The Girls at Mount Morris by Amanda Minnie Douglas (rooftoppers .txt) 📖

wrote she enclosed five dollars. She didn't give any account of that for awhile, and Mrs. Barrington was quite affronted when her mother advised her to go to a restaurant now and then to get a good meal. I must say our living here is of the very best."

There was no dissenting voice.

They were all in a gale about the party. There was always a lawn fete when school closed in June at which the girls invited relatives and friends. Hallowe'en had been devoted to tricks in each other's room, sewing up sheets, sprinkling cayenne pepper and rice, and occasionally putting a toad in the bed if one could be found, or an artificial one would answer the purpose. Mrs. Barrington had made some appeals, but this new plan was a decided success. The girls were gay and eager with delight, and wonder who of the young men of the town would be asked.

Mrs. Barrington called Lilian in her room and spoke of the party, giving her a special invitation.

"It is very kind of you," the girl answered, "and I hope you will not think me ungrateful if I decline. I am not used to gayeties of this kind, and"--with a smile--"I have no party dress."

"That can easily be remedied. I really think you are making a mistake by effacing yourself so readily on all occasions. You are becoming a fine scholar and I am much interested in your welfare. Your hour in the study room is not at all detrimental--"

"There are other things. Oh, Mrs. Barrington let me keep to my own sphere. I have always been poor, I have not been much among what are called better class girls, but I do know they have better advantages and are trained in pretty and attractive society ways. Public schools are more on a level. I am not finding fault. My heart is full of gladness for this lovely offer that came to my mother and me. Some of the young ladies have been very kind. Believe me I am happy, but I should feel out of place in a gay party."

She looked really beautiful standing there, the bright flush coming and going over her face, her mouth with its winsome curves, her eyes so full of gratitude and candor. What was the elusive remembrance?

"You shall do as you like in this matter," returned Mrs. Barrington. "But at the beginning of the new term I propose to have matters on a somewhat different footing. You will end by being my best scholar."

"Oh, thank you a thousand times for taking so much interest in me. I hope I shall be able to repay you."

"My dear child some of the best things in the world are done without pay. Appreciation is better and you have a great deal of that."

The party was a great success. Several of the older graduates were asked in. There was music, some conversational plays where quick wit was necessary and in this Phillipa excelled. Then the dancing was charming to the young crowd. They were very merry over the refreshments, then dancing again.

"It's been just delightful! I never had such a good time in my life. Oh, Mrs. Barrington, how can we ever thank you," and a dozen other glad acknowledgments. They were all tired enough to tumble into bed, with no thought of tricks to disturb them.

Miss Nevins admitted that she had a first class time. "Only I wish I had been up in more dances. And if they'd had some fancy dances! I do love them so!"

"Hardly at such a party," said Phillipa, dryly. "And the maid of the evening who did not come. Do you suppose she was asked?" inquired Louie Howe.

"Oh, she would have come quick enough if she'd had anything to wear," subjoined Miss Gedney. "Well, I'm glad she didn't or wasn't. It would have been rather embarrassing."

"When I meet her abroad in the capacity of attendant to some charming young lady I should not know her, of course."

There was a laugh at that.

Then began the mouth of real study though there were a few heart burnings that Miss Boyd should come up to the best in some of the classes.

November was unusually beautiful and the week of Indian summer a dream for a poet. Lilian's afternoon hour out of doors was the concentration of delight. The handsome town, the picturesque houses, where late blooming flowers were a delight on many a lawn, the peaceful winding river whose shadows seemed to depict a fascinating underworld, the rising ground beyond with its magnificent trees, its tangled nooks of shrubbery with scarlet berries, so stirred Lilian's fine nature that she felt as if she must burst into poesy.

No, she would never give up the splendid, inspiriting dreams of youth. Ambitious and noble natures are often haunted by romantic ideals and glimpses of the future reaching up to unharmful standards that did seem possible. These dreams were better than the feverish, vitiating novels some of the girls poured over in private.

She was making a warm friend of Edith Trenham, who was often puzzled by her. How did she get this wonderful insight into such a beautiful world full of possible endeavor.

The simple prettiness of the Trenham home was very charming to her. This was what she would make for her mother, only there would be a little more. Portfolios of engravings, a vase from Japan, a curious Indian ornament with ages back of it. Already Barrington House was shaping her taste in many matters.

Then it was a pleasure to talk to the imaginative Claire who reveled in the Knights of Arthur's time, the tastes of Mythology which she twisted about to suit her fancy.

"I like Miss Lilian so much," she would say. "She has traveled in so many countries. She knows all about Eskimo babies and little Chinese girls who can't go anywhere because they have such crooked feet. And we play at going to see them, and they give us such curious things to eat. And there are real little Greek children, who lived in Bible times. Oh, it's just lovely!"

"You make Claire very happy," Edith would say in a fond tone.

"I like to make her happy, and I want to make my mother happy. She has had such a hard life."

"You are a dear daughter."

Was she being a dear daughter to her mother? Mrs. Boyd seemed to grow more distant, more dreary and absent. Sometimes between classes she would run in and take her mother's work, read to her evenings, but then she always fell asleep; but the girl went on. It was more company to read aloud. Just now she was deep in the making of Beautiful Florence. Oh, would she ever get to know all the famous cities of the world?

How the time sped on! There was one snow storm, not a very deep one, but enough to call out the sleighs, and what a fairyland it made of Mount Morris. Saturday all the girls chipped in and hired a big sleigh and a laughing crew of ten had what they thought the merriest time of their lives.

Just as they were getting out Louie Howe caught her skirt on something and there was a tear.

"Oh, girls! My best Sunday skirt! And we--some of us are invited to Mrs. Westlake's to dinner, and she goes away on Monday. Oh, I wonder if Mrs. Boyd can mend it fit to be seen! I can't take it to the tailors now."

"She darns beautifully."

"Well, that's what she's here for; mender in general."

"But it seems dreadful to ask her to do it in the evening, and the daylight is almost gone."

Louie hated to give up whatever her mind was set upon. She hurriedly changed her frock and put on a light evening dress. With her skirt in hand she crossed the hall. The door stood open. The house was always warm. Mrs. Boyd sat in an easy chair. Helen on one of the fancy stools under the gas burner with a book in her hand. Louie swept past her.

"Oh, Mrs. Boyd. I want you to mend my skirt. I've given it a dreadful tear. I can't take it to the tailors and four of us are invited out to dinner after church, so I must have it."

Mrs. Boyd rose and examined it. "It is a bad tear, but if you _must_ have it--"

"Yes, I surely must. O, I think you can do it. There's the whole evening."

Then she turned away. Lilian's temper flared up at white heat.

"Oh, mother, why didn't you tell her you could not? She has other dresses to wear. Let me take it back to her--"

"No, dear, I'll do it. Light the lamp for me. Why you know that's part of my business," and Mrs. Boyd gave a tremulous little laugh.

"I think Mrs. Barrington would not have such a thing done on Saturday night," was her resolute reply, but she lighted the lamp and brought her mother's work table with its handy cabinet.

"You see a good part of it will go under this plait. Oh Lilian, do not mind such little things."

The insolent manner had hurt the girl keenly. Louie was on the promotion list and would graduate in June. She held her head very high. Her father had promised her a handsome watch with a beautiful neck chain that could be detached when required and she felt sure of it now.

Mrs. Boyd basted the tear on a piece of cloth and began her work.

"Lilian," she said, "will you go and see if there is an iron on the range, and ask cook if I can come down by and by."

Then she began her work. The underneath part at first, but somehow her hand trembled. Lilian watched with an indignant, aching heart. After awhile her mother leaned back with a sigh.

"I believe I shall have to get glasses," she said wearily. "I cannot do fine work in the evening. I am afraid I shall spoil it, and I've always been such a neat worker."

"Let me finish," said the girl. Every inch of her protested, but it was for her mother's sake. Lately she had done several things to ease her.

"Yes, let me," she went on, taking the work from her mother's hands. "You know I can darn nicely."

Lilian took infinite pains. It was slow work, but at last it was accomplished.

"You are such a dear, good daughter, and it is said booky people are never anything with a needle, but you could get your living with it."

Then she took her work down stairs and came back flushed and smiling.

"Look, Lilian," in a tone of pride, "it hardly shows! Cook said she never saw more beautiful darning and that in a big city I could make a fortune at lace mending. Will you take it to Miss Howe?"

"No, mother," and Lilian spoke in a dignified but not unkindly manner. "We are not here to run and wait on the girl. Let Miss Howe come for it."

Mrs. Boyd felt disappointed. She wanted some one beside cook to praise her handiwork.

Louie fidgeted about her skirt. She and Zay were in Phil's room talking over the coming Christmas and Mrs. Crawford's return.

"I wonder why that girl doesn't bring my skirt. Maybe they've spoiled it."

"Have you sent a maid?"