Volume I Part 82 (1/2)
”But the ride home was worth it all!”
CHAPTER XXVI.
” 'Tis merry, 'tis merry, in good green wood, So blithe Lady Alice is singing; On the beech's pride, and the oak's brown side, Lord Richard's axe is ringing.”
LADY OF THE LAKE.
Philetus came, and was inducted into office and the little room immediately; and Fleda felt herself eased of a burden.
Barby reported him stout and willing, and he proved it by what seemed a perverted inclination for bearing the most enormous logs of wood he could find into the kitchen.
”He will hurt himself!” said Fleda.
”I'll protect him! ? against anything but buckwheat batter,”
said Barby, with a grave shake of her head. ”Lazy folks takes the most pains, I tell him. But it would be good to have some more ground, Fleda, for Philetus says he don't care for no dinner when he has griddles to breakfast, and there aint anything much cheaper than that.”
”Aunt Lucy, have you any change in the house?” said Fleda, that same day.
”There isn't but three and sixpence,” said Mrs. Rossitur, with a pained, conscious look. ”What is wanting, dear?”
”Only candles ? Barby has suddenly found we are out, and she wont have any more made before to-morrow. Never mind.”
”There is only that,” repeated Mrs. Rossitur. ”Hugh has a little money due to him from last summer, but he hasn't been able to get it yet. You may take that, dear.”
”No,” said Fleda, ”we mustn't. We might want it more.”
”We can sit in the dark for once, said Hugh, ”and try to make an uncommon display of what Dr. Quackenboss calls 'sociality!'
”No,” said Fleda, who had stood busily thinking, ”I am going to send Philetus down to the post-office for the paper, and when it comes, I am not to be balked of reading it; I've made up my mind. We'll go right off into the woods and get some pine knots, Hugh ? come! They make a lovely light. You get us a couple of baskets and the hatchet; I wish we had two; and I'll be ready in no time. That'll do!”
It is to be noticed, that Charlton had provided against any future deficiency of news in his family. Fleda skipped away, and in five minutes returned arrayed for the expedition, in her usual out-of-door working trim, namely, an old dark merino cloak, almost black, the effect of which was continued by the edge of an old dark mousseline below, and rendered decidedly striking by the contrast of a large whitish yarn shawl worn over it; the whole crowned with a little close-fitting hood made of some old silver-grey silk, shaped tight to the head, without any bow or furbelow to break the outline. But such a face within side of it! She came almost dancing into the room.
”This is Miss Ringgan! as she appeared when she was going to see the pine-trees. Hugh, don't you wish you had a picture of me?”
”I have got a tolerable picture of you, somewhere,” said Hugh.
”This is somebody very different from the Miss Ringgan that went to see Mrs. Evelyn, I can tell you,” Fleda went on, gaily. ”Do you know, aunt Lucy, I have made up my mind that my visit to New York was a dream, and the dream is nicely folded away with my silk dresses. Now, I must go tell that precious Philetus about the post-office; I am so comforted, aunt Lucy, whenever I see that fellow staggering into the house under a great log of wood! I have not heard anything in a long time so pleasant as the ringing strokes of his axe in the yard. Isn't life made up of little things?”
”Why don't you put a better pair of shoes on?”
”Can't afford it, Mrs. Rossitur. You are extravagant.”
”Go and put on my India-rubbers.”
”No, Ma'am ? the rocks would cut them to pieces. I have brought my mind down to ? my shoes.”
”It isn't safe, Fleda; you might see somebody.”
”Well, Ma'am! But I tell you I am not going to see anybody but the chick-a-dees and the snow-birds, and there is great simplicity of manners prevailing among them.”