Three Little Women's Success: A Story for Girls Read online

  CHAPTER V

  MAMMY MAKES INVESTIGATIONS.

  "Bress de Lord, we ain't got ter run no counter on Thanksgiving Day!"was Mammy's fervent exclamation, as she rose from her bed on the Mondaypreceding Thanksgiving Day. Hurrying across the room she opened thedraughts in the little stove, for Charles' rheumatic twinges must not beaggravated by the sudden chill of rising from a warm bed to dress in acold room. The fire had been carefully covered the night before, andnow, replenished by a few shovelfuls of coal, and a vigorous shake ofthe revolving grate, was soon snapping and roaring right comfortably.The rattling had served more than one end, as had the clatter made byputting on the fresh fuel. Although Mammy had no idea of permitting herspouse to contract a cold from dressing in a cold room, she, on theother hand, saw no reason why he should indulge in over-many morningwinks after she, herself, had risen and begun the duties of the day.

  "Eh? Um, yas, Honey," came in somnolent tones from the billows offeathers in which Charles' shiny bald pate, with its fringe of snowywool, was nearly buried. Mammy could not abide the new-fangled hairmattresses, but clung tenaciously to her bygone ideas of "real downrightcomfort fer a body dat's clar beat out when de day's done. No, sir-ee!Don't talk ter me ob dese hyar ha'r mattresses. I ain't got a mite eruse fer 'em needer has Charles, _if I ses-so_. Give me de suah 'noughfedders wid de down on 'em; none ob yo' hawse ha'r stuffed bags. Defedders fits wherever dey teches, 'an snugs up mighty soft on de achyspots, but dose highfalutin' h'ar mattresses,--well, dey jest lak desehyar Norf folks we meet up wid: ef yo' kin fit _dem_, well an' good,yo's all right, but does yo' t'ink dey's gwine ter try fer ter fit yo'?Go 'long, chile."

  Consequently the bed, which stood in the bedroom of the little cottagein which Mammy and Charles lived, boasted a feather bed, the like ofwhich for downiness and size was rarely seen. It had been made by Mammyherself of the downiest of feathers, plucked by her own hand from thedowniest of her own geese, hatched under her own critical eyes when shewas a young woman on her old master's plantation. It had taken manygeese, many days, much drying and curing to achieve such a triumph; andthe "baid" was Mammy's most cherished possession. The airings, sunnings,beatings and renovatings to which it had been subjected during the yearsshe had owned it would have totally wrecked any less perfect article ofhousehold economy; but it had survived all, and each morning, after itsprescribed hours of airing, was "spread up" into a most imposing mound,covered with a "croshey" spread, made by the sanctified hands of "ol'Miss" (Mrs. Carruth's mother), and still further adorned by "pillershams," made by "Miss Jinny" herself.

  More than one of Mrs. Carruth's guests had been conducted throughMammy's cottage by its proud inmate, and the "baid" and its coveringsdisplayed with justifiable pride.

  "Yas, wake up!" commanded Mammy, making her own toilet with despatch."We's got a pile o' wo'k ter do terday, an' I'se gotter see dat dose nocount nigger gals what's a-pertendin' ter do Miss Jinny's wo'know-a-days gits a move on 'em. Dey pesters me mightily, dough I ain'tlet 'em 'spect it, I tells yo'. Ef I did dey'd jes nachelly climb rightober de house an' ebery las' pusson in it. But I knows how ter han'le'em ef Miss Jinny don't. She t'ink she gwine do it jes lak she useterback yonder on her Pa's plantation, but it don' do up hyar. Trouble iswid dese hyar Norf niggers dey ain' know dey _is_ niggers, and dey gitsmighty mix in dey minds twell somebody come along and tells 'em jest'zackly what dey is, an' whar dey b'longs at. I done tol' dem two inyonder, an' I reckon dey's learnt a heap since I done took 'em in han'.Yas, I does. Dey don' come a-splurgin' an' a-splutterin' roun' me no mo'wid dey, 'Dis hyar ain' ma juty. I ain' 'gaged fer ter do dat wuk.' MyLawd! I come pretty nigh bustin' dat Lilly May's haid las' week when Itell her ter do sumpin' an' she say dat ter me. She foun' out what herjuty was, an' she ain't fergit it again, I tell yo'. Now come 'longdown, Charles, I gwine have brekfus ready befo' yo' get yo' woolbreshed," and off hurried the old woman to begin the routine of her morethan busy day.

  The clock was striking five when Charles came slowly down the stairs andentered the immaculate kitchen. The past three years have dealt kindlywith the old couple in spite of their incessant labors. Mammy has notchanged in the least. Charles is a trifle more bent, perhaps, but thethree years have certainly not detracted from the old man's appearance,nor have they robbed him of any strength. Indeed, he seems in betterhealth and physical condition than upon the day he celebrated his goldenwedding. Mammy has made up for the lost years by caring for him as shewould have cared for a child.

  The business which they started in the Arcade has flourished andprospered beyond their wildest hopes. Charles still holds the honoraryposition of "Janitor-in-Chief" at the Arcade, a sinecure in every senseof the word excepting one; he keeps the acting janitor up to the highmark in the performance of _his_ duties, greatly to Mr. Porter'samusement. He also keeps the dapper mulatto youth, who now serves at thelunch counter headed due north. To that young man Charles is "Mr.Devon," of the firm of "Blairsdale & Devon."

  At the cottage Mammy still cooks, bakes, preserves and concocts with allher wonderful skill, assisted by a little colored girl, the eldest ofthose whom Jean impressed upon Mammy's wedding day.

  Oh, Mammy is a most important personage these days.

  Breakfast over in the little cottage, and it was a breakfast fit for aking, Mammy began issuing her orders like a general, and Charles livedonly to obey.

  "Now hike in dar an' git de furnace a-goin' good, an' den go 'long terde gre't house an' have it good an' warm befo' dem chillern wakes up. Icyant have em' ketchin' cold, an' de mawnin's right snappy," she said,as dish-towel in hand she looked out of her kitchen door at theglistening world, for a heavy hoar frost covered lawn and foliage,prophesying a storm before many days.

  "Here, put on yo' coat! What's de use ob my rubbin' yo' shoulder widlinnimint ef yo' gwine right spang out dis here warm kitchen inter dechill ob de mawnin' widout wroppin' up? Laws-a-massy, it tek mos' dewhole endurin' time ter keep you from doin' foolishnesses, I clar itdo."

  Charles chuckled delightedly. It was, on the whole, rather flattering tobe so cherished and looked after as he had been during the last threeyears. Poor old soul, those he had spent alone had been barren enough ofcare or comforts.

  "You needn't ter snort dat-a-way," protested his dominating wife. "I'sonly jes' a-watchin' out fer my _own_ sake. I'se got a sight ter do'sides nussin' rheumatics an' tekin' keer sick folks wid a misery in deybacks."

  "Honey, yo's a wonder. Yas, yo' _is_," was Charles' parting rejoinder,as he toddled off to the duties, which to him, as well as to Mammy, werelabors of love. Before many minutes had passed the little candy kitchenwas snug and warm for its mistress, and then the old man made his way tothe "gre't house," as he and Mammy, true to earlier customs, alwayscalled the home which sheltered their white folks. Mammy had alreadyfinished her own household tasks and met him at the door. Together theyentered the silent house, their key making not the slightest sound, lestthey disturb the sleeping inmates. The maids now in Mrs. Carruth'sservice did not sleep in the house, but came at seven each morning, andwoe betide the tardy one! Mammy was always on hand, and her greeting wasgoverned by the moment of the said damsel's arrival. There were a fewduties, however, which Mammy would permit no other than herself toperform. She must see that the breakfast table was properly laid, thebreakfast under way and the rooms dusted, aired and warmed before shestole softly upstairs to call her "chillern." Then she turned all overto her dusky satellites, and at once became grand high potentate andautocrat.

  It was a few minutes past seven when she entered Mrs. Carruth's roomwith a cheery "Mawnin', honey. 'Spose ef I lets yo' sleep any longer yo'gwine give me sumpin' I ain't cravin' fer ter git. Cyant fer de life erme see why yo' boun' ter git up dese mawnin's. Why won' yo' let me bringup yo' tray, honey?" said the good old soul, moving softly about theroom, raising the window shades and turning on the valve of theradiator.

  "Because I have all I can do as it is to keep you and the girls fromspoiling me completely," returned Mrs. Carrut
h, as she rose from her bedand stepped into the adjoining bathroom, where Mammy already had herbath prepared.

  "Well, it's de biggest job we-all ever is tackled," insisted the oldwoman, as she placed a chair before the dressing table and took from thecloset the garments Mrs. Carruth would need for the day. Since sunniertimes had come to this home Mammy had fallen back into old habits. The"chillern," as she called Eleanor, Constance and Jean, were calledbefore their mother was awakened, but "Miss Jinny" claimed her undividedattention, and it would have nearly broken Mammy's loving old heart hadMrs. Carruth denied her this privilege, so long made impossible by thestrenuous days and manifold duties following upon the misfortunes whichsucceeded Mr. Carruth's death.

  The delight of Mammy's life was to assist at her "Miss Jinny's" toilet,as she had done in her mistress' girlhood days--to brush and arrange thestill abundant hair, and to hand her a fresh handkerchief and say, asshe had said to the young girl years ago:

  "Gawd bless yo', honey! Yo' is as sweet as de roses dis mawnin'."

  When all was completed to her satisfaction, and Mrs. Carruth was aboutto leave the room, Mammy remarked, with well-assumed indifference:

  "I 'spose dat Lilly done got Miss Nonnie's room all fix jes right, but Ireckons I better cas' ma eyes ober it; cyant trus' dese girls wid no'sponserbility, nohow."

  "I think everything is in perfect order, Mammy, but I dare say you willfeel happier if you give those little touches which you alone can give.Eleanor will recognize them and be happier because you gave them. Itwill be a joy to us all to have her back again, won't it, although shehas not been away so very long after all."

  "No'm, she ain't. How long she gwine be wid us dis time?"

  "Not quite a week, Mammy. She will reach here this afternoon and mustleave us early Saturday; Thanksgiving holidays are short ones. We shallhave her longer at Christmas, then we will count the days till Easter,and after that to June, when we will have her for a long, long holiday,and college days will be ended."

  "M'm-u'm," nodded Mammy, drawing the coverings from the bed and layingthem carefully over chairs to air. "Spec she'll find dat trip down fromup yonder mighty tiresome. Trabblin' all alone is sort of frazzlin'."

  "She is hardly likely to travel alone. Mammy. So many of her collegemates will be journeying the same way, and even if they were not, shewill be pretty sure to meet Mr. Forbes; he was obliged to run up toSpringfield on Saturday and expects to return to-day. They may meet onthe same train."

  Mammy was looking out of the window. It would have made very littledifference had she been facing Mrs. Carruth. Her face was absolutelyinscrutable, as she answered:

  "'Spec dat would save Miss Nonnie a heap ob trouble. Yas'm, mebbe deywill meet up wid one anoder."

  Mrs. Carruth went upon her way to the breakfast room. Mammy had learnedall she wished to know.

  At four o'clock that afternoon Miss Jean Carruth was perched upon herpoint of vantage, from which every object approaching her home could bedescried. It was not a particularly easy point to reach, but that onlyadded to its attraction; nobody else was likely to choose it. Nearlyeveryone sought the terrace, the piazza, or the upper windows inpreference to the stable roof, even though the stable roof boasted adelightful assortment of gables and dormer windows, to say nothing of abroad gutter, around which one could prance at the imminent risk of aheader to the ground, at least twelve feet below. In the golden haze ofthat mellow November afternoon, for autumn lingered late this year, Jeansat curled up in her corner, her chin resting in her palms, and herwonderful eyes fixed upon the road leading up the hill to her home. Itwas in reality more street than road, but was nearly always mentioned asthe "hill road," owing to its contrast to the broader highway from whichit branched and zig-zagged up the hill to the more sparsely settledsection of Riveredge. The watcher commanded all its length. Presentlythe shining eyes lighted up with a queer, half-delighted, half-defiantexpression. Far down the road a vehicle was approaching; it was one ofthe railroad station surreys, and in it were seated two people, besidesthe driver: two people quite oblivious to all the rest of the world, ifone could judge by their absorbing interest in each other, for the keeneyes watching them could discern this, even from their owner's distancefrom the surrey.

  "Um." The utterance might be interpreted almost any way. Then, "_Now_, Idare say, we've got to have him here all this evening, and allto-morrow, and all the next day, and all every day; and I don't want himaround every single minute. My goodness, it was bad enough before Nonnieleft for ---- College; we never could get a single word in edgeways. Iwonder if he's going to board here? I used to like him when he just cameto see us all, but now he's tickled to death if everybody's engaged whenhe shows up; _everybody but Nonnie_. I reckon I've got to take things inhand. Nonnie's only twenty-one, and he's, he's? I do believe he's about_forty-one_, though I never could get him to tell. But it doesn't makeany difference! He's too old for Nonnie, and I'm not going to let himhave her," was the emphatic conclusion to this monologue, as Jeanscrambled to her feet and gave a defiant nod toward the vehicle, whichhad just drawn up in front of the carriage block. At that moment Mrs.Carruth and Constance hurried down the steps to greet the new arrivals.Evidently the welcome accorded the masculine member of the party arouseda keen sense of resentment in Jean, and some manner of outlet for herfeelings became imperative. Physical exercise was her usualsafety-valve, and in this instance she chose one which had on formeroccasions proved effective, and more than once brought Mammy to theverge of nervous prostration, and the dire prophecy that "sooner orlater dat chile gwine brek her neck." As before stated, the gutter waswide, it was also a stoutly constructed one of galvanized iron, but ithad _not_ been designed for a promenade, much less a running track forathletic training. Nevertheless, it had to serve as one this time, forJean started running around it as though bent upon its destruction, orher own. It came near proving her own, for just as Homer Forbes wasplacing a couple of suit cases upon the piazza he chanced to catch sightof the prancing demoiselle, and with a shout of: "Great Josephus! Areyou courting sudden death?" made a wild dash for the stable.

  With a defiant skip, Jean made for the other side at top speed, lost herbalance, slipped, and the next second was hanging suspended by her armsbetween earth and sky. Had she not been lithe as a cat she never couldhave saved herself. Forbes was nearly petrified.

  "Hang on! Confound it, what took you up there, anyway?" he cried, withno little asperity, as the others hurried across the lawn to the trapezeperformer's rescue.

  "My feet took me up and my hands are keeping me here. Stand from under!I'm going to drop."

  "Drop nothing!" was the very un-savant like retort. "You'll break bothyour legs. Hold on till I can get up there," and the would-be rescuerdarted within the stable.

  How she managed it no one could quite grasp, but there was a flutter ofskirts, a swing, and Jean was in a little heap upon the soft turf.Springing lightly to her feet and dusting the grass from her palms, shesaid:

  "Hello, Nonnie! I got _him_ out of the way long enough to hug youwithout having him watch how it's done. Reckon he'll learn soon enoughwithout me to teach him. Come on into the house, quick. He'll find outthat I'm not killed when he looks out of the window."

  If Mrs. Carruth seemed resigned, Constance quite convulsed and Eleanorunduly rosy, Jean seemed oblivious of those facts.