The Carter Girls' Week-End Camp. Speed Nell
his disapproval by her behavior when he had given the verdict that her father must go off on the voyage for health. And now when he said: “What makes you think he is still so badly off?” he sounded very stern and superior.
“He seems so – so – meek,” she faltered.
“Well, who would not be meek with all those parcels?” he laughed. “Your mother had only part of a day in New York, but she bought out the town. I’m meek myself.”
The conversation was interrupted by Lucy, who was always eager to find out what Helen was doing so she could do it too. When she saw her sister’s tear-stained countenance she bitterly regretted her dry eyes but cry she could not, especially as she did not see anything to cry about.
Mrs. Carter, meanwhile, after flitting from daughter to daughter, had cried out: “But Bobby! Where is my precious Bobby?”
“Here me!” said that youngster. “We uns ain’t fur.”
“Bobby! Bobby! I didn’t know you! Where are your teeth? Why did you have your hair cut so short? My baby, my baby!” and the poor little lady enfolded a rather abashed boy in her arms.
“Baby your grandmother! I ain’t nobody’s baby. We uns is Dr. Wright’s shover cept’n when we uns is in the mountings and thin we uns is the ’spressman’s sisterant.”
“We uns? What do you mean, Bobby?” wailed the mother.
“I say we uns whenever we uns thinks to do it. That’s the way mountingyears talks.”
“Robert! Robert, look at Bobby and listen to him!”
Mr. Carter did look at Bobby and the remembrance of his own boyhood came back to him and he laughed as he seldom did now-a-days.
“Well, bless my soul, what a great big son I have got!” and he slapped Bobby on the back. “I fancy you are too big to kiss, you rascal!”
“I ain’t too big to kiss if you uns comes behind the station where Josh’n Josephus can’t see us,” and Bobby led his willing parent behind the station where Helen had gone to shed a bitter tear and where Dr. Wright had discovered her and where Lucy had discovered them.
“Oh, shucks! They’s too many folks here,” he declared.
“Will all of you please step out of the way?” begged Mr. Carter. “Bobby has an important thing to discuss with me and we should like the back of the station to ourselves for a moment.”
Left alone, the big man held his little son tight in his arms and in spite of Bobby’s boasted manhood he was very happy to be once more hugged and kissed by his father.
Dr. Wright smiled into Helen’s reddened eyes and said: “Bobby will do more for your father than anyone else now. If he can be a boy again he will get entirely well.”
The many parcels were at last stowed away in the cart and Josh clucked sadly to Josephus.
“I reckon Bobby’s done left us all, now that his paw is come,” he said sadly to the sympathetic mule. But Bobby came running after him.
“Hi there! Wait, Josh! Father says he would sooner trust his bones to us than that old Tin Lizzie. You’n him’n me can squzzle in on the front seat.”
“Sho’ we kin!” declared the delighted Josh. He hadn’t lost an old friend after all, but gained a new one.
Mr. Carter proved even more agreeable to the little mountain boy than his idol, Lewis Somerville. He had such wonderful things to tell of ships and things and seemed to understand a boy so well. Mr. Somerville was right strict with a fellow, expecting him to be clean all the time and never forget, but somehow, Mr. Carter was a little easier.
“You are frightfully burned, Douglas,” complained Mrs. Carter as they finally got themselves stowed away in the faithful mountain goat. “I can’t see why you do not protect your skin. Your neck will take months to recover from such a tanning.”
“Well, I don’t think that will make much difference,” laughed Douglas. “I fancy it will be many a day before I go décolleté.”
“I don’t see that. If you are not going to college, I see no reason why you should not make your debut next winter.”
Douglas looked at her mother in amazement. Could it be that even now she did not understand? She said nothing, feeling that it would be wiser to wait until she and her mother were alone. Never having economized in her life, Mrs. Carter did not know the meaning of the word. The many parcels that were borne from the train gave Douglas a faint feeling. Had her mother been buying things in New York?
“I brought you a perfect love of a hat, darling,” Mrs. Carter chattered on, “but of course you shall have to bleach up a bit for it to be becoming to you. I did not dream you were so burned or I should not have selected such pale trimmings. I have a delightful plan! Since you are to come out next winter, I think a fortnight at the White in late August would be charming – give you that poise that debutantes so often lack. We can leave the children with your father and go together – ”
“But, mother – ”
“Oh, we shan’t go quite yet! I know you want to see your father for a few days before you leave him even for a fortnight.”
Douglas was speechless; Nan, who was crowded in by her, gave her a sympathetic squeeze.
“It is lovely to be with my girls again,” the little lady bubbled on. “Of course your letter was a great surprise to me, Douglas. The idea of my children making money!” and she gave a silvery laugh. “I am delighted that you have, because now no doubt your coming out will be even more delightful than I had anticipated. Of course those persons who are in our house in Richmond will simply have to get out.”
“But, mother – ”
“Simply have to – how can a girl come out suitably unless she is in her own home?”
CHAPTER III
THE PROBLEM
The cabin was looking very sweet and fresh after a thorough cleaning from the willing hands of Susan, who was in a state of bliss because her beloved mistress was returning. Gwen had found some belated Cherokee roses and with a few sprays of honeysuckle added had glorified the plain room.
“You think Miss Lizzie Somerville is el’gant! Well, you jes’ oughter see my missis. She is the mos’ el’gantes’ lady in the whole er Richmond. I bet Mis’ Carter ain’t never in all her life done a han’s turn. Gawd knows what she gonter say ’bout these here young ladies er hern workin’ like they was in service,” Susan remarked to the little English Gwen, who had done many a hand’s turn herself and still had an elegance all her own, so evident that the colored servants recognized her as a “lady bawn.”
“I think it is very wonderful that the Carter girls should be able to work so well when they have never been brought up to it,” said Gwen as she hung the last freshly laundered sash curtain.
“That’s they paw in ’em,” declared Susan. “He is the wuckinest gemman I ever seed. ’Tain’t nothin’ he won’t turn his han’ ter. He don’t never set back and holler fer help when he wants the fire fixed er sech like. No’m, he jes’ jumps up an’ waits on hisself. Sometimes he used ter git Mis’ Carter kinder put out ’cause he’d even do his own reaching at the table. Miss Douglas is the spittin’ image of him. None of the gals favors her much ’cep Miss Nan. She looks like her but she ain’t so langrous like when they’s work on hand. Miss Helen is the same kind er spender as her maw. I believe my soul them two would ruther buy than eat. Cook used ter say that Mis’ Carter an’ Miss Helen spent like we done come to the millionennium. Great Gawd! Here they is an’ I ain’t got on my clean apron. That’s one thing that Mis’ Carter’ll certainly git cross over – aprons.”
She did not, however. Too pleased to see the faithful Susan, Mrs. Carter overlooked the doubtful apron.
“What a charming room! Is this where I am to be? And you girls in the tents beyond? And Bobby – where does Bobby sleep?”
“He