Amy Ella Blanchard

“ No wonder a man like Mr. Wells could appreciate her. Jo wasn’t a bit pretty, but she had such a merry face, such a saucy little turned up nose. As Nan thought of this she shrank away into a corner, all her exuberance of spirits suddenly gone.
After a while Dr. Paul came over to where she was silently watching the fudge-making and listening to the merry sallies of wit. “This is the jolliest thing that has happened since our Munich days,” he said contentedly dropping down on the big settle by her side. ”

“ Nan laughed. “So we shall not want for company if we get mad with one another. There will be no flocking by one’s self and sulking this trip. There is just a pleasant number in the camp. We can become acquainted with them all, and yet there are enough of us to feel perfectly independent if we want to go by ourselves. How did you get along with your paddling?”
“Only fairly well,” returned Mary Lee somewhat dubiously. “I suppose one can’t expect perfection at first. Daniella took to it like a duck. She always does such things well.” ”

“ So those sitting in the studio over their tea were suddenly surprised by the clatter of hoofs along the road and saw a cavalcade go dashing by, a big bay in the lead and a gaunt black, lurching along in a plough-horse gallop, bringing up the rear.
“Did you ever!” exclaimed Miss Romaine. “Who in the world are those?”
Mr. Wells looked after them with a little half wistful smile. “Some of my friends from Camp Happiness, I judge.” ”

“ Every girl immediately made for the door in a jiffy, without so much as a word of farewell to the uninvited guests, and in another moment the four silent strangers had the place to themselves while the girls under ’Lish’s improvised shelter made merry over ginger ale, hard-boiled eggs, biscuits and cakes. The coffee had come to grief through the sudden giving way of one of the stones which propped the coffee-pot, and Miss Lloyd was unable to save more than a cupful which all insisted she should drink herself. ”

“ Jack’s reasoning was always rather unexpected.
“Then Tenderfoot might do,” proposed Daniella, reminded of her ranch life.
“That’s worse yet!” declared Jack.
“We might combine Miss Marshall’s name and Miss Lloyd’s and call him Lomar,” suggested Miss Helen.
“Oh, no. I once knew a boy named Jim Lomar and I despised him.” Jack was decided upon this point.
“Clearly we must be particular,” said Bertha Stine. “Suppose we ask Miss Lloyd; she is always fruitful of suggestion.”
“Heaven knows we have made suggestions enough,” said Mary Lee, “but the trouble is to suit Jack.” ”

“ Presently he broke into a wild Hungarian dance. “Let’s be gay, be gay,” he said. “We mustn’t spend time in moralizing. We must live, live. Here we are, you and I, young and happy. The world is beautiful, the sky is blue. There is poetry everywhere. Listen.” A few crashing chords closed the dance and he began softly to play the motif of the “Waldweben” watching Nan who leaned forward, her chin in her hand, her eyes fixed on the further shore. As the last notes of the bird song died away he lowered his violin. “Well, Brunhilde,” he said, “awaken!”
Nan smiled. ”

“ Yet in her heart of hearts she was conscious of a feeling of bitter jealousy, and if she had been alone the tears would have risen to her eyes.
“The proper spirit, my dear; hear your Aunt Jo tell you. We’ve plenty of good all around friends; we don’t want any of the summer sunshine, fair weather, take-you-when-I-can’t-get-any-one-else kind.”
“It strikes me,” spoke up Mary Lee, “that if you all were so deadly indifferent as you try to appear, you would not make such a to-do about it. For my part, I think you are a little unjust to Mr. Wells.” ”

“ I never saw a more expressive one.”
“Nan is fine,” said Jo emphatically. “She has the finest sort of standards. She is practical, yet romantic to her finger-tips, what they call the artistic temperament, I suppose, but it isn’t the kind that sometimes makes perfect fools of people.”
Mr. Wells laughed. “I allow that the artistic temperament is made up in several qualities of goods. So Miss Nan’s is of the first quality, I suppose.”
“It certainly is. I know how loyal a friend she can be and how she sacrifices herself every time. She has always been a buffer for Jack, the little sinner. ”

“ By dint of wise selecting it was discovered that there would be enough to go around, and after buying mint-sticks and lozenges, peanuts and pop-corn, the jolly crowd again mounted to their nest of straw and the wagon bumped back to camp under a moonlit sky.
“Let’s make the welkin ring,” proposed Jo.
“What is a welkin?” asked Jean. ”

“ As Hartley had been the first to think of the expedition he had been able to secure the best horses from a farmer in the neighborhood. Daniella’s bay mare would not allow anything to pass her and kept ahead persistently.
Ran’s gray had a habit of stopping suddenly as if to get breath, and then of starting on again at a fast walk. Ashby’s old black would break into a racking gallop at the smallest provocation so that no two could keep the same gait and the laughter which the various mounts [300] provoked nearly prevented the riders from keeping their seats. ”

“ It is not the easiest thing in the world to learn, and certainly not a thing to be acquired in one short day, but Nan went into raptures over the exercise, and went at it heart and soul, so that before so very long she could force her canoe forward a short distance without its turning around and around, and could manage to get the stroke at least once out of half a dozen times, so by noon they returned hungry and elated. ”

“ Nan laughed and Jack felt that her case was won, but she added, “Besides, you promised to teach me how to paddle and you never have done it. I never have a chance to paddle because the older girls always want to do it. Everybody says you are a fine paddler, Nan.”
“And you are a fine tease as well as a flatterer,” responded Nan. “All right, kitten, I’ll take you, and may I not live to regret it.”
The final clause had no effect upon Jack who, having gained her point, went off well satisfied and was waiting at the lake when her sister appeared, paddles over her shoulder and book under her arm. ”

“ As they passed they gave supercilious stares at the company of girls in stout shoes, farmer hats and flannel blouses.
“But, oh, dear me,” said Jo to Nan, “what a get up for the mountains. Do they think they are at Bar Harbor, forsooth, or do they expect to find a hotel around the next boulder? Imagine what they will look like when they have gone through brambles and thickets and over dewy grass. I shouldn’t like to pay their laundry bills.” ”

“ It was at a church supper, and I heard him say, ‘If the quail which fed the children of Israel were anything like this roast goose I don’t wonder they sighed for the flesh-pots [320] of Egypt.’ I watched him consume two mighty plates of the supper, smack his greasy lips, and pick his teeth with such an expression of carnal delight as completely disenchanted me, and I realized that the saintly priest in white robes was not the every-day man eating a good dinner.”
Nan lifted her head and the two smiled at one another. “But had you really cared?” she asked. ”

“ We can use one canoe and tow the other one. I’ll hand you back safe and sound to your mother, and tell her you have been an inspiration.”
Nan colored under this. “But I haven’t,” she protested.
“Oh, yes, you have. Any one who loves music as you do is a boon to one who enjoys it, too. Do you love anything else as much?”
“No, not quite, although I do love pictures, and some poetry, some authors, too.”
“Of course. You would, you know. I could see you loved pictures that first day in the studio, for you had a nice discriminating sense and criticized like a person who really knows what is what.” ”

“ Miss Jacqueline Corner, allow me, as a committee of one, on behalf of this enthusiastic company here gathered, to present you with this mark of their approval, appreciation, and esteem.” And resting the cookie upon the fire-shovel, she advanced with it to Jack, who, overcome with laughter, snatched the cookie and took a bite.
“A crumb! A crumb!” cried Nan. “I, too, shared in the devising of this wonderful game. Just one crumb, fair lady, from your feast.” Then she fell upon Jack, the rest followed suit, and in a few minutes not even a crumb remained of the prize. ”

“ Nan nodded.
“Why don’t they open the windows this lovely day, so the smell of the lilacs can come in?” continued Jack.
Nan shook her head at the questioner, for Miss Phebe appeared upon the threshold. “Mother’ll be pleased to see you,” she said, addressing Miss Helen. “I think, if you’ll excuse me,” she turned to the girls, “that she’d better not see you all at once; it might be too exciting for her; she’s not used to much company. Do you mind waiting till she’s got accustomed to your mother and aunt?” ”

“ They took the red morocco album over to one of the windows and began to turn its pages, once or twice happening upon some photograph familiar to them. “That’s Cousin Martin Boyd,” cried Nan. “He is in Aunt Helen’s album at home, the old one that was her mother’s. And oh, Mary Lee, the lady in hoops and a funny bonnet is Grandma Corner herself. It isn’t a bit like the lovely portrait that used to be at Uplands, but I recognize her. And there is father when he was a youngster. Don’t you remember it? I fancy that very fierce-looking individual in Confederate uniform is Cousin Maria’s father. ”

“ I often long for them. One does like the friends around that one has had a good time with,” said Nan in a matter-of-fact way. “I shall enjoy college much more with Jo and Charley there, but I shall miss Mary Lee and Dan.”
“Does Daniella aspire to college?”
“I hardly think so. She could not be ready for some years, and then she would be older than most girls who enter. Still, if she sets her heart on going Mr. Scott will allow it. Aunt Helen advises travel and languages with a course of literature, rather than college, so no doubt she will abide by what her friends and teachers suggest. ”

“ We live up Sebago way; it’s easy getting there. You could take the train to Sebago and I’d meet you, and if you could just set the day. Are you alone here?”
“No, cousin—— Is your name Maria, too?”
“I’m Phebe, Cousin Phebe, if you like. No’m, I’m unmarried; I’m still Phebe Hooper.”
“And I am still Helen Corner. My brother’s widow and her four girls are here with me in Portland.”
“Fetch ’em along if they’d like to come. Come all of you and spend the day. My, my, it’ll be like a breath of summer from the pines to mother. Dear suz, I’m that excited I dunno as I shan’t miss my train. ”

“ One leg was evidently injured in the violent struggle.
“Don’t let it go,” begged Jack. “It couldn’t walk well and some beast might get it.”
“What ye want me to do with it?” ’Lish [140] stood with the creature in his arms, making an interesting study, Nan thought; the tall, lean, angular man in blue shirt, and butternut trousers with the little wide-eyed fawn looking around apprehensively.
“Why, we’ll keep it till it gets well. Couldn’t you do something to its leg, ’Lish? Rub it or bind it up or something? Unc’ Landy always could do things to our animals to cure them.” ”

“ Wells,” said Jack in her best manner, “let me present you to my sister, Miss Nancy Corner.”
The young man tucked the violin under his arm and came forward. “Welcome to Place o’ Pines,” he said.
Even as Nan backed out the door her thoughts flew to her old haunt. How strange that the name she thought her own original invention [166] should be used away up here in Maine. “Oh, but,” she said as she hesitated upon the sill, “we mustn’t, you know. I—oh, Jack—do get your things and come. Mother doesn’t know where you are.”
“Oh, Nan, please just stay and see the studio,” begged Jack. ”

“ Pinch generally does the cooking. I call him Pinch because he is always saying, ‘Just a pinch more of salt or of pepper’ or whatever it may be. He is very particular, is Pinch, and is a dabster at cooking. If he were here we’d have some Jim Dandy pancakes, but as it is, our menu must be: eggs done in a chafing-dish, if you can do them, potted ham, chicken or tongue or sardines, canned baked beans, if you care for them, ginger ale or coffee, crackers and cheese, and for dessert your buns and marmalade. Does that please the dainty palate of Lady Diana?”
“I think it’s fine,” responded Jack. ”

“ Jo gave Nan a sly look. It was like both Carrie and Florence to be very sure their presence would be desired. “As if we cared,” said Jo later. “We shall have a much better time without them, I’m sure. It will be jolly to have just our own crowd.”
True to his word Mr. Wells was not long in appearing to prefer his request and succeeded in obtaining a reluctant consent from Mrs. Corner after Miss Helen had promised to go with Jack each time she should pose. The fact that the young man was a friend of Dr. Paul was in his favor and, moreover, he was liked on his own account. ”

“ Nan had thought at the time this was probably why her aunt’s hair had [315] turned gray so early. “No wonder,” she sighed as she fastened her belt around her slender waist.
She slipped out at the back of the tent and walked slowly through the woods, turning over in her mind the conversation she had just listened to. “If a man were married of course it would be a dreadful thing for a girl to continue to think of him.” She mustn’t do that, and why should she—if he didn’t care for her? He was not Lohengrin, nor she Elsa. He was not Siegfried nor she Brunhilde ”

“ Most people think Mary Lee prettier because she has light hair and nice little features, but Nan has such eyes, like stars, and she has a face like April, so changeable; everything she feels she shows in her face, it is so expressive. [163] She is seventeen, nearly eighteen, and Mary Lee is just sixteen. Is that your violin, and can you play? Nan plays, oh, beautifully, on the piano.”
“It’s my violin, yes. Shall I give you a tune? I nearly always play after dinner, but I seldom care for an audience.” ”

“ I am an American, stars and stripes, spread eagle, Hail Columbia American, if you will have it, though of course I do want to go back to Europe some day, but I don’t want to live anywhere but in this blessed old stuck-up country of ours, and south of Mason and Dixon’s line at that. ‘I’ll live and die for Dixie.’”
“I am glad Washington is south of Mason and Dixon’s line,” remarked Mary Lee with satisfaction. “It certainly was good of Maryland to hand over a piece of herself to make [14] the District of Columbia for the seat of government.” ”

“ While the fudge was cooling Mr. Wells announced that there would be a picnic the next day, starting from Place o’ Pines.
“Have any of your party ever been to Upper Pond?” he asked. No one had. “Then you have a treat before you. It is simply gorgeous. You have to canoe from here to a point a little above our place, then we shall have to portage across to the pond, about half a mile. The rest of the way we go in canoes to the upper end of the pond. I think we can manage it if you fellows are up to carrying the canoes. Do you ladies think you can be equal to the walk across country?” ”

“ Nan told them. “Perhaps I shall have time for both. I declare I shall really be sorry to leave Washington; it is a pretty nice sort of place when you come to think of all there is to see and of all the pleasant things that are going on all the time.”
“We ought to go to Arlington and Fort Myer before we leave; it is lovely there this time of year, they say.”
“Here comes Aunt Helen looking as if she had some scheme afoot. Perhaps she has decided about the summer plan.”
“How would you all like to drive to Fort Myer to see the cavalry drill this afternoon?” said Miss Helen coming in. ”