Speaker 1: Chapter twenty four of Cloudy Jewel. This is a LibriVox recording.
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Speaker 1: by Tera Mendoza. Cloudy Jewel by Grace Livingston Hill, Chapter
Speaker 1: twenty four. Guardy Lud was the first visitor, just for
Speaker 1: a night in a day. He had come east for
Speaker 1: a flying business trip and could not pass by his
Speaker 1: beloved wards without at least a glimpse. He dropped down
Speaker 1: into their midst quite unexpectedly the night before college closed,
Speaker 1: and found them with a bevy of young people at
Speaker 1: the supper table, who opened their ranks right hardily and
Speaker 1: took him in. He sat on the terrace in the
Speaker 1: moonlight with them afterwards, joking, telling them stories, and eating
Speaker 1: chocolates with the rest. When they gathered about the piano
Speaker 1: for a sing, he joined in with a good old tenor,
Speaker 1: surprising them all by knowing a lot of the songs
Speaker 1: they sang. After the young people were gone, he lingered,
Speaker 1: wiping his eyes and saying, bless my soul. Thoughtfully, he
Speaker 1: told Julia Cloud over and over again how more than
Speaker 1: pleased he was with what she had done for his children,
Speaker 1: and insisted that her salary should be twice as large.
Speaker 1: He told her she was a big success and should
Speaker 1: have more money at her command to do with as
Speaker 1: she pleased, and that he wanted the children to have
Speaker 1: a larger allowance during the coming year. Allison had spoken
Speaker 1: of his work among the young people with the church,
Speaker 1: and he felt that it would have been the wish
Speaker 1: of their father and mother both that the young people
Speaker 1: should give liberally toward church work. He would see that
Speaker 1: a sum was set aside in the bank for their
Speaker 1: use in any such plans as they might have for
Speaker 1: their Christian endeavor work. They talked far into the night,
Speaker 1: for he had to hear all the stories of all
Speaker 1: their doings, and every minute or two, one or the
Speaker 1: other of the children would break in to tell something
Speaker 1: about the other or to praise their dear Cloudy Jewel
Speaker 1: for her part in everything. The next day, they took
Speaker 1: him everywhere and showed him everything of about the college
Speaker 1: and the place, introduced him to their favorite professors, at
Speaker 1: least those who were not already gone on their vacations,
Speaker 1: and took him for a long drive past their favorite haunts.
Speaker 1: Then he had to meet Jane Bristol and Howard Letchworth.
Speaker 1: Julia Cloud was greatly relieved and delighted when he set
Speaker 1: his approval upon both of these young people as suitable
Speaker 1: friends for the children. They are both poor and earning
Speaker 1: their own living, said Julia Cloud, feeling that in view
Speaker 1: of the future and what it might contain, she wanted
Speaker 1: to be entirely honest that the weight of responsibility should
Speaker 1: not rest too heavily upon her. All the better for that,
Speaker 1: no doubt, said Guardy Lud, thoughtfully, watching Jane Bristol's sweet
Speaker 1: smile as she talked over some committee plans with Allison.
Speaker 1: I should say they were about as wholesome a couple
Speaker 1: of young people as could be found to match your two.
Speaker 1: Just keep em to that kind for a year or
Speaker 1: two more, and they'll choose that kind for life. I'm
Speaker 1: entirely satisfied with the work you're doing, miss Cloud. I
Speaker 1: couldn't have found a better mother for em if I'd
Speaker 1: searched heaven, I'm shure, and so Julia Cloud was well
Speaker 1: content to go on with her beloved work as home maker.
Speaker 1: But the day after Guardy Lud left, just as the
Speaker 1: three were sitting together over a great state map of roads,
Speaker 1: perfecting their plans for a wonderful vacation, which was to
Speaker 1: include a brief visit to Ellen Robinson at Sterling. A
Speaker 1: noisy Ford drew up at the door, and there was
Speaker 1: Ellen Robinson herself, with the entire family done up in
Speaker 1: linen dust coats and peering curiously, half contemptuously at the
Speaker 1: strange pink and white architecture of the many windowed villa.
Speaker 1: Allison arose and went down the terrace to do the honors,
Speaker 1: showing his uncle where to drive in and put his
Speaker 1: car in the little garage, helping his aunt and the
Speaker 1: little cousins to alight. For mercy's sake, Julia, what a
Speaker 1: queer house you've got, said Ellen the minute she arrived,
Speaker 1: gazing disapprovingly at the many windows and the brick terrace.
Speaker 1: I should think twould take all your time to keep clean.
Speaker 1: What's the idea in making a sight walk of your
Speaker 1: front porch? Looks as if some crazy person had built it.
Speaker 1: Couldn't you find anything better than this in the town.
Speaker 1: I saw some real pretty frame houses with gardens as
Speaker 1: we came through. We like this very well, said Julia
Speaker 1: Cloud with her old patient smile and the hurt flush
Speaker 1: that always accompanied her answers to her sister's contempt. Cherry
Speaker 1: doesn't seem to mind washing windows. She likes to keep
Speaker 1: them bright. We find it very comfortable and light and airy.
Speaker 1: Come inside and see how pretty it is once inside.
Speaker 1: Ellen Robinson was somewhat awed with the strangeness of the
Speaker 1: rooms and the beauty of the furnishings, but all she
Speaker 1: said after a prolonged survey was humm, no paper on
Speaker 1: the wall. That's queer, isn't it. And the chimney right
Speaker 1: in the room. It looks as though they didn't have
Speaker 1: plaster enough to go around. Leslie took the children upstairs
Speaker 1: to wash their faces and freshen up, and Julia Cloud
Speaker 1: led her sister to the lovely guest room that was
Speaker 1: always in perfect order. Well you certainly have things well fixed,
Speaker 1: said Ellen grudgingly. What easy little stairs. It's like child's
Speaker 1: play going up. I suppose that's one consolation for having
Speaker 1: such a little playhouse affair to live in. You don't
Speaker 1: have to climb up far. Well, we've come to stay
Speaker 1: two days if you want us, Herbert said he could
Speaker 1: spare that much time off and we're going to stop
Speaker 1: in Thayerville on the way back and see his folks
Speaker 1: a couple of days, and that'll be a week now.
Speaker 1: If you don't want us, say so, and we'll go
Speaker 1: on to night. It isn't as if we couldn't go
Speaker 1: when we like, you know. But Julia Cloud was genuinely
Speaker 1: glad to see her sister, and said so heartily enough
Speaker 1: to satisfy even so jealous a nature as Ellen's. And
Speaker 1: so presently they were walking about the pretty rooms together,
Speaker 1: and Ellen was taking in all the beauties of the home.
Speaker 1: And this is your bedroom. She paused in the middle
Speaker 1: of the rose and gray room and looked about her,
Speaker 1: taking in every little detail with an eye that would
Speaker 1: put it away for remembrance long afterwards. Well they certainly
Speaker 1: have feathered your nest well, she declared, as her eyes
Speaker 1: rested on the luxury everywhere. Though I don't like that
Speaker 1: painted furniture much myself, she said, as she glanced at
Speaker 1: the French gray enamel of the bed. But I suppose
Speaker 1: it's all right if that's the kind of thing you like.
Speaker 1: Was it some of their old furniture from California? Oh? No,
Speaker 1: said Julia Cloud quickly. The pretty flush coming in her cheeks.
Speaker 1: Everything was bought new, except a few little bits of
Speaker 1: mahogany downstairs. We had such fun choosing it too. Don't
Speaker 1: you like my furniture? I love it. I hovered around
Speaker 1: it again and again, but I didn't dream of having
Speaker 1: it in my room. It was so expensive. It's real
Speaker 1: French enamel, you know, and happens to be a craze
Speaker 1: of fashion at present. I thought it was ridiculous to
Speaker 1: buy it, but Leslie insisted that it was the only
Speaker 1: thing for my room, and those crazy extravagant children went
Speaker 1: and bought it when I had my head turned. You
Speaker 1: don't say, said Ellen Robinson, putting a hard investigating finger
Speaker 1: on the foot board. Well, it does seem sort of smooth.
Speaker 1: But I never thought my cane seat chairs were much
Speaker 1: Guess I'll have to get 'em out and varnish em.
Speaker 1: What's that out there? A porch? Julia Cloud led her
Speaker 1: out to the upper porch, with its rush rugs, willow
Speaker 1: chairs and table, and its stone wall crowned with blooming
Speaker 1: plants and trailing vines. She showed her the bird's nest
Speaker 1: in the tree overhead. Well, said Ellen, half sourly. I
Speaker 1: suppose there's no chance of your getting sick of it
Speaker 1: all and coming back. And I must say I don't
Speaker 1: blame you. It certainly is a contrast from the way
Speaker 1: you've lived up to now. But these children will grow
Speaker 1: up and get married, and then where will you be.
Speaker 1: I suppose you have chances here of getting married, haven't you.
Speaker 1: The color flamed into Julia Cloud's cheeks in a good earnest.
Speaker 1: Now I'm not looking for such chances, Ellen, she said decidedly.
Speaker 1: I don't intend ever to marry. I'm happier as I am, yes,
Speaker 1: But after these children are married, what'll you do? Who'll
Speaker 1: support you? Don't let that worry you, Ellen. There are
Speaker 1: other children, and I love to mother them. But as
Speaker 1: far as support is concerned, I'm putting away money in
Speaker 1: the bank constantly, more than I ever expected to have
Speaker 1: all together in life. And I shall not trouble anybody
Speaker 1: for support. However, I hope to be able to work
Speaker 1: for a good many years. Yet, and what I am
Speaker 1: doing now I love. Shall we go downstairs? Have Allison
Speaker 1: and Leslie got any sweethearts yet? She asked pryingly as
Speaker 1: she followed her sister down the stairs. I suppose they
Speaker 1: have by this time. They have a great many young friends,
Speaker 1: and we have beautiful times together, but you won't see
Speaker 1: many of them now college clothes. Last week, for two
Speaker 1: long days, Allison and Leslie devoted themselves religiously to their relatives,
Speaker 1: taking them here and there in the car, showing them
Speaker 1: over the college and the town, and trying in all
Speaker 1: the ways they knew to make them have a good time.
Speaker 1: But when at last the two days and nights were
Speaker 1: over and the Robinsons had piled into their car and
Speaker 1: started away with grudging thanks for the efforts in their behalf,
Speaker 1: Leslie sat on the terrace musingly, and at last quite shyly,
Speaker 1: she said, Cloudy, Dear, what makes such a difference in people?
Speaker 1: Why are some so much harder to make have a
Speaker 1: good time than others? Why I feel as if I'd
Speaker 1: lived years since day before yesterday, and I don't feel
Speaker 1: as if they'd half enjoyed anything. I really wanted to
Speaker 1: make them happy, for I felt as if we'd taken
Speaker 1: so much from them when we took you. But I
Speaker 1: just seemed to fail everything I did. Julia Cloud smiled.
Speaker 1: I don't know what it is, dear, unless it is
Speaker 1: that some people have different ideals and standards from other people,
Speaker 1: and they can't find their pleasure the same way. Your
Speaker 1: aunt Ellen always wanted to have a lot of people around,
Speaker 1: and liked to go to tea parties and dress a
Speaker 1: great deal, and she never cared for reading or study
Speaker 1: or music. But I think you're mistaken about their not
Speaker 1: having had a good time. They appreciated your trying to
Speaker 1: do things for them, I know, for aunt Ellen said
Speaker 1: to me that you were a very thoughtful girl. And
Speaker 1: the children enjoyed the Victrola, especially the funny records. Herbert
Speaker 1: liked it that Allison let him drive his car when
Speaker 1: they went out. They enjoyed the eating too, I know.
Speaker 1: Even though Ellen did say she shouldn't care to have
Speaker 1: her meals cooked by a servant, she should want to
Speaker 1: be sure they were clean. Did she truly say that
Speaker 1: Cloudy twinkled Leslie? Isn't she funny? They both broke down
Speaker 1: and laughed. But I'm glad they came Cloudy, I truly am.
Speaker 1: It was nice to play with the children, and nice
Speaker 1: to have a home to show our relatives, and nicest
Speaker 1: of all, to have them see you how beautiful you are.
Speaker 1: At the head of the house, dear flattering child, said
Speaker 1: Julia Cloud lovingly. It is so good to know you
Speaker 1: feel that way. But now here comes Allison, and we
Speaker 1: must finish up our plans for the trip and get
Speaker 1: ready to close the house for the summer. They had
Speaker 1: a wonderful trip to mountains and lakes and seaside, staying
Speaker 1: as long as they pleased, wherever they liked, and everywhere,
Speaker 1: making friends and having good times. But toward the end
Speaker 1: of their trip, the children began to get restless for
Speaker 1: the little pink and white cottage and home. We really
Speaker 1: ought to get back and see how the Christian Endeavor
Speaker 1: Society is getting along, said Allison one day, as they
Speaker 1: glided through the little village that reminded them of home.
Speaker 1: I don't see any place as nice as our town,
Speaker 1: do you, Cloudy? And I don't feel quite right anywhere
Speaker 1: but home on Sunday? Do you? For? Really, all the
Speaker 1: Christian Endeavor societies I've been to this summer acted as
Speaker 1: if their members were all away on vacations, and they
Speaker 1: didn't care whether school kept or not. And so they
Speaker 1: went home to begin another happy winter. But the very
Speaker 1: first day there came a rift in their happiness. In
Speaker 1: the shape of the new professor of Chemistry, a man
Speaker 1: about Julia Cloud's age, whom Ellen Robinson had met on
Speaker 1: her visit to Thayerville and told about her sister. Ellen
Speaker 1: had suggested that maybe he could get her sister to
Speaker 1: take him to board. To this day, Julia Cloud has
Speaker 1: never decided whether Ellen really thought Julia would take a
Speaker 1: professor from the college to board, or whether she just
Speaker 1: sent him there as a joke. There was a third solution,
Speaker 1: which Julia Cloud kept in the back of her mind
Speaker 1: and only took out occasionally with an angry, troubled look
Speaker 1: when she was very much annoyed. It was that Ellen
Speaker 1: was still anxious to have her sister get married, and
Speaker 1: she had taken this way to get her acquainted with
Speaker 1: a man whom she thought a good match. If Julia
Speaker 1: had been sure that this idea had entered into her
Speaker 1: sister's thoughts, she might have slammed the door in Professor
Speaker 1: Armitage's face that night when he had the audacity to
Speaker 1: come and ask to be taken into Cloudy Villa as
Speaker 1: a boarder. Why the very idea, said Leslie with snapping eyes,
Speaker 1: as if we wanted a man always around No indeed horrors,
Speaker 1: wouldn't that be awful? But Professor Armitage, like everybody else
Speaker 1: who came once to Cloudy Villa, liked it and begged
Speaker 1: a thousand pardons for presuming, but came again and again
Speaker 1: until even the children began to like him in a
Speaker 1: way and did not in the least mind having him around.
Speaker 1: But the day came at last, about the middle of
Speaker 1: winter or nearer to the spring, when Leslie and Allison
Speaker 1: began to realize that Professor Armitage came to see their
Speaker 1: Cloudy Jewel, and they met in solemn conclave to talk
Speaker 1: it over. End of Chapter twenty four. Recording by Terra Mendoza, Phoenix, Arizona,
Speaker 1: April two thousand eleven.