"And huntin' f'r eggs and swimmin' in the river and skatin' and gettin'
hickory nuts and all the apples you kin eat," persuaded Bobby, who had
evidently been listening to the Boarder's fancies of farm life.
"Thar's a school close by, and all the chillern kin go," said the mother
anxiously. "Mebby you kin git to teach it after a while, Amarilly."
"Oh, Amarilly!" cried Lily Rose ecstatically, "to think of all the
trees, and all the sky, and all the green grass and all the birds--oh,
Amarilly!"
Words failed Lily Rose, but she sighed a far-seeing blissful sigh of
exquisite happiness at her horoscope. The Boarder looked at her, his
heart eloquent in his eyes, but he said nothing.
"Amarilly," cried Cory, "we kin hev real flowers fer nuthin' and pies
and ice-cream, and we kin cuddle little chicks like ma told me, and make
daisy chains, and hev picnics in the woods. Oh--"
Words also proved inadequate to Co's anticipations.
"Amawilly, we kin play wiv little lambs," lisped Iry.
"Bud, you haven't made your speech, yet," said Amarilly, wistfully,
realizing that the majority was against her.
"Bud won't go till fall," said Mrs. Jenkins.
"Till fall!" cried Amarilly faintly. "Why, when are we going?"
"Next week," answered the Boarder jubilantly. "The folks want to leave
right away, and we must get busy plantin'. I went to Vedder's friend,
the real estate man, this mornin' as soon as I got back, and he says
it's a real bargain."
"But why isn't Bud going?"
"This morning," informed Mrs. Jenkins proudly, "Bud had an offer. As
soon as the theatre shuts down, Mr. Vedder is going to take Bud to a big
resort and manage him for the season. He'll git lots of money. I
wouldn't let Bud go off with no one else, but Mr. Vedder is so nice, and
he says when Bud goes to the country in the fall he kin come into the
city Saturday nights on the Interurban and sing in the choir Sundays and
come back Monday. He kin stay with him, Mr. Vedder says. And the country
air and the fresh milk and eggs, will make a diff'rent boy of him. It's
what the doctor says he'd orter hev."
"Then, we'll go, of course," declared Amarilly resolutely.
"And, Amarilly," said the Boarder gravely, "your ma ain't said why she
wanted to go, but think of the diff'rence it will make in her life. To
be sure, she will have to work hard, but with you, Lily Rose, and Co to
help her, it won't be so hard, and it'll be higher class work than
slushing around in tubs and water, and she'll hev good feedin' and good
air, and we'll all feel like we was folks and our own bosses."