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Three Little Women's SuccessGabrielle E. Jackson
CONTENTS CHAPTER I--After Three Years. CHAPTER II--The Silent Partner and Others. CHAPTER III--The Bee-hive. CHAPTER IV--The Busy Bees. CHAPTER V--Mammy Makes Investigations. CHAPTER VI--Thanksgiving. CHAPTER VII--Expansion. CHAPTER VIII--Vaulting Ambitions. CHAPTER IX--At Merry Yuletide. CHAPTER X--"Then Came the Wild Weather." CHAPTER XI--In the Valley. CHAPTER XII--Of the Shadow. CHAPTER XIII--Aftermath. CHAPTER XIV--In the Springtide. CHAPTER XV--Mammy Makes a Discovery. CHAPTER XVI--Mammy a Sherlock Holmes. CHAPTER XVII--Cupid in Spectacles. CHAPTER XVIII--Harvest Time. CHAPTER XIX--Three Little Women's Success
Charles Was Sitting Upright Talking Wildly.]
THREE LITTLE WOMEN SERIES
Three Little Women's Success
_A STORY FOR GIRLS_
By
GABRIELLE E. JACKSON
Author of "The Joy of Piney Hill," "Wee Winkles," "Sunlight and Shadow,""By Love's Sweet Rule," Etc.
Illustrated
THE JOHN C. WINSTON COMPANY Philadelphia
Copyright 1913,
by The John C. Winston Co.
Copyright 1910,
by The John C. Winston Co.
_TO DOROTHY_
_A loyal, lovable lassie,_ _A trusted and true little friend._
G. E. J.
CHAPTER I
AFTER THREE YEARS.
October had come to Riveredge. This fact meant more than the five wordsusually imply, for to few spots did October show such a graciouspresence as she did to this pretty town. Beautiful at all seasons, evenin its wintry dress of gleaming snow, in its autumn gorgeousness,Riveredge was entirely irresistible. In summer the town drowsed, forduring July and August many of its inhabitants took a holiday andjourneyed thither and yonder; in the autumn it wakened to the busybustle of active life and its preparations for the drawing together ofall who dwelt therein, and spring was the time when it did itsrenovating, its housecleaning, its decorating, but October's crispwesterly winds blowing across the broad expanses of the river set bloodstirring, made pulses throb many beats quicker, and caused evenstrangers to smile and nod to one another as they passed along thestreets. Friends called gayly: "Isn't the air delicious? Doesn't it makeyou want to prance like a colt?"
There was one individual in Riveredge whom it so affected, anyway. Thefact that nearly three years have slipped by since we last witnessed anyof her prancings has not lessened her propensity to do so, for withnearly fourteen years numbered off upon her life's calendar Jean Carruthis as much of a romp as ever, full of impulses as she was upon the dayshe rescued old Baltie; as she was when she so valiantly defended herproperty and her rights against the hoodlums of McKimm's Hollow. Thethree years have brought about many changes, it is true, but JeanCarruth will remain Jean Carruth to the end of the story. She has grownlike a weed, to be sure, and seems to be nearly all long arms and legswith a body like a hazel wand--pliable and vigorous, with powers ofendurance far beyond its indications. A casual observer might think herless strong than she is, but in reality she is "soun' as a dollar and decause ob mo' trebbilation dan a million ob 'em could be," insisted oldMammy. And Mammy was pretty well qualified to judge, having had chargeof that young person since she drew her first breath in the world. Mammystill lived and flourished as Mammy Blairsdale-Devon. Nothing couldinduce her to drop the Blairsdale. Hadyn Stuyvesant had quiteconclusively, though unwittingly, settled that point when he presentedthe superb sign, with its gleaming gold letters, to the newly openedlunch counter in the Arcade. Mrs. Carruth tried to persuade Mammy totake the name of her lately restored spouse, and be known thenceforth asMrs. Charles Devon; but Mammy had scornfully stammered: "D-d-drap deBlairsdale? Never! I was borned a Blairsdale, lived a Blairsdaleeighteen year befo' I hooked on de Devon, an' den hatter onhook itinside of fo' months; den I lived fo'ty-seben years wid de Blairsdalename befo' I foun' out dat I had claim ter any odder. So what fo' I drapit now? Dey ain't no name kin leave it behine as I knows on. Devon's agood one, I knows, and down yonder where we-all was borned at it dostan' high for a fac', but it cyant rare up its head like de Blairsdalename kin. No, sir! Devon can hook on to de Blairsdale all right an'straight if it got a min' ter; but I ain't never gwine let it _lead_ itno mo', an' I's a-gwine ter let Charles lead _me_." As the possibilityof Charles ever leading Mammy seemed more than visionary, Mrs. Carruthgave up the argument. Besides, she had many other things to occupy herthoughts. In the fall of 19-- Eleanor had entered college, and within thepresent college year would graduate with well won honors. From themoment she entered she resolved to be independent so far as her personalneeds were concerned. The tuition fees were paid by her great-aunt, Mrs.Eleanor Maxwell Carruth. Those she accepted because Mrs. Carruth, Sr.,was amply able to meet them, but further than that she had resolved tobe independent and she had been. The first year was the hardest; afreshman's possibilities are circumscribed; Sophomore year brought withit broader opportunities; Junior year established her place in thecollege world beyond all argument, and now with senior year her triumphand success lay close at hand. Moreover, this last year was being mademuch easier for her by Constance's success in her candy kitchen. Thesame autumn that Eleanor entered college Constance, in spite of Mammy'sprotests and opposition, had branched out on a scale to outrage all theold colored woman's instincts and traditions. But Mammy had stormed andscolded in vain, the addition to her little four-roomed cabin was builtby Haydn Stuyvesant, all Constance's practical ideas for the needs ofsuch a kitchen being followed out to the minutest detail. He admired thegirl's pluck and enterprise too much to bar her progress in any way, inspite of the fact that Mammy had sought to dissuade him from encouragingher in venturing further into the commercial world. Mammy had actuallygone to Haydn's office to "ketch a word in private," as she put it.Finding all argument with Constance futile, she played what she hopedwould prove her trump card. Haydn had listened with all deference to herarguments against "dat chile a-goin' on so scan'lous, an' a-startin' outfer ter make sweet stuff fer all creation, when dar's mo' sweet stuff inde shops dis minit dan folks kin swaller if dey stuff desefs de wholeendurin' time."
"But, Mammy," Haydn had replied, as he looked kindly at the troubled oldface before him, "you know none can equal Miss Constance's. It would bea downright piece of cruelty to deprive us all of our Saturday treat."
"Den let her go 'long de way she's been a-goin'; let her make it downyonder in her Ma's kitchen, an' sell it in de Arcyde, jus' lak she beena-doin' all dese months. She ain't got no call fer to earn any mo'money'n she's a-earnin' right now. Ain't me an' Charles a-comin' 'longright spry wid our lunch counter in dar?" she insisted, with a nod ofher turbaned head toward the section of the building in which she andCharles had carried on a flourishing trade ever since the immaculatecounter had displayed its tempting viands to those who passed along theArcade, and who were not slow to avail themselves of Mammy's wonderfulart of cookery, or to bring their friends to enjoy it also.
"Yes, Mammy, you and Charles are real wonders to all who know you; butcan't you understand why a girl of Miss Constance's type would never behappy if dependent upon others? Why, with all her young and splendidhealth, strength and energy, she must have some outlet for herambition."
"Den let her go a-frolickin' lak her Ma did when she was mos' sixteen!Let her go a-horsebackin' and a-dancin' at parties, an' a-picnicin' andall dose t'ings what a girl lak her ought ter be a-doin'. Wha' yous'pose ma ol' Massa Blairsdale say an' do if he could come
back an' seede doin's in our house? Gawd-a-mighty, I wouldn't crave ter be aroun' ifhe come along unbeknownst an' see Miss Jinny's chillern grubbin' 'longin candy kitchens and teachin' oder folks' chillern, and hikin' all oberde kentryside peddlin' candy. He ax me fust, 'Mammy, yo'no count ol'nigger, wha' you been about?' An den he bang ma haid clean off!"
"I hardly think so, Mammy. The head and the heart have given too much tothose he loved. But don't be troubled about Miss Constance. Rememberthis: no matter what she chooses to do, she will remain the sweetest ofgentlewomen to the end of the story. You little guess the respect shealready inspires in all who know her, if she is but sixteen. Let me helpher by arranging her kitchen just as her practical little head hasplanned it all. It is the least I can do. Miss Willing will bear thebrunt of the hard work this winter, leaving Miss Constance free tofinish her high-school-course. It is a wise plan all around and a kinderone than you realize. The Arcade telephone switchboard was no place fora girl like Mary Willing, and to have been instrumental in removing herfrom the temptations she was sure to meet there is a more beautifulcharity than those blazoned at large in the daily papers. Don't thwartit, Mammy. Let the little girl down yonder go on with her good work; shedoesn't realize how far-reaching it is: perhaps she will never learn.Her mother does, however, and is using a very fine instrument to bringthe work to perfection."
Mammy had sat very silent all the time, her old face wearing a puzzledexpression, her keen eyes fixed upon a paper cutter which lay uponHaydn's desk, her lips pursed up doubtfully. Haydn did not break thesilence; he only watched. After a few moments she looked up, gave aperplexed sigh, and said:
"Well, sah, p'raps yo' is right. P'raps yo' is. I ain't nothin' but a'ole nigger woman, but, bress Gawd, I loves ma white folks, an' I hatesfer ter see de ole times so twisted up wid de new ideas, I sartain'does. It goes against de grain p'intedly."
"I can understand all that, dear old Mammy, but you mark my words, theresults will justify the deeds."
So Mammy gave up the argument, though she was far from resigned to theplans.
And thus had the enterprise grown. Constance finished her year at thehigh-school, Mary Willing was established in the model little candykitchen, with all its practical little appointments, and before long wasnearly as proficient as Constance herself, and quite as enthusiastic.One year slipped by and another followed it. Then a third was added tothe number, until now, with the autumn of 19-- Constance was nineteenyears old and Eleanor twenty-one.
Neither has changed a great deal. Eleanor's three years in the collegeworld have given her greater poise and independence, a more maturedoutlook upon life, but the old Eleanor Carruth is still in evidence.
Constance had grown taller, the slight figure is more rounded, thoughstill girlish. She still has the wonderfully sweet, frank expression, inspite of her two years out in the business world, for after hergraduation she took firmer hold than ever of her business venture andbranched out in many directions. New booths were opened in adjacenttowns, private orders were filled for patrons in New York City, holidayconsignments were made to more remote ones, to which her fame had spreadthrough friends and friends' friends. Of course some losses had beensustained, but in comparison with her output and returns they weretrivial, and her success was an established fact. But the workcontinued, her aim being absolute independence for her mother, and forJean the home and the atmosphere their mother had formerly known andloved.
And the silent partner of the firm, old Baltie, how had the three yearsdealt with him? A horse which has attained twenty-five years and issightless is supposed to be out of the running, but Baltie livedapparently to prove the fallacy of such a supposition. At twenty-eighthe was younger and more active than at twenty-four, his age when rescuedby Jean. Nothing could restore his sight, but with each year his hearingseemed to have grown keener, and the ears were as sensitive as a wildanimal's. But Baltie needs a chapter to himself.