Jewel: A Chapter in Her Life

by Clara Louise Burnham

  CHAPTER IX

  A SHOPPING EXPEDITION

  The housekeeper warned Jewel not to run out of doors that morning as shewished to accompany her to the shoe store.

  "I'm not going to take you, Anna Belle," Jewel said to her doll. "Idon't like to ask the giantess if I may, and of course, it won't be avery good time anyway, so you be patient and we'll go out together thisafternoon."

  Mrs. Forbes's long widow's veil, a decoration she never had discardedhung low over her black gown as she stepped deliberately down the stairsfrom her barn chamber.

  "I am going with the little girl, Zeke, to buy her a pair of rubbers,"she announced to her son.

  "Going foot-back? Why don't you have out the 'broom'? Onegranddaughter's got as good a right to it as the other, hasn't she?"

  "I should say so, but that child, Zeke, in addition to her wonderfulboldness this morning with Mr. Evringham, that I told you about, isperfectly crazy over horses."

  "H'm. That don't surprise me. A young one that can stand up to thegovernor wouldn't be afraid of anything in the way of horseflesh."

  "So I decided," continued Mrs. Forbes, pulling on her roomy blackgloves, "that it would be better for her to go this morning in thetrolley."

  "You _did_? Well if that ain't a regular step-mother act!" returnedZeke in protest. "The kid had a bully time coming home from the depotyesterday. Dick felt good, and he just lit out. I tell you her eyesshone."

  "I like to do what's best for folks in the end," declared Mrs. Forbesvirtuously. "Julia's parents are poor, and likely to be. She's onlygoing to be here six weeks, and what is the sense of encouraging a tasteshe can't ever indulge? No, I'll take her in the trolley. It's a nicemorning, and I shan't mind the walk down to the gate." The speakermarched with the dignity which was always inseparable from the veiltoward the back door of the house to give some last orders, and Zekelounged out with his rake toward the grounds at the front. There hecaught sight of a small figure in hat and jacket waiting on the piazza.He turned toward it, and Jewel advanced with a smile of recognition.She had had to look twice to identify her fine plum-colored companion ofyesterday's drive with this youth in shirt sleeves and a soft old hat.

  "Well, little girl, how are you getting on?" he asked.

  "Pretty well, thank you." Her beaming expression left no doubt that shewas very glad to see him.

  "Not particularly flattering if she is," he mused. "Fine ladies not outof their rooms yet, and ma doin' her duty by her to beat the band."

  "Where's your doll?" he asked.

  "I didn't bring her. I thought perhaps the--Mrs. Forbes would--wouldjust as lief she didn't come."

  "Ma _hasn't_ played with dolls for quite a spell," agreed Zeke, with asmile that was sunshine to the child.

  "You live out in the barn with the horses, don't you?" she askedeagerly. "Will you give me permission to go out there some time?"

  "Sure. Come any time."

  "Mrs. Forbes said I must ask permission," responded the child withan apprehensive glance behind her to see if her escort were arriving."What--what is your name?"

  "Forgotten this soon? I told you Zeke."

  "I thought you did, but your mother said it was something verydifferent."

  "Ezekiel, perhaps."

  "Yes, that's it. I won't forget again. How many horses has grandpa?"

  "Two here, but I guess he's got more in the country. You come out to thebarn any time you feel like it. You've heard of a bell cow, haven't you?Well, we've got the belle horse out there. She beats all creation."

  "The one I saw yesterday," eagerly, "the one that runs away all thetime?"

  "No. This is Mr. Evringham's riding horse."

  Jewel hopped and clapped her hands. "I'll see grandpa ride. Goody! I'llwatch him."

  "Go to your paths, Zeke," said a voice, and the veil appeared around thecorner of the house.

  Jewel quietly joined her stately companion, and walked away sedatelybeside her.

  They did not exchange many words on their way to the park gates, forMrs. Forbes needed her breath for the rather long promenade, and Jewelwas busy looking at the trees and trim swards and crocus beds beside thewinding road.

  Outside the gate they had to wait but a minute before the car came, andafter they had boarded it, the little girl was entertained by lookingout of the window, and often wished for Anna Belle's sympathy in somenovel sight or sound.

  A ride of fifteen minutes brought them to the shoe store. Mrs. Forbesseemed to know the clerk, and Jewel was finally fitted to her guardian'ssatisfaction, but scarcely to her own, the housekeeper having selectedthe species known as storm rubbers, and chose them as large as wouldstay on.

  "They're quite warm, aren't they?" said Jewel, looking down at her shinyfeet and trying to speak cheerfully.

  "When you wear them you want to be warm," was Mrs. Forbes's rejoinder.

  "I brought my money," said the child, in a low voice.

  "No. Your grandfather wishes to make you a present of these." Thehousekeeper's tone was final, and she paid for the overshoes, which werewrapped up, and then she led Jewel out of the store.

  Next door was a candy shop with alluring windows.

  "I'd like to go in here," said the little girl. "Would you mind?"

  "Do you spend your money for candy, Julia?"

  "Yes'm. Don't you like it?" Jewel lingered, looking at the prettydisplay. Easter had recently passed, and there were bright-eyed littleyellow chickens that especially took her fancy.

  "It isn't a question of liking it when people are poor," returned Mrs.Forbes. "I'm astonished that your mother encourages you to spend moneyfor candy."

  Jewel looked up quickly. "Did you think we were poor?" she asked, withdisconcerting suddenness.

  Mrs. Forbes hesitated. "Your mother is a dressmaker, isn't she?"

  "Yes, she's just a splendid one. Everybody says so. We couldn't be poor,you know. She found out about God before I was old enough to talk, soyou see all her poor time came before I can remember."

  The housekeeper glanced about her furtively. "Julia, don't you know youshouldn't use your Creator's name on the street!" she exclaimed, whenshe had made certain that no one was listening.

  "Why not?" asked the child.

  "Why--why--it isn't a proper place. Some one might hear you."

  "Well, won't you let me get some candy now? If I knew what kind youliked, Mrs. Forbes, I'd get it."

  "I don't eat candy as a rule. It's not only extravagant, it's veryunhealthy."

  The little girl smiled. "How do you suppose your stomach knows what youput into it?" she asked. "I guess you're just a little--bit--afraid,aren't you?"

  "Odder than Dick's hatband!" quoth Mrs. Forbes again, mentally. "I takehorehound drops sometimes," she said aloud, "for a cold."

  "Can't you sneeze a little now?" asked Jewel, amusement twinkling in herblue eyes. "I do want so much to go in here."

  "Don't tempt Providence by making fun of sickness, Julia, or you'lllive to regret it," returned Mrs. Forbes. "I don't mind getting somehorehound drops, but be careful now and don't spend too much. A littlegirl's money always burns in her pocket."

  "Yes'm," returned the child dutifully, skipping up to the door of theshop and opening it.

  Mrs. Forbes followed slowly, and once inside, fell into conversationwith the girl of whom she bought the cough candy. This gave Jewelopportunity to buy beside her caramels one of the lovely yellowchickens, which she designed for a special purpose.

  "Now don't you eat that candy before lunch. It will take away yourappetite. It is nearly lunch time now," said Mrs. Forbes as they leftthe store.

  "And won't you either?" asked the child, offering the open caramel bagwith a spontaneous politeness which somehow made the housekeeper feel ata disadvantage.

  "No, thank you. Stop that car, Julia, and make them wait for me," shesaid, making haste slowly.

  Once within, it took Mrs. Forbes a minute or two to get her breath, butshe soon noticed that her companion's eyes were
fixed upon a man seateda little way from them across the car. A smile kept coming to thechild's lips, and at last the gentleman himself recognized that he wasan object of interest. He looked at the strange little girl kindly. Herhand went unconsciously to the small gold pin she wore. The man smiledand touched one of similar pattern which was fastening his tie. In aminute more his street was reached, and as he passed Jewel on his wayout of the car, he stooped and gave her ready hand a little pressure.

  She colored with pleasure, and Mrs. Forbes swelled with curiosity anddisapproval. She knew the man by sight as a highly respectable citizen.What was this wild Western child doing now? The car made too much noiseto permit of investigation, so she waited until they had left it andentered the park gates.

  "Julia," she said then, "where did you ever see that gentleman before?"

  "I never did," replied the child.

  "What do you mean by such bold actions, then? What will he think ofyou?"

  "He'll think it's all right," returned Jewel. "We have the same--thesame friends."

  The housekeeper looked at her. It was beneath her dignity to ask furtherquestions at present, but some time she meant to renew the subject.

  "It's very wrong for a little girl to take any notice of strangers," shesaid.

  "Yes'm," replied Jewel, "but he was--different."

  Mrs. Forbes maintained silence henceforth until they reached home. "Youmay hang your hat and jacket in the closet under the stairs wheneveryou don't wish to go to your room," she said when she parted with hercompanion at the piazza, "but don't wander away anywhere before lunch."

  "No'm. Thank you for taking me, Mrs. Forbes."

  "You're welcome," returned that lady, and the long black veil sweptmajestically toward the barn.

  Sweet and rippling music was proceeding from the house. Jewel tiptoedacross the piazza to a long window, from whence she could see theinterior of the drawing-room.

  "It is the enchanted maiden," she said to herself, and sank down softlyby the window, listening eagerly to the melodious strains and smoothruns which flowed from beneath the slender fingers. One piece followedanother in quick succession, now gay, now grave, and the listenerscarcely stirred in her enjoyment.

  At last, suddenly, in the midst of a Grieg melody, the player ceased,and crossing her arms upon the empty music rack, bowed her head uponthem in such an attitude of abandon that Jewel's heart leaped insympathy.

  "Oh cousin Eloise! What makes her so sorry?" she thought. The child'sintuition had been strong to perceive the nature of her aunt Madge. "Itmust be such an awful thing to have your own mother an error fairy. Thatmust be the reason. I wish I could tell her"--Jewel jumped to her feet,but just as she was determining to go to her cousin, the soft-toned gongpealed its mellow summons, and she saw Eloise rise from the piano intime to meet her mother, who at that moment entered the room.

  Jewel went into the house, hung up her hat and jacket, and deposited herpackages. By the time she reached the dining-room her aunt and cousinwere already seated. Mrs. Evringham put up her lorgnette as she greetedthe child. Eloise nodded a grave good-morning, and Mrs. Forbes began toserve the luncheon.

  Jewel looked in vain for any trace of excitement or tears on hercousin's lovely face. Eloise did not address her or any one. Mrs.Evringham did the talking. After a question as to how Jewel had spentthe morning, and without listening to the child's reply, she began totalk to her daughter of a drive she wished to take that afternoon.

  Jewel discerned that Mrs. Forbes was not kindly disposed toward themother and daughter, and that they ignored the housekeeper; that Eloisewas languid and out of sympathy with her mother, and that Mrs. Evringhamwas impatient with her, often to the verge of sharpness. The child wasglad when luncheon was over; but before going upstairs she brought hersmall bag of caramels and offered them to the ladies.

  Mrs. Evringham gave a little laugh of surprise and looked at Eloise, whotook one with a sober "Thank you."

  "I don't believe I could, child," said aunt Madge, glancing withamusement at the striped bag. "Keep them for yourself."

  "You'll have some, won't you, Mrs. Forbes?" asked Jewel, and thehousekeeper so strongly disapproved of Mrs. Evringham's manner that sheaccepted.

  "Perhaps you would like to try some of our candy, Julia," said Mrs.Evringham, as the child followed her aunt and cousin upstairs.

  Jewel paused while aunt Madge brought from her room into the hall alarge box, beribboned and laced, full of a variety of confections.

  "How pretty!" exclaimed the child.

  "This is from your friend, Dr. Ballard," said her aunt. "He sent it tothe charming little girl, Eloise."

  Jewel, running on up to her room eating the creamy chocolate, wonderedstill more why her cousin should seem so sorry, with so much to make herhappy.

  "Now, Anna Belle, the time has really come," she said happily to herdoll, as she took her in her arms and began putting on her jacket andhat. "We're going away from Castle Discord to seek our fortunes. We'regoing to leave the giantess, and leave the impolite error fairy, andleave the poor enchanted maiden, and go to find the ravine and thebrook. Wait till I put on my oldest shoes, for we shall have to climbdeep, deep down to get near to father."

  At last she was ready, and when she had closed the heavy house doorbehind her, and had run down the driveway to the park road, a delicioussense of freedom possessed her.

  "There goes the little Westerner," observed Mrs. Evringham, looking fromher window. "It's a good thing she knows how to amuse herself."

  "A good thing, indeed," returned Eloise. "There is no one here to doanything for her."

  "She has wonderful assurance for such a plain little monkey," went onMrs. Evringham.

  "She has extremely good breeding," returned her daughter, coming to thewindow and following Jewel's retreating figure with her eyes, "and acharming face when she smiles."

  "Very well. Look out for yourself, then. I thought last night, once ortwice, at dinner, that she was rather entertaining to her grandfather."

  "She has her doll," said Eloise wistfully. "Where can she be going? Iwish I were going with her."

  Mrs. Evringham laughed. "Well, you _are_ bored. Pshaw, my dear! Liedown and get a little beauty sleep. Then we will go driving and seethat charming spot Dr. Ballard told us about. I'm sure he will callto-night."