The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1912-04-22

and she was gravely presented with
a slip calling for four strings, one key
and coat Of varnish, total $1.5O.
As soon as her work was done she
ran down to Sinton's and began to
play, and on Monday the violin went
to school with her. She made arrange
ments with the superintendent to leave
it in his office and scarcely took time
for her food at noon, she was so eager
to practice. Her skill was so great
that the leader Of the orchestra Of
fered to give her lessons if she would
play to pay for them, so her progress
was rapid in technical work. But from
the first day the instrument became
hers, with perfect faith that she could
play as her father did, she spent half
her practice time in initiating the
sounds Of all outdoors and impOvising
the songs her happy heart sang.
So the first year went, and the Sec
ond and third were a repetition; but
the close Of the course, ending with
graduation and all it's attendant cere-
monies and expenses. To Elnora these
appeared mountain high. She had
boarded every cent, thinking twice
before she parted with a penny, but
teaching natural history in the grades
had taken time from her studies in
school which must be made up out
side. She was a conscientious student,
ranking first in most OF her classes and
standing high in all the branches. Her
interest in her violin had grown with
the years.
Three years had changed Elnora
from the girl Of sixteen to the very
verge of womanhood. She had grown
tall, round and her face had the love-
iness of perfect complexion, beautiful
eyes and hair and an added touch
from within that might have been call
ed comprehension.
She was so absorbed in her classes
and her music that she had not been
able to gather specimens as usual
When she realized this and hunted
assidiously, she soon found that
changing natural conditions had af-
fected such work and specimens were
scarce.
All the time the expense Of books,
clothing and incidentals had continued.
Elnora added to her bank account
she was compelled, but she omitted the
important feature Of calling for bal
ance. SO one early spring morning In
the last quarter Of the fourth year she
almost tainted when she learned that
all her funds were gone. Commence
ment, with its extra expense, was COM
ing. She had no money and very few
cocoons to open in June, which would
be too late. She had one collection for
the Bird Woman complete to pair OF
Imperialis moths, and that was her
only asset. On the day she added these
big yellow Emperors she would get a
check for $500, but she would not get
It until these specimens were secured
She remembered that she never had
found an Emperor before June.
Moreover, that sum was for her first
year in college. Then she would be of
age, and she meant to sell enough Of
her share OF her fathers land to finish.
She knew her mother would oppose her
bitterly In that, for Mrs. Comstock had
chung to every acre and tree that be
Ionged to her husband. Her land was
almost complete forest where her
neighb0rs owned cleared farms dotted
with wells that every hour sucked oil
from beneath her holdings, but she was
too absorbed In the grief she nursed to
know or care. The taxes for the Brush
wood road and the redredging 81 the
great Limberlost ditch had been more
than she could pay from her income
and she had trembledI before the wicket
as she asked the banker II she had
funds TO pay it and wondered why he
lau' nj as he assured her she had, fol
Mrs. Comstock had slA1t no time on
compromising interest and never added
the sums she had been depositing
through nearly twenty years. Now she
thought her funds were almost gone
and every day she worried over ex
penses. She could see no reason In
going through the forms ofAgraduation
when pupils had all in their heads that
was required to graduate. Elnora
knew she had to have her diploma in
order to enter the college she wanted
to attend, but she did not dare utter the
word until high school was finished, TO,
instead of softening, as she hoped he1
mother had begun to do, she seemed tt
remain very much the same.
When the girl reached the swamp
she sat on log and thought bitterly
over the absolute expense she wat
compelled to meet Every member OF
her particular set was having an ex
pensive photograph taken to exchange
with the others. Elnora loved these
girls and boys, and to say she could
not have their pictures to keep wal
more than she could bear. Each one
would give to all the others hand
some graduation present. She knew
they would prepare gifts for her wheth
er she could make present in return
or not. Then It was the custom fol
each graduating class to give great
entertainment and use the funds tx
present the school with a statue fol
the entrance hall. Einora had beer
cast for and was practicing part II
that performance. She was expected
+ to furnish her dress and personal ne
cessities. She had been told that sht
must have a green dress. And where
was it to come from?
Every girl Of the class would have