ROBERT CARTER'S ASTONISHING GIRLS
August, the month for holidays, was bringing much business to the
proprietresses of Week-End Camp. Such a crowd came swarming up the
mountain now that Lucy, who had set the tables with the assistance of
her chum, Lil Tate, and the two sworn knights, Skeeter Halsey and Frank
Maury, and had carefully counted noses according to the calculations Nan
had made from the applications she had received, had to do it all over
to make room for the unexpected guests.
"Just kilt-plait the places," suggested Lil.
"If they keep on coming we'll have to accordeon-plait 'em," laughed
Lucy.
"Gee, I'm glad your eats don't land in your elbows!" from Skeeter.
"Me, too!" exclaimed Frank. "Miss Helen tipped me a wink that there's
Brunswick stew made out of the squirrels we got yesterday. And there is
sho' no elbow room at these tables."
"Look at 'em swarming up the mountain. Where do you reckon they'll
sleep?" asked Lil.
"Have to roost in the trees."
"I bet more than half of them didn't bring their blankets," hazarded
Lucy.
"Yes, that's the way they do, these town fellows," said Skeeter,
forgetting that he too had been a town fellow only a few weeks before
that time.
The summer in the mountains was doing wonders for these youngsters.
Sleeping in the open had broadened their chests. They were wiry and
tanned and every day brought some new delightful duty that was never
called a duty and so was looked upon by all of them as a great game.
Theirs was the task of foraging for the camp, and no small job was it to
find chickens and vegetables and fruit for the hungry hordes that sought
the Week-End Camp for holiday and recreation.
They had found their way to many a remote mountain cabin and engaged all
chickens hatched and unhatched. They had spread the good news among the
natives that blackberries, huckleberries, peaches, apples, pears and
plums were in demand at their camp. Eggs were always needed. Little
wild-eyed, tangled-haired children would come creeping from the bushes,
like so many timid rabbits, bringing their wares; sometimes a bucket of
dewberries or some wild plums; sometimes honey from the wild bees, dark
and strong and very sweet, "bumblebee honey," Skeeter called it. All was
grist that came to the mill of the week-enders. No matter how much was
provided, there was never anything to speak of left over.
"These hyar white folks is same as chickens," grumbled old Oscar.
"They's got no notion of quittin' s'long as they's any corn lef' on the
groun'."
"They sho' kin eat," agreed Susan, "but Miss Douglas an' Miss Helen done
said we mus' fill 'em up and that's what we is hyar fur."
The above is a conversation that, with variations, occurred during
almost every meal at the camp. Oscar and Susan, the faithful servants
the Carters had brought from Richmond, were proving more and more
efficient now that the first sting of the country was removed and camp
life had become a habit with them. They were creatures of habit and
imbued with the notion that what was good enough for white folks was
good enough for them. Their young mistresses were contented with the
life in the camp, so they were, too. Their young mistresses were not
above doing any work that came to hand, so they, too, must be willing to
do what fell to their lot. Susan forgot the vows she had so solemnly
sworn when she became a member of the housemaids' league, to do
housework and nothing else. She argued that a camp wasn't a house and
she could do what she chose. Oscar had, while in town, held himself
above any form of labor not conducive to the dignity of a butler serving
for many years in the best families. But if Mr. Lewis Somerville and
Mr. Bill Tinsley, both of them belonging to fust famblies, could skin
squirrels, why then, he, Oscar, must be a sport and skin them, too.
These week-ends in August were hard work for all concerned and now there
was talk of some of the guests staying over for much longer and spending
two weeks with them. That meant no cessation of fillin' 'em up. Previous
to this time, Monday had been a blessed day for all the camp, boarders
gone and time to take stock and rest, but now there was to be no let up
in the filling process.
Susan, for the time completely demoralized by the return of her beloved
mistress, had left her work to whomsoever it might concern and had
constituted herself lady's maid for Mrs. Carter. She unpacked boxes and
parcels, hovering over the pretty things purchased in New York; she
fetched and carried for that dainty lady, ignoring completely the steady
stream of week-enders climbing up the mountain or being carried up by
the faithful and sturdy mountain goat, with the silent Bill as
chauffeur.
Helen had reluctantly torn herself from the delectable boxes and parcels
and was busily engaged in concocting a wonderful potato salad, something
she always attended to herself. Gwen was making batter bread after
having put to rise pan after pan of rolls. Oscar had begun to fry the
apples, a dish ever in demand at camp. The Brunswick stew had been
safely deposited in the fireless cooker early in the day and all was
going well.
"There!" exclaimed Helen, putting the finishing touch to the last huge
bowl of salad and stepping back to admire her handiwork. "That
substantial salad unites beauty and utility."
"It sho' do, Miss Helen, it sho' do!" declared Oscar, adroitly turning
his apples just as they reached the proper stage of almost and not quite
being candied. "They's nothin' like tater salid fer contitutioning a
foumdation stone on which to build fillin' victuals. It's mo' satisfying
to my min' than the staft of life itself. All I is a-hopin' is that they
won't lick the platter befo' I gits to it."
"You are safe there, Oscar, as I made this extra dishful to be kept back
so you and Susan will be sure to get some."
"Susan, indeed!" sniffed her fellow-servant. "She ain't called on to
expect no favors at yo' han'. To be foun' by the wayside, a fallin' down
wantin' jes' at this crucible moment!"
"I think she is helping mother."
"Then I's got nothin' to say--but I 'low she helpin' yo' maw with one
han' an' Susan Jourdan with yudder."
Mr. Carter and Dr. Wright looked into the kitchen a moment. Dr. Wright
had been showing his patient over the camp, as all of the daughters were
occupied. Mr. Carter was delighted with the arrangements and amazed at
the scope of the undertaking. Could this be his Helen, the queen of the
kitchen, attending to the preparation of this great quantity of food? He
never remembered before seeing Helen do any more strenuous work than
play a corking good game of tennis, and here she was handling a frying
pan with the same skill with which she had formerly handled a racquet,
looking after the apples while Oscar cracked ice and carried up into the
pavilion the great pitchers of cold tea destined to quench the thirst of
the week-enders.
Helen was looking wholly lovely in her becoming bungalow apron, with her
flushed cheeks and hair a bit dishevelled from the hurry of getting
things done without the assistance of the capable Susan. Robert Carter
looked in amazement at the great bowls of potato salad and the pans of
rolls, being taken from the oven to make room for other pans.
"In heaven's name, what is all this food for?" he asked, laughing.
"Have you seen the week-enders swarming up the mountain?"
"Why yes, but they couldn't eat all this."
"Don't you fool yourself!" and Helen gave her dear father a fried apple
hug. She was very happy. The beloved parents were back with them. Dr.
Wright assured her that her father was improving. The camp had been her
very own idea and it was successful. They were making money and she was
going to take her share of the profits and give her mother a trip. She,
Helen Carter, only eighteen, could do all of this! She had no idea what
the profits amounted to, but Nan and Douglas had only the week before
congratulated themselves that they were putting more money in the bank
than they were drawing out. She cared nothing for money in the bank
except as a means of gratifying the ones she loved. The poor little
mumsy had been shut up on shipboard for months and surely she deserved
some recreation. She was astonished at Douglas for being so stingy. It
was plain stinginess that would make her think more of having some
paltry savings than of wanting to give to their charming, beautiful
little mother her heart's desire, so Helen thought.
Dr. Wright was smiling on her, too. He seemed to think she was a very
remarkable girl, at least that was what one might gather from his
expression as he stood by the kitchen and gazed in through the
screening at the bright-eyed, eager young cook.
"Where are the other girls?" asked Mr. Carter.
"Oh, they have a million things to do! We always divide up and spread
ourselves over the whole camp when the train gets in. Lucy has just
finished setting the tables, and that is some job, I can tell you, but
Lil Tate and Frank Skeeter always help. Nan has been making mayonnaise
enough to run us over Sunday, and now she has gone with Douglas to
receive the week-enders and show them their tents and cots. Douglas is
the great chief--she does all the buying and supervising, looks after
the comfort of the week-enders and sees that everything is kept clean
and sanitary. Nan writes all the letters, and believe me, that is no
little task. She also makes the mayonnaise and helps me here in the
kitchen when I need her, but Gwen is my right hand man. But what am I
thinking of? You haven't even met Gwen!"
The young English girl was looking shyly at the big man and thinking
what she would give to have her own father back again. Dr. Wright had
told Mr. Carter of Gwen and her romantic history, how Helen had found
the wallet in the scrub oak tree containing all of the dead Englishman's
papers, of old Abner Dean's perfidy in taking the land from Gwen when
the receipt had not been found, although the child was sure her father
had paid for the side of the mountain before he had built his cabin
there. Mr. Carter had been greatly interested in the recital and now
his kind friendliness brought a mist to the eyes of the girl.
"I am very glad to know you, my dear. Dr. Wright has told me of you and
now I hope to be numbered among your friends."
Gwen looked so happy and grateful that Helen had to give her father one
more fried apple hug before she pushed him out of the kitchen to make
room for the important ceremony of dishing up supper.
"Where did I ever get them, Doctor, these girls? Why, they are perfect
bricks! To think of my little Helen forgetting the polish on her
fingernails and actually cooking! I don't see where they came from."
It was rather wonderful and George Wright was somewhat at a loss himself
to account for them as he watched the dainty mother of the flock trip
lightly across the rough mountain path connecting the cabin with the
pavilion. Robert Carter himself had character enough to go around, but
when one considered that his character had been alloyed with hers to
make this family it was a wonder that they had that within them that
could throw off tradition and environment as they had done and undertake
this camp that was proving quite a stupendous thing for mere girls.
"Well, Dr. Wright," trilled Mrs. Carter, "isn't this a delightful
adventure for my girls to have amused themselves with? The girl of the
day is certainly an enterprising person. Of course a thing like this
must not be carried too far, as there is danger of their forgetting
their mission in life."
"And that mission is----?"
"Being ornaments of society, of course," laughed the little lady.
Mrs. Carter had long ago overcome the fear she had entertained for
the young physician. He had been so unfailingly kind to her and his
diagnosis of her husband's case had been so sure and his treatment so
exactly right that she could have nothing but liking and respect for
him. She even forgave him the long exile he had subjected her to on
that stupid ship. It had cured her Robert and she was willing to have
cut herself off from society for those months if by doing so she had
contributed to the well-being of her husband. She had been all
devotion and unselfishness in the first agony of his illness. The
habits of her lifetime had been seemingly torn up by the roots and
from being the spoiled and petted darling she had turned into the
efficient nurse. As his health returned, however, it had been quite
easy to slip back into her former place of being served instead of
serving. It was as much Robert Carter's nature to serve as it was
hers to be served. The habits had not been torn up by the roots, after
all, but only been trimmed back, and now they were sprouting out with
added vigor from their pruning.
Very lovely the little lady looked in her filmy lace dress. Her charming
face, framed by its cloud of blue-black hair, showed no trace of having
gone through the anxiety of a severe illness of one whom she loved
devotedly. Nothing worried her very long and she had the philosophy of
a young child, taking no thought of the yesterdays or of the morrows.
Dr. Wright looked on her in amazement. Her speaking of the camp as
an adventure chosen by the girls as something with which to amuse
themselves would have been laughable had it not been irritating to the
young man. And now, forsooth, their business in life was to become
ornaments of society!
"Humph!" was all he said, although he had to turn on his heel and walk
off to keep from asserting that their mission in life should be to
become useful members of society. He had a dread of appearing priggish,
however, and then this was Helen's mother and he wanted to do nothing to
mar in any way the friendship that had sprung up between that elusive
young person and himself.
"Where are all the children, Robert?" asked Mrs. Carter, wondering in
her well-bred mind why Dr. Wright should be so brusque.
"There aren't any children, Annette," sighed Mr. Carter, "but I
shouldn't sigh but be glad and happy. Why, they are perfect wonders!
Helen is in the kitchen, not eating bread and honey, but cooking and
bossing, and all the other girls are flying around taking care of the
boarders."
"Boarders! Oh, Robert, what a name to call them! I can't contemplate it.
Who are all those people I saw coming up the road?"
"They are the boarders."
"Not all that crowd! I thought they had only a select few."
"No, indeed, they take all that come and I can tell you they have made
the place very popular. I did not know they had it in them. I believe
it was a good thing I went off my hooks for a while, as it has brought
out character in my girls that I did not dream they had."
"It seems hardly ladylike for them to be so--so--successful at running
a boarding place. I wonder what people will say."
"Why they will say: 'Hurrah for the Carter Girls!' At least, that is
what the worth-while people will say."
"Well, if you think it all right, I know it must be," sighed the poor
little lady, "but somehow I think it would be much better for them to
have visited Cousin Elizabeth Somerville until we got back or had her
visit them in Richmond. I don't at all approve of their renting my
house. Douglas is so coarsened by this living out-of-doors. She has the
complexion that must be guarded very carefully or she will lose her
beauty very early. I think the summer before a girl makes her debut
should be spent taking care of her complexion."
Robert Carter laughed. He was always intensely amused by his wife's
outlook on life and society and looked upon it as one of her girlish
charms. Common sense had not been what made him fall in love with her
twenty years before, so the lack of it did not detract in any way from
his admiration of her in these latter years. She was what she had always
been: beautiful, graceful, sweet, charming; made to be loved, served and
spoiled.
"Where is Bobby? He, at least, cannot be busy with these awful
boarders."
"Bobby? Why, he is now engaged in helping Josh, the little mountain boy
who is serving as expressman for the girls, to curry Josephus, the mule.
These boarders are not awful, my dear. You will find many acquaintances
among them. Jeffry Tucker came with his two girls, the twins, and a
friend of theirs from Milton, Page Allison is her name. There are
several others whom you will be glad to see, I know. I think it would be
well for us to go up in the pavilion where they dine and then dance, and
you can receive them there as they arrive."
Mrs. Carter patted her creamy lace dress with a satisfied feeling that
she was looking her best. It was a new creation from a most exclusive
shop in New York--quite expensive, but then she had had absolutely no
new clothes for perfect ages and since the proprietor of the shop had
been most pleased to have her open an account with him, the price of the
gown was no concern of hers. It set off her pearly skin and dusky hair
to perfection. She was glad Jeffry Tucker was at the camp. He was a
general favorite in Richmond society and his being there meant at least
that her girls had not lessened themselves in the eyes of the elite.
Surely he would not bring his daughters to this ridiculous camp unless
he felt that it would do nothing toward lowering their position.
The pretty, puzzled lady took her place at one end of the great long
dining pavilion as the week-enders swarmed up the steps, attracted
hither by the odor of fried apples and hot rolls that was wafted o'er
the mountainside.