Part 23 (1/2)
”And you've got everythin' you want in the world?”
”Charity, Charity, that ain't fair,” Madge put in. ”n.o.body has that; you haven't, and I haven't; why should Lois?”
”'Cos she says she's found 'a city where true joys abound;' now let's hear if she has.”
”Quite true,” said Lois, smiling.
”And you've got all you want?”
”No, I would like a good many things I haven't got, if it's the Lord's pleasure to give them.”
”Suppose it ain't?”
”Then I do not want them,” said Lois, looking up with so clear and bright a face that her carping sister was for the moment silenced. And I suppose Charity watched; but she never could find reason to think that Lois had not spoken the truth. Lois was the life of the house.
Madge was a handsome and quiet girl; could follow but rarely led in the conversation. Charity talked, but was hardly enlivening to the spirits of the company. Mrs. Armadale was in ordinary a silent woman; could talk indeed, and well, and much; however, these occasions were mostly when she had one auditor, and was in thorough sympathy with that one.
Amidst these different elements of the household life Lois played the part of the flux in a furnace; she was the happy accommodating medium through which all the others came into best play and found their full relations to one another. Lois's brightness and spirit were never dulled; her sympathies were never wearied; her intelligence was never at fault. And her work was never neglected. n.o.body had ever to remind Lois that it was time for her to attend to this or that thing which it was her charge to do. Instead of which, she was very often ready to help somebody else not quite so ”forehanded.” The garden took on fast its dressed and ordered look; the strawberries were uncovered; and the raspberries tied up, and the currant bushes trimmed; and pea-sticks and bean-poles bristled here and there promisingly. And then the green growths for which Lois had worked began to reward her labour. Radishes were on the tea-table, and lettuce made the dinner ”another thing;” and rows of springing beets and carrots looked like plenty in the future.
Potatoes were up, and rare-ripes were planted, and cabbages; and corn began to appear. One thing after another, till Lois got the garden all planted; and then she was just as busy keeping it clean. For weeds, we all know, do thrive as unaccountably in the natural as in the spiritual world. It cost Lois hard work to keep them under; but she did it.
Nothing would have tempted her to bear the reproach of them among her vegetables and fruits. And so the latter had a good chance, and throve.
There was not much time or much s.p.a.ce for flowers; yet Lois had a few.
Red poppies found growing room between the currant bushes; here and there at a corner a dahlia got leave to stand and rear its stately head. Rose-bushes were set wherever a rose-bush could be; and there were some balsams, and pinks, and balm, and larkspur, and marigolds.
Not many; however, they served to refresh Lois's soul when she went to pick vegetables for dinner, and they furnished nosegays for the table in the hall, or in the sitting-room, when the hot weather drove the family out of the kitchen.
Before that came June and strawberries. Lois picked the fruit always.
She had been a good while one very warm afternoon bending down among the strawberry beds, and had brought in a great bowl full of fruit. She and Madge came together to their room to wash hands and get in order for tea.
”I have worked over all that b.u.t.ter,” said Madge, ”and skimmed a lot of milk. I must churn again to-morrow. There is no end to work!”
”No end to it,” Lois a.s.sented. ”Did you see my strawberries?”
”No.”
”They are splendid. Those Black Princes are doing finely too. If we have rain they will be superb.”
”How many did you get to-day?”
”Two quarts, and more.”
”And cherries to preserve to-morrow. Lois, I get tired once in a while!”
”O, so do I; but I always get rested again.”
”I don't mean that. I mean it is _all_ work, work; day in and day out, and from one year's end to another. There is no let up to it. I get tired of that.”
”What would you have?”
”I'd like a little play.”