Three Little Women: A Story for Girls
Page 17
CHAPTER XVII
A Family Council
Luncheon was over and Mrs. Carruth, the girls and Mammy were seated inthe library; Mammy's face being full of solicitude for her Miss Jinny.Mammy could no more have been left out of this family council thancould Eleanor.
"An' you haint got dat 'surance money and cyant git hit, Baby?" sheasked, when Mrs. Carruth had finished explaining the situation tothem.
"No, Mammy; it is impossible. I have hoped until the last moment, butnow I must give up all hope."
"But--but I done _paid_ de prem'ym ter dat little Sniffin's man, an'_he_ say we _git_ de money all right an' straight," argued Mammy,loath to give up _her_ hope.
"I know that, Mammy. He told you so in all good faith. It is not hisfault in the least. It would have been settled at once, had we not--hadwe not--" Mrs. Carruth hesitated. She was reluctant to lay the blameupon Eleanor.
"Oh, it is _all_ my fault! All. If I had not brought those hatefulacids into the house we would _never_ have had all this trouble. Ishall never forgive myself, and I should think you'd all want to killme," wailed the cause of the family's misfortune, springing to herfeet to pace rapidly up and down the room, quite unconscious that along feather boa which happened to have been upon the back of herchair, had caught upon her belt-pin and was trailing out behind in amanner to suggest Darwin's theory of the origin of man.
"My child you need not reproach yourself. You were working for ourmutual benefit. You knew nothing of the conditions--"
"Knew nothing! Knew nothing!" broke in Eleanor. "That's just _it_. Itwas my business to know! And I tell you one thing, in future I _mean_to know, and not go blundering along in ignorance and wreckingeverybody else as well as myself. I'm just no better than a fool with_all_ my poring over books and experimenting. After this I'll find outwhere my _feet_ are, even if my head _is_ stuck in the clouds. Andnow, mother, listen: Since I _am_ responsible for this mess it iscertainly up to me to help you to pull out of it, and I'm going to_do_ it, I've spoken to Mr. Hillard, and asked him about coaching, andhe says he can get me plenty of students who will be only too glad ifI can give them the time. And I'm going to do it three afternoons aweek. I shall have to do it between four and six, as those are my onlyfree hours, and if I can't coach better than some I've known toundertake it, I'll quit altogether."
As Eleanor talked, Mammy's expression became more and more horrified.When she ceased speaking the old woman rose from the hassock uponwhich she sat, and crossing the room to Mrs. Carruth's side laid herhand upon her shoulder as she asked in an awed voice:
"Baby you won't _let_ her do no sich t'ing as dat? Cou'se you won't.Wimmin folks now-a-days has powerful strange ways, dat I kin seemyse'f, but we-all don' do sich lak. Miss Nornie wouldn't never in deroun' worl' do _dat_, would she, honey? She jist a projectin', ain'tshe?"
Mammy's old face was so troubled that Mrs. Carruth was much mystified.
"Why Mammy, I don't know of anything that Eleanor is better qualifiedto do than coach. And Mammy, dear, we _must_ do something--every one ofus, I fear. We can not all live on the small interest I now have, andI shall never touch the principal if I can possibly avoid doing so.Eleanor can materially help by entering upon this work, and Constancehas already shown that she can aid also. Even Baby has helped," addedMrs. Carruth, laying her arm caressingly across Jean's shoulders, forJean had stuck to her side like a burr.
"Then you _will_ let me go to East Riveredge with the candy?" criedJean, quick to place her entering wedge.
"We will see," replied Mrs. Carruth, but Jean knew from the smile thatthe day was won.
"I know all dat, honey," resumed Mammy, "but dis hyer coachin'bisness. I ain' got _dat_ settle in my mind. Hit just purescandal'zation 'cordin' ter my thinkin'. Gawd bress my soul whatwe-all comin' to when a Blairsdale teken ter drive a nomnibus fer alivin'? Tck! Tck!" and Mammy collapsed upon a chair to clasp her handsand groan.
Then light dawned upon the family.
"Oh, Mammy! I don't intend to become a stage-coach driver," criedEleanor, dropping upon her knees beside the perturbed old soul, andlaying her own hands upon the clasped ones as she strove hard not tolaugh outright. "You don't understand at _all_, Mammy. A coach issomeone who helps other students who can't get on well with theirstudies. Who gives an hour or two each day to such work. And it isvery well paid work, too, Mammy."
Mammy looked at her incredulously as though she feared she was beingmade game of. Then she glanced at the others. Their faces puzzled her,as well they might, since the individuals were struggling to represstheir mirth lest they wound the old woman's feelings, but still wereanxious to reassure her.
"Miss Jinny, is dat de solemn prar-book truf?"
"It surely is Mammy. We are not quite so degenerate as you think us,"answered Mrs. Carruth soberly, although her eyes twinkled in spite ofher.
"Well! Well! Jes so; Jes so. I sutin'ly is behine de times. I speck Iain' unnerstan dese yer new-fangled wo'ds no mor'n I unnerstan denew-fangled stoves. If coachin' done tu'ned ter meanin' school marmin'I hatter give up. Now go on wid yo' talkin': I gwine tek a back seatan' listen twell I knows sumpin'," and, wagging her head doubtingly,Mammy went back to her hassock.
"Well _two_ of us have settled upon our plan of action, now what are_you_ going to do, Connie? You said you were determined to make yourventure a paying one. What is your plan?" asked Eleanor, turning toConstance, who thus far had said very little.
"I can't tell you right now. I've had so many plans simmering since Ibegan to make my candy, but Mammy has always set the kettle on theback part of the stove just as it began to boil nicely, haven't youMammy?" asked Constance, smiling into Mammy's face.
"'Specs I's 'sponsuble fer a heap o' unbiled kittles, dough hits kaseI hates p'intedly ter see de Blairsdales fixin' ter bu'n dey han's,"was the good soul's answer.
"Our hands can stand a few burns in a good cause, Mammy, so don'tworry about it. We're healthy and they'll heal quickly," wasConstance's cheerful reply.
"Mebbe so," said Mammy skeptically.
"Seriously, Constance, what have you thought of doing, dear?" askedMrs. Carruth, a tender note coming into her voice for this daughterwho had been the first to put her shoulder to the wheel for them all.
"Well, you let me answer that question day after to-morrow, Mumsey?Or, perhaps, it may take even a little longer. But I'll tell you allabout my simmering ideas when I have had time to make a few inquiries.Don't grow alarmed, Mammy; I'm not going to apply for a position asmotor-girl on a trolley car," said Constance, as she laughingly noddedat Mammy.
"Aint nothin' ever gwine 'larm me no mo', I reckons. Speck some day Ifin' dat chile stanin' down yonder on de cawner sellin' candy an'stuff. Mought mos' anyt'ing happen," answered Mammy, as she rose fromher hassock. "Well, if _yo'_-all gwine go inter bisness, I specs _I_gotter too, so don' be 'sprised ef yo' see me. Now I'se gwine ter geta supper dat's fitten fer ter _eat_; dat lunch weren't nothin' but adisgrace ter de hull fambly," and off she hurried to the kitchen toprepare a supper that many would have journeyed far to eat.
"Children," said Mrs. Carruth, as Mammy disappeared, "whatever comeswe must try to keep together. We can meet almost any difficulty if weare not separated, but _that_ would nearly break my heart, I believe;father so loved our home and the companionship of his family, that Ishall do my utmost to keep it as he wished. We may be deprived of themajor portion of our income, and find the path rather a stony one fora while, but we have each other, and the affection which began morethan twenty years ago, when I came North to make my home has growndeeper as the years have passed. Each new little form in my arms madeit stronger, and the fact that father is no longer here to share thejoys or sorrows with us can never alter it. In one sense he is alwayswith us. His love for us is manifested on every hand. We will face thesituation bravely and try to remember that never mind what comes, wehave each other, and his 'three little women,' as he used to love tocall you, are worthy of that beautiful name. He was very proud of hisgirls and use
d to build beautiful 'castles in Spain' for them. If hecould only have been spared to realize them." Mrs. Carruth could sayno more. The day had been a trying one for her, and strength and voicefailed together as she dropped upon a settee and the girls gatheredabout her. Jean with her head in her lap as she clasped her armsaround her; Eleanor holding her hands, and Constance, who had slippedbehind the settee, with the tired head clasped against her breast andher lips pressed upon the pretty hair with its streaks of gray.
For a few moments there was no sound in the room save Mrs. Carruth'srapidly drawn breaths as she strove to control her feelings. Sherarely gave way in the presence of her children, but they knew howhard it was for her to maintain such self-control. It was very sweetto feel the strength of the young arms about her, and the presence ofthe vigorous young lives so ready to be up and doing for her sake.
"Come up-stairs and rest a while before supper," said Constance,softly. "Will you? Do, please. We'll be your handmaidens."
"Yes do, Mumsey, dear. I'll tuck you all up 'snug as a bug in a rug,'"urged Jean.
"And I'll go make you a cup of tea just as you love it," added Eleanorhurrying from the room. As Mrs. Carruth rose from the settee Constanceslipped her strong arm about her to lead her up to her own room, Jeanrunning on ahead to arrange the couch pillows comfortably. PresentlyMrs. Carruth was settled in her nest with Jean upon a low hassock, ather feet, patting them to make her "go byelow," she said. In a fewmoments Eleanor came back with a dainty little tray and tea service,which she set upon the taborette Constance had placed for it, andproceeded to feed her mother as she would have fed an invalid.
"Do you want to quite spoil me?" asked Mrs. Carruth, from her nest ofpillows.
"Not a bit of it! We only want to make you realize how precious youare, don't you understand?" said Eleanor, kissing her mother'sforehead. "There! That is the last bite of cracker and the last dropof tea. Now take 'forty winks' and be as fresh as a daisy for supper.Come on, Jean, let Mumsey go to sleep."
"Oh, please let me stay here cuddling her feet. I'll be just as quietas a mouse," begged Jean.
"Please _all_ stay; and Connie, darling, whistle me to the land o'nod," said Mrs. Carruth, slipping one hand into Constance's andholding the other to Eleanor, who dropped down upon the floor andrested her cheek against it as she nestled close to the couch.
Only the flickering flames of the logs blazing upon the andirons,lighted the room as the birdlike notes began to issue from the girl'slips. She whistled an air from the Burgomeister, its pretty melodyrippling through the room like a thrush's notes.
Presently Mrs. Carruth's eyelids drooped and, utterly wearied by theday's exciting events, she slipped into dreamland upon the sweetmelody.