Part 17 (1/2)
Miss Newman was quick to spring to her sister's side, wheeling the chair at just the right angle, settling the pillows, and then pa.s.sing her hand caressingly over Miss Eloise's dark locks. The girls could not imagine her so tender.
”I hope you are feeling well to-day,” began Edna to start the conversation.
”Who wouldn't feel well in such glorious weather. It is such a beautiful world, and has so many interesting things in it. How is your sister, Edna?”
”She is very well,” replied Edna, surprised that Miss Eloise should know she had a sister.
”And yours, Dorothy? I hear she is such a sweet, pretty girl.”
Dorothy likewise surprised, made answer that Agnes was very well and would have come with them but that the four of them came in the Ramseys'
motor-car.
”And wasn't it fun to see it come whirling up?” said Miss Eloise. ”It was the very first time a motor-car ever came to our door, and I was excited over it. I think it was very sweet of Mrs. Ramsey to give me this pleasure, and, Margaret I cannot tell you how I enjoyed the flowers you used to bring to sister in the winter. Your mother must have the loveliest greenhouse. I never saw such fine big stalks of mignonette. We shall have mignonette a little later, for our flowers are coming on finely. As for the books you all gave sister at Christmas they have been a perfect feast. I am so glad to have you here and to be able to thank you for all the things you have done to make the long winter go more quickly for me.”
The girls looked at one another. If they had known what their little gifts were to mean, how many times they could have added to them. They had not a word to say for they had not understood how a little ripple of kindness may widen till it touches an unknown sh.o.r.e.
”Now tell me about your club,” Miss Eloise went on. ”I should so like to hear what you did at the last meeting. Sister tells me all she can, but she doesn't have a chance to learn as much as I should like. I am so greedy, you see. I am like a child who says when you tell it a story, and think you have finished, 'Tell on.' I am always crying 'Tell on.' It is the most beautiful club I ever heard of and I am sorry I am not a little girl at your school so I could belong to it and enjoy the good times with you.”
”But, darling, you have your own little club,” said her sister, ”and you are always thinking of what you can do for others.”
”Oh, I know, but I live in such a tiny little world, and my 'little drops of water, little grains of sand' are such wee things.”
”They mean a great deal more than you imagine,” said her sister gently.
”I am sure I could never live without them.”
”Oh, that is because you make so much of me and what I do. She is a great sister,” she said nodding to the girls. ”She is a regular Atlas because she has to bring her world home on her back every day to me.
Yes, indeed. Perhaps you don't think I am aware of all that goes on in that school-room. Why I even know when one of you misses a lesson, and if you will let me tell you a secret, I actually cried the day Clara Adams did the caricature.”
”Oh, dear, oh, dear,” Edna could not help sighing aloud while the other girls looked as much ashamed as if they had done the thing themselves.
However, when Miss Eloise saw this she broke into a laugh and began to tell them of some very funny thing she had seen from the porch that morning, then followed one funny tale after another till the girls were all laughing till the tears ran down their cheeks. Miss Eloise had the drollest way of telling things, and the merriest laugh herself. After a while Miss Newman went inside and presently came out with a tray on which were gla.s.ses of lemonade and a plate of small cakes. These were pa.s.sed around, and much enjoyed.
”Now tell them one of your stories,” said Miss Newman to her sister.
”Shall I make up a new one or shall I tell them one of the old ones?”
”Tell them the one the Maginnis children like so much.”
The children settled themselves in pleased antic.i.p.ation, and a marvelous tale they listened to. Miss Eloise had a wonderful gift of story-telling and made every incident seem real and every character to stand out as vividly as if he or she were actually before them. The children listened in wrapt attention. She was a wonder to them.
The tale was scarcely over when up came the motor-car with Mrs. Ramsey in it. She stepped out and came in the gate and up to the porch. ”I wanted to come, too, Miss Newman,” she said. ”I hope you don't mind.”
”Oh, mother,” cried Jennie, ”you are just too late to hear the most beautiful story ever was.”
”Now isn't that too bad?” said Mrs. Ramsey. ”I feel guilty to interrupt this pleasant party, but I am afraid I shall have to take these girls home for it is getting late.”
However, she did not hurry them and there was time for her to have a little talk with both Miss Newman and Miss Eloise. Just as she was about to take her leave she asked, ”Do you think you would be able to take a little ride in the motor-car, Miss Eloise, if I were to come for you some day?”