CHAPTER VI. THE CARRINGFORDS
Janice Day was a friendly little soul; but she was not a girl whomade those close friendships that so many girls make during theirschooldays. There was no one girl from whom she was almostinseparable.
Janice was just as good friends with Amy Carringford as she waswith Stella Latham; only Amy had been attending the grammarschool a much shorter time than had the farmer's daughter.
Now circumstances attending Stella's proposed birthday partycaused Janice to become much better acquainted with AmyCarringford. In seeking to do something for Stella, Janice wasdetermined to do something for Amy.
The Carringford family had taken up their residence during thewinter in Mullen Lane; and it must be confessed that Mullen Lanewas not considered an aristocratic part of the town. Of course,poor people have to live where living is cheap; but it was saidthat Mrs. Carringford, who was a widow, had bought the littlecottage--not much better than a hut--in which she and her littlefamily had taken up their dwelling.
Why people like the Carringford, manifestly well bred andintelligent, had chosen Mullen Lane to live in puzzled not onlythe busybodies, like Miss Peckham, of this part of Greensboro,but amazed other people as well.
Wherever Mrs. Carringford appeared--at church, Or in theneighborhood stores on Knight and Cassandra Streets--people sawthat she was a well bred woman, though plainly, even shabbily,dressed.
There were several children besides Amy and theUnfortunately-named Gumswith, and they dressed poorly, too. Buteven if Gummy's trousers were patched at the knees, as StellaLatham had pointed out, they were patched neatly, and his linenwas fresh.
Of course, nobody called on Mrs. Carringford; at least, almostnobody. The rickety little cottage in Mullen Lane did notattract callers by its outward appearance, that was sure. Thatit was a shelter for a family that had been sorely tried by fate,none of the neighbors knew.
It was Janice Day, when she made a frank attempt to know AmyCarringford better, who began first to learn particulars aboutthe Carringford family. There was not much queer or mysteriousabout them; merely they were people who failed to advertise theirprivate affairs to the community at large.
Janice had gained Stella Latham's promise that she would not tellthe secret of the party dress, if Amy should consent to borrowit, before she sounded Amy as to whether she was going to acceptthe invitation to
the party or not. According to Stella, who was really very sillyabout such things, the birthday party was to be a very "dressy"affair. Stella talked about this phase of it in season and out.
First of all, Janice demanded that one of the highly ornateinvitations Stella's mother had had printed in the GreensboroBugle printing office should be sent to Amy. There should be nohedging, Janice determined, after that. Amy was to be asked likethe other girls and boys of their grade.
"But if she hasn't got a decent dress?" murmured Stella, when shewas mailing the invitation to Amy.
"I told you I'd see that she did have a party dress," Janice saidsharply. "I can't agree to find whole trousers for Gummy," andshe giggled; "so you needn't invite him if you don't want to.But Amy will be all right."
"Maybe she will be too proud to wear your dress, Janice Day!"exclaimed Stella.
"Then she won't come," rejoined Janice. "But you are not to tella soul that the dress is mine, if she does wear it."
"We-ell," sighed Stella, somewhat relieved.
The farmer's daughter knew that there would be much comment ifshe left Amy off the invitation list. She was glad to leave thematter in Janice Day's hands. And she did not remark again, atleast, not openly, upon Janice being "so sly."
Without being at all sly, Janice did go about doing something forAmy Carringford with considerable shrewdness. She had neverwalked home with Amy from school. She did not like the purlieusof Mullen Lane. But this afternoon she attached herself to Amywith all the power of adherence of a mollusk, and they werechattering too fast to stop abruptly when they came to the comerof Knight Street, where usually Janice turned off.
Mullen Lane touched Love Street at its upper end, so Janice couldgo all the way to the Carringford house without going much out ofher way. She went on with Amy, swinging her books; and at firstAmy did not seem to notice that Janice was keeping with her rightinto the muddy, littered lane on which she lived.
"Why, Janice!" said Amy, finally, "you are away out of your way."
"Oh, I can go up the lane to Love Street," returned Janicecarelessly, and just as though she were used to doing that.
Amy, who was a pretty, blonde girl, gazed at her companion rathercuriously; but Janice was quite calm.
"That is the house where I live," said Amy, in a changed tone, asthey came in sight of the cottage.
"Oh, yes," replied Janice.
Aside from the fact that the house needed paint and new windowshutters, and a new roof, and new planks for the piazza, andnumerous other things, it was not such a bad looking house.Janice noticed something at first glance: it was only things thatpoor people could not get or that a boy could not tinker that wasneeded about the Carringford house to make it neat andcomfortable.
The fences were on the line, had been braced, and there were nopickets missing. The gates hung true. The walks were neatlykept and there were brilliant flower beds in front, for flowerseeds cost little. What the Carringford could do to make theplace homelike without spending money, had certainly been done.
"It's an awful place to live," ventured Amy, still gazingsidewise at Janice.
"Oh," said the latter brightly, "you don't mean that! You are alltogether and are all well."
"Yes, there are a lot of us." And Amy said it with a sigh. "Itseems as though there were an awful lot of children, now thatfather's dead."
"Did you lose your father recently--just as I did my mother?"asked Janice softly.
"Year and a half ago. That is why we came here, There was someinsurance money. Somebody persuaded mother to buy a home for uswith it. I don't know whether it was good advice or not; but shebought this place because it was cheap. And she could not payfor it all, at that; so I don't know but we're likely to lose themoney she put into it, and the old shack, too."
Amy spoke rather bitterly. Janice, with natural tact, thoughtthis was no time to probe deeper into the financial affairs ofthe Carringfords. She saw Gummy, who was a year older than Amy,in the yard. He had got home from school first, and he staredwhen he saw Janice.
"Hullo, Gummy!" the latter called to the boy with the patchedtrousers. "What are you doing there? Are you laying sod for aborder to that garden-bed?"
"No. I'm trimming an opera cloak with green ermine," said theboy, but grinning. "What are you doing around here in Dirty-faceLane?"
"Oh, Gummy!" exclaimed Amy.
"What a name to call the street!" objected Janice.
"Well, that's what it is," returned the boy, continuing to poundthe sod into place. "Nobody in this street ever washes hisface."
"Why Gummy Carringford!" exclaimed his sister again.
"I'm sure Amy washes her face whether you do or not," chuckledJanice.
"Oh, me!" sniffed the boy, but his eyes still twinkling. "I'malways 'gummy'!"
Janice's laughter was a silver peal that brought three or fouryounger Carringfords, including the twins, to the side door.They peered out at their sister and the girl with her, but werebashful.
"What a jolly lot of little ones!" sighed Janice. "You know, Amy,I'm all alone. I haven't any brothers or sisters."
"Don't you want to adopt me?" asked Gummy, who overheard her.
"I certainly would have to change your name," declared Janice.
"No," and he shook his head, his freckled face becoming grave."Got to stick to the old name--just like gum sticks."
"Oh, my dear, is that you?" cried Mrs. Carringford, coming to thedoor, her brown face flushing pink. "And one of yourschoolmates?"
She came out on the porch. She had a very pleasant smile, Janicethought, a
nd her brown eyes were as bright as a woodpecker's.
"This is Janice Day. She's in my class, Mother," said Amy,rather hesitatingly, it must be confessed.
"Yes, I know her name," said Mrs. Carringford, and now Janice wasnear enough to take the hand of Amy's mother. "How do you do, mydear? I have seen you before. I am always glad to meet Amy'sschool friends."
Had it not been for the warmth of the good woman's greetingJanice would have felt that she was unwelcome at the littlecottage on Mullen Lane. Amy seemed to hang back, and not inviteher schoolmate into the house.
"Here is something the postman brought you, Amy," her mother wenton briskly.
She reached inside the door to a shelf and brought forth anobject that Janice recognized. It was the big white envelopecontaining the invitation to Stella Latham's party.
"Hi! I know what that is," cried Gummy, rising to look at theenvelope. "Lots of the fellows got 'em. That Latham girl thatlives out on the Dover pike is going to have a party. Crickey!I didn't suppose she would invite us."
"She hasn't invited you I guess," his mother told him. "It isaddressed to your sister."
"Oh! I see."
Amy had flushed brightly, and her eyes sparkled. She was tearingopen the envelope eagerly.
"Oh!" she sighed, "I didn't expect this. Did you get yours,Janice?"
"Yes, Stella asked me. But she didn't send out: all theinvitations at once," said Janice slowly,
"You'll go of course, won't you?"
"Why--"
Then suddenly Amy's voice stopped. She looked at her mother.The glow went out of her face. She let one of the smallerchildren take the invitation out of her hand.
"I don't know," she said slowly. "I'll have to see."
"Won't you come in, Janice?" asked Mrs. Carringford, seeking tocover her daughter's embarrassment.
"I will for a minute, thank you," was Janice Day's smiling reply."You know, I like Amy, Mrs. Carringford, and I have never been toher house before, and she has never been to mine."
Her speech helped to cover her friend's hesitation. Amy trippedin behind Janice and suddenly gave her a hearty squeeze.
"She's an awfully nice girl, Mumsy!" she said to her mother.
Janice laughed. But her bright eyes were taking in much besidesthe smiling expression on her friends' faces. The Carringfordkitchen was like wax. Mrs. Carringford had been washing in onecomer of the room, and there was a boiler drying behind thestove. But there was nothing sloppy or sudsy about the room.The woman had whisked off the big apron she had worn when Janiceentered, and now the latter saw that her work dress was spotless.
"Oh, dear me!" thought Janice, "how nice it would be if ourkitchen--and our whole house--were like this. How delighted Daddywould be."
But there was something else she did not at first see. She had toget acquainted with all the younger Carringfords. She must talkwith Mrs. Carringford. Gummy came in after washing his hands andrubbing his shoes clean on the doormat to talk to the caller.Then Amy carried Janice off upstairs to her own tiny room underthe eaves.
There was no carpet on the stairs. The matting on the floor ofAmy's room was much worn. There was nothing really pretty in theroom. Janice suddenly realized that this spelled "poverty."
Yet it was cheerful and speckless, and there were pictures of akind, and little home-made ornaments and a few books.
The window curtains were of the cheapest, but they were loopedback gracefully. There was a workbox and stand that Gummy hadmade for Amy, for the brother was handy with tools.
Altogether there was something about the room, and about the uglylittle house as well, that Janice Day realized she did not haveat home. She had had it once; but it was not present now in theDay house. In the Carringford dwelling the magic wand of a truehomemaker had touched it all.
The two girls chatted for almost an hour. It was mostly aboutschool matters and their friends and the teachers. Amy talked,too, about friends in Napsburg, where the Carringfords had livedbefore moving to Greensboro. Janice was adroit in keeping theconversation on rather general topics, and did not allow thequestion of Stella's party to come to the fore and never once didshe speak of what any of the girls would wear on that occasion.
The time to leave came, and then Janice felt she should enter thewedge which would afterwards gain for her the desired end.
"You'll go to Stella's party, won't you?" asked Janice as sheprepared to go home.
"Oh, I don't know. I'll see," Amy hurriedly said.
"Of course you will go," Janice declared firmly. "I want you togo with me. I sha'n't feel like going at all if you stay away,Amy."
They kissed each other on the stairway, and then Janice ran home,swinging her books. She thought the Carringford were verypleasant people. But there were several mysteries about them.First of all she wanted to know how Gummy came to have such anawful, awful name!