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Page 25
CHAPTER VII.
IN GOOD GREEN WOOD.
They were in the Roseholme woods, all four girls,--Hildegarde,
Bell, Gertrude and little Kitty. Kitty was only eight years old,
but she liked good times as well as if she were sixteen, and when
the sisters said "Come along, Kitty," she had dropped her doll and
flown like a bird to join them. Willy shouted after her, having
designs on her in regard to tin soldiers; but for once Kitty was
deaf to her Willy's voice. Now she was as happy as a child could
be, sitting in a nest of warm pine needles, playing at "partridge
mother."
The other girls sat near her, making oak wreaths and talking
busily. Bell was telling of some college experiences.
"So we found we had not nearly green enough to trim the hall, and
I volunteered to get some more, while the rest of the committee
made the garlands. I had not far to go, only to the grove, about a
mile beyond the campus; but it was growing dark, so I hurried as
much as I could. I ran across Professor Thunder's yard, as that
cut off nearly half the distance, and there my fate found me. Oh,
dear! Hildegarde, you will never guess what I did."
"Nothing, I am sure," said Hildegarde, gravely, "that was not
consistent with dignity and decorum. The college maiden is an
awful person, I have always understood."
"You shall judge!" said Bell. "Remember that I was alone, with
none to help me carry the boughs; that I was late, it being then
six o'clock, and the dance beginning at eight. I had to get the
greens, help put them up, get my supper, dress, and be there at
eight to receive the juniors. And there--there, in the clear
afternoon light on the lawn, stood the professor's wheelbarrow,
saying as plainly as a wheelbarrow can, 'You'd better take me
along to bring the things home in.' Could I resist that mute
appeal? I could not. I saw, I took, I trundled! The thing went of
its own accord, I believe; certainly I never before made such good
time to the grove. Once there, it was a matter of only a few
minutes to strip the boughs and fill the friendly barrow. But, oh!
I filled it not wisely, but too well. It was all so green and
pleasant, and the smell of the trees was so delightful, that I did
not know when to stop. Soon the barrow was heaped high with all
manner of pleasantness, and I started to return. Well, my dear,
then the trouble began. In the first place, full barrows are
different from empty ones. It was very heavy, and the boughs kept
slipping this way, and sliding that way, and tumbling down every
third second. I got cross--oh, so cross! and presently I passed
the janitor's son, lounging along homeward, and he grinned, being
an oaf, and said, 'Better let me help ye, hadn't ye?' Oh, no! he
didn't mean to be rude, he really meant to help; but my blood was
up, and my hair was down, and I was very short with him, I fear,
and trundled off alone with my dignity. Then a branch fell out and
got tangled in the wheel, and while I was getting it out a twig
snapped into my eyes; and there was a stone in my shoe, and
altogether,--well, it was only a mile to the grove, but it was
twenty miles back, I can tell you. Before I reached the campus my
arms were so sore, and my foot so lame, and my eye so painful,
that my pride ran out at the heels of my boots, like the
gunpowder. I was going pretty slowly, so as to keep the boughs
from tumbling out more than was absolutely necessary,--and I heard
the boy lumbering up behind me again. So, without turning round, I
said, 'You SHALL help me now, if you please!' and--and--oh,
Hildegarde! a deep voice answered, 'I shall be charmed to do so!'
and I looked up and saw Professor Thunder!"
"Oh, Bell! oh, poor thing!" cried Hildegarde. "What did you do?"
"Do?" replied Bell. "I didn't do anything. He took the handles
from me,--his own handles, mind you, of his own barrow,--and
trundled it solemnly along. I was struggling with hysterics. I am
not in the least hysterical by nature, but the combination--the
professor taken for a lout and commanded to trundle his own
barrow, stolen by a sophomore, the twig in my eye and the stone in
my foot--was too much for me. Besides, there seemed nothing in
particular to say. I could not begin 'Please, sir, I thought you
were the janitor's boy!' nor did 'Please Professor Thunder, this
is your wheelbarrow, which I have stolen,' seem exactly a happy
opening for a conversation. So we went on in silence, and when the
branches tumbled off, I picked them up without a word. How could I
be such a dumb idiot? Don't ask me! If it had been any other
professor I might have found courage to speak; but Jupiter Tonans
was my terror and my hero; I sat at his feet, and the roll of his
deep voice was music to my sophomoric ears. I had never spoken to
him out of class, but only that morning he had praised my
translation, he who seldom praised anything,--and now to come to
this!
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