登陆注册
5382600000056

第56章 CHAPTER XI(5)

I suppose mother has had it all my life,and I never saw it before.""Go take your bath and put on those things,"said the Bird Woman."Forget everything and be happy.She is not insane.She is embittered.She did not understand how things would be.When she saw,she came at once to provide you a dress.This is her way of saying she is sorry she did not get the other.You notice she has not spent any money,so perhaps she is quite honest in saying she has none.""Oh,she is honest!"said Elnora."She wouldn't care enough to tell an untruth.She'd say just how things were,no matter what happened."Soon Elnora was ready for her dress.She never had looked so well as when she again headed the processional across the flower and palm decked stage of the high school auditorium.As she sat there she could have reached over and dropped a rose she carried into the seat she had occupied that September morning when she entered the high school.She spoke the few words she had to say in behalf of the class beautifully,had the tiny wink ready for Billy,and the smile and nod of recognition for Wesley and Margaret.When at last she looked into the eyes of a white-faced woman next them,she slipped a hand to her side and raised her skirt the fraction of an inch,just enough to let the embroidered edge of a petticoat show a trifle.When she saw the look of relief which flooded her mother's face,Elnora knew that forgiveness was in her heart,and that she would go home in the morning.

It was late afternoon before she arrived,and a dray followed with a load of packages.Mrs.Comstock was overwhelmed.She sat half dazed and made Elnora show her each costly and beautiful or simple and useful gift,tell her carefully what it was and from where it came.

She studied the faces of Elnora's particular friends.

The gifts from them had to be set in a group.Several times she started to speak and then stopped.At last,between her dry lips,came a harsh whisper.

"Elnora,what did you give back for these things?""I'll show you,"said Elnora cheerfully."I made the same gifts for the Bird Woman,Aunt Margaret and you if you care for it.But I have to run upstairs to get it."When she returned she handed her mother an oblong frame,hand carved,enclosing Elnora's picture,taken by a schoolmate's camera.She wore her storm-coat and carried a dripping umbrella.From under it looked her bright face;her books and lunchbox were on her arm,and across the bottom of the frame was carved,"Your Country Classmate."Then she offered another frame.

"I am strong on frames,"she said."They seemed to be the best I could do without money.I located the maple and the black walnut myself,in a little corner that had been overlooked between the river and the ditch.

They didn't seem to belong to any one so I just took them.

Uncle Wesley said it was all right,and he cut and hauled them for me.I gave the mill half of each tree for sawing and curing the remainder.Then I gave the wood-carver half of that for making my frames.A photographer gave me a lot of spoiled plates,and I boiled off the emulsion,and took the specimens I framed from my stuff.The man said the white frames were worth three and a half,and the black ones five.I exchanged those little framed pictures for the photographs of the others.For presents,I gave each one of my crowd one like this,only a different moth.

The Bird Woman gave me the birch bark.She got it up north last summer."Elnora handed her mother a handsome black-walnut frame a foot and a half wide by two long.It finished a small,shallow glass-covered box of birch bark,to the bottom of which clung a big night moth with delicate pale green wings and long exquisite trailers.

"So you see I did not have to be ashamed of my gifts,"said Elnora."I made them myself and raised and mounted the moths.""Moth,you call it,"said Mrs.Comstock."I've seen a few of the things before.""They are numerous around us every June night,or at least they used to be,"said Elnora."I've sold hundreds of them,with butterflies,dragonflies,and other specimens.

Now,I must put away these and get to work,for it is almost June and there are a few more I want dreadfully.

If I find them I will be paid some money for which I have been working."She was afraid to say college at that time.She thought it would be better to wait a few days and see if an opportunity would not come when it would work in more naturally.

Besides,unless she could secure the Yellow Emperor she needed to complete her collection,she could not talk college until she was of age,for she would have no money.

同类推荐
  • 显扬圣教论颂

    显扬圣教论颂

    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。
  • 法华宗要

    法华宗要

    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。
  • 太公金匮

    太公金匮

    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。
  • 法华三昧忏仪勘定元本

    法华三昧忏仪勘定元本

    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。
  • 念佛起缘弥陀观偈直解

    念佛起缘弥陀观偈直解

    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
  • 红楼之世家公子贾琏

    红楼之世家公子贾琏

    身为袭爵长房嫡子,最终结局却是流放三千里。死后的贾琏重生回到三岁刚开蒙之时,面对藏奸的二婶,假正经的二叔,还有那偏心的祖母,他该何去何从?阴差阳错之下获得了一个世家公子养成系统,贾琏从此开始与上辈子完全不一样的人生。
  • 戴戒指的情书

    戴戒指的情书

    原本生活幸福,家境富裕的林密儿高中毕业回家途中遭遇车祸,醒来之后得知家中遭遇巨变。父亲失踪,昔日家中世交江文景为夺得公司,逼迫林母出让股权。不久,林母病逝。8年之后,一心复仇的林密凭借好友夏侯静岚的力量与江文景展开了一场艰难的较量,然而林密对江文景之子江溢还有着割舍不断的情感。同时宋晴阳的出现,夏侯静岚的羁绊,都使她时时处于艰难的选择当中,爱不得,恨不得……
  • 内经药瀹

    内经药瀹

    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。
  • 倾世毒医:绝世废柴九公主

    倾世毒医:绝世废柴九公主

    她,千离雪,21世纪的金牌神医,兼王牌杀手等等神秘身份,却因装逼从19楼跳下去摔死,还好死不死的穿越了。穿越也就算了,还偏偏穿到了一个奇丑无比又不受宠的圣羽皇朝废材九公主身上,贼老天!你丫的再坑点试试?!唉~,抱着既来之则安之的心理千雪悲催的认命了敢说姐姐是废材?姐分分钟完虐你们这些所谓的“天才”骂姐有娘生没娘养,给姐站出来!分分钟揍到你亲妈都认不出来!他——真的是那个说这货高冷的?出来走走?这丫的明明就是个不要脸的逗逼好吗?——新书发布,还请各位多多支持哦~不喜勿喷!
  • 六妙法门

    六妙法门

    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。
  • 在末世中崛起

    在末世中崛起

    新书《异星统治者》已经发布……游戏高手刁思在一次宣传活动中意外被召唤到异星。他在摇摇欲坠的圣殿带走了神物万灵之灵,又重新穿越到毁灭之前的异星世界。他被受牢底狱之苦,当过11和破男,却依然艳遇不断。看他如何凭借着跟精灵沟通的天赋和宝物运气,一步一步建立起自己的势力,最终征服这个被女人统治的世界,改变整个尼玛大陆的命运。新书期间每天三更,请放心收藏,拜谢。
  • 拾荒者纪元

    拾荒者纪元

    如果天总也不亮,那就摸黑过生活;如果发出声音是危险的,那就保持沉默;如果自觉无力发光,那就别去照亮别人。但是——不要习惯了黑暗就为黑暗辩护;不要为自己的苟且而得意洋洋;不要嘲讽那些比自己更勇敢、更有热量的人们。你可以卑微如尘土,但不可扭曲如蛆虫。
  • 城市民谣

    城市民谣

    李来兵:1972年出生于山西省怀仁县。山西省作家协会会员。90年代末开始文学创作,作品主要以小说为主。本刊去年曾连续发表其小说《赵丙哥》、《幸福惹得祸》、《别人的村庄》、《客人》、《一天》和《恍惚》。我是隋他妈的。当然是汉族。我是隋他妈的,如果你听到你对面的人这样介绍自己,那么你应该庆幸,因为在这个小城里,遇到隋他妈的就意味着你遇到了最好的腻子匠。当然,如果你不是那种急于装潢房子的除外。其实,我并不叫隋他妈的,我叫隋二。我在家排行老二,隋二是他们叫出来的,我真正的名字是隋永泉。
  • 中寒论辩证广注

    中寒论辩证广注

    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。
  • 能源:不仅仅是危机(青少年科学探索·求知·发现丛书)

    能源:不仅仅是危机(青少年科学探索·求知·发现丛书)

    《青少年科学探索·求知·发现丛书:能源:不仅仅是危机》从独特的视角切入,以通俗易懂的语言阐述了太阳能、风能、氢能和可燃冰等各种新能源的基本知识,演绎了能源的发展史。书中主要介绍了国内外新能源与可再生资源的发展状况,并对新能源与可再生资源的资源状况、利用原理与技术做了介绍。