Part 46 (2/2)

It's only a room we take, where the work is given in to do. If we had one anywhere else, we should expect to fix up and settle in it according to our own notions, and why not there? We're rent free, and paid for our work. I'm going to have things of my own; personal property. If I want a chandelier, I'll save up and get one; only I sha'n't want it. There's ways to contrive, Kate; and real fun doing it.”

An hour afterward, they were on their way back, with their leather bags.

Baby Karen was asleep, and Mrs. Scherman came down-stairs to let them in again, with Marmaduke holding to her hand, and Sinsie hopping along behind. They all went into the kitchen together.

Mrs. McCormick had ”cleared it up,” so that there was at least a surface tidiness and cheerfulness. The floor was freshly scrubbed, the table-tops scoured down, the fire made, and the gas lighted.

Mrs. McCormick had gone home, to be ready for her own husband and her two ”boys” when they should come in from their work to their suppers.

The kitchen was in an L; there were two windows looking out upon a bricked yard. Bel Bree kept the points of the compa.s.s in her head.

”Those are south windows,” said she. ”We can have plants in them.

And it's real nice their opening out on a level.”

Forward, the house ran underground. They used the front bas.e.m.e.nt for a store-room. Above the kitchen, in the L, was the dining-room. A short, separate flight of stairs led to it; also a dumb waiter ran up and down between china closet and kitchen pantry. Both kitchen and dining-room were small; the L had only the width of the hall and the additional s.p.a.ce to where the first window opened in the western wall.

In one corner of the kitchen were set tubs; a long cover slid over them, and formed a sideboard. Opposite, beside the fire-place, were sink and boiler; between the windows, a white-topped table. There were four dark painted wooden chairs. A clock over the table, and a rolling-towel beside the sink; green Holland window-shades; these were the only adornments and drapery. There was a closet at each end of the room.

”Will you go up to your room now, or wait till after tea?” asked Mrs. Scherman.

”We might take up our things, now,” said Bel, looking round at the four chairs. ”They would be in the way here, perhaps.”

Kate took up her bag from the table.

”We can find the room,” she said, ”if you will direct us.”

”Up three flights; two from the dining-room; the back chamber. You can stop at my room as you come down, and we will think about tea.

Mr. Scherman will soon be home; and I should like to surprise him with something very comfortable.”

The girls found their way up-stairs.

The room, when they reached it, looked pleasant, though bare. The sun had gone below the horizon, beyond the river which they could not see; but the western light still shone in across the roofs.

There were window-seats in the two windows, uncus.h.i.+oned. A square of clean, but faded carpet was laid down before the bed and reached to the table,--simple maple-stained pine, uncovered,--that stood beneath a looking-gla.s.s in a maple frame, between the windows. There were three maple-stained chairs in the room. A door into a good, deep closet stood open; there was a low grate in the chimney, unused of course, with no fire-irons about it, and some sc.r.a.ps of refuse thrown into it and left there; this was the only actual untidiness about the room, where there was not the first touch of cosiness or comfort. The only depth of color was in a heavy woven dark-blue and white counterpane upon the bed.

”Now, Kate Sencerbox, shut up!” said Bel Bree, turning round upon her, after the first comprehensive glance, as Kate came in last, and closed the door.

Kate put her m.u.f.f down on the bed, folded her hands meekly, and looked at Bel with a mischievous air that said plainly enough ”Ain't I?” and which she would not falsify by speech.

”Yes, I know you are; but--_stay_ shut up! All this isn't as it is a going to be,--though it's _not_ bad even now!”

Kate resolutely stayed shut up.

”You see that carpet is just put there; within this last hour, I dare say. Look at the clean ravel in the end. They've taken away the old, tramped one. That's a piece out of saved-up spare ends of breadths, left after some turn-round or make-over, I know! It's faded, and it's homely; but it's spandy clean! I sha'n't let it stay raveled long. And I've got things. Just wait till my trunk comes. My ottoman, I mean. That's what it turns into. Have you got a stuffed cover to your trunk, Katie?”

Kate lifted up her eyebrows for permission to break silence.

”Of course you can, when you're asked a question. You've had time now for second thoughts. I wasn't going to let you fly right out with discouragements.”

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