of　every　way　in　which　she　ever　had

hoped　to　earn　money　and　realized　that　with　the　play；

committee　meetings；　practising；　and　final　examinations

she　scarcely　had　time　to　live；　much　less　to　do　more　than

the　work　required　for　her　pictures　and　gifts。　　Again　Elnora

was　in　trouble；　and　this　time　it　seemed　the　worst　of　all。



It　was　dark　when　she　arose　and　went　home。



〃Mother；〃　she　said；　〃I　have　a　piece　of　news　that　is

decidedly　not　cheerful。〃



〃Then　keep　it　to　yourself！〃　said　Mrs。　Comstock。　　〃I　think

I　have　enough　to　bear　without　a　great　girl　like　you

piling　trouble　on　me。〃



〃My　money　is　all　gone！〃　said　Elnora。



〃Well；　did　you　think　it　would　last　forever？　　It's　been

a　marvel　to　me　that　it's　held　out　as　well　as　it　has；　the　way

you've　dressed　and　gone。〃



〃I　don't　think　I've　spent　any　that　I　was　not　compelled

to；〃　said　Elnora。　　〃I've　dressed　on　just　as　little　as　I

possibly　could　to　keep　going。　　I　am　heartsick。　　I　thought

I　had　over　fifty　dollars　to　put　me　through　Commencement；

but　they　tell　me　it　is　all　gone。〃



〃Fifty　dollars！　　To　put　you　through　Commencement！　

What　on　earth　are　you　proposing　to　do？〃



〃The　same　as　the　rest　of　them；　in　the　very　cheapest

way　possible。〃



〃And　what　might　that　be？〃



Elnora　omitted　the　photographs；　the　gifts　and　the　play。　

She　told　only　of　the　sermon；　graduation　exercises；　and　the　ball。



〃Well；　I　wouldn't　trouble　myself　over　that；〃　sniffed

Mrs。　Comstock。　　〃If　you　want　to　go　to　a　sermon；　put　on

the　dress　you　always　use　for　meeting。　　If　you　need　white

for　the　exercises　wear　the　new　dress　you　got　last　spring。　

As　for　the　ball；　the　best　thing　for　you　to　do　is　to　stay　a

mile　away　from　such　folly。　　In　my　opinion　you'd　best

bring　home　your　books；　and　quit　right　now。　　You　can't

be　fixed　like　the　rest　of　them；　don't　be　so　foolish

as　to　run　into　it。　　Just　stay　here　and　let　these　last　few

days　go。　　You　can't　learn　enough　more　to　be　of　any　account。〃



〃But；　mother；〃　gasped　Elnora。　　〃You　don't　understand！〃



〃Oh；　yes；　I　do！〃　said　Mrs。　Comstock。　　〃I　understand　perfectly。　

So　long　as　the　money　lasted；　you　held　up　your　head；

and　went　sailing　without　even　explaining　how　you　got　it

from　the　stuff　you　gathered。　　Goodness　knows　I　couldn't　see。　

But　now　it's　gone；　you　come　whining　to　me。　　What　have　I　got？　

Have　you　forgot　that　the　ditch　and　the　road　completely

strapped　me？　　I　haven't　any　money。　　There's　nothing　for　you

to　do　but　get　out　of　it。〃



〃I　can't！〃　said　Elnora　desperately。　　〃I've　gone　on　too　long。　

It　would　make　a　break　in　everything。　　They　wouldn't　let　me

have　my　diploma！〃



〃What's　the　difference？　　You've　got　the　stuff　in　your　head。　

I　wouldn't　give　a　rap　for　a　scrap　of　paper。　　That　don't

mean　anything！〃



〃But　I've　worked　four　years　for　it；　and　I　can't　enter

I　ought　to　have　it　to　help　me　get　a　school；　when　I　want

to　teach。　　If　I　don't　have　my　grades　to　show；　people

will　think　I　quit　because　I　couldn't　pass　my　examinations。　

I　must　have　my　diploma！〃



〃Then　get　it！〃　said　Mrs。　Comstock。



〃The　only　way　is　to　graduate　with　the　others。〃



〃Well；　graduate　if　you　are　bound　to！〃



〃But　I　can't；　unless　I　have　things　enough　like　the

class；　that　I　don't　look　as　I　did　that　first　day。〃



〃Well；　please　remember　I　didn't　get　you　into　this；

and　I　can't　get　you　out。　　You　are　set　on　having　your

own　way。　　Go　on；　and　have　it；　and　see　how　you　like　it！〃



Elnora　went　upstairs　and　did　not　come　down　again

that　night；　which　her　mother　called　pouting。



〃I've　thought　all　night；〃　said　the　girl　at　breakfast；

〃and　I　can't　see　any　way　but　to　borrow　the　money　of

Uncle　Wesley　and　pay　it　back　from　some　that　the　Bird

Woman　will　owe　me；　when　I　get　one　more　specimen。　

But　that　means　that　I　can't　go　tothat　I　will　have　to

teach　this　winter；　if　I　can　get　a　city　grade　or　a

country　school。〃



〃Just　you　dare　go　dinging　after　Wesley　Sinton　for　money；〃

cried　Mrs。　Comstock。　　〃You　won't　do　any　such　a　thing！〃



〃I　can't　see　any　other　way。　　I've　got　to　have　the　money！〃



〃Quit；　I　tell　you！〃



〃I　can't　quit！I've　gone　too　far！〃



〃Well　then；　let　me　get　your　clothes；　and　you　can　pay

me　back。〃



〃But　you　said　you　had　no　money！〃



〃Maybe　I　can　borrow　some　at　the　bank。　　Then　you

can　return　it　when　the　Bird　Woman　pays　you。〃



〃All　right；〃　said　Elnora。　　〃I　don't　need　expensive　things。　

Just　some　kind　of　a　pretty　cheap　white　dress　for　the　sermon；

and　a　white　one　a　little　better　than　I　had　last　summer；

for　Commencement　and　the　ball。　　I　can　use　the　white

gloves　and　shoes　I　got　myself　for　last　year；　and　you　can

get　my　dress　made　at　the　same　place　you　did　that　one。　

They　have　my　measurements；　and　do　perfect　work。　

Don't　get　expensive　things。　　It　will　be　warm　so　I　can

go　bareheaded。〃



Then　she　started　to　school；　but　was　so　tired　and

discouraged　she　scarcely　could　walk。　　Four　years'　plans

going　in　one　day！　　For　she　felt　that　if　she　did　not　start

to　college　that　fall　she　never　would。　　Instead　of　feeling

relieved　at　her　mother's　offer；　she　was　almost　too　ill　to

go　on。　　For　the　thousandth　time　she　groaned：　　〃Oh；　why

didn't　I　keep　account　of　my　money？〃



After　that　the　days　passed　so　swiftly　she　scarcely　had

time　to　think；　but　several　trips　her　mother　made　to　town；

and　the　assurance　that　everything　was　all　right；

satisfied　Elnora。　　She　worked　very　hard　to　pass　good

final　examinations　and　perfect　herself　for　the　play。　

For　two　days　she　had　remained　in　town　with　the　Bird　Woman

in　order　to　spend　more　time　practising　and　at　her　work。



Often　Margaret　had　asked　about　her　dresses　for　graduation；

and　Elnora　had　replied　that　they　were　with　a　woman　in　the

city　who　had　made　her　a　white　dress　for　last　year's

Commencement　when　she　was　a　junior　usher；　and　they　would

be　all　right。　　So　Margaret；　Wesley；　and　Billy　concerned

themselves　over　what　they　would　give　her　for　a　present。　

Margaret　suggested　a　beautiful　dress。　　Wesley　said　that

would　look　to　every　one　as　if　she　needed　dresses。　

The　thing　was　to　get　a　handsome　gift　like　all　the　others

would　have。　　Billy　wanted　to　present　her　a　five…dollar　gold

piece　to　buy　music　for　her　violin。　　He　was　positive　Elnora

would　like　that　best　of　anything。



It　was　toward　the　close　of　the　term　when　they　drove　to

town　one　evening　to　try　to　settle　this　important　question。　

They　knew　Mrs。　Comstock　had　been　alone　several　days；

so　they　asked　her　to　accompany　them。　　She　had

been　more　lonely　than　she　would　admit；　filled　with　unusual

unrest　besides；　and　so　she　was　glad　to　go。　　But　before

they　had　driven　a　mile　Billy　had　told　that　they　were　going

to　buy　Elnora　a　graduation　present；　and　Mrs。　Comstock

devoutly　wished　that　she　had　remained　at　home。　　She　was

prepared　when　Billy　asked：　　〃Aunt　Kate；　what　are　you　going

to　give　Elnora　when　she　graduates？〃



〃Plenty　to　eat；　a　good　bed　to　sleep　in；　and　do　all

the　work　while　she　trollops；〃　answered　Mrs。　Comstock　dryly。



Billy　reflected。　　〃I　guess　all　of　them　have　that；〃　he　said。　

〃I　mean　a　present　you　buy　at　the　store；　like　Christmas？〃



〃It　is　only　rich　folks　who　buy　presents　at　stores；〃

replied　Mrsstock。　〃I　can't　afford　it。〃





〃Well；　we　ain't　rich；〃　he