the golden road-第26节

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〃Thank　goodness；　everything　is　ready　at　last；〃　breathed　Felicity　devoutly；　as　we　foregathered　for　a　brief　space　in　the　fir　wood。　　〃We've　nothing　more　to　do　now　but　get　dressed。　　It's　really　a　serious　thing　to　have　a　wedding　in　the　family。〃

〃I　have　a　note　from　Sara　Ray；〃　said　Cecily。　　〃Judy　Pineau　brought　it　up　when　she　brought　Mrs。　Ray's　spoons。　　Just　let　me　read　it　to　you：


DEAREST　CECILY：A　DREADFUL　MISFORTUNE　has　happened　to　me。　　Last　night　I　went　with　Judy　to　water　the　cows　and　in　the　spruce　bush　we　found　a　WASPS'　NEST　and　Judy　thought　it　was　AN　OLD　ONE　and　she　POKED　IT　WITH　A　STICK。　　And　it　was　a　NEW　ONE；　full　of　wasps；　and　they　all　flew　out　and　STUNG　US　TERRIBLY；　on　the　face　and　hands。　　My　face　is　all　swelled　up　and　I　can　HARDLY　SEE　out　of　one　eye。　　The　SUFFERING　was　awful　but　I　didn't　mind　that　as　much　as　being　scared　ma　wouldn't　take　me　to　the　wedding。　　But　she　says　I　can　go　and　I'm　going。　　I　know　that　I　am　a　HARD…LOOKING　SIGHT；　but　it　isn't　anything　catching。　　I　am　writing　this　so　that　you　won't　get　a　shock　when　you　see　me。　　Isn't　it　SO　STRANGE　to　think　your　dear　Aunt　Olivia　is　going　away？　　How　you　will　miss　her！　　But　your　loss　will　be　her　gain。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃'Au　revoir；　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃'Your　loving　chum；　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　SARA　RAY。'〃


〃That　poor　child；〃　said　the　Story　Girl。

〃Well；　all　I　hope　is　that　strangers　won't　take　her　for　one　of　the　family；〃　remarked　Felicity　in　a　disgusted　tone。

Aunt　Olivia　was　married　at　five　o'clock　in　the　orchard　under　the　late　apple　tree。　　It　was　a　pretty　scene。　　The　air　was　full　of　the　perfume　of　apple　bloom；　and　the　bees　blundered　foolishly　and　delightfully　from　one　blossom　to　another；　half　drunken　with　perfume。　　The　old　orchard　was　full　of　smiling　guests　in　wedding　garments。　　Aunt　Olivia　was　most　beautiful　amid　the　frost　of　her　bridal　veil；　and　the　Story　Girl；　in　an　unusually　long　white　dress；　with　her　brown　curls　clubbed　up　behind；　looked　so　tall　and　grown…　up　that　we　hardly　recognized　her。　　After　the　ceremonyduring　which　Sara　Ray　cried　all　the　timethere　was　a　royal　wedding　supper；　and　Sara　Ray　was　permitted　to　eat　her　share　of　the　feast　with　us。

〃I'm　glad　I　was　stung　by　the　wasps　after　all；〃　she　said　delightedly。　　〃If　I　hadn't　been　ma　would　never　have　let　me　eat　with　you。　　She　just　got　tired　explaining　to　people　what　was　the　matter　with　my　face；　and　so　she　was　glad　to　get　rid　of　me。　　I　know　I　look　awful；　but；　oh；　wasn't　the　bride　a　dream？〃

We　missed　the　Story　Girl；　who；　of　course；　had　to　have　her　supper　at　the　bridal　table；　but　we　were　a　hilarious　little　crew　and　the　girls　had　nobly　kept　their　promise　to　save　tid…bits　for　us。　　By　the　time　the　last　table　was　cleared　away　Aunt　Olivia　and　our　new　uncle　were　ready　to　go。　　There　was　an　orgy　of　tears　and　leavetakings；　and　then　they　drove　away　into　the　odorous　moonlight　night。　　Dan　and　Peter　pursued　them　down　the　lane　with　a　fiendish　din　of　bells　and　pans；　much　to　Felicity's　wrath。　　But　Aunt　Olivia　and　Uncle　Robert　took　it　in　good　part　and　waved　their　hands　back　to　us　with　peals　of　laughter。

〃They're　just　that　pleased　with　themselves　that　they　wouldn't　mind　if　there　was　an　earthquake；〃　said　Felix；　grinning。

〃It's　been　splendid　and　exciting；　and　everything　went　off　well；〃　sighed　Cecily；　〃but；　oh　dear；　it's　going　to　be　so　queer　and　lonesome　without　Aunt　Olivia。　　I　just　believe　I'll　cry　all　night。〃

〃You're　tired　to　death；　that's　what's　the　matter　with　you；〃　said　Dan；　returning。　　〃You　girls　have　worked　like　slaves　today。〃

〃Tomorrow　will　be　even　harder；〃　said　Felicity　comfortingly。　　〃Everything　will　have　to　be　cleaned　up　and　put　away。〃

Peg　Bowen　paid　us　a　call　the　next　day　and　was　regaled　with　a　feast　of　fat　things　left　over　from　the　supper。

〃Well；　I've　had　all　I　can　eat；〃　she　said；　when　she　had　finished　and　brought　out　her　pipe。　　〃And　that　doesn't　happen　to　me　every　day。　　There　ain't　been　as　much　marrying　as　there　used　to　be；　and　half　the　time　they　just　sneak　off　to　the　minister；　as　if　they　were　ashamed　of　it；　and　get　married　without　any　wedding　or　supper。　　That　ain't　the　King　way；　though。　　And　so　Olivia's　gone　off　at　last。　　She　weren't　in　any　hurry　but　they　tell　me　she's　done　well。　　Time'll　show。〃

〃Why　don't　you　get　married　yourself；　Peg？〃　queried　Uncle　Roger　teasingly。　　We　held　our　breath　over　his　temerity。

〃Because　I'm　not　so　easy　to　please　as　your　wife　will　be；〃　retorted　Peg。

She　departed　in　high　good　humour　over　her　repartee。　　Meeting　Sara　Ray　on　the　doorstep　she　stopped　and　asked　her　what　was　the　matter　with　her　face。

〃Wasps；〃　stammered　Sara　Ray；　laconic　from　terror。

〃Humph！　　And　your　hands？〃

〃Warts。〃

〃I'll　tell　you　what'll　take　them　away。　　You　get　a　pertater　and　go　out　under　the　full　moon；　cut　the　pertater　in　two；　rub　your　warts　with　one　half　and　say；　'One；　two；　three；　warts；　go　away　from　me。'　Then　rub　them　with　the　other　half　and　say；　'One；　two；　three；　four；　warts；　never　trouble　me　more。'　Then　bury　the　pertater　and　never　tell　a　living　soul　where　you　buried　it。　　You　won't　have　no　more　warts。　　Mind　you　bury　the　pertater；　though。　　If　you　don't；　and　anyone　picks　it　up；　she'll　get　your　warts。〃



CHAPTER　XVIII

SARA　RAY　HELPS　OUT


We　all　missed　Aunt　Olivia　greatly；　she　had　been　so　merry　and　companionable；　and　had　possessed　such　a　knack　of　understanding　small　fry。　　But　youth　quickly　adapts　itself　to　changed　conditions；　in　a　few　weeks　it　seemed　as　if　the　Story　Girl　had　always　been　living　at　Uncle　Alec's；　and　as　if　Uncle　Roger　had　always　had　a　fat；　jolly　housekeeper　with　a　double　chin　and　little；　twinkling　blue　eyes。　　I　don't　think　Aunt　Janet　ever　quite　got　over　missing　Aunt　Olivia；　or　looked　upon　Mrs。　Hawkins　as　anything　but　a　necessary　evil；　but　life　resumed　its　even　tenor　on　the　King　farm；　broken　only　by　the　ripples　of　excitement　over　the　school　concert　and　letters　from　Aunt　Olivia　describing　her　trip　through　the　land　　of　Evangeline。　　We　incorporated　the　letters　in　Our　Magazine　under　the　heading　〃From　Our　Special　Correspondent〃　and　were　very　proud　of　them。

At　the　end　of　June　our　school　concert　came　off　and　was　a　great　event　in　our　young　lives。　　It　was　the　first　appearance　of　most　of　us　on　any　platform；　and　some　of　us　were　very　nervous。　　We　all　had　recitations；　except　Dan；　who　had　refused　flatly　to　take　any　part　and　was　consequently　care…free。

〃I'm　sure　I　shall　die　when　I　find　myself　up　on　that　platform；　facing　people；〃　sighed　Sara　Ray；　as　we　talked　the　affair　over　in　Uncle　Stephen's　Walk　the　night　before　the　concert。

〃I'm　afraid　I'll　faint；〃　was　Cecily's　more　moderate　foreboding。

〃I'm　not　one　single　bit　nervous；〃　said　Felicity　complacently。

〃I'm　not　nervous　this　time；〃　said　the　Story　Girl；　〃but　the　first　time　I　recited　I　was。〃

〃My　Aunt　Jane；〃　remarked　Peter；　〃used　to　say　that　an　old　teacher　of　hers　told　her　that　when　she　was　going　to　recite　or　speak　in　public　she　must　just　get　it　firmly　into　her　mind　that　it　was　only　a　lot　of　cabbage　heads　she　had　before　her；　and　she　wouldn't　be　nervous。〃

〃One　mightn't　be　nervous；　but　I　don't　think　there　would　be　much　inspiration　in　reciting　to　cabbage　heads；〃　said　the　Story　Girl　decidedly。　　〃I　want　to　recite　to　PEOPLE；　and　see　them　looking　interested　and　thrilled。〃

〃If　I　can　only　get　through　my　piece　without　breaking　down　I　don't　care　whether　I　thrill　people　or　not；〃　said　Sara　Ray。

〃I'm　afraid　I'll　forget　mine　and　get　stuck；〃　foreboded　Felix。　　〃Some　of　you　fellows　be　sure　and　prompt　me　if　I　doand　do　it　quick；　so's　I　won't　get　worse　rattled。〃

〃I　know　one　thing；〃　said　Cecily　resolutely；　〃and　that　is；　I'm　going　to　curl　my　hair　for　to…morrow　night。　　I've　never　curled　it　since　Peter　almost　died；　but　I　simply　must　tomorrow　night；　for　all　the　other　girls　are　going　to　have　theirs　in　curls。〃

〃The　dew　and　heat　will　take　all　the　curl　out　of　yours　and　then　you'll　look　like　a　scarecrow；〃　warned　Felicity。

〃No；　I　won't。　　I'm　going　to　put　my　hair　up　in　paper　tonight　and　wet　it　with　a　curling…fluid　that　Judy　Pineau　uses。　　Sara　brought　me　up　a　bottle　of　it。　　Judy　says　it　is　great　stuffyour　hair　will　keep　in　curl　for　days；　no　matter　how　damp　the　weather　is。　　I'll　leave　my　hair　in　the　papers　till　tomorrow　evening；　and　then　I'll　have　beautiful　curls。〃

〃You'd　better　leave　your　hair　alone；〃　said　Dan　gruffly。　　〃Smooth　hair　is　better　than　a　lot　of　fly…away　curls。〃

But　Cecily　was　not　to　be　persuaded。　　Curls　she　craved　and　curls　she　meant　to　have。

〃I'm　thankful　my　warts　have　all　gone；　any…way；〃　said　Sara　Ray。

〃So　they　have；〃　exclaimed　Felicity。　　〃Did　you　try　Peg's　recipe？〃

〃Yes。　　I　didn't　believe　in　it　but　I　tried　it。　　For　the　first　few　days　afterwards　I　kept　watching　my　warts；　but　they　didn't　go　away；　and　then　I　gave　up　and　forgot　them。　　But　one　day　last　week　I　just　happened　to　look　at　my　hands　and　there　wasn't　a　wart　to　be　seen。　　It　was　the　most　amazing　thing。〃

〃And　yet　you'll　say　Peg　Bowen　isn't　a　witch；〃　said　Peter。

〃Pshaw；　it　was　just　the　potato　juice；〃　scoffed　Dan。

〃It　was　a　dry　old　potato　I　had；　and　there　wasn't　much　juice　in　it；〃　said　Sara　Ray。　　〃One　hardly　knows　what　to　believe。　　But　one　thing　is　certainmy　warts　are　gone。〃

Cecily　put　her　hair　up　in　curl…papers　that　night；　thoroughly　soaked　in　Judy　Pineau's　curling…fluid。　　It　was　a　nasty　job；　for　the　fluid　was　very　sticky；