human
Father likes him a lot and trusts him.
gpt
Ye--s, I know--but then, you see----
human
Yes, I see he is a very fine young man who thought, and quite rightly, that we had been blindly selfish and heartless to let Father work so hard; and he let us know what he thought of us and it got your goat.
gpt
Is that the way you are going to express yourself in your B. M. exams? Because if it is, you will win a scholarship surely.
human
If I only could!... Come in!
gpt
Telegraph fer you, Miss Douglas. I hope an' trus' 'tain't no bad news 'bout yo' maw and paw, said the housemaid, bringing in a dreaded yellow envelope.
human
Uncle Oscar, he dreamed 'bout aigs las' night an' they was whole an' entire, an' all de dream books say dat it is a sho' sign an' symbol er trouble. De trouble is in de shell an' time alone will hatch it out.
gpt
Well, this is good news, Susan, laughed Douglas as she quickly scanned the message:
human
Well, Glory be! It can't be Mr. Carter what the bad luck is layin' fer. I 'low it is dat lo' down nigger Jim, Uncle Oscar's sister's step-son, what got stuck in de lonesome ribs by a frien' at meetin' las' Sunday with one er these here unsafety razors,
gpt
Now, Helen, don't you think Dr. Wright is very thoughtful? You just said you wished we could hear from Father.
human
He does seem to think of lots of things. I couldn't help admiring him for the way he got the drawing room for them and put them on the train at the downtown station to keep them from having to see so many people. That night train is always full of people we know and they all of them get on at Elba. I bet you he got his telegram in ten words, though. I know he is economical and would die rather than spill over. Let me see it. Humph! Nineteen words. I wonder he didn't send it collect.
gpt
Oh, Helen! How can you be so hard on the poor young man? I believe you are just pretending to hate him so. I am glad it is Saturday and no school. I think we had better go see real estate agents the first thing this morning and try to rent our house furnished for the summer. I am pretty sure Dr. Wright would approve of that. And also see about selling the car.
human
Selling the car! Why, Douglas, how on earth will we do without it?
gpt
Of course we must sell it. Helen Carter, I actually believe you think that if you give up wearing silk stockings for a year we can live on your resolution. Do you realize that the cash we have in bank would just about pay the chauffeur and keep us in gasoline for a month?
human
Oh, I am such a dunce! I am afraid my being poor has a kind of musical comedy effect in my mind so far. What are you going to do with me, Douglas?
gpt
Nothing, honey, but you must not get angry with me when I call you down about money. I feel so responsible somehow.
human
Angry with you! Why, I think you are just splendid, and I am going to be so careful I just know you will never have to call me down.
gpt
There is only one thing I am going to make all of you promise, that is NOT TO CHARGE,
human
Oh, of course not after we get started, but how are we to get our outfits for the mountains? Our khaki skirts and leggins and things that are appropriate? And then the cotton stockings that I have sworn to wear until Father is well! I have to have a new set of them. Ugh! how I hate 'em!
gpt
But, Helen, we have our Camp-Fire outfits that are thoroughly suitable for what we are going to do. There are loads of middy blouses in the house, so I am sure we need buy no more of them. As for stockings--it seems to me you had better wear out what stockings you have, even if they are silk, before you buy any more.
human
Never! You don't seem to understand the significance of my oath. When a pilgrim of old swore to put on sackcloth and travel to some distant shrine, he didn't say he would not go to the expense of sackcloth since he had plenty of velvet suits on hand, did he now? No! He went and bought some sackcloth if he didn't happen to have any in the house and gave his velvet suits to the poor or had his hand-maidens pack them up in frankincense and myrrh or something until he got back----
gpt
All right! All right! But please don't give away anything to the poor. If Cousin Lizzie should hear of your doing such a thing she would certainly say: 'Charity begins at home.'
human
I won't give them away if you think I shouldn't, but I'd like to put temptation out of my reach. I hope we can get off to the mountains real soon as I am sure I have no desire to flaunt my penance in the face of the Richmond public. Don't you think, Douglas, that I might have the fifty-nine cents that is in the bank so things will balance better, and with fifty-nine cents I can get three pair of sixteen-and-two-third-cent stockings? I'll bring back the nine cents change.
gpt
Yes, dear, if you really feel so strongly about the cotton stockings. Haven't you any money at all in your purse? I have a little, I believe.
human
Well, I never thought of that! Sure I have! and Helen sprang out of bed, where they were still lolling while the above conversation was going on, and hunted wildly in a very much mussed drawer for her silver mesh bag.
gpt
Hurrah! Three paper dollars and a pile of chicken feed silver! I can get cotton stockings for a centipede with that much money.