Part 2 (1/2)
Before she had made an inquiry, she heard a squeal from Amy Lou and turned to see if Doris were having trouble with her. But it had been a happy squeal, not a cross one. There was Father, with his baby in his arms and Doris holding to one hand! A very thankful girl ran back to her family.
”I'm so sorry, Betty,” said Mr. Lee, ”that you have had this wait and worry. I had expected to meet you right at the train and take you to our own car. Come on. We'll talk after we get started. It was an important business conference and I could not leave early. Then traffic was heavy and it was farther to the station from our office that I thought. That was all.”
Watching for trucks, street-cars and machines of all sorts, they made their way to where the new car was parked. Exclamations of delight pleased Mr. Lee. d.i.c.k wanted to know all about it. It was not of a highly expensive make, but as their father said, it would hold them all.
”I almost need a smaller one, too,” said he, explaining, ”though I'm not on the sales end of affairs. They've done me the honor to put me among the executives, kiddies, and ask me to tell how I managed to do so well in my little factory. I told the president, that it was nothing, only quality of goods and good management; but he had me discuss products and management at this conference.”
”Good for you, Pop!” said d.i.c.k.
”But I'm going to ask you all to help me, children. To make this change and to live in a city is going to draw heavily on what I had saved. In fact, there isn't any too much left, except some property in the home town. So don't get any big ideas of what we can do here in the way of living like some of the people you will see.”
”Aren't there any folks just like us, Papa?” asked Doris, rather bewildered. They had started now and slowly Mr. Lee was driving the car, up a hill and behind an immense truck.
”Plenty of them, Doris, and thousands not half so well off.”
The children were now too much interested in their surroundings to ask questions. Their father explained a little about some of the streets through which they pa.s.sed, and pointed out some of the buildings, though he was not yet familiar with the city and was compelled to keep to well-known thoroughfares on his way out to the suburb where they were to live. ”This is what they call 'downtown,'” said he. ”When your mother and I considered locations near we found nothing suitable. So we are out where we can have a few flowers in the yard at least.”
Betty looked with ”all her eyes,” as she said. Streams of cars filled the streets. Her father watched the lights carefully and was prepared to get out of the way when a reckless driver shot in front of him, almost shaving a street car. ”Hey, you!” exclaimed d.i.c.k, but the man could not hear. ”Why, if you hadn't swerved to the right that fellow would have hit us!”
”Yes, d.i.c.k. He was either intoxicated, or just reckless. There are many such in the city.”
But in spite of what tired Betty considered several narrow escapes, they successfully reached the suburb desired, where rows of houses, some of brick, some of frame, some of stone, had a bit of yard in front and behind; and on the porch of one there stood a slender and familiar figure.
”Mamma!” cried Amy Lou, wiggling down from between Betty and Doris. But Betty kept a stout hold upon her little sister until the car stopped in front. ”I'll let you girls out here,” said Mr. Lee, ”but d.i.c.k may come with me to the garage.”
Amy Louise flew to her mother, while the other two girls walked briskly up the short distance from the barberry hedge to the porch. The house was of brick, well-built and attractive. ”Why, this is real nice, Mother!” exclaimed Betty, the last to be embraced, but as warmly welcomed. Betty was trying to remember to call her parents Father and Mother, since some one had told her it was more dignified.
They entered a hall of fair size, then a large front room with a big window in it, the piano in the right spot, a fireplacewhy, it would be home after all! Familiar rugs and furniture met Betty's eyes. Of them her last view had been what Betty called ”ghastly,” all done up ready to be moved in that horrid truck. But the ”horrid truck” had brought them unmarred to their present position. Here were all of their treasuresand each other.
”I don't believe, after all, Mother,” said she, looking around, ”that _walls_ make so, so _much_ difference!”
”Not with our own pictures on them,” replied Mother, understanding. ”I wish that all you could have helped me decide where to put things; but if you girls think of any good changes, we shall make them.”
”Did you have a very dreadful time to find a place?” asked Doris.
”It was not easy. An apartment house did not seem to be the best place for children. This is not one of the most modern houses, but there are enough bedrooms, hard to find, and something of a kitchen. I could not imagine myself cooking for this family in some of the tiny kitchenettes we saw. We shall be comfortable, I think.
”We have the whole first floor. It is just a big house made into two apartments or flats. Only two people are above us. There are two furnaces and we have our own gas and electricity. We are to look after the yard. Running the lawn mower will be d.i.c.k's job.” Mrs. Lee looked teasingly at d.i.c.k as she spoke.
”I thought I'd get out of that in a city,” returned d.i.c.k; but he did not seem to mind the proposition very much. He was still thinking of the new car, though he had been content to leave more detailed examinations until the next day. ”The thing that's most like home,” continued d.i.c.k, ”is that good smell of cooking in an oven somewhere. Is it a roast, Mother? Yes, and I smell cookies!”
”Right, son,” and Mrs. Lee led the way to the kitchen, where cookies still warm from the baking were to be nibbled by hungry travelers. They would still have things to eat in the city!
Still further investigation disclosed a ”den,” which had become a sleeping room for d.i.c.k; a dressing room off the main bedroom, making a safe and cosy place for Amy Lou's bed, and a good bedroom for Doris and Betty. A large bathroom was at the end of the hall. ”You haven't any idea, children, how thankful I was to find this, with enough room, all on one floor, and nice and clean, with new plumbing!”
Betty looked thoughtfully at her mother. It was new to her to think about homes, which, so far as she had ever thought, grew upon bushes.
And that rent was terrible. Wouldn't it take more than Papa earned? Her mother a.s.sured her that it would not, but remarked that the increase in income did not amount to as much as they had supposed, because of increased expenses.
”Let's go back,” said Betty, reacting to her first lesson in economic lines. But she was laughing.
”You know you wouldn't do it for anything, Betty Lee,” cried Doris. ”I'm just as glad as I can be. Won't it be great to go to all these wonderful places?” This was after their mother had suddenly left them in their room, to answer a call from her husband.