Part 146 (1/2)
”How do you come to be so competent in house-work?” said I; ”I thought you were a bookkeeper.”
Then Dodo smiled her large bright smile. ”Morton, dear,” she said, ”I will now tell you a Secret! I have always intended to marry, and, as far as possible, I learned the business. I am a business woman, you know.”
She certainly did know her business. She kept the household accounts like--well, like what she was--an expert accountant. When she furnished the kitchen she installed a good reliable set of weights and measures.
She weighed the ice and the bread, she measured the milk and the potatoes, and made firm, definite, accurate protests when things went wrong; even sending samples of queer cream to the Board of Health for a.n.a.lysis. What with my business stationery and her accurate figures our letters were strangely potent, and we were well supplied, while our friends sadly and tamely complained of imposture and extortion.
Her largest item of expense in furnis.h.i.+ng was a first-cla.s.s sewing machine, and a marvellous female figure, made to measure, which stood in a corner and served as a ”cloak tree” when not in use.
”You don't propose to make your own clothes, surely?” said I when this headless object appeared.
”Some of 'em,” she admitted, ”you'll see. Of course I can't dress for society.”
Now I had prepared myself very conscientiously to meet the storms and shallows of early married life, as I had read about them; I was bound I would not bring home anybody to dinner without telephoning, and was prepared to a.s.sure my wife verbally, at least twice a day, that I loved her. She antic.i.p.ated me on the dinner business, however.
”Look here!” she said, leading me to the pantry, when it was filled to her liking, and she showed me a special corner all marked off and labelled ”For Emergencies.” There was a whole outfit of eatables and drinkables in gla.s.s and tin.
”Now do your worst!” she said triumphantly. ”You can bring home six men in the middle of the night--and I'll feed them! But you mustn't do it two nights in succession, for I'd have to stock up again.”
As to tears and nervousness and ”did I love her,” I was almost, sometimes, a bit disappointed in Dodo, she was so calm. She was happy, and I was happy, but it seemed to require no effort at all.
One morning I almost forgot, and left the elevator standing while I ran back to kiss her and say ”I love you, dearest.” She held me off from her with her two strong hands and laughed tenderly. ”Dear boy!” she said, ”I mean you shall.”
I meditated on that all the way downtown.
She meant I should. Well, I did. And the next time one of my new-married friends circuitously asked for a bit of light on what was to him a dark and perplexing question, I suddenly felt very light-hearted about my domestic affairs. Somehow we hadn't any troubles at all. Dodo kept well; we lived very comfortably and it cost far less than I had antic.i.p.ated.
”How did you know how to train a servant?” I asked my wife.
”Dear,” said she, ”I have admitted to you that I always intended to be married, when I found the man I could love and trust and honor.” (Dodo overestimates my virtues, of course.)
”Lots of girls intend to marry,” I interposed.
”Yes, I know they do,” she agreed, ”they want to love and he loved, but they don't learn their business! Now the business of house-work is not so abstruse nor so laborious, if you give your mind to it. I took an evening-course in domestic economy, read and studied some, and spent one vacation with an aunt of mine up in Vermont who 'does her own work.'
The next vacation I did ours. I learned the trade in a small way.”
We had a lovely time that first year. She dressed fairly well, but the smallness of her expense account was a standing marvel, owing to the machine and the Headless One.
”Did you take a course in dressmaking, too?” I inquired.
”Yes, in another vacation.”
”You had the most industrious vacations of anyone I ever knew,” said I, ”and the most varied.”
”I am no chicken, you see, my dear,” was her cheerful reply, ”and I like to work. You work, why shouldn't I?”
The only thing I had to criticize, if there was anything, was that Dodo wouldn't go to the theatre and things like that, as often as I wanted her to. She said frankly that we couldn't afford it, and why should I want to go out for amus.e.m.e.nt when we had such a happy home? So we stayed at home a good deal, made a few calls, and played cards together, and were very happy, of course.
All this time I was in more or less anxiety lest that thousand dollar baby should descend upon us before we were ready, for I had only six hundred in the bank now. Presently this dread event loomed awe-inspiringly on our horizon. I didn't say anything to Dodo about my fears, she must on no account be rendered anxious, but I lay awake nights and sometimes got up furtively and walked the floor in my room, thinking how I should raise the money.
She heard me one night. ”Dear!” she called softly. ”What are you doing? Is it burglars?”