Witch Winnie's Mystery, or The Old Oak Cabinet Part 33

"And here you are, Tib."

"And I drew costumes From French engravings, nereides neatly draped, With smirks of simpering G.o.dship. I washed in From nature, landscapes (rather say washed out), Spun gla.s.s, stuffed birds, and modelled flowers in wax, Because she liked accomplishments in girls."

"No," I interrupted, "I will not have you malign Professor Waite. His teaching at least has been thorough, and I feel that I have received very valuable training in my art."

"Then I suppose that by solid work you mean that you will devote yourself to art this summer, and camp under a sketching umbrella in front of every picturesque nook you can find."

"Art will have to wait until winter," I replied. "I mean that I shall cook for the farm hands during haying season, and let mother go off for a visit to her sisters in Northfield, where she can attend the Moody meetings, and I shall get all the preserving done before she returns, too."

"You are just lovely, Tib," Milly replied, giving me a hug. "And now won't you be surprised when you hear what I am going to do. Father says he is going to superintend my education for a while. He sent me a squib from one of the papers about the sweet girl graduate:

'She talks with tears about her mates and quotes from ancient lore.

She says the Past is left behind, the Future is before.

Her gown is simply stunning, but she can't subtract or add, Oh, what an awful humbug is the Sweet Girl Grad!'

Father is going through practical business arithmetic with me, and says he means to teach me how to take care of money, and even fit me to take a position in his bank."

"I pity your father," said Winnie. "But seriously, Milly, it is the best thing you could do."

"There is something else," Milly said, with a painful blush, "which father says is the foundation of business, and in which I have already had one lesson, and that is honesty. He says that all the sad failures, embezzlements, and defalcations come from borrowing money that does not belong to one--using money for one purpose that was intended for another; and he means to go over a great many such cases with me to show me on what a terrible precipice I have been playing. But indeed he need not say another word, for I have been severely punished, and I think I would rather put my hand into fire than go into debt one dollar, or spend a penny for marsh-mellows that father had given me for chocolate creams."

Winnie turned and kissed Milly. "I would trust you with millions," she said; "but Adelaide is the only one in the Corner who knows anything about business."

"I am sure, Winnie," I replied, "that the way you have managed the Home finances disproves that modest a.s.sertion. What are you going to do during the summer?"

"I have no mother, you know," Winnie said gravely, "but I am going to my father, and shall try to make his life a little less lonely for him. He writes that his eyes have been troubling him. Perhaps he can dictate to me and I can be his amanuensis. I shall take my paint-box with me, and mean to daub a little all summer. Professor Waite has no faith in my genius, but I intend to astonish that gentleman one of these days. He admits that I have an eye for colour, and the rest can be learned. If father can spare me for a week I shall accept your invitation, Adelaide, and when I appear you must give me the interior of a room to decorate.

It will be startling, I tell you. I have a good deal of King's Daughter work to do, too. You know we have not raised the money for the Manger, and the Home must have it, for they have been receiving the babies, though they have no good nursery. Now in the summer we all do more or less fancy work, and I am going to write to all the circles of King's Daughters with whom we are in correspondence, and ask them to work for a fair, which we will hold in New York in the autumn. I have had a talk with Madame and she favors the idea. She even suggested that each circle should be invited to send a delegate who should a.s.sist in selling the articles at the tables, and very generously offered to entertain them here for three days during the continuance of the fair. You see, the school is never full at the beginning of the term, and perhaps she thinks it will be a good advertis.e.m.e.nt of her inst.i.tution, to have girls from all over the county meet here, though there is really no need of imputing such mercenary motives to her. I have spoken about it at the Home to Emma Jane, and she will see that the proposition is made at the next meeting of the Board of Managers."

"Well, you certainly have your hands full," Milly remarked, "but I think I can help you after our tennis tournament is over. I will get the girls at the Pier to make fancy work for you if I can get any time from my arithmetic. Where will you hold the fair?"

"I haven't planned as far as that."

"I think the new armory at the barracks will be a splendid place," Milly suggested. "I will get Stacey to ask Colonel Grey if we can use it, and then perhaps the cadets will be interested to do something to a.s.sist in the entertainment. They might act a play or furnish the music at least."

"I will drum up the two circles of King's Daughters at Scup Harbor," I said, "and we will have a useful table, with holders and ap.r.o.ns and dish-wipers; pickles, honey, b.u.t.ter, and preserves. Why, certainly, home-made preserves. While I'm about it this summer I will make you some currant jelly and pickled peaches."

"You had better paint something," Adelaide said; "and you must take charge of the art department."

"If I can come to town," I said. "And I will start the movement before I go by asking Professor Waite to get contributions from his artist friends before he goes abroad."

"I have been greatly touched by one thing," said Winnie. "The interest which the Terwilligers have taken in this scheme. I happened to mention it to Polo, and the entire family have risen to the occasion. Mrs.

Terwilliger sent word that she wouldn't consider it too much if she worked for us to her dying day, considering the way her young ones had been 'done for' while she was sick. She has been collecting sc.r.a.ps of silk for a long time past to make a crazy quilt, and she intends to donate it to us. I fear me it will be a horror; but it shows her good-will all the same. Terwilliger, the trainer, says he means to collect sticks from noted places during Mr. Van Silver's coaching tour, to be made into canes and other souvenirs for us. Polo will not have time to work for the fair, for she must sew with Miss Billings this summer. I wish she could go to the country instead."

"I am going to invite her to Deerfield for August," said Adelaide. "The Home children ought to be able to do something for the fair. Have you thought of them, Winnie?"

"Emma Jane will see that they manufacture a quant.i.ty of little articles in their sewing cla.s.s," Winnie replied. "They can hem towels and make bibs and bags and useful articles. I am really sorry that we cannot have the reception at the Home, for I would like to have people see those nice, fat babies."

"They shall see them," Milly replied. "I've an idea. We will devote one afternoon at the fair to a baby show. Do you remember the bicycle drill?

Well, I will get Stacey to lend me his artillery tactics, and I will get up some manoeuvres with baby carriages. We will call it the infantry brigade. The older children shall wheel the carriages. I will drill them without the babies at first. And then we will have them well strapped in, and then there will be a triumphal procession by twos and fours, and I'll deploy them in line and draw them up in a hollow square, and make them 'present arms,' and 'carry' and 'shoulder arms,' and double quick and charge. It will be lots of fun; and one baby carriage shall have a flag fastened to it, for that baby must be the colour bearer, and we'll have music, of course, and medals for all the babies. Then when people see what a lot of children we have, with no annex to put them in, they will rise to the occasion and contribute."[3]

[3] The Messiah Home for Children, 4 Rutherford Place, New York City, the actual a.n.a.logue of the Home in which the girls of the Amen Corner was interested, is greatly a.s.sisted in its good work by circles of King's Daughters in different parts of the United States. These circles intend to unite in a fair to be given in New York City immediately before the holidays, and they invite other circles of King's Daughters, and any nimble-fingered, warm-hearted girl to whom this greeting may come, to aid them in this enterprise. Any donations may be sent to the Home in care of the matron, Miss Weaver.

"I think something of the kind might really be arranged," Winnie replied. "The Hornets are sure to be equally fertile in expedients. I foresee that the plan will be a great success, and it has one admirable feature--it will reunite us all in New York next winter for a week at least, and I wonder what will happen after that."

"I do not ask to see The distant scene; one step enough for me,"

said Adelaide softly, quoting from "Lead, Kindly Light," her favorite hymn. There was something strangely vibrant in her tone. I knew without looking that Adelaide was on the point of tears, but I was at a loss to understand the reason.

The rest of us had had our fits of hysterical weeping at the idea of parting from one another, but Adelaide was always so superior to any weakness of that sort. What could be the matter?

Our great, last school day, so paradoxically called commencement, came at last. The exercises were in the evening, and we of the Amen Corner and many others of the girls would not leave the school until the following morning.

We received our diplomas in the school chapel, which had been beautifully decorated for the occasion. b.u.t.tertub's father, who was a friend of Madame's, addressed us at some length as we stood before him on the platform. I remember that Adelaide never looked more peerless, nor Milly more bewitching; and that Winnie, mischievous as ever, found a rose bug on her bouquet and could not forbear dropping it on Commodore Fitz Simmons's bald head. The Commodore was in full uniform and had been shown to a front seat just beneath the platform. I think Winnie really meant to snap the rose bug at Stacey, but the projectile fell short of its aim. Then the sweet girl graduates in clouds of mull and chiffon, drifted into the school parlours, and there was a reception, and Adelaide and Milly were besieged by battalions of friends, but I was quite lonely and awkward, and held my bouquet and rolled diploma stiffly, until Winnie caught me about the waist and whirled me off for a little dance, for Madame had permitted this.

After the dance there were refreshments in the dining-room, and we all went down, with the exception of Adelaide, who was on the reception committee, and had been stationed in the front parlour to receive any tardy guest. I met Professor Waite bringing up an ice as I went down the stairs, and Milly drew me into a corner, her eyes dancing with mischief as I entered the supper-room.

"Something is going to happen," she said to me mysteriously. "I have given Professor Waite his opportunity, and if he doesn't seize it and propose I shall never forgive him. I saw him moving around here, looking bored to death, and I asked him to please take an ice to Adelaide, who, I happened to mention, was all alone in the parlour. He seized the idea and the ice simultaneously. I saw resolve in his eye, and now we must keep people down here as long as we can."

"What shall we do with Mr. and Mrs. Armstrong and Jim?" I asked. "They are all so proud of Adelaide they will be with her in a moment."

"Winnie is in the plot and has special care of them. Jim thinks there never was quite so jolly a girl as Winnie. They are discussing the cabinet now. Mrs. Armstrong thinks that some one of us may be a somnambulist and have hidden the things in our sleep."

"What a strategic little girl you are, Milly! What made you think of this opportunity for Professor Waite?"

"Oh! that was the way Stacey found his chance, you know. Speak of angels----How nice of you, Stacey, to bring me that salad. I am positively dying for something to eat. Wasn't the Bishop too longsome for anything? I thought I should expire, and I was wild to get across the stage at Winnie, whose back hair was coming down. No, I shall not tell you what we were saying about you. Do get me some chicken salad. I can't endure lobster;" and as the obedient Stacey ambled briskly away, Milly confided to me: "Do you know, Tib, Adelaide is beginning to care for Professor Waite? What makes me think so? Oh, I know the symptoms.

She was packing so late last night that I nearly fell asleep, but not quite, for just as I was dozing off I saw her drop on her knees before her trunk with her face in a great white handkerchief, and while I was wondering where she ever got such a great sheet of a thing, it suddenly dawned upon me that it was the silk m.u.f.fler which Professor Waite wrapped around her burned hands the night of our Halloween sc.r.a.pe.

Suddenly it seemed to occur to her that I might be looking, and she turned to look at me, but I had my eyes shut and was snoring like an angel. Of course angels snore, Stacey Fitz Simmons. Did you ever catch an angel asleep? and if not what right have you to make fun of me? Dear me, there is the Bishop starting to go upstairs, and they don't need him a bit--as yet."

Milly darted across the room, planted herself squarely in the Bishop's way, and exerted her powers of entertainment to such effect that Stacey became blindly jealous, though b.u.t.tertub had not come with his father, apparently having had quite enough of Madame's young ladies and their entertainments.

And meantime, how was Professor Waite thriving with his wooing? Adelaide told me long afterward, so long that it was too late for any word of mine to set all right, and filled my heart with pity, not alone for the Professor, but, alas! for Adelaide also.

Professor Waite offered her the ice, which she took and thanked him very sweetly, though he had dripped it awkwardly upon her dress. Then, as Adelaide began to eat it, he inconsistently took it away from her, saying, "Don't eat now, I have something important to say to you, and I want your entire attention."

"Oh! certainly. What is it?" Adelaide replied, knowing exactly what he wished to say, and determined to prevent his saying it.

"Miss Adelaide, I began to say what was on my mind last Halloween----"

"Oh! yes, and pardon me for interrupting you, but you remind me that I must return your m.u.f.fler, which I have kept all this time. I will get it now," and Adelaide tried to slip by him and out of the door.

"No, you must not get it now," the Professor exclaimed, barring her way with his extended hand in which he still held the dish of ice-cream. "I must speak to you, Miss Adelaide. I may never have another opportunity."

"In that case do set down that ice-cream, for you are spilling it over everything."

The Professor obeyed her.

"See," she added pathetically, "you have nearly ruined the front of my gown----"

"But that is nothing," he a.s.serted, "and you must not try to divert me from my purpose by calling my attention to such a trifle. These little subterfuges are unworthy of you, Adelaide. You know what it is that I wish to say and you must hear me."