The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1890-09-11
ELEANOR's SUMMER AT THE SEA
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do TO make up my cOnulJlOnS.
I "Ah, yes, you poor thing, sick so lon
last winter"
"And wonderful store of patience h
cultivate for waiting on my cross OLE
aunt.
'Patience will come for the asking
dear. What are you planning, Ruth?'
inquired Eleanor Gray, a tall, fine-lOOk
ing girl, looking gaffectionately at her tw'
friends.
"Ohl nothing more than the same ole
thing. Always plenty to do at home
Children to train and sew for, one stupiC
girl to look after mother to pet anC
nurse. l sometimes get tired of the SAINT
old groove" she closed, with wear,
little sigh.
81 know what it is" said Eleanor
pressing her hand. 1--WE had plenty O.
it, too. Only there isn't any girl at al
to look after, for mother and | do thu
work. But we are going to have de
lightful change this summer-yes, in
deed, girls, l am going to be giddy fol
once in my life Mother has q sister who
has taken cottage at the sea shore. No
one of the fine resorts, of course, but {
place where moderate people like our
selves go and have a little subdueC
gaiety-"
Dear me, how delightful" exclaimed
Ruth.
"Waves signing, and surf breaking
and ocean breezes tanning yOu," SAID
Alice.
Eyes; don't wish you were gOingr
said Eleanor, fervently. "Well, girls
wherever we are we may still claim oul
royal lineage"
'Yes, yes" responded the others in
earnest tones.
"And the daughters of our King car
never find work too humble or too tire
some for them"
''Pm going to look out for grand work
this summer" said Eleanor, her eyes
lighting with enthusiastic resolve. 81
have never before had chance of get.
ting out of grooves, as you call it, Ruth
and it will be strange if l can't find
something far beyond the ordinary either
to learn for myself with view to
more usefulness or to do for some one
else"
"What stories you'll have to tell OF
your adventures by the salt sea-" laughed
Alice.
POSSIBLY" said Eleanor. ''But what
ever else we do, we shall remember each
other night and morning, and hope to
meet here again when the leaves begin to
turn"
Eleanor and Alice lived at some dis
tance from the town in which they had
been boarding and attending school. A
few days after their little talk the three
girls bade each other an affectionate fare.
WELL and turned their faces toward theil
respective homes.
"Home again." said Eleanor, as she
met her mother. so mother, how good
it is to be home, no matter how plain
things are. But we're going very soOn
aren't we? How soon? 1t seems as
though | couldn't wait day, am SO
crazy to get sight of blue water. Moth
ing has happened to change our plans
hey, mOther?"
"Nothing at all, ;" said mother, smiling
with pressure at seeing that the hard
study had not subdued the bright girls
flow of spirits. 81 suppose you will need
a little while for sewing, won't yOu?"
"No; not day here. The few new
things can have, and the old things to
turn, twist, clean, trim, by way of trying
to hoax people into thinking they are
new, | can do all after we are settled in
our summcr-hOuse. And you wrote me
that Robbie is all fixed. What dear,
industrious old mother you are. And
how Robbie will enjoy the sea shore, with
a sand-bucket and n shoveln'
With kiss to her mother and a pat on
the head of her small brother, Eleanor
ran to pick up the threads of some small
household duties.
"Ill attend to things in the kitchen,
mother, but must take run into the
garden. am fairly aching for a bunch
of the dear old pansies on the supper
table of course they're thriving as they
always do?'
Who would have thought that walk
in the garden would bear such lasting
results? Eleanor secured the pansies,
selecting with beaming smile the kind
which from a child she had sought out,
those with markings which she declared
showed face looking into her own.
Then she gave a little exclamation of
pleasure as her eye caught sight of a
bright cluster above her head.
"a bunch of apple blossoms so late in
the season. must take them to
mother"
| Apple blossoms they surely were,
thanks to backward spring, and the
fact of a tree having been ovcrshadowed
and dwarfed by rapidly growing box.
alder. Eleanor stepped upon an inverted
hower-pot, then to the lone stone-wall
which surrounded the garden.
But a stone slipped, and she missed
her footing and came near falling
Grasping limb of the tree, she tried to
regain her balance, but was obliged Ia
take quick step back upon the flower
pot. And then a sharp pain shot through
her foot as it seemed TO twist under her
weight, and she sank down upon the
lground.
"What is it, Eleanor" asked hel
mother, hurrying out at sound of hel
call.
1--WE hurt my foot q little, mother. L
you'll just help me I'll get back to the
house and rest it for few minutes Il
hurts me to step on it."
Mother examined the foot with loOl
of dismay which she hid as well as sh,
could from Eleanor.
"Lie STILL" she said, after binding ;
cold compress upon it.
"But want to get tea," said Eleanor
81 meant to begin helping you the frs
moment | could get to you"
Mrs. Gray shook her head when out o
reach of Eleanor's eyes. The young CIR
fretted restlessly for few moments, af
ter which the pain in her foot caused he
to forget her anxiety to move about.
"How long will it be, mother?" sh,
asked, in a low voice, the next morning
as the mother, without her daughter
help, went about the household work
The hours of suffering through the nigh
and the sight of the swollen foot hat
prepared Eleanor to some extent for tn
dlscouraging answer.
"Three weeks at least, my dearie," re
piled the mother, with smile of goo,
cheer.
Gan our plans spoiled"
mo, daughter, only deferred for a lii
tie while. And we may be sure it is 70
some good reason"
Eyes, of course. But!'
Mother could guess how much of sup
pressed impatience, of disappointment
of brave attempt at submission wer
contained in the small conjunction a
Eleanor turned away to hide her tears.
"How will Robbie feel about itP' sh
asked, later.
Robbie, however, behaved like littl
man, as he was.
"It's so good to have you here, Nellie,
he said, giving her rough little hug
'that it isn't going to be very hard +
watt
"And this is my first endeavor," sal,
Eleanor to herself. "An endeavor sim
ply to be patient in sitting still when
ought to be helping mother, to be pleas
ant when | am so nervous with this pai
that / feel like snarling at everybody. T.
realize that am standing in the way o
their enjoyment"
But RObbie's words returned agai
and again to give her help.
1t really was enough to be thankful TO
TO be all together again, and the day
slipped swiftly by as the sewing whic
was to have been done by the sea-sid
was done athOme.
"It has been best, you see" said moth