And at his admonition to hurry and the alluring description of the
entertainment to come, we all betook ourselves on foot toward the
schoolhouse down the street a few blocks, halfway between the Town and
the Settlement.
And as we went all the rest of the Town hurried out of wide, high,
vine-covered doors, down broad, flower-lined walks, and joined us from
under bowers of blooming roses, honeysuckle and clematis. We actually
approached the schoolhouse in the form of quite a large procession, and
as we wound our way down the hill we met a like procession winding
itself up the hill from the Settlement, a procession arrayed in its best
bib, tucker and boiled shirt, just as we were adorned in silk, lace,
fine muslin and linen.
"It looks like two armies approaching each other--Greek is going to meet
Greek," said Billy.
"Rather Greek meets Vandal, and there stands Goodloe to do the
interpreting," Nickols jeered in answer.
And as we all flocked into the wide gate of the school yard I was again
struck with the great beauty of the tall, broad, lithe, free man who
stood in the middle of the walk just inside, welcoming Town and
Settlement alike. And while he greeted us, his enthusiastic flock of
older children seated the groups of guests on the long rough benches
which were placed facing the door of the schoolhouse, leaving a wide
space at the foot of the steps, which was roped off with golden chains
of black-eyed daisies and which was evidently to be used as a stage for
the pageant.
"Just look how Goodloe is failing to mix his oil and water," Nickols
whispered to me, as we observed all of the Settlement groups gravely
gravitate to the left side of the walk while all the Town in chattering
parties took seats on the right. "That's right, Burns, take off my last
summer coat," he added, still in a whisper to me as the Burns parent
struggled out of the unendurable gift garment and thus gave a signal
that whipped off every coat on the left side of the walk in the
twinkling of an eye, to the evident distress of the tightly girted and
uncomfortable but more formal feminine members of the Settlement
contingent. Conjugal strife was about to make its appearance when Mother
Spurlock, who was seated beside poor little Hettie Garrett, holding the
Mother Only in her arms with never a glance for Mrs. Sproul, who had
beckoned her to a seat next to her own beruffled silk skirts, passed the
word around that such comfort was to be accorded the masculine guests.
Even with such sanction, however, Luella May Spain looked pained at her
father's gay new red suspenders, and I could see that Mr. Todd's striped
shirt was hurting the feelings of Sadie Todd dreadfully, and she and
Luella May returned Billy's gallant salute with the greatest
embarrassment. And in all the buzz I found myself looking anxiously for
Martha Ensley's pale face and dark eyes, but failed to find them.