THE DECISION
"Hooray for our side!" cried Frank, as Marian dropped into a chair after
her outburst of enthusiasm.
"Oh, I haven't finished yet," said Marian, jumping up again. "I want to
remark further that not only is Patty going to live in Vernondale, but
she's going to have a house very near this one. I've picked it out," and
Marian wagged her head with the air of a mysterious sibyl. "I won't tell
you where it is just yet, but it's a lovely house, and big enough to
accommodate Uncle Fred and Patty, and a guest or two besides. I've
selected the room that I prefer, and I hope you will furnish it in blue."
"The speaker is a bit hasty," said Patty as Marian sat down again; "we
can't furnish any rooms before this debate is concluded; and, though we
deeply regret it, Miss Elliott will be obliged to wait for her blue room
until the other speakers have had their speak."
But Patty smiled at Marian understandingly, and began to have a very
attractive mental picture of her cousin's blue room next her own.
"The next speaker," announced the judge, "will be Mrs. Elliott,
Senior,--the Dowager Duchess. Your Grace, we would be pleased to hear
from you."
"I don't know," said Grandma Elliott, looking rather seriously into the
smiling faces before her, "that I am entirely in favour of the country
home. I think our Patty would greatly enjoy the city atmosphere. She is a
schoolgirl now, but in a year or two she will be a young woman, and one
well deserving of the best that can be given to her. I am city-bred
myself, and though at my age I prefer the quiet of the country, yet for a
young girl I well know the charm of a city life. Of course, we would all
regret the loss of our Patty, who has grown to be a part of our daily
life, but, nevertheless, were I to vote on this matter, I should
unhesitatingly cast my ballot in favour of New York."
"Bravo for grandma!" cried Frank. "Give me a lady who fearlessly speaks
her mind even in the face of overwhelming opposition. All the same, I
haven't spoken my piece yet, and I believe it is now my turn."
"It is," said Patty, "and we eagerly await your sapient and
authoritative remarks."
"Ahem!" said Frank pompously, as he arose. "My remarks shall be brief,
but very much to the point. Patty's home must be in Vernondale because we
live here. If ever we go to live in New York, or Oshkosh, or Kalamazoo,
Patty can pick up her things and go along. Just get that idea firmly
fixed in your heads, my friends. Where we live, Patty lives; whither she
goeth, we goeth. Therefore, if Patty should go to New York, the Elliotts
will take up bag and baggage, sell the farm, and go likewise to New York.
Now I'm sure our Patty, being of proper common-sense and sound judgment,
wouldn't put the Elliott family to such inconvenience,--for moving is a
large and fearsome proposition. Thus we see that as the Mountain insists
on following Mahomet whithersoever she goest, the only decently polite
thing for Mahomet to do is to settle in Vernondale. I regret exceedingly
that I am forced to express an opinion so diametrically opposed to the
advices of Her Grace, the Dowager Duchess, but I'm quite sure she didn't
realise what a bother it would be for the Elliotts to move. And now,
having convinced you all to my way of thinking, I will leave the case in
the hands of our wise and competent judge."
"Wait," said Uncle Charley; "I believe the captains are usually allowed a
sort of summing-up speech, are they not?"
"They are in this case, anyway," said Patty. "Mr. Elliott will please go
ahead with his summing-up."
"Well," said Uncle Charley, "the sum of the whole matter seems to be that
we all want Fred and Patty to live here because we want them to; but, of
course, it's only fair that they consult their own wishes in the matter,
and if they conclude that they prefer New York, why,--we'll have another
debate, that's all."
Uncle Charley sat down, and Mr. Fairfield rose. "I have listened with
great interest to the somewhat flattering remarks of my esteemed fellow
members, and have come to the conclusion that, if agreeable to Her
Judgeship, a compromise might be effected. It would seem to me that if a
decision should be arrived at for the Vernondale home, the Fairfields
could manage to reap some few of those mysterious advantages said to be
found in city life, by going to New York and staying a few months every
winter. This, too, would give them an opportunity to receive visits from
the Elliott family, which would, I'm sure, be a pleasure and profit to
all concerned. With this suggestion I am quite ready to hear a positive
and final decision from Her Honour, the Judge."
"And it won't take her long to make up her mind, either," cried Patty. "I
knew you'd fix it somehow, papa; you are the best and wisest man! Solomon
wasn't in it with you, nor Solon, nor Socrates, nor anybody! That
arrangement is exactly what I choose, and suits me perfectly, I do want
to stay in New York sometimes, but I would much rather live in
Vernondale; so the judge hereby announces that, on the merits of the
case, the question is decided in the negative. The Fairfields will buy a
house in Vernondale, and the judge hopes that they will buy it quick."
"Three cheers for Patty and Uncle Fred," cried Frank, and while they were
being given with a will, Marian flew to the telephone, and, when the
cheers subsided, she was engaged in a conversation of which the debating
club heard only one side.
"Is this you, Elsie?"
"What do you think? Patty's going to stay in Vernondale!"
"Yes, indeed, perfectly gorgeous."
"Just this evening; just now."
"I guess I am! I'm so glad I don't know what to do!"
"Oh, yes, of course she'll keep on being president."
"No, they haven't decided yet, but I want them to take the Bigelow
house."
"Yes; wouldn't it be fine!"
"Oh, it isn't very late."
"Well, come over early to-morrow morning, then."
"Good-by."
"Elsie Morris is delighted," said Marian, as she hung up the receiver,
"and Polly Stevens will just dance jigs of joy when she hears about it.
I'd call her up now, only I'm afraid she'd break the telephone trying to
express her enthusiasm; she flutters so."
"You can tell her about it to-morrow," said Frank, "and now let's
talk about where the house shall be. Would you rather buy or build,
Uncle Fred?"
"Perhaps it would be better to rent," said Mr. Fairfield. "Suppose my
fickle daughter should change her mind, and after a visit in the city
decide that she prefers it for her home."
"I'm not fickle, papa," said Patty, "and it's all arranged all right just
as it is; but I don't want a rented house, they won't let you drive tacks
in the walls, or anything like that. Let's buy a house, and then, if you
turn fickle and want to move away, we can sell it again."
"All right," said Mr. Fairfield obligingly, "what house shall we buy?"
"I know just the one," cried Marian; "guess where it is."
"Would you, by any chance, refer to the Bigelow house?" inquired
Frank politely.
"How did you know?" exclaimed Marian. "I only heard to-day that it is for
sale, and I wanted to surprise you."
"Well, next time you have a surprise in store for us," said Frank, "don't
announce it to Elsie Morris over the telephone."
"Oh, did you hear that?"
"As a rule, sister dear, unless you are the matron of a deaf and dumb
asylum, you must expect those present to hear your end of a telephone
conversation."
"Of course," said Marian; "I didn't think. But, really, wouldn't the
Bigelow house be fine? Only a few blocks away from here, and such a
lovely house, with a barn and a conservatory, and a little arbour in
the garden."
Patty began to look frightened.
"Goodness, gracious me!" she exclaimed; "I don't believe I realise what
I'm coming to. I could take care of the little arbour in the garden; but
I wonder if I could manage a house, and a barn, and a conservatory!"
"And go to school every day, besides," said her father, laughing. "I
think, my child, that at least until your school days are over, we will
engage the services of a responsible housekeeper."
"Oh, papa!" cried Patty, in dismay, "you said I could keep house for
you; and Aunt Alice has taught me lots about it; and she'll teach me
lots more; and you know I can make good pumpkin pies; and, of course,
I can dust and fly 'round; and that's about all there is to
housekeeping, anyway."
"Oh, Patty," said Aunt Alice, "my lessons must have fallen on stony
ground if you think that's all there is to housekeeping."
"That's merely a figure of speech, Aunt Alice," replied Patty. "You well
know I am a thoroughly capable and experienced housekeeper; honest,
steady, good-tempered, and with a fine reference from my last place."
"You're certainly a clever little housekeeper for your age," said her
aunt, "but I'm not sure you could keep house successfully, and go to
school, and practice your music, and attend to your club all at the
same time."
"But I wouldn't do them all at the same time, Aunt Alice. I'd have a time
for everything, and everything in it place. I would go to school, and
practise, and housekeep, and club; all in their proper proportions--"
Here Patty glanced at her father. "You see, if I had the proportions
right, all would go well."
"Well, perhaps," said Mr. Fairfield, "if we had a competent cook and a
tidy little waitress, we could get along without a professional
housekeeper. I admit I had hoped to have Patty keep house for me and
preside at my table, and at any rate, it would do no harm to try it as an
experiment; then, if it failed, we could make some other arrangement."
"I guess I do want to sit at the head of our table, papa," said Patty;
"I'd just like to see a housekeeper there! A prim, sour-faced old lady
with a black silk dress and dangling ear-rings! No, I thank you. If I
have my way I will keep that house myself, and when I get into any
trouble, I will fly to Aunt Alice for rest and refreshment."
"We'll all help," said Marian; "I'll make lovely sofa-pillows for you,
and I'm sure grandma will knit you an afghan."
"That isn't much towards housekeeping," said Frank. "I'll come over next
summer and swing your hammock for you, and put up your tennis-net."
"And meantime," said Uncle Charley, "until the house is bought and
furnished, the Fairfield family will be the welcome guests of the
Elliotts. It's almost the middle of December now, and I don't think, Miss
Patty Fairfield, that you'll get your home settled in time to make a
visit in New York _this_ winter; and now, you rattle-pated youngsters,
run to bed, while I discuss some plans sensibly with my brother-in-law
and fellow townsman."