Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-07-25

Y tAeE1~S4
Hp.isk this" she said, holding it to him.
was turned into the room came the
girl Of her encounter on the first day.
walked to the rack and, with an ex-
clamation Of approval, took down FL
nora's hat.
Just the thing have been want
ing" she said. ~ never saw such
beautiful quilts in all my life. They
match my new broadcloth to perfec-
ton. I've got to have that kind Of
quilts for my hat. l never saw the
like. Whose is it. and where did it
come from
No one said a word. for Elnora's
question, the reply and her answer
had gone the rounds Of the high
school. Every one knew that the Lin
berlost girl had come out ahead. and
Sadie Reed had not felt amiable when
the little flourish had been added to
Elnora's name in the algebra class.
Elnora's swift glance was pathetic.
but no one helped her. Sadie Reed
glanced from the hat to the faces
around her and wondered
"Why. this is the freshman section.
Whose hat Is it," she asked again.
this time impaticntly.
That's the tassel Of the cornstalk."
said Elnora. with forced laugh.
The response was genuine. Every
Une shouted. Sadie Reed blushed, but
she laughed also.
well, it's beautiful" she said. "es-
pccially the quilts. They are exactly
what l want. l know l don't deserve
any kindness from you. but do wish
got those quilts"
GLADLY" said Elnora. You cant
get quilts like those at store They
IRE from living bird. Phoebe Simms
gathers them in her orchard as her
peacocks she'd them. They are wing
quilts from the males"
Then there was n perfect silence
How was Elnora to know that not Il
girl there would have told that?
II haven't n doubt but I can get you
some" she offered. "She gave Aunt
Margaret great bunch. and those are
part Of them. am quite sure she has
more and would spare some.'
Sadie Reed laughed shortly. "You
needn't trouble" she said, II was fool
ed. thought they were expensive
quilts. l wanted them for twenty
dollar velvet toiue to match my new
suit. If they are picked off the ground,
, really, l couldn't use them"
"Only in spots,' said Elnora. "They
don't just cover the earth. Phoebe
Simms' peacocks are the only ones
within miles OF Onabasha, and they
moult but once a year. If your hat
only cost 500 it's hardly good enough
for those quilts. You see. the AL
mighty made and colored those him
self, and he puts the same kind on
Phoebe Simms' peacocks that he put
on the head of the family in the for
ests Of Ceylon away back in the begin
ming. Any old manufactured quill from
New York or Chicago will do for your
little twenty dollar hat. You ought to
have something infinitely better than
|
made by the Creator
How those girls did laugh! One of
them walked by Elnora to the audi
tOrium, sat with her during exercises
and tried to talk whenever she dared
to keep Elnora from seeing the curious
and admiring looks bent upon her
For the brown eyed boy whistled. and
there was pantOmime Of all sorts 60
ing on behind Elnoras back that day
Happy with her books no one knew
how much she saw. and from her alb
sorption In her studies 1t was evident
she cared too little to notice. 1t soon
developed that to be inconspicuous and
to work was all ElnOra craved.
After school she went again to the
home of the Bird Woman, and togeth
err they visited the swamp and tool
away more specimens. This time El
nora asked the Bird Woman to keer
the money until noon Of the next day
when she would call for 1t and have Il
added to her bank account. She slow
" walked home. for the visit to thu
| swamp had brought back full force thu
, experience Of the morning. Again ant
again she examined the crude LITTLE
: note for she did not know what !
meant, vet 1t bred vague fear.