HUNTING A HOME
"We've found it," said Mary Lee, hurrying in one day.
Every one looked up. "Found what?" came a clamor of voices.
"The house. Mr. St. Nick and I have found the dearest place and he's
going to take you, mother, and Aunt Helen to see it. I know you will
like it."
"Oh, I want to go, too," cried the twins simultaneously.
"There will not be any use in your going unless we are really intending
to live there," remarked Nan oracularly. "Tell us about it, Mary Lee."
"Well, it's all on one floor, or means to be but isn't, because it is
on the side of a hill, and you do have to go up two or three steps to
the kitchen and dining-room."
"How funny to go up to a kitchen."
"It won't seem queer when you get used to it. There are trees all
around and a broad veranda just covered with roses and fuschias and
things. There is a living-room and ever so many bedrooms hitched on
here and there so that it is sort of uneven looking, but it is so
covered with vines that you like the unevenness. There is a garden and
orange trees, lots of them, and grapes and all sorts of things that we
hoped for."
Every one began to look interested. "Is it furnished?" asked Miss Helen.
"Yes, even to a piano and a dish-cloth hanging up in the kitchen. The
people who own it want to sell, but are willing to rent it to a good
tenant. Mr. Roberts knows them. The father has died and most of the
children are married so that those who are left want to go where the
others live. I believe there is only the mother and one daughter who
are left."
"Where is it? Very far?" asked Nan eagerly. "Could you and I go there
by ourselves?"
"You'd better not attempt it," said Mrs. Corner. "Wait till Mr.
Pinckney comes and we learn more."
Mr. Pinckney arrived early in the afternoon. The carriage which he
drove would seat but three others, so Nan, by reason of her superior
years, was given a place to the great disappointment of the twins. They
were comforted, however, by Mr. Pinckney's promise to take them the
following day, if it was decided that the house would suit.
"You couldn't both go, anyhow," Mary Lee reminded them, "so it will be
much better to wait."
"If Mr. St. Nick were not so fat I could sit with him and Nan," said
Jack.
"But he is fat, so there is no use if-ing," returned Mary Lee.
But though the twins were disappointed Nan was in her element. Such an
expedition appealed to her strongly; it had all the element of a voyage
of discovery and meant much. Up the hillside they drove, passing quaint
adobe houses of the old Spanish town, attracted by rose-embowered
cottages, peeping in at some more pretentious mansion within whose
grounds grew palms and tropical plants. "When you consider that the
city covers thirty-six square miles," remarked Mr. Pinckney, "you may
imagine that one can drive quite a distance before reaching the further
edge. The house we are to see is in the suburbs and we have some way to
go."
"Is it near Mrs. Roberts'?" asked Nan eagerly.
"Not very far; within easy walking distance; that is one of the
advantages, we think."
"There is the ocean," cried Nan, as a far-off glittering line of light
caught her eye.
"That it is truly," replied Mr. Pinckney, "and not so far off, either.
We are between what we might call 'the devil and the deep blue sea,'
for those mountains can be pretty wicked looking in a storm."
It was a fair scene as observed from their final point of view; the
river winding its way through a narrow passage between high hills, the
city stretching away like a park beautified by sheltering trees, and
for a background the mountains never changing yet ever changeful.
"If we had time I would suggest going a little further where we should
find a pretty little lake," said Mr. Pinckney. "We have come beyond our
destination, but I wanted you to see this view which you can reach very
easily from where we are going. Does it please you, ladies?"
"It is magnificent," said Miss Helen delightedly. "I am sure it will be
worth a great deal to be neighbors to such a spot as this."
They turned and drove slowly down hill till they reached a pleasant
quiet street where the picturesque house stood. Nan could not contain
her raptures but squealed out delightedly. "Oranges, our own! See them
on the trees. Oh, look at the flowers! Grape-vines, mother! Aunt Helen,
just look at that dear little orchard! Can that be an olive tree, a
real olive tree for us? And I am sure those are figs. I shall go wild
if I find anything more. No, I don't care anything about the inside, I
am so satisfied with the outside. Just let me prowl around the garden.
If it suits you in there it will suit me."
But left to herself she calmed down in a little while and followed the
others into the house. This proved to offer room enough, and, while
not furnished quite as Miss Helen would have had it, was sufficiently
comfortable and the question of taking it was decided then and there
to Nan's great delight. Mary Lee had not told the half. There were
pleasures in store of which she had not dreamed, Nan declared.
It did not take long to have the house put in order and to remove their
trunks to it, so in another week they were feeling quite at home. Then
came the question of a servant, though to the delight of the girls
the matter of lessons was not to be taken up just yet. Jack rebelled
against having a Chinese servant, but finally gave in when she was
promised that there should be no killing of chickens on the place and
that only those ready dressed should be brought from the market.
And therefore, one morning a bland, almond-eyed individual made his
appearance before breakfast. He had been engaged by Mrs. Roberts for
the Corners and came well recommended. Indeed Ming was a treasure and
both Mrs. Corner and Miss Helen congratulated themselves on having
found such a gem. But at the end of two weeks he suddenly announced
that he must go at once; he was "solly" but he had decided to go to
New York with a friend and open a laundry where he would make "heap
much money." Could he have an old umbrella which he had discovered
standing in the corner of the kitchen? He had heard that it rained a
great deal in New York and it would be so useful to him. The umbrella
was his, Mrs. Corner told him, and he departed, seemingly grateful and
regretful, after presenting each member of the family with a gift.
For a few days after this a procession of Chinamen walked in and out
the gate, but at last one was secured who seemed to offer the best
possibilities and peace reigned in the household.
"Why did you leave your last place?" was one of Mrs. Corner's first
questions.
"Heap too stinge," replied Li Hung blandly.
"Well, we are not that," said Miss Helen with a laugh as she nodded
to her sister, but in a private conference they decided that it would
not do to give out the groceries and such things to this sensitive
Chinaman, though it had been their custom at home to do so. "All of the
man's references lay stress upon his honesty," said Miss Helen, "and I
think we can risk it."
Li Hung, though not quite so capable as Ming, was nevertheless a
good-natured, kindly-disposed fellow, willing to do his best which best
was better than Mrs. Corner had found in her servants at home, so she
did not regret Ming although a funny sequel to his leave-taking was
discovered quite by accident.
"I don't see why Mrs. Butler's front door is never opened wide," said
Nan one day. "I've noticed for a long time that when any one goes there
the door is opened only a tiny crack."
"That reminds me," said Mrs. Corner, "I must send over some Maryland
biscuits to Mrs. Butler; she was so kind when we first came and
supplied us with so many nice things when we were servantless. She says
she is very fond of beaten biscuits but has never had any out here."
So that very afternoon Nan was despatched to their opposite neighbor's.
The house stood back some distance from the street, but its front door,
draped with roses was plainly visible from the Corners'. Nan rang the
bell and in a few minutes the door opened a few inches. Nan stepped
inside. The man who opened the door retreated partially behind it.
"Mrs. Corner sends----" began Nan, then she nearly dropped her plate in
surprise. "Why, it's Ming," she exclaimed. "We thought you had gone to
New York."
"Not yet. After while," he answered and bolted.
Presently Mrs. Butler appeared. Nan gave her message with the plate of
biscuits and then said: "I was so surprised to see Ming, Mrs. Butler;
we thought he had gone to New York."
Mrs. Butler smiled. "Why, did he live with you? I didn't know that,"
she said, "and I didn't know that he had a notion of going to New York."
"And he has been living here all this time," said Nan. "No wonder he
never wants to open your door more than a crack." And she told their
experience. "I wonder why he left," she said in conclusion.
"My dear," said Mrs. Butler laughing, "it was for nothing in the world
but because you didn't have company enough. He told me he had left his
last place on that account."
"How could we have company when we have just come and know scarcely any
one?" said Nan in an aggrieved voice.
"I'm afraid Ming's pride in his cookery overbalanced his consideration
for you," said Mrs. Butler. "I never dreamed I was robbing you of a
capable man."
"Oh, but we're all right now," said Nan. "We wouldn't give up our man
for any one; we just love him," she added feeling afraid she had made
Mrs. Butler uncomfortable. But she went home wiser than before in her
knowledge of "ways that are dark and tricks that are vain."
It was quite as she said; they would not give up Li Hung for any
other, for he improved daily and they became greatly attached to the
good honest fellow. They discovered that he made frequent visits to
the capable Ming and in exchange for lending a helping hand was given
lessons in cookery. As he did not neglect his own work to do this, and
they were the gainers by his adding new recipes to his list, nothing
was said. Except for these absences he rarely wanted to go out and gave
himself up heart and soul to the interests of the family. He never
forgot the wild laughter which greeted the appearance of the first
pair of chickens he served. These he set on the table with an air of
great pride, for they were done to a turn and looked delicious, but
their trussed legs were pinned together with two large safety-pins
which shone out in distinct contrast to the browned skin. Li Hung was
mortified, but he lived and learned, for the next time the legs were
neatly slipped in place, so had he benefited by a visit to Ming.
"He is so beautifully clean," said Mrs. Corner with a satisfied sigh
as he left the room one day. "Where shall we find his like when we get
back? Look at that spotless white jacket and that apron so smoothly
starched and ironed."
"He's tied the apron so tight that the back of his jacket sticks
out like a fan-tailed pigeon," said Nan, "but he is clean, and so
good-natured."
"I never tasted such delicious strawberry short-cake," said Miss Helen
delicately nibbling at the last morsel in her plate. "We must learn how
he makes it, Mary."
So Li Hung became established as a member of the household and when the
time came that they must leave their pleasant quarters one of their
chief regrets was giving up Li Hung who had been such a source of
comfort.
Into the new home they soon settled down with a feeling of perfect
content. They were near enough to the centre of the city to be able to
enjoy its privileges, yet they were surrounded by country sights and
sounds. The mountains rose up behind them reminding them of their own
beloved Virginia, and they were not so far from the sea but that they
could easily spend a day there when they willed.
Jack and Jean made a fascinating playhouse, tepee style, in the garden,
sewing old gunny sacks together for a covering. Long poles, stuck
in the ground, held this queer roof, and they devised all sorts of
furnishings. They even set up a second one that they might visit one
another, and, because this building of a village was so delightful an
occupation, they began a third but Mrs. Corner put a stop to this.
"I really can't have so many unsightly objects on the lawn," she said.
"I can patiently endure two, but three are a little too many. People
will have an idea that part of Chinatown has moved up into our grounds."
Li Hung, ever ready with gifts, had given each of the twins a Chinese
doll which they named respectively Ming and Li Hung. There was much
altercation over the virtues of these two dolls, Jean insisting that
her Ming was superior to Jack's Li Hung, but this dispute was not
serious and life under the tepees was very happy. Sometimes Nan, in a
fit of childishness, joined in their plays, taking the summer-house for
her home and calling it Roseville, while the twins' place of residence
she dubbed Gunny-town. Many a wonderful feast was spread under the
tepees when oranges in various forms served as the principal dish and
lemonade made a cheap and refreshing drink for both oranges and lemons
were to be had for the gathering. Nan was inspired with a desire to
make orange-flower water and after some difficulty was able to get a
recipe. She bent all her energies to the work of preparing it and did
actually turn out something fairly palatable. She attempted orange
marmalade, too, but Li Hung could make so much better preserves that
Nan's marmalade was seldom used except at the garden feasts.
It was Nan, too, who was the one to inaugurate a weekly ceremonial the
first of which she called "The Feast of Roses." To this affair each of
the family received an invitation written on rose-colored paper. To it
was pinned a rose. The invitation ran as follows: "You are honorably
bidden to the Feast of Roses at the sign of the Golden Buds, Roseville,
this afternoon at four o'clock."
"What is Nan up to now?" asked Mrs. Corner as Jean handed her the note.
"It's a great feast," said Jean importantly.
"Some of Nan's make believes that she so delights in," said Miss Helen.
"But where is the Golden Bud?" Mrs. Corner asked Jean.
"You will know it by the golden buds over the door," said Jean, not too
willing to spoil Nan's mysteries.
"It's in the summer-house, I imagine," said Miss Helen as Jean went
out. "We must be sure to go, Mary, or they will be dreadfully
disappointed."
Promptly at four o'clock the two ladies appeared at the door of the
little summer-house. "How pretty!" exclaimed Miss Helen as she put
her head inside. The place was hung with small rosy lanterns and at
each place was a big pink rose in the centre of which was burning a
tiny candle. In the glass bowl of lemonade were floating rose-leaves,
little rosebuds bordered the cake on the table and the tea-cups were
white with a pattern of roses. The fragrant tea Li Hung had presented,
telling Nan that it was such as his countrymen used and that it was
"Heap much good." The cake, too, he had made. There were sandwiches of
crackers between which were pressed rose-leaves and there was a dish of
candied rose-leaves. The girls were all in pink with roses pinned on
their frocks.
"I certainly think you deserve credit, Nan, for getting up such a
pretty feast," said her aunt. "It is a shame there are so few to enjoy
it."
"Next time I will invite Mrs. Roberts and Mr. St. Nick," said Nan.
"I'll have something different then. But I didn't do this all myself,
Aunt Helen; the girls all helped me and so did Li Hung."
"Well, it is quite too pretty not to be repeated," said Miss Helen.
And so the feasts were begun. Each week a different flower was used for
decoration and Nan enjoyed hugely the appreciation her efforts brought
forth. The twins and Mary Lee were scarcely less eager than their
eldest sister and were her able helpers while Li Hung could be depended
on for some novelty.
And so the golden days passed happily till it seemed that there must be
a limit set to continual play and Miss Helen began to look around for a
teacher for her nieces.
"I don't think we want them to study too hard," she said to Mrs.
Corner, "but they ought not to get into the habit of thinking life must
be only pleasuring."
"They must learn the blessedness of work," said Mrs. Corner. "They will
enjoy play the more then. I think it is time the holiday was over. It
has been a long one this year. I trust to you, Helen, to find them a
proper teacher."
"I'll do my best," returned Miss Helen. "Mrs. Roberts will probably
look out for us and we might advertise."
Both these plans were carried out, and a number of applicants appeared,
but for some reason or other none of them suited Miss Helen. The first
was a tall angular elderly woman from Massachusetts who spoke with a
strong Yankee accent. She had taught a district school when she was
a girl and thought herself amply qualified to be a governess to four
little girls; her attainments, however, were so few that in spite of
her calm self-complacence she was dismissed in short order. The second
was a very young blooming girl, all fly-away feathers and be-ringed
hands. She really didn't have to teach, she informed Miss Helen, but
papa wouldn't give her enough pocket money and she wanted to buy some
new things; an evening cloak and a bracelet; she'd love to teach four
sweet little girls and she wouldn't be a bit strict. She was gently
given to understand that she would not do and went away wondering why.
The third was a sharp-eyed young woman of whom Miss Helen actually
had hopes, for she seemed rather well qualified, but when she gave an
example of her musical performances by putting her foot on the loud
pedal and keeping it there during the whole time of her pounding out a
showy waltz, and when her French was tested, Miss Helen's hopes waned,
although she did take the young lady under consideration. "I could give
Nan lessons myself, I suppose," she told Mrs. Corner, "and the children
needn't take up French."
"No indeed; we'll not have anything of that kind," replied the girls'
mother. "You are very good, Helen, but I don't intend that you shall
bother over Nan's music when there must be suitably equipped teachers
to be had. We'll continue the search."
"I'm glad you didn't take the black-eyed one," said Nan when number
three was finally set aside. "She looked as hard as nails and I know
she and Jack would have been scrapping half the time. Do, dear Aunt
Helen, pick out a nice, pretty, amiable somebody whom we can respect
and yet who isn't the bossy kind."
"You'll have to reconcile yourselves to obeying a governess, Nan," said
Miss Helen smiling.
"Oh, we'll obey all right; see if we don't, but Jack and I do hate to
be visibly bossed. We don't mind it so much when people don't make a
sharp point of things in that severe kind of way some people, like Aunt
Sarah, for instance, have. We don't have much respect either for people
who let us walk over them, so please get a governess that is just
right."
"I'll try," returned her aunt gravely, for she took the remarks to
heart.