Part 12 (1/2)

”What's the 'if'” asked Miss Orella, looking worried.

”Question of character,” he answered. ”She's about forty-five, with a boy of sixteen or so. He's not over bright, but a willing worker.

She's a good woman--from one standpoint. She won't leave that boy nor give him up to strangers; but she has a past!”

”What is her present?” Dr. Bellair asked, ”that's the main thing.”

Dr. Hale clapped her approvingly on the shoulder, but looked doubtingly toward Miss Orella.

”And what's her future if somebody don't help her?” Vivian urged.

”Can she cook?” asked Grandma.

”Is she a safe person to have in the house?” inquired Dr. Bellair meaningly.

”She can cook,” he replied. ”She's French, or of French parentage. She used to keep a little--place of entertainment. The food was excellent.

She's been a patient of mine--off and on--for five years--and I should call her perfectly safe.”

Miss Orella still looked worried. ”I'd like to help her and the boy, but would it--look well? I don't want to be mean about it, but this is a very serious venture with us, Dr. Hale, and I have these girls with me.”

”With you and Dr. Bellair and Mrs. Pettigrew the young ladies will be quite safe, Miss Elder. As to the woman's present character, she has suffered two changes of heart, she's become a religious devotee--and a man-hater! And from a business point of view, I a.s.sure you that if Jeanne Jeaune is in your kitchen you'll never have a room empty.”

”Johnny Jones! queer name for a woman!” said Grandma. They repeated it to her carefully, but she only changed to ”Jennie June,” and adhered to one or the other, thereafter. ”What's the boy's name?” she asked further.

”Theophile,” Dr. Hale replied.

”Huh!” said she.

”Why don't she keep an eating-house still?” asked Dr. Bellair rather suspiciously.

”That's what I like best about her,” he answered. ”She is trying to break altogether with her past. She wants to give up 'public life'--and private life won't have her.”

They decided to try the experiment, and found it worked well.

There were two bedrooms over the kitchen where ”Mrs. Jones” as Grandma generally called her, and her boy, could be quite comfortable and by themselves; and although of a somewhat sour and unsociable aspect, and fiercely watchful lest anyone offend her son, this questionable character proved an unquestionable advantage. With the boy's help, she cooked for the houseful, which grew to be a family of twenty-five. He also wiped dishes, helped in the laundry work, cleaned and scrubbed and carried coal; and Miss Elder, seeing his steady usefulness, insisted on paying wages for him too. This unlooked for praise and gain won the mother's heart, and as she grew more at home with them, and he less timid, she encouraged him to do the heavier cleaning in the rest of the house.

”Huh!” said Grandma. ”I wish more sane and moral persons would work like that!”

Vivian watched with amazement the swift filling of the house.

There was no trouble at all about boarders, except in discriminating among them. ”Make them pay in advance, Rella,” Dr. Bellair advised, ”it doesn't cost them any more, and it is a great convenience. 'References exchanged,' of course. There are a good many here that I know--you can always count on Mr. d.y.k.eman and Fordham Grier, and John Unwin.”

Before a month was over the place was full to its limits with what Sue called ”a.s.sorted boarders,” the work ran smoothly and the business end of Miss Elder's venture seemed quite safe. They had the twenty Dr.

Bellair prophesied, and except for her, Mrs. Pettigrew, Miss Peeder, a teacher of dancing and music; Mrs. Jocelyn, who was interested in mining, and Sarah Hart, who described herself as a ”journalist,” all were men.

Fifteen men to eight women. Miss Elder sat at the head of her table, looked down it and across the other one, and marvelled continuously.

Never in her New England life had she been with so many men--except in church--and they were more scattered. This houseful of heavy feet and broad shoulders, these deep voices and loud laughs, the atmosphere of interchanging jests and tobacco smoke, was new to her. She hated the tobacco smoke, but that could not be helped. They did not smoke in her parlor, but the house was full of it none the less, in which constant presence she began to reverse the Irishman's well known judgment of whiskey, allowing that while all tobacco was bad, some tobacco was much worse than others.