Part 3 (1/2)
”You funny dear! Yes, took them away from us. I am afraid I can't make you understand, Jane. It was our property--money and this house and some bank stock that we lost. My father went to the war and left all his business in the hands of his partner, a man named Ga.s.sett. Father fought in the war two years till he was badly wounded and had to come home.
Some day I'll show you a piece of a Confederate flag he helped capture.
He was never himself again and Mr. Ga.s.sett ran everything. Father said just before he died that he was thankful he at least had the home and some bank stock to leave us--but he didn't have even that it seems. We couldn't find any bank stock certificates and Mr. Ga.s.sett had a big mortgage on the house--so he got it, too. Mother said she was sure Father had paid off that mortgage two years after he went into partners.h.i.+p with Ga.s.sett--but, pshaw, you can't understand all this!”
”I can, too, I'm very quick. I heard Mother tell Mrs. Halford so and she said I had the strongest will she ever saw in a child!” Chicken Little was indignant.
Alice smiled but went on fluting the edge of an apple pie with a fork.
”Please tell me some more, Alice. Did your mother get awful hungry? Was that why you brought us some supper?”
”How do you know I brought you any supper?”
”'Cause. It was you--wasn't it, Alice?”
”Yes, Jane, and I expect your mother would be very angry with me if she knew. But I can't bear to have anybody go hungry since Mother--and I know how it feels myself--there's Katy whistling, you'd better run along.”
Katy's smooth brown head appeared above the high board fence on her side of the alley that divided the Morton and Halford places. Chicken Little promptly mounted the top of their fence by the aid of a convenient wood pile.
Few days pa.s.sed in which the children did not visit across the alley.
They were not permitted to go outside their own yards without leave, but no embargo had been placed upon the fences. So they sweetened the days when permission to visit was denied by consoling each other across the alley. The result of this conference sent Chicken Little scurrying in to her mother.
Mrs. Morton sat by one of the long French windows with a small writing desk on her lap, busily writing a letter.
”Um--n--yes--what did you say?”
”May I have ten cents, Mother? We're going to start a millinery store and you can get a lot of the loveliest little roses and forget-me-nots down to Mrs. Smith's for ten cents. They fall off the wreaths you know.
Grace Dart has promised to buy a hat and Katy's Cousin Mary said maybe she would, and it's Sat.u.r.day and we can work all day--say, will you, Mother?”
”Dear, dear, what's all this? A millinery store? You and Katy and Gertie, I suppose. Well, I don't know but that would be a nice way to help teach you to sew. You must comb your hair again and put on a clean white ap.r.o.n before you go downtown--and don't go anywhere but Mrs.
Smith's. By the way, have you finished your practicing?”
Chicken Little wriggled painfully before she reluctantly shook her head.
”Well, do your hour first, then you may have the money.”
”Oh, Mother, couldn't I practice after dinner--the girls are waiting for me?”
”Duty before pleasure, little daughter, go finish your hour and I'll hunt up some bits of tulle and ribbon for you myself.”
”Oh, will you, Mother? Goody, goody! May I go tell the girls? I'll come straight back.”
”Yes, but don't get so excited. Little ladies should learn to be more composed--and don't stand on one foot. Come here--the top b.u.t.ton of your dress is unfastened.” Jane submitted to the b.u.t.toning process then flew off to tell the others, who were already setting up shop in the fence corner.
”Oh, Jane,” they chorused the moment she came in sight, ”Mother gave us the loveliest yellow satin and some pink flowers and lace, too!”
”Yes, and I found six chicken feathers that'll be grand for turbans,”
broke in Gertie.