Katherine's Sheaves Part 13

"All the same," continued Miss Mischief, resuming her accustomed vivacity, "they really are up to something that will give the teachers a tremendous nightmare one of these fine nights. You just watch out, Miss Minturn--I've only got an inkling of the plot, but it's great, and I'm going to be on hand to see it, even if I can't be in it."

"Look out, dear, that you do not get involved in something that you will be sorry for afterwards," cautioned Katherine.

"I'll look out for number one--never you fear; but"--with a wise nod--"you just keep your eyes peeled about your own affairs. Ta- ta!" and, with a wave of her hand, the girl hurried away, merrily whistling a popular air as she went.

"I wonder if those girls are planning some practical joke upon me for Tuesday evening!" Katherine said to herself, as she went on up to her room.

Taking what Jennie had told her in connection with what she herself had seen and heard, she was inclined to think that there might be "something brewing"; but, as there appeared to be no way to solve the mystery, she wisely decided not to dwell upon it, although she determined that she would be on the qui vive and not caught napping.

Tuesday evening came. The league convened at the usual hour, and that something of more than wonted interest was antic.i.p.ated was evinced by the fact that every member of the club was promptly on hand, while curious glances were bent, and comments made, upon a curtain which had been stretched across one end of the room.

After the meeting was formally opened the president stated that, before the reading and discussion of the paper, there would be a short entertainment, which had been specially prepared for the occasion.

This announcement met with vigorous applause, and an air of eager interest at once pervaded the audience.

Miss Walton waited patiently until quiet was restored, then resumed:

"First I will read an original conundrum which is propounded by one of our members, and which you are requested to solve."

Everyone was at once on the alert.

"My first," read the chairman, "is a state of oblivion.

"My second is what comes to all things mundane.

"My third appertains to articulation, to a form of surgery, and to a profession.

"My fourth is applied to certain theories and fanatical tenets.

"My whole is a term employed to designate a certain form of philosophy which is also often misconstrued and misapplied."

As Miss Walton was about to lay down her paper she was asked to read the conundrum again, which she did, while pencils were busy taking notes; then she observed:

"Before the answer is called for we are to have a charade, which has also been prepared by a member of our club, after which you will please give your solutions before Miss Minturn reads her paper."

A bell now tinkled faintly, and the mysterious curtain was raised, revealing a prettily furnished room and, conspicuous in a reclining chair, there lay a young lady apparently asleep, while two others, wearing black dominoes and lace masks, attempted to arouse her, Their efforts proved ineffectual, however, although she was pinched, shaken, commanded to awake, and even made to stand upon her feet. But nothing availed; she was seemingly oblivious of everything.

"Alas! it is of no use," solemnly observed one domino to the other, who sighed heavily, and mournfully shook her head, and the curtain was rung down.

A moment later it went up again. No one was now in the room, but a short piece of rope dangled from one arm of the chair.

The third scene revealed an office. On a table lay a number of small instruments, a lot of loose teeth, also a couple of full sets. A lady was seated in a chair, and beside her stood a gentleman(?) holding aloft in one hand a pair of forceps, in which there gleamed a single tooth, while with the other he extended a gla.s.s of water to his patient, remarking in a suave, professional tone:

"It is all over, madam--a very successful operation. Rinse your mouth, please, and then we will look at the others," whereupon the curtain fell.

The fourth scene showed the same room in which the first act had been given. In a low rocker sat a spinster of uncertain age, very prim as to att.i.tude and attire, her face partially concealed by a profusion of corkscrew curls that dangled from her temples. She appeared to be absorbed in reading, while there were piles of books on the table at her side, on chairs, and were also strewn promiscuously about the floor.

Presently a colored servant entered the room. A spotless kerchief was folded about her expansive shoulders; a bright red bandanna was coiled around her woolly head, and a long, blue and white checked ap.r.o.n was tied about her ample waist.

She was a typical, full-blooded negress, and shuffled into the room in true darky style, but with signs of distress and one black hand covering her right eye.

"Well, Dinah, is anything wanted?" demanded the spinster, but without glancing up from her book.

"Y'sm, honey; I'se done got sumpin' in m' eye. I has sho'."

"Come here and let me look at it," said her mistress, reluctantly laying her book aside and taking a pencil from the table.

Dinah knelt before the woman, who made a careful examination of the suffering member.

"I see it!" she said; "don't move and I'll get it. There!"-- carefully removing something with a corner of her immaculate handkerchief--"see?"

"Y'sm; thank'e, Miss Julia. Yah! yah! what a li'l spec to make such a rumpus! Looks like de Bible 'mote,' but, golly! it done feel mo' like de 'beam.' Yah! yah! yah!" laughed the negress, revealing two rows of dazzling teeth to an appreciative audience as she laboriously struggled to her feet.

"Feel all right now, aunty?" queried the spinster, as she carefully refolded her handkerchief.

"Y'sm, y'sm; I'm obleeg'd to 'e, Miss Julia. Lor'!" rubbing her knees and groaning, "de rumatism do work de mischief wi' dese yere po' ole bones." But Miss Julia had again become absorbed in her book and, apparently, did not hear.

"Got another new book, Miss Julia?" queried Dinah, after watching her mistress in silence for a moment.

"No, Dinah," replied the spinster, lifting a beatific glance and smile to the ceiling, "I am still engaged with my 'Philosophical, Psychological and Theosophical Research.'"

"Lor'!" and Dinah rolled her eyes with an awe-struck look over the audience. "I 'spec' some day, honey, you's so uplifted, you'll go soarin' up inter de clouds and outer sight, straight 'ter kingdom come--"

"Dinah! I think it is time you were giving your attention to your dinner," interposed Miss Julia, in a lofty tone.

"Y'sm; I's gwine--I sho'ly is'm," retorted Dinah, spiritedly, as she straightened herself and turned with a resentful flirt of her skirts to obey. Then glancing back over her shoulder and showing her white teeth in a broad grin, she added: "I's gwine ter 'gage in m' soupy-logical, lamby-logical, pie-o-logical research; y'sm, sho!" and, striking a superior att.i.tude, she cake-walked off the stage with a vigorous stride and regardless of 'ole bones' or 'rumatism'; and the curtain was rung down upon an audience convulsed with merriment, while a voice from somewhere cried out:

"Well done, Sadie! yo'll take de cake, dis time, fer sho."

Scene five showed the same room, the same spinster with her book clasped to her breast, her head thrown back, her eyes gazing aloft into vacancy.

"Oh, ye messengers of supereminent light! Oh, ye soul-thrilling angels from realms supernal! Draw nearer--unfold your celestial wings and brood tenderly o'er the aspirations of this receptive heart--this heart already upborne on waves of ecstasy and o'er- mastering joy; fulfill its psychic dreams and lift it to thine own supersensible heights"--she breathed in an exaggerated stage whisper and continued her vague, visionary monologue, or extravaganza, until the curtain fell and brought down the house again with enthusiastic applause.

"Has anyone guessed the answer to the conundrum, or charade, or both?" inquired the president with mirthful eyes when she could make herself heard.

"Transcendentalism!" cried Clara Follet, wiping the tears from her cheeks. "Dinah gave it away to me with her 'is'm' and her 'rumatism,' and, of course, the charade was the key to the conundrum."

From several others came the same answer, with, the various hints or points which had suggested it.

"And now," continued Miss Walton, "we will have the paper on the same subject from Miss Minturn, who is also the author of both conundrum and charade."

Again there was a vigorous clapping of hands, in the midst of which the curtain was raised and Katherine appeared upon the stage, in her spinster attire, but shorn of her voluminous corkscrew curls.

She was smiling, and rosy, and bowed her thanks for the generous approval of her efforts.

As she unfolded her ma.n.u.script an expectant hush fell upon her audience, and she observed that significant and inquiring glances were exchanged between some of the members of the league.

"The paper which I have prepared," she began, "may not prove to be just what the club may have expected from me; but it will at least show that I have given the subject a.s.signed me some thought.