CHAPTER VIII
Chemical Experiments
"Eleanor! Eleanor! where are you?" cried Constance at the foot of thethird-story stairs the following day after luncheon.
Blue Monday had passed with its dull gray clouds and chill winds togive place to one of those rare, warm days which sometimes come to uslate in October, as though the glorious autumn were loath to departand had turned back for a last smile upon the land it loved.
The great river lay like shimmering liquid gold, the air was filledwith the warm, pungent odors of the late autumn woods, and a soft hazerested upon the opposite hills.
"Here in my room," answered Eleanor. "What is it? What do you want? Ican't come just this minute. Come up if it's important." The voice wassomewhat muffled as though the speaker's head were covered.
Constance bounded up the stairs, hurried across the hall and enteredthe large third-story front room which Eleanor occupied. There was nosign of its occupant.
"More experiments I dare say," she murmured as she entered, crossedthe room and pushed open the door leading into a small adjoining roomwhereupon her nostrils were assailed by odors _not_ of Araby--theblessed.
"Phew! Ugh! What an awful smell! What under the sun are you doing? Ifyou don't blow yourself to glory some day I shall be thankful," sheended as she pinched her nostrils together.
"Shut the door quick and don't let the smell get through the house ormother will go crazy when she gets home. Yes, it _is_ pretty bad, buttie your handkerchief over your nose and then you won't mind it somuch. As for blowing myself to glory, perhaps that will be my only wayof ever coming by any, so I ought to be willing to take that route.But what do you want?" concluded Eleanor, pouring one smelly chemicalinto a small glass which contained another, whereupon it instantlybecame a most exquisite shade of crimson.
Constance watched her closely without speaking. Presently she said:
"Well I dare say it is 'everyone to her fancy,' as the old lady saidwhen she kissed her cow (Jean could appreciate that, couldn't she? Shekisses Baltie often enough) but _I'd_ rather be excused when chemicalexperiments are in order. Don't for the life of me understand how youendure the smells and the mess. What is _that_ horrid looking thingover there?" and Constance pointed to a grewsome-looking objectstretched upon a small glass table at the farther side of the room.
"My rabbit. I got it at the school laboratory and I've been examiningits respiratory organs. They're perfectly wonderful, Constance. Wantto see them? I'll be done with this in just a minute."
"_No I don't!_" was the empathic negative. "I dare say it's all verywonderful and interesting and I ought to know all about breathingapparatus----_es_, or apparatti, or whatever the plural of our wind-pumpmachine _is_, but if I've got to learn by hashing up animals I'llnever, _never_ know, and that's all there is about it. I'll take myknowledge on theory or supposition or whatever you call it. But I'venearly forgotten to tell you the news. I've had a letter from Mrs.Hadyn, Mr. Stuyvesant's aunt, the one he is named for you know, askingme to help at the candy counter at the Memorial Hospital Fair, weekafter next, and, incidentally, contribute some of my 'deliciouspralines and nut fudge'--that's in quotes remember,--and remain for thedance which will follow after ten-thirty on the closing evening. Shewill see that I reach home safely. How is _that_ for a frolic? I'vebeen wild for a dance the past month."
"Is mother willing? What will you wear?" was the essentially feminineinquiry which proved that Eleanor, even though absorbed in hersciences and isms, was a woman at heart.
"What is the use of asking that? You know I've got to wear whatever ison hand to be utilized into gay and festive attire. I can't indulge innew frocks now-a-days when the finances are at such a low ebb. Needall we've got for necessities without thinking of spending money fornotions. But I'll blossom out gloriously; see if I don't. That was onereason I came up to talk to you. Can you tear yourself away from yourmesses long enough to come up to the attic with me? I've been wantingto rummage for days, but haven't been able to get around to it. Sotidy up, and come along. You've absorbed enough knowledge to last youfor one while."
Eleanor wavered a moment and then began to put aside her materials,and a few moments later the two girls were up in the attic.
"Do you know what I believe I'll do?" said Constance, after a halfhour's rummaging among several trunks had brought forth a perplexingarray of old finery, winter garments and outgrown apparel. "I believeI'll just cart down every solitary dud we've got here and have themall aired. I heard mother say last week that they ought to be, and shewould have it done the first clear, dry day, and this one is simplyheavenly. Come on; take an armful and get busy. They smell almost asabominably from tar camphor as your laboratory smells of chemicals."
"Think I'd rather have the chemicals if my choice were consulted,"laughed Eleanor as obedient to instructions, she gathered up an armfulof clothing and prepared to descend the stairs.
"Thanks, I'll take the tar. Go on; I'll follow."
Little was to be seen of either girl as she moved slowly down thestairs. At the foot stood Mammy.
"Fo' de Lawd sake wha' yo' chillen at _now_?" she demanded as shestood barring their progress.
"Bringing out our winter wardrobes, Mammy. Good deal of it as toquantity; what it will turn out as to quality remains to be seen,"cried Constance cheerily.
"Lak' 'nough mos' anyt'ing if yo' had de handlin' ob it. Yo' sartin'_is_ de banginest chile wid yo' han's," was Mammy's flattering reply.
"Perhaps if I could 'bang' as well with my brains as with my hands Imight amount to something, Mammy. But Nornie has all the brains of thefamily. _She_'ll make our fame and fortune some day; see if shedoesn't."
"Guess I'll have to do something clever then if I am to become famousin _this_ day and age," said Eleanor, as she made her way past Mammy."Thus far I haven't given very noble promise."
"Who sesso?" demanded Mammy. "Ain' yo' de fust and fo'most up derewhar de school's at? What fur ole Miss sendin' yo' dar fer den? Huh, Ireckon _she_ know whar ter spen' her money, an' Gawd knows she ain'spendin' none what ain' gwine ter pintedly make up fer all she ginout. _She_ no fool, I tell yo'."
The girls broke into peals of laughter, for Mammy's estimation of "ol'Miss," as she called Mr. Carruth's aunt by marriage, was a prettyaccurate one, "Aunt Eleanor" being a lady who had very pronouncedideas and no hesitation whatever in giving expression to them, as wellas a very strong will to back them up. She also had a pretty liberallysupplied purse, the supply being drawn from a large estate which shehad inherited from her father, a Central New York farmer, who had madea fortune in fruit-growing and ended his days in affluence, althoughhe had begun them in poverty. She had no children, her only son havingdied when a child, and her husband soon afterward. Bernard Carruth hadalways been a favorite with her, although she never forgave him forwhat she pronounced his "utter and imbecilic folly." It was AuntEleanor who made the seminary possible for the niece who had beennamed for her; a compliment which flattered the old lady more than shechose to let others suspect, for the niece was manifesting a finemind, and the aunt had secretly resolved to do not a little toward itsdevelopment although she took pains to guard the fact.
"Go along up-stairs and get an armful of things, Mammy. That will keepyou from flattering me and making me conceited," cried Eleanor, whenthe laugh ended.
"Huh! Mek a Blairsdale 'ceited?" retorted Mammy, as she started up tothe attic. "Dey's got too much what dey _knows_ is de right stuff ferter pester dey haids studyin' 'bout it; it's right dar all de endurin'time; dey ain' gotter chase atter it lessen dey loses it."
"Was there ever such a philosopher as Mammy?" laughed Constance asthey got beyond hearing.
"Wish there were a few more with as much sound sense--black or white--"answered Eleanor as she shook out one of Jean's frocks and hung itacross the clothes-line.
A moment later Mammy joined them with more garments which cried aloudfor the glorious fresh air and sunshine. She hung piece after pieceupon the line, givi
ng a shake here, a pat there, or almost a caressupon another, for each one recalled to her loving old heart the memoryof more prosperous days, and each held its story for her. When allwere swinging in the sunshine she stepped back and surveyed the array,her mouth pursed up quizzically, but her eyes full of kindness.
"What are you thinking of Mammy?" asked Constance, slipping herfingers into Mammy's work-hardened hand very much as she had done whena little child.
"Hum; Um: What's I t'inkin' of? I'se t'inkin' dat ar lot ob clo'sesupin lak we-all here: De'y good stuff in um, an' I reckon dey c'nstan' 'spection, on'y dey sartin _do_ stan' in need ob jist a _leetle_spondulix fer ter put em in shape. Dar's _too much_ ob em spread all_ober_. What dey needs is ter rip off some o' dem _ruffles_ and jishang ter de plain frocks ter tek keer ob. We spen's a heap ob timebreshin' ruffles dat we better spen' tekin' keer ob de frocks in,"concluded Mammy with a sage nod as she turned and walked into thehouse.
"Upon my word I believe Mammy's pretty near right Eleanor. We _have_got a good many _ruffles_ to take care of on this big place and Isometimes feel that mother is wearing herself out caring for them.Perhaps we would be wiser to give them up."
"Perhaps we would," agreed Eleanor, "but where will we go if we giveup the home? We have hardly known any other, for we were both toolittle to think much about homes or anything else when we came intothis one. For my part, I am ready to do whatever is best and wisest,although I love every stick and stone here. Mother has looked terriblyworried lately although she hasn't said one word to me. Has she toyou?
"No, nothing at all. But I know what you mean; her eyes look so tired.I wonder if anything new has arisen to make her anxious. She says solittle at any time. I mean to have a talk with her this evening if Ican get a chance. Do you get Jean out of the way. She is such aneverlasting chatterbox that there is no hope of a quiet half hourwhile she is around. Now let's take an inventory of this array andplan my frivolity frock," and Constance drew Eleanor down upon arustic seat at one side of the lawn to discuss the absorbing questionof the new gown to be evolved from some of the old ones which wereswaying in the wind.
Perhaps a half hour passed, the girls were giving little heed to time,for the drowsy dreamy influence of the afternoon was impressing itselfupon them. Constance had planned the gown to the minutest detail,Eleanor agreeing and secretly marveling at her ability to do so, whenboth became aware of a strong odor of smoke.
"What is burning, I wonder?" said Constance, glancing in the directionof a patch of woodland not far off.
"Leaves, most likely. The Henrys' gardener has burned piles and pilesof them ever since they began falling. I shouldn't think there wouldbe any left for him to burn," answered Eleanor, looking in the samedirection.
"It doesn't smell like leaves, it smells like wood, and--oh! Eleanor,Eleanor, look! look at your window! The smoke is just pouring from it!The house is a-fire! Run! Run! Quick! Quick!"
Three Little Women: A Story for Girls Page 8