They all slept very late the next morning, being utterly worn out from
the unaccustomed work; and, when they finally got down-stairs, they
took a sort of a lunch-breakfast off the pantry shelves again. It was
strange how good even shredded-wheat biscuit and milk can taste when
one has been working hard and has a young appetite, although Leslie
and Allison had been known to scorn all cereals. Still, there were
cookies and wonderful apples from the big tree in the back yard for
dessert.
"When are those men coming back to finish up?" suddenly demanded
Leslie, poising a glass of milk and a cooky in one hand and taking a
great bite from her apple.
"Not till to-morrow," said Julia Cloud, looking around the empty
kitchen speculatively, and wondering how in the world she was going to
cook with all the cooking-utensils packed in the attic.
"We ought to have left the kitchen till last," she added with a
troubled look. "You crazy children! Didn't you know we had to eat? I
told that man not to take any of those things on the kitchen-table,
that they were to stay down until the very last thing, and now he has
taken the table even! I went up-stairs to see if I could get at
things, and I find he has put them away at the back, and piled all the
chairs and some bed-springs in front of them. I'm afraid we shall
have to get some things out again. I don't see how we can get
along."
"Not a bit of it, Cloudy!" said Leslie, giving a spring and perching
herself on the drain-board of the sink, where she sat swinging her
dainty little pumps as nonchalantly as if she were sitting on a velvet
sofa. "See! Here's my plan. I woke up early, and thought it all out.
Let's see," consulting her wee wrist-watch, "it's nine o'clock. That
isn't bad. Now we'll work till twelve; that's long enough for to-day,
because you got too tired yesterday; and, besides, we've got some
other things to attend to. Then we'll hustle into the car, and get to
town, and do some shopping ready for our trip. That will rest you.
We'll get lunch at a tea-room, and shop all the afternoon. We'll go to
a hotel for dinner, and stay all night. Then in the morning we can get
up early, have our breakfast, and drive back here in time before the
men come. Now isn't that perfectly spick-and-span for a plan?"
"Leslie! But, dear, that would cost a lot! And, besides, it isn't in
the least necessary."
"Cost has nothing to do with it. Look!" and Leslie flourished a
handful of bills. "See what Guardy Lud gave me! And Allison has
another just like it. He said particularly that we were not to let you
get all worked out and get sick so you couldn't go with us, and he
particularly told us about a lot of things he wanted us to buy to make
things easy on the way. After he leaves us and goes back to California
we're in your charge, I know; but just now you're in ours, you dear,
unselfish darling; and we're going to run you. Oh, we're going to run
you to beat the band!" laughed Leslie, and jumped down from her perch
to hug and squeeze the breath out of Julia Cloud.
"But child! Dear!" said that good woman when she could get her breath
to speak. "You mustn't begin in that extravagant way!"
But they put their hands over her lips, and laughed away her protests
until she had to give up for laughing with them.
"Well, then," she said at last, when they had subsided from a regular
rough-house frolic for all the world as if they were children, "we'll
have to get to work in good earnest; only it doesn't seem right to let
you work so hard when you are visiting me."
"Visiting, nothing!" declared Allison; "we're having the time of our
lives. I haven't been in a place where I could do as I pleased since I
was eight years old. This is real work, and I like it. Come now, don't
let's waste any time. What can I do first? Wouldn't you like to have
me take down all the pictures on the second floor, stack them in the
attic, and sweep down the walls the way we did down here yesterday?"
"Yes," said their aunt with an affectionate homage in her eyes for
this dear, capable boy who was so eager over everything as if it were
his own.
"And those big bookcases. What are you going to do with the books? Do
you want any of them to go with you, or are they to be packed away?"
"No, I won't take any of those books. They'll need to be dusted and
put in boxes. There are a lot of boxes in the cellar, and there's a
pile of papers to use for lining the boxes. But you'll have your hands
full with the pictures, I think. Let the books go till to-morrow."
Allison went whistling up-stairs, and began taking down the pictures;
but anybody could see by the set of his shoulders that he meant to get
the books out of the way too before noon.
"Now, what can I do?" said Leslie, whirling around from wiping the
last cup and plate they had used. "There's one more bureau besides
yours. Does it need emptying out?"
"No, dear. That has your grandmother's things in it, and is in perfect
order. She had me fix up the things several months ago. Everything is
tied up and labelled. I don't think we need to disturb it. The men can
move it up as it is. But we need to get the rest of the bed-clothes
out on the line for an airing before I pack them away in the chest
up-stairs. You might do that."
So Leslie went back and forth, carrying blankets and quilts, and
hanging them on the line, till Mrs. Perkins had to come over to see
what was going on. She came with a cup in her hand to ask for some
baking-powder, and Julia Cloud gave her the whole box.
"No, you needn't return it," she said, smiling. "I shall not need it.
I've rented the house, and am going away for a while." Mrs. Perkins
was so astonished that she actually went home without finding out
where Julia Cloud was going, and had to come back to see whether there
was anything she could do to help, in order to get a chance to ask.
It was really quite astonishing what a lot could be done in three
hours. When twelve o'clock came, the two children descended upon their
aunt with insistence that she wash her hands and put on her hat. The
rooms had assumed that cleared-up, ready look that rests the tired
worker just to look around and see what has been accomplished. With a
conviction that she was being quite a child to run away this way when
there was still a lot to be done, but with an overwhelming desire to
yield to the pressure, Julia Cloud surrendered.
When she came down-stairs five minutes later in her neat black suit
and small black hat with the mourning veil about it that Ellen had
insisted upon for the funeral, the car was already at the door, and
she felt almost guilty as she locked the door and went down the path.
But the beauty of the day intoxicated her at once, and she forgot
immediately everything but the joy of riding out into the world.
Leslie was a bit quiet as they glided down the road out of town, and
kept eyeing her aunt silently. At last, as Julia Cloud was calling
attention to a wonderful red woodbine that had twined itself about an
old dead tree and was setting the roadside ablaze with splendor,
Leslie caught her eye.
"What is it, dear? Does something trouble you? Is anything wrong with
me?" asked Julia Cloud, putting up a prospecting hand to her hair and
hat.
Leslie's cheeks went rosy red.
"O Cloudy, dear," said Leslie, "I was just wondering. But I'm afraid
to say it. Maybe it will make you feel bad."
"Not a bit, deary; what is it?"
"Well, then, Cloudy, do you think Grandmother would care very much if
you didn't wear black? Do you like it yourself, or feel it wouldn't be
right not to wear it? I don't mean any disrespect to Grandmother; but
oh, you would look so sweet in gray, gray and lavender and soft pink,
or just gray now for a while. Are you very mad at me for saying it?"
Julia Cloud reached over and patted the young hand that lay near her
on the seat.
"Why, no, dear! I'm not mad, and I don't care for black myself. I
don't believe in wearing black for the people who have left us and
gone to heaven. It seems to me white would be a great deal better. But
I put on these things to please Ellen. She thought it would be showing
great disrespect to mother if I didn't, and rather than argue about it
I did as she wanted me to. But I don't intend to darken the place
around me by dressing in mourning, child; and I'm glad you don't want
me to. I like bright, happy things. And, besides, Leslie, dear, your
grandmother was a bright, happy woman herself once when she was young,
before she was sick and had trouble; and I like to remember her that
way, because I'm sure that is the way she looks now in heaven."
"Oh, I'm so glad!" sighed Leslie. "That makes the day just perfect."
"I think I'll wait until I get away to change, however," said Julia
Cloud thoughtfully. "It would just annoy Ellen to do it now, and
might make such people as Mrs. Perkins say disagreeable things that
would make it unpleasant for your aunt."
"Of course!" said Leslie, nestling closer, her eyes dancing with some
secret plans of her own. "That's all right, Cloudy. How dear and sort
of 'understanding' you are, just like a real mother."
And somehow Julia Cloud felt as if she was entering into a new world.
Allison seemed to know by intuition just where to find the right kind
of tea-room. He ushered them into the place, and found a table in a
secluded nook, with a fountain playing nearby over ferns, and ivy
climbing over a mimic pergola. There were not many people eating, for
it was past one o'clock. There were little round tables with
high-backed chairs that seemed to shut them off in a corner by
themselves.
"This is nice!" he sighed. "We're a real family now, aren't we?" and
he looked over at Julia Cloud with that fine homage that now and then
a boy just entering manhood renders to an older woman.
"Creamed chicken on toast, fruit-salad, toasted muffins, and ice-cream
with hot chocolate sauce," ordered Allison after studying the
menu-card for a moment. "You like all those, don't you, Cloudy?"
"Oh, but my dear! You mustn't order all that. A sandwich is all
I need. Just a tongue sandwich. You must not begin by being
extravagant."
"This is my party, Cloudy. This goes under the head of expenses. If
you can't find enough you like among what I order, why, I'll get you a
tongue sandwich, too; but you've been feeding us out of the
cooky-jar, and I guess I'll get the finest I can find to pay you back.
I told you this was my time. When we get settled, you can order
things; but now I'm going to see that you get enough to eat while
you're working so hard."
Leslie's eyes danced with her dimples as Julia Cloud appealed to her
to stop this extravagance.
"That's all right, Cloudy. I heard Guardy Lud tell Al not to spare any
expense to make things comfortable for you while you were moving."
So Julia Cloud settled down to the pleasure of a new and delicious
combination of foods, and thoroughly enjoyed it all.
"Now," said Leslie as the meal drew to a close, "we must get to work.
It's half-past two, and the stores close at half-past five. I've a lot
of shopping to do. How about you, Cloudy?"
"I must buy a trunk," said Julia Cloud thoughtfully, "and a hand-bag
and some gloves. I ought to get a new warm coat, but that will do
later."
Leslie eyed her thoughtfully, and raised one brow intensively at her
brother as she rose from the table.
Allison landed them at a big department store, and guided his aunt to
the trunk department with instructions to stay there until he and
Leslie came back. Then they went off with great glee and many
whisperings.
It is a curious thing how easily and quickly young people can shop
provided they have plenty of money and no older person by to hamper
them. Allison and Leslie were back within the time they had set,
looking very meek and satisfied. Leslie carried a small package,
which she laid in Julia Cloud's lap.
"You said you needed a hand-bag," she said; "and I came on a place
where they were having a sale. I thought this was a peach; so I bought
it. If you don't like it, we can give it to Aunt Ellen or some one."
Julia Cloud's cheeks grew pink with pleasure, and she felt like a very
young, happy child as she opened the parcel to find a lovely gray
suède hand-bag with silver clasp and fittings, containing quite a
little outfit of toilet articles and brushes in neat, compact form.
She caught her breath with delight as she touched the soft white
leather lining, and noticed the perfection and finish of the whole. It
seemed fit for a queen, yet was plain and quiet enough on the outside
for a dove to carry. She looked up to see the two pairs of eager eyes
upon her, and could hardly refrain from throwing her arms about the
children right there in the store; but she stopped in time and let her
eyes do the caressing, as she said with a tremble in her low, sweet
voice:
"O you dear children! How you are going to spoil me! I see I must get
settled quickly so that I shall have the power to restrain you."
They rollicked forth then, and bought several things, a big steamer
rug for the car, a pair of long gray mocha gloves to match the
hand-bag, a silk umbrella, and for Aunt Ellen a shiny black hand-bag
with a number of conveniences in it, and a pair of new black gloves
with long, warm wrists tucked inside of it. Then Allison thoughtfully
suggested a handsome leather wallet for Uncle Herbert, and Julia
Cloud lingered by the handkerchief-counter, and selected half a dozen
new fine handkerchiefs. It all seemed just like a play to her, it was
so very long since she had been shopping herself. Ellen had bought
everything for her for years, because she was always too busy or too
burdened to get away.
When they were out in the street again, it was still too early to
think of going to the hotel for dinner.
"How about a movie, Cloudy?" asked Allison shyly. "There's a pippin
down the street a ways. I saw it as we came by. Or don't you like
movies? Perhaps you'd rather go to the hotel and lie down. I suppose
you are maybe worn out. I ought to have thought of that."
"Not a bit of it!" said the game little woman. "I should love to go.
Maybe you won't believe it, but I never went to a movie in my life,
and I've been wanting to know what they were like for a long time."
"Never went to a movie in your life! Why, Cloudy, you poor dear!" said
Allison, who had been fairly fed on movies. "Why, how did it happen?
Don't they have moving pictures in your town?"
"Yes, they have them now, though only a year or so ago. But you know
I've never been able to get away, even if they had been all about me.
Besides, I suppose I should have been considered crazy if I had gone,
me, an oldish woman! If there had been children to take, it would have
been different. I suppose it is a childish desire, but I always loved
pictures."
"Well, we're going," said Allison. "Get in quick, and I'll have you
there before you say Jack Robinson!"
And so in the restful cool of a flower-laden atmosphere in one of the
finest moving-picture places in the city Julia Cloud sat with her two
children and saw her first moving picture, holding her breath in
wonder and delight as the people on the screen lived and moved before
her.
"I'm afraid I'm having too good a time," she said quietly as she
settled back in the car again, and was whirled away to the hotel. "I
feel as if I were a child again. If this keeps on, I won't have
dignity enough left to chaperon you properly."
"Oh, but Cloudy, dear, that's just why we want you, because you know
how to be young and play with us," clamored both of them together.
Then after a good dinner they went up to their rooms, and there was
Julia Cloud's shining new trunk that had to be looked over; and there
on the floor beside it stood two packages, big boxes, both of them.
"This must be a mistake," said Julia Cloud, looking at them curiously.
"Allison, you better call the boy and have him take them away to the
right room."
Allison picked up the top package, a big, square box.
"Why, this is your name, Cloudy Jewel!" he exclaimed. "It must be
yours. Open it!"
"But how could it be?" said Julia Cloud perplexedly.
"Open it, Cloudy. I want to see what's in it."
Julia Cloud was bending over the long pasteboard box on the floor and
finding her name on that, too.
"It's very strange," she said, her cheeks beginning to grow pink like
those of a child on her first Christmas morning. "I suppose it's some
more of your extravagant capers. I don't know what I shall do with
you!"
But her eager fingers untied the string, while Leslie and Allison
executed little silent dances around the room and tried to stifle
their mirth.
The cover fell off at last, and the tissue-paper blew up in a great
fluff; and out of it rolled a beautiful long, soft, thick gray cloak
of finest texture and silken lining, with a great puffy collar and
cuffs of deep, soft silver-gray fox.
"Oh-h!" was all Julia Cloud could say as the wonderful garment slipped
out and spread about over the box and floor. And then the two children
caught it up, and enveloped her in it, buttoning it down the front and
turning the collar around her ears.
"It's yours, Cloudy, to keep you warm on the journey!" cried Leslie,
dancing around and clapping her hands. "Doesn't she look lovely in it,
Allison? Oh, isn't she dear?" and Leslie caught her and whirled her
around the room.
Then Allison brought the big square box, and demanded that it be
opened; and out of it came a small gray hat in soft silky beaver, with
a close gray feather curled quietly about it, that settled down on
Julia Cloud's lovely white hair as if it had been made for her.
"You don't mind, do you, Cloudy, dear? You don't think I'm officious
or impertinent?" begged Leslie anxiously. "It was Allison's idea to
get the hat to match the coat, and it was such a dear we couldn't help
taking it; but, if there is anything about them you don't like, we
got special permission for you to exchange them to-morrow morning."
"Like them!"
Julia Cloud settled down in a chair, and looked at herself in helpless
joy and admiration. Like them!
"But O children! You oughtn't to have got such wonderful, expensive
things for me. I'm just a plain, simple woman, you know, and it's not
fitting."
Then there arose a great clamor about her. Why was it not fitting? She
who had given her life for others, why should she not have some of the
beautiful, comfortable things of earth? It wasn't sensible for her to
talk that way. That was being too humble. And, besides, weren't these
things quite sensible and practical? Weren't they warm, and wouldn't
they be convenient and comfortable and neat? Well, then, "Good-night,"
finished Allison.
And so at last they said "Good-night," and went to their beds; but
long after the children were asleep Julia Cloud lay awake and thought
it out. God had been good to her, and was leading her into green
pastures beside quiet waters; but there were things He was expecting
of her, and was she going to be able to fulfil them? These two young
souls were hers to guide. Would she have the grace to guide them into
the knowledge of God in Christ? And then she lay praying for strength
for this great work until the peace of God's sleep dropped down upon
her.