the golden road-第24部分

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CHAPTER　XVIII

SARA　RAY　HELPS　OUT


We　all　missed　Aunt　Olivia　greatly；　she　had　been　so　merry　and　companionable；　and　had　possessed　such　a　knack　of　understanding　small　fry。　　But　youth　quickly　adapts　itself　to　changed　conditions；　in　a　few　weeks　it　seemed　as　if　the　Story　Girl　had　always　been　living　at　Uncle　Alec's；　and　as　if　Uncle　Roger　had　always　had　a　fat；　jolly　housekeeper　with　a　double　chin　and　little；　twinkling　blue　eyes。　　I　don't　think　Aunt　Janet　ever　quite　got　over　missing　Aunt　Olivia；　or　looked　upon　Mrs。　Hawkins　as　anything　but　a　necessary　evil；　but　life　resumed　its　even　tenor　on　the　King　farm；　broken　only　by　the　ripples　of　excitement　over　the　school　concert　and　letters　from　Aunt　Olivia　describing　her　trip　through　the　land　　of　Evangeline。　　We　incorporated　the　letters　in　Our　Magazine　under　the　heading　〃From　Our　Special　Correspondent〃　and　were　very　proud　of　them。

At　the　end　of　June　our　school　concert　came　off　and　was　a　great　event　in　our　young　lives。　　It　was　the　first　appearance　of　most　of　us　on　any　platform；　and　some　of　us　were　very　nervous。　　We　all　had　recitations；　except　Dan；　who　had　refused　flatly　to　take　any　part　and　was　consequently　care…free。

〃I'm　sure　I　shall　die　when　I　find　myself　up　on　that　platform；　facing　people；〃　sighed　Sara　Ray；　as　we　talked　the　affair　over　in　Uncle　Stephen's　Walk　the　night　before　the　concert。

〃I'm　afraid　I'll　faint；〃　was　Cecily's　more　moderate　foreboding。

〃I'm　not　one　single　bit　nervous；〃　said　Felicity　complacently。

〃I'm　not　nervous　this　time；〃　said　the　Story　Girl；　〃but　the　first　time　I　recited　I　was。〃

〃My　Aunt　Jane；〃　remarked　Peter；　〃used　to　say　that　an　old　teacher　of　hers　told　her　that　when　she　was　going　to　recite　or　speak　in　public　she　must　just　get　it　firmly　into　her　mind　that　it　was　only　a　lot　of　cabbage　heads　she　had　before　her；　and　she　wouldn't　be　nervous。〃

〃One　mightn't　be　nervous；　but　I　don't　think　there　would　be　much　inspiration　in　reciting　to　cabbage　heads；〃　said　the　Story　Girl　decidedly。　　〃I　want　to　recite　to　PEOPLE；　and　see　them　looking　interested　and　thrilled。〃

〃If　I　can　only　get　through　my　piece　without　breaking　down　I　don't　care　whether　I　thrill　people　or　not；〃　said　Sara　Ray。

〃I'm　afraid　I'll　forget　mine　and　get　stuck；〃　foreboded　Felix。　　〃Some　of　you　fellows　be　sure　and　prompt　me　if　I　doand　do　it　quick；　so's　I　won't　get　worse　rattled。〃

〃I　know　one　thing；〃　said　Cecily　resolutely；　〃and　that　is；　I'm　going　to　curl　my　hair　for　to…morrow　night。　　I've　never　curled　it　since　Peter　almost　died；　but　I　simply　must　tomorrow　night；　for　all　the　other　girls　are　going　to　have　theirs　in　curls。〃

〃The　dew　and　heat　will　take　all　the　curl　out　of　yours　and　then　you'll　look　like　a　scarecrow；〃　warned　Felicity。

〃No；　I　won't。　　I'm　going　to　put　my　hair　up　in　paper　tonight　and　wet　it　with　a　curling…fluid　that　Judy　Pineau　uses。　　Sara　brought　me　up　a　bottle　of　it。　　Judy　says　it　is　great　stuffyour　hair　will　keep　in　curl　for　days；　no　matter　how　damp　the　weather　is。　　I'll　leave　my　hair　in　the　papers　till　tomorrow　evening；　and　then　I'll　have　beautiful　curls。〃

〃You'd　better　leave　your　hair　alone；〃　said　Dan　gruffly。　　〃Smooth　hair　is　better　than　a　lot　of　fly…away　curls。〃

But　Cecily　was　not　to　be　persuaded。　　Curls　she　craved　and　curls　she　meant　to　have。

〃I'm　thankful　my　warts　have　all　gone；　any…way；〃　said　Sara　Ray。

〃So　they　have；〃　exclaimed　Felicity。　　〃Did　you　try　Peg's　recipe？〃

〃Yes。　　I　didn't　believe　in　it　but　I　tried　it。　　For　the　first　few　days　afterwards　I　kept　watching　my　warts；　but　they　didn't　go　away；　and　then　I　gave　up　and　forgot　them。　　But　one　day　last　week　I　just　happened　to　look　at　my　hands　and　there　wasn't　a　wart　to　be　seen。　　It　was　the　most　amazing　thing。〃

〃And　yet　you'll　say　Peg　Bowen　isn't　a　witch；〃　said　Peter。

〃Pshaw；　it　was　just　the　potato　juice；〃　scoffed　Dan。

〃It　was　a　dry　old　potato　I　had；　and　there　wasn't　much　juice　in　it；〃　said　Sara　Ray。　　〃One　hardly　knows　what　to　believe。　　But　one　thing　is　certainmy　warts　are　gone。〃

Cecily　put　her　hair　up　in　curl…papers　that　night；　thoroughly　soaked　in　Judy　Pineau's　curling…fluid。　　It　was　a　nasty　job；　for　the　fluid　was　very　sticky；　but　Cecily　persevered　and　got　it　done。　　Then　she　went　to　bed　with　a　towel　tied　over　her　head　to　protect　the　pillow。　　She　did　not　sleep　well　and　had　uncanny　dreams；　but　she　came　down　to　breakfast　with　an　expression　of　triumph。　　The　Story　Girl　examined　her　head　critically　and　said；

〃Cecily；　if　I　were　you　I'd　take　those　papers　out　this　morning。〃

〃Oh；　no；　if　I　do　my　hair　will　be　straight　again　by　night。　　I　mean　to　leave　them　in　till　the　last　minute。〃

〃I　wouldn't　do　thatI　really　wouldn't；〃　persisted　the　Story　Girl。　　〃If　you　do　your　hair　will　be　too　curly　and　all　bushy　and　fuzzy。〃

Cecily　finally　yielded　and　went　upstairs　with　the　Story　Girl。　　Presently　we　heard　a　little　shriekthen　two　little　shrieksthen　three。　　Then　Felicity　came　flying　down　and　called　her　mother。　　Aunt　Janet　went　up　and　presently　came　down　again　with　a　grim　mouth。　　She　filled　a　large　pan　with　warm　water　and　carried　it　upstairs。　　We　dared　ask　her　no　questions；　but　when　Felicity　came　down　to　wash　the　dishes　we　bombarded　her。

〃What　on　earth　is　the　matter　with　Cecily？〃　demanded　Dan。　　〃Is　she　sick？〃

〃No；　she　isn't。　　I　warned　her　not　to　put　her　hair　in　curls　but　she　wouldn't　listen　to　me。　　I　guess　she　wishes　she　had　now。　　When　people　haven't　natural　curly　hair　they　shouldn't　try　to　make　it　curly。　　They　get　punished　if　they　do。〃

〃Look　here；　Felicity；　never　mind　all　that。　　Just　tell　us　what　has　happened　Sis。〃

〃Well；　this　is　what　has　happened　her。　　That　ninny　of　a　Sara　Ray　brought　up　a　bottle　of　mucilage　instead　of　Judy's　curling…fluid；　and　Cecily　put　her　hair　up　with　THAT。　　It's　in　an　awful　state。〃

〃Good　gracious！〃　exclaimed　Dan。　　〃Look　here；　will　she　ever　get　it　out？〃

〃Goodness　knows。　　She's　got　her　head　in　soak　now。　　Her　hair　is　just　matted　together　hard　as　a　board。　　That's　what　comes　of　vanity；〃　said　Felicity；　than　whom　no　vainer　girl　existed。

Poor　Cecily　paid　dearly　enough　for　HER　vanity。　　She　spent　a　bad　forenoon；　made　no　easier　by　her　mother's　severe　rebukes。　　For　an　hour　she　〃soaked〃　her　head；　that　is；　she　stood　over　a　panful　of　warm　water　and　kept　dipping　her　head　in　with　tightly　shut　eyes。　　Finally　her　hair　softened　sufficiently　to　be　disentangled　from　the　curl　papers；　and　then　Aunt　Janet　subjected　it　to　a　merciless　shampoo。　　Eventually　they　got　all　the　mucilage　washed　out　of　it　and　Cecily　spent　the　remainder　of　the　forenoon　sitting　before　the　open　oven　door　in　the　hot　kitchen　drying　her　ill…used　tresses。　　She　felt　very　down…hearted；　her　hair　was　of　that　order　which；　glossy　and　smooth　normally；　is　dry　and　harsh　and　lustreless　for　several　days　after　being　shampooed。

〃I'll　look　like　a　fright　tonight；〃　said　the　poor　child　to　me　with　trembling　voice。　　〃The　ends　will　be　sticking　out　all　over　my　head。〃

〃Sara　Ray　is　a　perfect　idiot；〃　I　said　wrathfully

〃Qh；　don't　be　hard　on　poor　Sara。　　She　didn't　mean　to　bring　me　mucilage。　　It's　really　all　my　own　fault；　I　know。　　I　made　a　solemn　vow　when　Peter　was　dying　that　I　would　never　curl　my　hair　again；　and　I　should　have　kept　it。　　It　isn't　right　to　break　solemn　vows。　　But　my　hair　will　look　like　dried　hay　tonight。〃

Poor　Sara　Ray　was　quite　overwhelmed　when　she　came　up　and　found　what　she　had　done。　　Felicity　was　very　hard　on　her；　and　Aunt　Janet　was　coldly　disapproving；　but　sweet　Cecily　forgave　her　unreservedly；　and　they　walked　to　the　school　that　night　with　their　arms　about　each　other's　waists　as　usual。

The　school…room　was　crowded　with　friends　and　neighbours。　　Mr。　Perkins　was　flying　about；　getting　things　into　readiness；　and　Miss　Reade；　who　was　the　organist　of　the　evening；　was　sitting　on　the　platform；　looking　her　sweetest　and　prettiest。　　She　wore　a　delightful　white　lace　hat　with　a　fetching　little　wreath　of　tiny　forget…me…nots　around　the　brim；　a　white　muslin　dress　with　sprays　of　blue　violets　scattered　over　it；　and　a　black　lace　scarf。

〃Doesn't　she　look　angelic？〃　said　Cecily　rapturously。

〃Mind　you；〃　said　Sara　Ray；　〃the　Awkward　Man　is　herein　the　corner　behind　the　door。　　I　never　remember　seeing　him　at　a　concert　before。〃

〃I　suppose　he　came　to　hear　the　Story　Girl　recite；〃　said　Felicity。　　〃He　is　such　a　friend　of　hers。〃

The　concert　went　off　very　well。　　Dialogues；　choruses　and　recitations　followed　each　other　in　rapid　succession。　　Felix　got　through　his　without　〃getting　stuck；〃　and　Peter　did　excellently；　though　he　stuffed　his　hands　in　his　trousers　pocketsa　habit　of　which　Mr。　Perkins　had　vainly　tried　to　break　him。　　Peter's　recitation　was　one　greatly　in　vogue　at　that　time；　beginning；


　　　　　〃My　name　is　Norval；　on　the　Grampian　hills　　　　　　　My　father　feeds　his　flocks。〃


At　our　first　practice　Peter　had　started　gaily　in；　rushing　through　the　first　line　with　no　thought　whatever　of　punctuation〃　My　name　is　Norval　on　the　Grampian　Hills。〃

〃Stop；　stop；　Peter；〃　quoth　Mr。　Perkins；　sarcastically；　〃your　name　might　be　Norval　if　you　were　never　on　the　Grampian　Hills。　　There's　a　semi…colon　in　that　line；　I　wish　you　to　remember。〃

Peter　did　remember　it。　　Cecily　neither　fainted　nor　failed　when　it　came　her　turn。　　She　recited　her　little　piece　very　well；　though　somewhat　mechanically。　　I　think　she　really　did　much　better　than　if　she　had　had　her　desired　curls。　　The　miserable　conviction　that　her　hair；　alone　among　that　glossy…tressed　bevy；　was　looking　badly；　quite　blotted　out　all　nervousness　and　self…consciousness　from　her　mind。　　Her　hair　apart；　she　looked　very　pretty。　　The　prevailing　excitement　had　made　bright　her　eye　and　flushed　her　cheeks　rosily　too　rosily；　perhaps。　　I　heard　a　Carlisle　woman　behind　me　whisper　that　Cecily　King　looked　consumptive；　just　like　her　Aunt　Felicity；　and　I　hated　her　fiercely　for　it。

Sara　Ray　also　managed　to　get　through　respectably；　although　she　was　pitiably　nervous。　　Her　bow　was　naught　but　a　short　nod〃as　if　her　head　worked　on　wires；〃　whispered　Felicity　uncharitablyand　the　wave　of　her　lily…white　hand　more　nearly　resembled　an　agonized　jerk　than　a　wave。　　We　all　felt　relieved　when　she　finished。　　She　was；　in　a　sense；　one　of　〃our　crowd；〃　and　we　had　been　afraid　she　would　disgrace　us　by　breaking　down。

Felicity　followed　her　and　recited　her　selection　without　haste；　without　rest；　and　absolutely　without　any　expression　whatever。　　But　what　mat