Helen Grant''s Schooldays

  CHAPTER II

  AN EXCURSION TO HOPE

  Helen was up at five the next morning. They were early risers in thesummer time at the Mulfords', except Fan and little Tom. Mrs. Mulforddidn't want young ones about bothering, when they could be no sort ofuse. Mr. Mulford had quoted the advantage of good habits, and that younever could begin too soon.

  "When I have need of their habits I'll see that they have 'em," shereplied with a confident nod. "Plenty of sleep is good for 'em."

  Helen and 'Reely had reached the period of "habits." Mrs. Mulford alwayscalled out sharply at five o'clock.

  Oh, what a beautiful world it was! Over east was a chain of high hills,blue in the morning light, except where the sun struck them. They seemedpart of another world. Between were bits of woodland, meadows, orchardsand the creek that was laid down on the State map as a river, but noone called it that. Nearer was a cluster of houses, two or threefactories stretching out to South Hope and the railroad station. Oh, whywere beautiful things always so far off?

  She hurried on her gown and twisted up her hair in a knot. It was afaded cambric of last summer, rather short in the skirt for such a largegirl, but then it was pretty well worn out. She helped with thebreakfast, she laid out the dainties for Jenny's lunch, she ran to dothings for Uncle Jason, the world was just full of odds and ends jumbledtogether. She wondered why people had to eat so much. Why hadn't theybeen made so one meal a day would suffice?

  Jenny took her little lunch satchel and trudged on with a cheerfulgood-morning. Nearly a mile to walk, and then to work all day in the hotstuffy place full of unfragrant smells, and the gossip about beaus andwhat was going to be the fashion, and perhaps unfriendly comments orcommon teasing jokes. That was what they talked about when they came tosee Jenny. They were no great readers, these girls. And was her lot tobe cast with them? Oh, had school days really come to an end? She hadknown their worth such a little while, only during the last year, thelast three months she might say. School was a period everyone wentthrough, but now, to her it had unfolded its magical labyrinth, and shewanted to roam there forever. Yet though she had shed bitter tears lastnight, she did not feel at all like crying now. An exultant life seemedthrobbing within her.

  "Now, Helen, you just go upstairs and sweep, and look out for thecorners when you wipe up, and shake the mats out good and hard. See howquick you can get through."

  Aunt Jane always said this Saturday morning. "Just as if I couldn'tremember when I've done it for two years," Helen thought, but she madeno reply. She worked away with her mind on a dozen other things, and herwork was well done, too.

  The great oven was heated on Saturday, an old-fashioned brick oven. Piesand cake and bread, and a big jar full of beans went in it to come outdone to perfection. And the towels and handkerchiefs and stockings werewashed on that day, it saved so much from Monday's work. Nathan and'Reely weeded in the garden, then peeled apples for sauce, and pickedraspberries to can, making what Aunt Jane called a clean sweep of them.Dinner again for a hungry host.

  "I'm going over to Hope this afternoon," said Uncle Jason, "I s'posethere's some butter ready to take. Now what do you want?"

  "Oh, my! What I don't want would be less. Some of that green and whitegingham, spools of thread, shirting muslin good and stout, and Jennysaid if anyone went over there was a list of things she wanted. It's inher machine drawer."

  "Oh, I never can look after so much. Come mother, go along yourself."

  "On Sat'day afternoon! Jason Mulford!"

  "Well you can't go on Sunday," and he laughed.

  "Yes, I could go over to church on Sunday," she retorted sharply. "Thankthe Lord there's one day you don't have to cook from morning to night,though like the old Israelites you have to do a double portion onSat'day. Dear me, I sometimes wished we lived on manna."

  "What is manna?" inquired 'Reely.

  "Bread and honey," said her father.

  "No, twan't bread and honey either. Jason, why do you say such things!It's what the children of Israel had to live on forty years in thewilderness, and they got mighty tired of it too. It's my opinion, 'ReelyMulford, you'd rather have bread and cake and potpie and baked beans andberries and such."

  'Reely stared with her big brown eyes.

  "And--didn't they have any----"

  "You're big enough to read the Bible, 'Reely. When I was twelve I hadread it all through, except the chapters with the names which mothersaid didn't count. But we didn't have Sunday school books then, and thatwas all there was to read on Sunday."

  Helen thought everything that happened to Aunt Jane happened before shewas twelve. She had made her father some shirts, she had pieced severalquilts, made bread and cake and spun on the little wheel and could do aweek's washing.

  "Well, about Hope?" They seldom said North Hope, or tacked Hope on tothe Center.

  "Oh, I couldn't go."

  "Well, I can't get all those things. See here, let Helen go."

  Aunt Jane looked at her. Helen knew by experience that to want a thingvery much was a sure way of being denied, so she merely went to themachine drawer and brought the list Jenny had written out, in which wereseveral mispelled words.

  "O Lordy!" ejaculated Uncle Jason.

  "Before all these children too! No one would think you were a churchmember, Jason," said his wife severely.

  "Well, if you want all them things you'll have to send Helen along toremember. An' I dunno's I have time."

  Uncle Jason rose from the table. So did the hired man and Sam. Helenpicked up the list and put it back in the drawer, brought the cloth towash Tom's hands and began to pile up the dishes, her heart in a tumultof desire.

  "Jason, what time you going?"

  "'Bout two. I've got to see Warren at three. And isn't there butter totake over?"

  "Yes, to Mrs. Dayton. Well--I think it is best to send Helen. Now,Helen, you wash up the dishes quick and do it well, too. Then washyourself and dress. You know it puts Uncle Jason out to wait, he hasn'tthe longest temper in the world."

  Helen was both quick and deft. Aunt Jane took the credit of this to herown training, but there was an instinctive delicacy in the girl thatmade her wish she had finer and prettier dishes to wash. She did nottruly despise the work so much. She really loved to read advertisementsof fine china and glass, Berlin and Copenhagen wares, Wedgewood andLimoges, and hunted them up in the big school dictionary.

  She was standing on the porch five minutes before two, a wholesome,happy-looking girl with two braids of light brown hair, tied togetherhalf-way down with a brown ribbon, and some wavy little ends about herforehead that would curl when they were wet. Her straw hat had a wreathof rather soiled daisies that sun and showers had not refreshed, but herblue cambric with white bands looked fresh and nice, though it had beenmade from Jenny's skirt, turned the other side out. Aunt Jane had madeher add her wants to the list, so she wouldn't forget a single thing.The butter was a nice roll wrapped in a cloth and shut tight in animmaculate tin pail.

  With many charges they started off.

  "I wish mother'd learn there wan't any sense in fussin so much, butland! I suppose people are as they grow. Mebbe they can't help it."

  "But if one tried? Isn't it like learning other things, or unlearningthem?"

  "Well--no, I guess not. You see all these habits and things are insideof one, born with him or her as you might say, while the book learningis just--well determination I s'pose. And so's farming."

  That wasn't very lucid.

  "But if you found some better way of farming."

  "There aint many better ways. Keep your ground light and free from weedsand fertilize and get the best seed and then keep at it."

  "And if you do a wrong or foolish thing, try not to repeat it."

  "That's about it. But folks are mighty sot in their opinions, and hateto change. If I find a better way I take it up. Land! We couldn't farmin some things as people did a hundred year ago."

  There was a splendid row of shade trees on the road t
o North Hope,mostly maples, but here and there an elm or a chestnut. There were farmsand gardens, and old settlers who did not want any change. Then therailroad had established business lines outside the Center, while thathad hardly changed in fifty years. But it kept a quaint beauty of itsown. Here and there was an old well sweep, then a long line of stonewall covered with Virginia creeper or clematis. And then a tall row ofhollyhocks in all colors, or great sunflowers with their buds stretchingout of close coverts. It was so tranquil that the tired girl lapsed intoa kind of dreamy content. She used to think in later years this was asort of turning point in her life, and yet she had no presentiment.

  "Now the thing you better do, Helen," said her uncle, "is to get outhere and go straight over Main Street and do your tradin'. Land sakes! Iwouldn't look up those forty botherin' things for a handful of money.I'll drive round and leave the butter, and then you go to Mrs. Dayton'swhen you're through. I may be a little belated. Be sure now you don'tforget anything."

  Helen sprang out, holding her satchel with its precious contents verytightly. The stores were really quite showy, and on Saturday afternooneverybody who could, went out. She met some of her schoolmates. EllaGraham and her mother were buying pretty articles for their sea-sidetrip. Many were just looking. The day was not so very hot, indeed nowit began to cloud over a little, just enough to soften the atmosphere.

  She kept studying the list. She couldn't match the edging, but she tooktwo samples that were nearest to it, and she couldn't find the peculiarblue shade of sewing silk. She made believe now and then, that she wasordering some of the lovely lawns and cambrics, and that she didn't haveto consider whether they would wash well, and how they would get made.She chose ribbons and laces to trim them with. And oh, the pretty hats,the fresh crisp flowers!

  Then she made a sudden pause. Finery went out of her head. A book andpicture store, and in the very front, the post of honor, a mostexquisite Mother and Child--the Bodenhausen Madonna.

  Mr. Warfield had two or three in his collection, and the Sistine Madonnahad gone to her heart. But this child with his mother's eyes, and thetender clinging love as if he was afraid some hand might wrest him fromhis mother's clasp, the love unutterable in both faces filled her with awordless admiration. It seemed as if she could stand there forever, asif all her longings were lost in this rapture.

  Presently she summoned courage to go in and inquire about it. A modernMadonna by a young German, a new thought of divine motherhood. It was avery fine photograph, framed, and the price was fifteen dollars.

  Of course she had no more thought of buying it than of the lawns andlaces. But she was very glad she had seen it. Sometime there might be anew world for her, where she could have a few of these lovely things.She must descend to gingham and shirting muslin.

  Then she hurried on to Mrs. Dayton's. Uncle Jason had not come. Therewas a very fine old lady sitting on the porch in a silken gown withruffles and laces, a heavy golden chain drooping about her waist, alarge diamond flashing at her throat and smaller ones in her ears; whileher fingers were jeweled to the last degree. But oh, how wrinkled shewas, and her hair was threaded with white, while her eyes seemed almostfaded out.

  Helen went around to the side entrance. Mrs. Dayton was arranging thetable for supper. A very pleasant, plump, amiable woman of middle-lifein a white gown, almost covered with a big apron.

  "Why Helen Grant! Aren't you tired to death with those bundles? Sit downand get a breath. Your uncle said you would come. Take off your hat.You're just in time to have a bit of supper. Mr. Mulford said you weresent to do a lot of shopping. How did you make out?"

  "Oh, very well, I think. You see I did not have to use my taste orjudgment, it was all mapped out for me," smiling. "I was afraid I shouldbe late."

  "Oh, your uncle said it would be near seven when he came. And it is onlyquarter past six. Now take off your hat and fan yourself cool, and infive minutes I'll call the folks. They haven't all come yet. TheDisbrowes get here to-night. I heard you quite distinguished yourself atschool! You take learning from your father's side. The Mulford geniusdoes not run in that channel."

  Mrs. Dayton gave a pleasant smile. There was no malice in her speech.Helen colored a little under the praise.

  "Pity you don't live nearer so that you could come in to the HighSchool."

  "Oh, I wish I could. I love to study. And there are so many splendidthings in the world that one would like to know."

  "What are you going to do with yourself?"

  Ah, it was not what she wanted to do. The tears suddenly softened hereyes.

  "Oh, Helen, an idea has just come to me." Mrs. Dayton had been puttingsome last touches to the table and paused at the corner with a glass inher hand, studying the girl with comprehensive interest. "I suppose youmeant to stay at home during vacation and help your Aunt? But Aurelia'sgetting a big girl and there are so many of you. I wonder if youwouldn't like to come over here and help me, and get paid for it? Why, Ithink you'd just suit. Did you see that old lady sitting on the frontporch? That's Mrs. Van Dorn. She was here last summer. She had acompanion then, a real nice girl about twenty, that she had sort ofadopted. She has no end of money and is queer and full of whims. Shewants to go to Europe in the fall and spend the winter in France. Shetravels all over. But the girl, Miss Gage, didn't want to go."

  "Oh, dear, you don't mean"--Helen stopped and colored scarlet, and herbreath came in bounds.

  "That you should go in her place? Oh; no, you can't indulge in suchluxuries just yet. Miss Gage finally consented on condition that shecould spend the summer with her folks on Long Island. There's quite afamily of them, and they seem to care a good deal for each other. Mrs.Van Dorn wants someone to run up and down for her, read to her, fan hersometimes and go out driving with her. She doesn't get up until aftereight, and has coffee, fruit, and rolls brought up to her room. Andshe's a great hand for flowers--her vases must be washed out and filledevery day. Then she comes down on the porch, wants the paper read to herand likes to talk over things. After dinner she takes a nap. Then shegoes for a drive. They used to take a book along last summer, she's asfond of poetry as any young girl. Mr. Warfield said you were the finestreader of poetry in the school. And what I'm driving at is that I dobelieve you could suit her, and I'd like someone to help me out a littlewhen I'm rushed. Joanna's good, but one pair of hands can't doeverything. I asked Mary Cross to come over and read, but she drones,and she can't bear poetry. And I've been thinking who I could find. Yousee it isn't like a maid. Miss Gray, the nurse, comes in every morningand gives her massage and all that. She's smart enough to help herselfand hates to be thought old. Now, if you could come and help both, andearn a little money? It would be three dollars a week, and no real hardwork."

  "Oh!" cried Helen in a fervor of delight that made her absolutely faintat heart.

  Joanna opened the door. "Haven't you rung the bell?" she asked insurprise.

  "I declare!" Mrs. Dayton laughed and rang it at once. Joanna brought inthe soup tureen and stood it on the side table.

  "We will finish the talk by and by," the mistress said.

  The boarders came in. Mr. and Mrs. Pratt, Mrs. Lessing and herdaughters, Mr. Conway and Mrs. Van Dorn. When the Disbrowes arrived thehouse would be filled.

  "This is my young friend Miss Helen Grant," announced Mrs. Dayton, andshe gave the girl a seat beside her. Mrs. Van Dorn was next.

  Helen enjoyed it so much. The spotless cloth with its fern leaves andwild roses, the small bowl of flowers at each end of the table, theshining silver, and Joanna's quiet serving. The guests talked in low,pleasant tones. At home there was always a din and a clatter and two orthree children talking at once, a coarse and generally soiled tablecloth, and Aunt Jane scolding one and another. And there was always aslop of some kind.

  After the soup came the dinner proper; roast chicken and cold boiled hamcut in thin slices, not chunks. What a luscious pinky tint it had. Andthe vegetables had a dainty tempting aspect. The table service wasdelicately decorated p
orcelain, but it seemed rare china to the girl.What lovely living this was!

  Helen possessed a certain kind of adaptiveness. Aunt Jane would havecalled it "putting on airs." She made no blunders, she answered the fewquestions addressed to her, in a quiet tone, for she did not have toshout to be heard over the din of children.

  There was dessert and fruit, not so much more than they were used tohaving at home, for the Mulford's were good livers. Afterward theboarders sauntered out on the porch or the lawn seats, where thegentlemen smoked.

  "Now you've seen Mrs. Van Dorn, and she isn't so very formidable, isshe? Sometimes she is very amiable, but I suppose few of us keep thateven tenor of the way so much talked about. And there are queer peopleall over the world."

  "Whoa, Betty, whoa! You'll get home to your supper presently," exclaimeda well-known voice, as wheels announced the approaching vehicle.

  Mrs. Dayton and Helen went out. Mr. Mulford thought first he couldn'tstop a minute, it was late. But the hostess explained that she hadsomething very important to talk over, and he could have his supperwhile he was listening.

  He demurred a little, but finally assented. Mrs. Dayton brought him atempting plateful, and then unfolded her plan which had shaped itselfdefinitely in this brief while. She would come over Monday afternoon,meanwhile he was to prepare the way for her.

  "Well, that does beat me! Why Helen, you've struck luck! I don't see howmother can make any real objection, though she'll fuss at first. That'sher way. And as you say ma'am we've a houseful at home, Helen ought tobe mighty obliged to you."

  Helen caught Mrs. Dayton's hand and pressed it against her cheek in amute caress.

  "And now we must start off home. Oh, Helen, here's a letter for you.Come, you're too young for that sort of work," and her uncle laughed.

  She lingered in the door-way opening it. Mr. Warfield had to go awaybefore he had expected, but he begged her to take the High Schoolexamination and see how she stood. When he returned they would talk thematter over. It would be such a pity for her to stop here. He sent alist of questions for her to study out.

  They hurried off home, and Betty was nothing loth. Uncle Jason said hewould lay the matter before mother to-morrow. Helen better not sayanything.

  "And you'll be so fine riding out every day, and keeping company withbig bugs that I don't see how you'll ever get back to us again. Mebbeyou won't. The High School may be next step."

  She squeezed Uncle Jason's arm in a sort of transport. A shadowythought like this had crossed her brain.

  Aunt Jane was out on the doorstep with some of the younger children.

  "Well, you _have_ come at last, after keeping one on tenterhooks andsupper warmed up and got cold again, and no one knowing whether you werethrown out and killed or waylaid----"

  "There mother, nothing happened except that Warren fellow went off and Iwaited and waited for him. I was bound to get my note. And we had supperat Mrs. Dayton's. I sent Helen there to wait for me."

  "Oh, Helen--we couldn't think! Did you get the things? If you'd lost mymoney--" and Jenny made a threatening pause.

  "I didn't lose anything." Helen began to unpack her satchel on thecleanest end of the dining table. "I found everything but the lace andthe blue sewing silk, and Mr. Morris is going to order them by mail. Hesent some samples of lace in case he couldn't find the exact match."

  "But it's got to match," returned Jenny in a positive tone. "And I didwant that blue silk to finish my stitching Monday night. If you'd comehome early with it I could have finished it to-night. H'm, h'm," openingthe parcel and nodding. "Mrs. Dayton got her house full? And what didyou see nice? Have prices gone down any, but I s'pose its hardly time!And was the style out in their best? Are they wearing ruffles on skirtsor just plain? And are they real scant? Dear me! I haven't been over toNorth Hope in a dog's age."

  Helen didn't remember about skirts except that Mrs. Van Dorn's lightsilk had a beautiful black lace flounce. And the Madonna was still plainbefore her eyes.

  "Well you are stupid enough," cried Jenny in disgust. "I think I'd usedmy eyes to a better purpose. And you didn't even bring home anyfashion-papers!"

  Mr. and Mrs. Mulford were still having a little bickering on the stoop.Then she came in, examined the gingham and the muslin, sent the childrento bed, told Helen to take the things off the table, and said she wastired to death, and that no one ever thought about her, or cared whetherthey kept her up till midnight.

  Helen was very glad to get away to bed, and live over the meal at Mrs.Dayton's, with its ease and refinement. How could she help buildingair-castles when youth is so rich in imagination, and hope is boundless!And if one unlooked-for thing happened, might not another?