The Sun Maid Part 17

This was Abel's description. Mercy's would have been:

"Kitty's well enough. But she hates to sew her seam like she hates poison. She'd ruther be makin' posies an' animals out my nice clean fresh-churned b.u.t.ter than learn cookin'. But she's good-tempered.

Never flies out at all, like Gaspar, 'cept I lose patience with Wahneeny. Then, look sharp!"

"Well, I tell you that out in this country a harvestin' is a big inst.i.tution!" cried Abel to Gaspar as, early on the morning of the eventful day, they were making all things ready for the accommodation of the people who would flock to the Smith farm to a.s.sist in the labor and partic.i.p.ate in the fun. "If there's some things we miss here, we have some that can't be matched out East. Every white settler's every other settler's neighbor, even though there's miles betwixt their clearin's. All hands helpin' so makes light work of raisin' cabins or barns, sowin', reapin', or clearin'. I--I declare I feel as excited as a boy. But you don't seem to. You're gettin' a great lad now, Gaspar, an' one these days I'll be thinkin' of payin' you some wages. If so be I can afford it, an'----"

"And Mercy will let you!"

"Hi, diddle diddle! What's struck you crosswise, sonny?"

"I'm tired of working so hard for other people. I want a chance to do something for myself. I'm not ungrateful; don't think it. But see. I am already taller than you and I can do as much work in a day. Where is the justice, then, of my labor going for naught?"

"Why, Gaspar. Why, why, why!" exclaimed the pioneer, too astonished to say more.

Gaspar went on with his task of clearing the barn floor and arranging tying places for the visitors' teams; but his dark face was clouded and anxious, showing little of the antic.i.p.ation which Abel's did.

"I'm going to ask you, Father Abel, to let me try for a job somewhere else; that is, if you can't really pay me anything, as your wife declares. Then, by and by, when I can earn enough to get ahead a little, I'd pay you back for all you've spent on us three."

Abel's face had fallen, and he now looked as if he might be expecting some dire disaster rather than a frolic. But it brightened presently.

"Yes, Gaspar; I know you're big, and well-growed. But you're young yet--dreadful young----"

"I'm near fifteen."

"Well, you won't be out your time till you're twenty-one."

"What 'time'?" asked the lad, angrily, though he knew the answer.

"Hmm. Of course, there wasn't no regular papers drawed, but it was understood; it was always understood between ma and me that if we took you all in, and did for you while you was growin' up, your service belonged to us. Same's if you'd been bound by the authorities."

"Get over there, Dobbin!"

"Pshaw! You must be real tried in your mind to hit a four-footed creatur' like that. I hain't never noticed that you was short-spoke with the stock--not before this morning. I wish you wouldn't get out of sorts to-day, boy! I--well, there's things afoot 'at I think you'd like to take a share in. There. That'll do. Now, just turn another edge on them reapin' knives, an' see that there's plenty o' water in the troughs, an' feed them fattin' pigs in the pen, an'--Shucks! He's off already. I wonder what's took him so short! I wonder if he's got wind of anything out the common!"

The latter part of Abel's words were spoken to himself, for Gaspar had taken his knives to the grindstone in the yard and was now calling for Kitty to turn the stone for him, while he should hold the blades against its surface.

But it was Mercy who answered his summons, appearing in the doorway with her sleeves rolled up, her ap.r.o.n floured, and her round face aglow with haste and excitement.

"Well? well, Gaspar Keith? What you want of Kit?"

"To help me."

"Help yourself. I can't spare her."

"Then I can't grind the knives. That's all." He tossed them down to wait her pleasure, and Mercy groaned.

"If I ain't the worst bestead woman in the world! Here's all creation coming to be fed, an' no help but a little girl like Kit an' a grumpy old squaw 't don't know enough to 'preciate her privileges. Hey!

Gaspar! Call Abel in to breakfast. An' after that maybe sissy can turn the stun. Here 'tis goin' on six o'clock, if it's a minute, an' some the folks'll be pokin' over here by seven, sure!"

Then Mercy retreated within doors and directed the Sun Maid to:

"Fly 'round right smart now an' set the house to one side. Whisk them flapjacks over quicker 'an that, then they'll not splish-splash all over the griddle. When I was a little girl nine years old I could fry cakes as round as an apple. No reason why you shouldn't, too, if you put your mind to it."

The Sun Maid laughed. No amount of fret or labor had ever yet had power to dim the brightness of her nature. Was it the Sun Maid, though? One had to look twice to see. For this tall, slender girl now wore her glorious hair in a braid, and her frock was of coa.r.s.e blue homespun.

Her feet were bare, and her plump shoulders bowed a little because of the heavy burdens which her "mother Mercy" saw fit to put upon them.

"But I guess I don't want to put my mind to it. I can't see anything pretty in 'jacks which are to be eaten right up. Only I like to have them taste right for the folks. That's all."

Abel and Gaspar came in, and Kitty placed a plate of steaming cakes before them. Mercy hurried to the big churn outside the door and began to work the dasher up and down as if she hadn't an ounce of b.u.t.ter in her dairy and must needs prepare this lot for the festival. As she churned she kept up a running fire of directions to the household within, finally suggesting, in a burst of liberality due to the occasion:

"You can fry what flapjacks you want for yourself, Wahneeny. An' I don't know as I care if you have a little syrup on 'em to-day--just for once, so to speak."

However, Wahneenah disdained even the cakes, and the syrup-jug was deposited in its place with undiminished contents.

"Be you all through, then? Well, Kit, fly 'round. Clear the table like lightning, an' fetch that b.u.t.ter bowl out the spring, an' see if the salt's all poun' an' sifted; an' open the draw's an' lay out my clothes, an'--Dear me! Does seem 's if I should lose my senses with so much to do an' no decent help, only----"

"Hold on, Mercy! What's the use of rushin' through life 's if you was tryin' to break your neck?"

"Rushin'! With all that's comin' here to-day!"

"Well, let 'em come. We'll be glad to see 'em. n.o.body gladder 'n you yourself. But you fair take my breath away with your everlastin'

hurry-skurry, c.l.i.tter-clatter. Don't give a man a chance to even kiss his little girl good-mornin'. Do you know that, Sunny Maid? Hain't said a word to your old Daddy yet!"

The child ran to him and fondly flung her arms as far as they would go around the settler's broad shoulders. It was evident that there was love and sympathy between these two, though they were to be allowed short s.p.a.ce "for foolin'" that day, and Mercy's call again interrupted them:

"Come and take this b.u.t.ter down to the brook, Kit, an' wash it all clean, an' salt it just right--here 'tis measured off--an' make haste.

I do believe you'd ruther stand there lovin' your old Abel--homely creatur'!--than helpin' me. Yet, when I was a little girl your age, I could work the b.u.t.ter over fit to beat the queen. Upon my word, I do declare I see a wagon movin' 'crost the prairie this very minute! Oh!

what shall I do if I ain't ready when they get here!"

Catching at last something of the pleasurable excitement about her, Kitty lifted the heavy b.u.t.ter-tray and started for the stream. The b.u.t.ter was just fine and firm enough to tempt her fingers into a bit of modelling, such as she had picked up for herself; and very speedily she had arranged a row of miniature fruits and acorns, and was just attempting to copy a flower which grew by the bank when Wahneenah's voice, close at hand, warned her:

"Come, Girl-Child. The white mistress is in haste this morning. It is better to carry back the b.u.t.ter in a lump than to make even such pretty things and risk a scolding."

"But father Abel would like them for his company. He is very fond of my fancy 'pats'."

"But not to-day. Besides, if there is time for idleness, I want you to pa.s.s it here with me, in my own wigwam."

The Sun Maid looked up. "Shall you not be at the feasting, dear Other Mother? You have many friends among those who are coming."

"Friendship is proved by too sharp a test sometimes. The way of the world is to follow the crowd. If a person falls into disfavor with one, all the rest begin to pick flaws. More than that: the temptation of money ruins even n.o.ble natures."

"Why, Wahneenah! You sound as if you were talking riddles. Who is tempted by money? and which way does the 'crowd' you mean go? I don't understand you at all."

"May the Great Spirit be praised that it is so. May He long preserve to you your innocent and loyal heart."

With these words, the Indian woman stooped and laid her hand upon the child's head; then slowly entered her lodge and let its curtains fall behind her. There was an unusual sternness about her demeanor which impressed Kitty greatly; so that it was with a very sober face that she herself gathered up her burdens and returned to the cabin.

Yet on the short way thither she met Gaspar, who beckoned to her from behind the shelter of a haystack, motioning silence.