登陆注册
5382600000116

第116章 CHAPTER XXV(2)

"Perfectly sure!"cried Elnora.

"Will you marry me now?"

"This instant!That is,any time after the noon boat comes in.""Why such unnecessary delay?"demanded Ammon.

"It is almost September,"explained Elnora."I sent for mother three days ago.We must wait until she comes,and we either have to send for Uncle Wesley and Aunt Margaret,or go to them.I couldn't possibly be married properly without those dear people.""We will send,"decided Ammon."The trip will be a treat for them.O'More,would you get off a message at once?"Every one met the noon boat.They went in the motor because Philip was too weak to walk so far.As soon as people could be distinguished at all Elnora and Philip sighted an erect figure,with a head like a snowdrift.

When the gang-plank fell the first person across it was a lean,red-haired boy of eleven,carrying a violin in one hand and an enormous bouquet of yellow marigolds and purple asters in the other.He was beaming with broad smiles until he saw Philip.Then his expression changed.

"Aw,say!"he exclaimed reproachfully."I bet you Aunt Margaret is right.He is going to be your beau!"Elnora stooped to kiss Billy as she caught her mother.

"There,there!"cried Mrs.Comstock."Don't knock my headgear into my eye.I'm not sure I've got either hat or hair.The wind blew like bizzem coming up the river."She shook out her skirts,straightened her hat,and came forward to meet Philip,who took her into his arms and kissed her repeatedly.Then he passed her along to Freckles and the Angel to whom her greetings were mingled with scolding and laughter over her wind-blown hair.

"No doubt I'm a precious spectacle!"she said to the Angel.

"I saw your pa a little before I started,and he sent you a note.It's in my satchel.He said he was coming up next week.What a lot of people there are in this world!

And what on earth are all of them laughing about?

Did none of them ever hear of sickness,or sorrow,or death?Billy,don't you go to playing Indian or chasing woodchucks until you get out of those clothes.

I promised Margaret I'd bring back that suit good as new."Then the O'More children came crowding to meet Elnora's mother.

"Merry Christmas!"cried Mrs.Comstock,gathering them in."Got everything right here but the tree,and there seems to be plenty of them a little higher up.

If this wind would stiffen just enough more to blow away the people,so one could see this place,I believe it would be right decent looking.""See here,"whispered Elnora to Philip."You must fix this with Billy.I can't have his trip spoiled.""Now,here is where I dust the rest of 'em!"complacently remarked Mrs.Comstock,as she climbed into the motor car for her first ride,in company with Philip and Little Brother.

"I have been the one to trudge the roads and hop out of the way of these things for quite a spell."She sat very erect as the car rolled into the broad main avenue,where only stray couples were walking.Her eyes began to twinkle and gleam.Suddenly she leaned forward and touched the driver on the shoulder.

"Young man,"she said,"just you toot that horn suddenly and shave close enough a few of those people,so that Ican see how I look when I leap for ragweed and snake fences."The amazed chauffeur glanced questioningly at Philip who slightly nodded.A second later there was a quick "honk!"and a swerve at a corner.A man engrossed in conversation grabbed the woman to whom he was talking and dashed for the safety of a lawn.The woman tripped in her skirts,and as she fell the man caught and dragged her.Both of them turned red faces to the car and berated the driver.Mrs.Comstock laughed in unrestrained enjoyment.Then she touched the chauffeur again.

"That's enough,"she said."It seems a mite risky."A minute later she added to Philip,"If only they had been carrying six pounds of butter and ten dozen eggs apiece,wouldn't that have been just perfect?"Billy had wavered between Elnora and the motor,but his loyal little soul had been true to her,so the walk to the cottage began with him at her side.Long before they arrived the little O'Mores had crowded around and captured Billy,and he was giving them an expurgated version of Mrs.Comstock's tales of Big Foot and Adam Poe,boasting that Uncle Wesley had been in the camps of Me-shin-go-me-sia and knew Wa-ca-co-nah before he got religion and dressed like white men;while the mighty prowess of Snap as a woodchuck hunter was done full justice.When they reached the cottage Philip took Billy aside,showed him the emerald ring and gravely asked his permission to marry Elnora.Billy struggled to be just,but it was going hard with him,when Alice,who kept close enough to hear,intervened.

"Why don't you let them get married?"she asked.

"You are much too small for her.You wait for me!"Billy studied her intently.At last he turned to Ammon.

"Aw,well!Go on,then!"he said gruffly."I'll marry Alice!"Alice reached her hand."If you got that settled let's put on our Indian clothes,call the boys,and go to the playhouse.""I haven't got any Indian clothes,"said Billy ruefully.

"Yes,you have,"explained Alice."Father bought you some coming from the dock.You can put them on in the playhouse.The boys do."Billy examined the playhouse with gleaming eyes.

Never had he encountered such possibilities.He could see a hundred amusing things to try,and he could not decide which to do first.The most immediate attraction seemed to be a dead pine,held perpendicularly by its fellows,while its bark had decayed and fallen,leaving a bare,smooth trunk.

"If we just had some grease that would make the dandiest pole to play Fourth of July with!"he shouted.

The children remembered the Fourth.It had been great fun.

"Butter is grease.There is plenty in the 'frigerator,"suggested Alice,speeding away.

Billy caught the cold roll and began to rub it against the tree excitedly.

"How are you going to get it greased to the top?"inquired Terry.

同类推荐
  • 懋斋诗钞

    懋斋诗钞

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 绝命辞

    绝命辞

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 缘情手鉴诗格

    缘情手鉴诗格

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 证道一贯真机易简录

    证道一贯真机易简录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 观物外篇

    观物外篇

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 少主滚开别挡老娘的道

    少主滚开别挡老娘的道

    凤箫离,雪雾老头最不成气武功最差的弟子。腹黑狡诈,聪明机警,疯疯癫癫。计划偷跑,竟然被一人另加一堆黑衣人杀进来?——滚你丫的,你们打架就不会选地方?紫凛,紫凤岭中身份尊贵王者之气的少主。冷峻狂傲,翻云覆雨,偶尔抽风。这女人的武功怎么打得这么诡异,要形没形,要力没力,简称猥琐!——打跑了一堆黑衣人?有意思!坑爹对话!!1、“少主,离小姐你不能娶,真的不能娶!”“为啥?”“少主,你忘记了你自小有婚约在身,迎娶的只能是琉芜小姐1”“阿白,难道你忘记了我这次出行的目的是什么了吗?”“是什么?”“就是,逃婚!”“……”“少主,你夜里翻墙去离小姐的房间里做什么?”“阿白,你想我脱光衣服躺在她的床上她会不会上我?”“……”“你这是什么眼神,你是说你少主我的身体完全没有吸引力?”“……”故事越到后面越精彩,期待你们的支持!!!再次说上谢谢一句!!
  • 踏天无痕

    踏天无痕

    大燕帝国三十六王侯之族的姚氏宗子姚兴犯下大罪,修为被废,记忆抹除,流放到边陲投靠舅父,从天之骄子如日中天的云端跌落,沦为二流宗门太微宗最低级的道兵弟子,在一次意外中摔落山崖而死
  • 追逐:巫女的私奔计划

    追逐:巫女的私奔计划

    简而言之,就是一个神经大条的女主,赌气闯入皇宫调戏皇帝,而后很悲剧的被皇帝看上,她却想抽身离开,计划着和大将军私奔的故事。
  • 玄溪誓言

    玄溪誓言

    万象星空,银河游荡,究竟怎样暗藏玄机。不加入我们么。在这个万象错杂的世界里,各式各样的异能者夹杂其中,鱼龙混杂,将会出现在你身畔。来加入这个城市吧,一个酝酿已久的阴谋,只等待着你的加入,听,末世敲响警钟。
  • 华为是如何留住10万人才的

    华为是如何留住10万人才的

    在华为,员工之间通过竞争上岗,通过竞争定优劣。公司的人才也是通过竞争的方式脱颖而出的。华为实行绩效考核制、末尾淘汰制。
  • 逆天狂妃:王爷,来一战!

    逆天狂妃:王爷,来一战!

    她,是现代顶尖杀手,却遭人怨恨,最终含恨而死,一朝穿越,便要潇洒活一世。什么?废柴!遥身一变,极品丹药一抓一大把,各种神兽争相签订契约,各路美男争相求嫁。 但是却被冰山王爷宠成了小绵羊,这怎么行! “王爷,来一战!” “好,夫人莫非欲-求不满?没关系,为夫这就履行责任。” 【虽然前两本书可能玛丽苏,但是我保证,就算我们玛丽苏,也要苏的不一样!后面的小说绝对题材新颖!】
  • TALES FROM TWO HEMISPHERES

    TALES FROM TWO HEMISPHERES

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 仲夏不见秋

    仲夏不见秋

    许玖蓁站在操场边的看台上,对着跑道下的江秋东喊着:“我喜欢你!江秋东!”江秋东转过头,接过旁边的同学递过来的水,有些懵懵地说:“你说什么?”“……”当时阳光在她的身后,把她每一缕长发都照得金灿灿的,好像也是因为阳光的缘故,她好像比每一天的她都美丽,“我说--许玖蓁喜欢江秋东!”“……”在九月里等了你那么多个秋冬,也只能做你的旧悦。
  • 菜根谭(中华国学经典)

    菜根谭(中华国学经典)

    从《菜根谭》中体现出的有时孤高无为、有时又乐观进取的思想中,可以看出作者激烈的内心冲突。古人云:性定菜根香。静心沉玩,乃得其旨。读《菜根谭》,思人间事,常常是仁者见仁,智者见智。这样一本囊括了中国几千年处世智慧的经典文献,自它一问世,便经久不衰,流传至今。其旺盛的生命力就在于人人都可以在其中汲取有用的智慧,成功者读它,失意者读它,孤傲者读它,平凡者读它,生意人读它,居官者读它,就连僧舍道观、骚人墨客也莫不悉心研习。
  • 半道将军很嚣张

    半道将军很嚣张

    岳晓一生浩浩荡荡,一朝穿越。爹愚孝,为帮助母亲脱离苦海,英勇参军……立下誓言:带她归来之时,恒国百姓不在受战火迫害,没有黎民百姓在会为战争妻离子散!她的一生,除了战场还有什么能是她的归属呢?(简介无能:为了尾款,加油(???_??)?!!!)