Dixie Martin, the Girl of Woodford's Cañon

  CHAPTER TWENTY DIXIE BUYS A SILK DRESS

  Josephine Bayley smiled down at the little girl as she felt the clingingfingers tighten. "Oh, teacher," the child whispered rapturously, "Ididn't suppose there was so much silk anywhere in all the world. It'slike rainbows, isn't it?" They were standing at the counter, waiting fora pleasant-faced little woman to come to them.

  "May we see the different shades of blue silk?" Josephine Bayley asked,when at last the clerk turned toward them.

  "Oh-ee, how Carol would love that one," Dixie said as she pointed to ablue, the color of a June-morning sky. The small girl did not think toask the price. Teacher had said that two dollars and thirty cents wouldbe enough, and Dixie doubted this not at all.

  A pattern was selected, one with ruffles, for nothing was to be omittedthat the heart of the little sister had been set upon, and thensufficient silk was measured off. Miss Bayley, having had a moment'sopportunity to speak alone with the clerk, had asked her not to mentionthe price. Turning back, she saw little Dixie smoothing the silk asreverently as though it were almost too beautiful to be touched, and yetthere was no thought of envy in her heart. Two dollars and thirty centscould buy but one silk dress, and that one should be for Carol.

  While the parcel was being wrapped, Dixie looked about. Suddenly shecaught the teacher's hand and drew her down the aisle. "Look there," shewhispered as she lifted glowing eyes. "That's the silvery green I wastelling you about, Miss Bayley. Isn't it like the very first leaves onthe willow trees down in the creek-bottom?"

  The young woman nodded. "It is just lovely, dear," was all that shesaid, but she thought much more. Then, when the saleswoman returned,Dixie drew forth the old-fashioned purse that had been her mother's andcounted out the money, which was in dimes and nickels. There were somany of them that it looked like quite a fortune heaped upon the counterin front of her. The little girl did not dream that the silk for Carol'sdress had cost five dollars.

  "Now, dear," Miss Bayley smiled down at her, "let's go over to the bookdepartment. I want to get a more modern arithmetic than the one that Ifound in the school." While the young teacher was examining mathematicalbooks, Dixie, with a little half-suppressed cry of joy, skipped toward atable spread with attractively-covered juveniles, and so absorbed wasshe a moment later that Miss Bayley found the opportunity she desired toslip back to the silk counter and order a pattern of the pale-green thatin one light shimmered like silver.

  Had Dixie noticed the shape of the package that the teacher carried whenthey left the store, she might have thought it rather soft and bulky fora book about mathematics, but there were so many things to see andadmire that she noticed it not at all.

  It was noon, and to the little girl from the mountains the main streetof the village seemed thronged. Again she clung to her teacher's hand asthey made their way toward the cafe, over which hung the most alluringsign.

  "Oh, teacher, Miss Bayley, are we going in here?" It was hard for thechild to believe that she was actually going to have lunch in a place sosparkling with mirrors and lights.

  But it was really true, for Miss Bayley was leading her to a littletable in one corner that was just for two.

  Then when the orders had been given, the small girl, wide-eyed, lookedall about her. "There's going to be music," she whispered. "It's overbehind those plants." She had seen two violinists in a palm-shelteredcorner, and even as she spoke the first sweet strain was heard. MissBayley watched the sensitive, expressive face of the little girl andwondered how any one could call her homely.

  It was the first time Dixie had ever heard the music of a violin, andwhen the last note had died away she lifted eyes that looked as thoughthey had seen a vision. "Miss Bayley," she said, "some time I want toplay like that."

  And just then the teacher, looking ahead through the years, seemed tosee a beautiful, willowy young girl dressed in soft, shimmering green,with red-gold hair glowing beneath the lights, playing a violin, while avast multitude of people listened breathlessly. Was it a prophecy?