AMBITIONS
It was truly astonishing, even to Dorothy, how easily the machinery of a
big hotel could be made to move along. The Dorrances all agreed that the
Faulkners were no trouble at all, and that their presence in the
Dorrance Domain added greatly to the happiness of all concerned.
Doubtless the explanation of this lay in several different facts. To
begin with, the Faulkners were most charming people; refined, tactful,
and kind-hearted. It was their nature to make as little trouble as
possible, wherever they might be.
On the other side, Dorothy's determination to succeed in her enterprise,
grew with what it fed upon, and she became day by day more capable
through experience. Also, she was ably assisted by Leicester and the
girls, who were always ready to do anything she wished them to. Then,
the servants were certainly treasures, and as Dorothy said, it would be
a perfect idiot of a hotel proprietor who couldn't succeed under such
advantages as she had.
With her success her ambitions grew.
Again sitting on the east veranda, one afternoon, she found herself
wishing that another buggy would drive up and deposit two more such
people as the Faulkners at her hotel office. If she could succeed with
two, why not with four, or even six?
Indeed, in her imagination she saw a long procession of buggies bringing
eager guests to the hospitality of the Dorrance Domain.
Acting on an impulse, she went in search of Mrs. Faulkner, and found
that lady just coming down-stairs, dressed for afternoon, and quite
ready for a chat.
So Dorothy carried her off to one of her favorite nooks which was a
little vine-clad arbor on the east lawn.
This proprietor and guest had become firm friends in the few days they
had been together. Dorothy admired Mrs. Faulkner's lovely gracious
disposition, and her clever cultivated mind. Mrs. Faulkner saw great
possibilities in Dorothy's character and took a sincere interest in the
girl. Aside from this there was that subtle, inexplicable bond of
sympathetic congeniality, which makes a real friendship possible.
"I want to talk to you seriously," said Dorothy.
"I'm all attention," said Mrs. Faulkner; "proceed with your
seriousness."
"You and Mr. Faulkner have been here a week to-morrow," Dorothy went on,
"and----"
"And you can't stand us any longer,--and you want to break it to me
gently?"
"No, indeed, nothing of the sort! and you know that well. But I want to
ask you frankly, and I want you to tell me honestly, how I have
succeeded this week in what I have undertaken."
"What have you undertaken?" said Mrs. Faulkner, who dearly loved to make
Dorothy formulate her thoughts.
"Why, I undertook to give you and Mr. Faulkner, in a general way, and so
far as I could, just such comforts and accommodations as you would get
at the average summer hotel."
"Is that all you tried to do?"
"I think," said Dorothy, speaking slowly, and thinking hard, "I think I
tried to give you a little bit extra, in the way of home comforts and
dainty service, to make up for the things that the average summer hotel
provides, but which I can't give you."
"Like a brass band, for instance."
"Yes, a brass band, and a great array of bell-boys and porters, and
Saturday night hops, and,--lots of things like that."
"Well," said Mrs. Faulkner, "to tell you the truth, I don't care two
straws for brass bands, or Saturday night hops; and Mr. Faulkner doesn't
either. We are both charmed with this place, and we are both absolutely
happy and comfortable. So, if you are willing, we are quite ready to
prolong our stay indefinitely. Mr. Faulkner enjoys the quiet and freedom
from interruption, while he is pursuing his scientific studies. And as
for myself, I want to get well rested this summer, for during the
winter, my city life is very full of gayety and excitement."
"I'm so glad you are satisfied," said Dorothy, earnestly; "for this was
an experiment, and I was so anxious it should succeed. Of course, on my
side it is more than satisfactory. You and Mr. Faulkner are ideal
boarders; you make no trouble at all, and you have helped me in lots of
ways by your advice and suggestions. Now I want to ask your advice some
more. You know what I can do,--you know the house, and all,--do you
think, if I could get them, I could take two or three more boarders?"
"Do _you_ think you could?" asked Mrs. Faulkner, smiling at Dorothy's
eager face.
"Yes, I think so; but sometimes, you know, I'm apt to overrate my own
ability. I could do the work all right,--or have it done,--but I'm not
sure whether I could manage to satisfy people who might not be so lovely
and amiable as you and Mr. Faulkner are. And another thing, I wouldn't
want any more boarders if it would bother or annoy you two the least
mite."
"Why do you think you would like to have more?"
"Because, Mrs. Faulkner, I want to earn more money. Grandmother is
bothered with her financial affairs, and if we children could help her
any, we'd all be so glad. You see we are an awful expense to her; but
soon, I hope we'll be old enough to earn money for her instead. Now of
course to have two boarders is a good help towards the living expenses
of our own family; and I've counted up, and I think if I could have
four, it would almost entirely pay our running account. And if I had
six, I think we might begin to save money. Oh, Mrs. Faulkner, do you
think we could do it?"
"Where would you get these boarders?"
"I don't know; but I thought I would ask you first, and see if you
objected to having other people here. And then, if you didn't, I thought
perhaps I'd write to some of my friends in the city, and see if any of
them wanted to come up for a few weeks."
"You are a brave little girl, Dorothy," said Mrs. Faulkner, looking into
the eager anxious eyes upturned to hers; "and I must tell you how much
I appreciate your love for your grandmother, and your courage and pluck
in taking up this burden of the family fortunes. I have watched you
through the week, and I have noticed your many little self-denials and
your unfailing patience and perseverance. _I_ know who walked over to
Woodport and back yesterday in the hot sun, in order that I might have
cream for my peaches last night at dinner."
"Oh, how did you know?" cried Dorothy, blushing at her friend's praise;
"but there was really nobody to send,--the children had been on several
errands,--and so I just went myself."
"Yes, I know it; and that is only one instance that shows your
determination to have things right. And with that plucky perseverance of
yours, and with your pleasant house, and good helpers, I see no reason
why you shouldn't take a few more boarders if you can get the right
kind. Of course it wouldn't annoy Mr. Faulkner nor myself to have some
other people here; and even if it did, we would have no right or wish
to stand in your way. When you reach the stage of brass bands, and
Saturday hops, that will be time for us to leave you, and push on into
the wilderness."
"You needn't begin to pack your things to-day," said Dorothy, smiling,
"as it isn't at all likely I can persuade anybody to come,--let alone a
brass band."
"Suppose I present you with two more guests," said Mrs. Faulkner.
"Oh," cried Dorothy, "do you know of anybody? Who are they?"
"You may not like them altogether. They are two ladies who are now over
at the Horton House. They are not enjoying it there, and they asked me
to let them know if I found any place which I thought they would like.
I'm sure they would like it here, and I know they would be glad to come;
but, to be honest about it, they are a little fussy in some ways. They
are spinsters, from Boston, and though they are refined and well-bred
ladies, they are sometimes a little exacting in their requirements."
"I wouldn't mind what their requirements were, if I could meet them to
their satisfaction."
"You mustn't take that stand too strictly, Dorothy dear; it is well to
try to give your guests satisfaction, but some requirements are
unreasonable, and it is a mistake to grant them. If these ladies come,
you must exercise your judgment in your treatment of them, for they're
the kind who are quite likely to impose on your good nature."
"Do you think they would come? How can I find out about them?"
"Yes, I'm sure they would come; and if you wish me to, I will write to
them."
"Oh, thank you; I wish you would, please; that is, after I have spoken
to grandma, and to the other children about it. What are their names?"
"Van Arsdale. Miss Marcia and Miss Amanda. They are quite as imposing as
their names sound; but you need not be really afraid of them. Remember
the Faulkners will always protect you from their ferocity."
Dorothy laughed; and kissing her good friend, ran away to find the
other children. Having gathered them together, they all went up to
Grandma Dorrance's room for a caucus.
"It's a new plan!" exclaimed Dorothy, perching herself on grandma's
bureau. As a rule, the more excited the Dorrances were, the higher seats
they selected. At present the twins were sitting on the headboard of the
bed, and Fairy was making unsuccessful endeavors to climb up on the
mantelpiece.
Grandma Dorrance, well accustomed to these gymnastics, sat in her easy
chair, and placidly awaited Dorothy's further announcement.
"You see," Dorothy went on, "we've made, and we are making a great
success of our boarders. I've just had a talk with Mrs. Faulkner and
she's quite satisfied; and goodness knows _we_ are."
"Yes," said Fairy, from a heap of sofa-pillows into which she had just
tumbled, "I do think they are the loveliest people. Why, Mr. Faulkner
says he's going to send to New York for a book, a-purpose for me. It's a
lovely book, all about bugs and slugs and ear-wigs. We went walking
yesterday, and he showed me the funny little houses where beetles and
things live in. Oh, he _is_ a nice man!"
"Yes," said Dorothy, starting afresh; "it's a great success all around;
and therefore, my beloved brethren, this is my plan. If two boarders are
good, four boarders are twice as good; and so, what do you think of
taking two more guests into our hotel?"
"At the same rates?" asked Lilian.
"Yes," said Dorothy, "at the same rates. Just think! that will give us
sixty dollars a week income, and it won't cost us much more than that to
live, even with four boarders."
"Hooray!" cried Leicester, flinging a pillow up in the air, and catching
it on his head, "hooray for the great financier! proprietor of the
Dorrance Domain!"
This was followed by a series of ear-splitting cheers; a performance in
which the Dorrances had indulged but seldom during the past week; but
just now the occasion really seemed to demand it.
"Who are your millionaire friends?" asked Leicester, "and when do they
arrive?"
"Oh, they don't know yet themselves, that they're coming," said Dorothy,
airily; "and they're two ladies, and their name is Van Arsdale, and
they're very aristocratic, and they want to be waited on every minute,
and I'm sure they won't want any of us to make a speck of noise while
they're here."
A long low growl from Lilian, started the Dorrance groan, and the other
three joined in with such force and energy, that the next day Mr.
Faulkner inquired privately of grandma the meaning of the fearful sounds
he had heard the day before.
When they were quiet again, Dorothy explained the whole thing
rationally, and they were all much pleased with her plan.
Grandma feared that the added responsibility would be too much for her
oldest granddaughter; but the rest all promised to help, and the girls
agreed that they could do even more of the parlor and dining-room work,
and so give Tessie more time to help Kathleen in the kitchen.
"I suppose the Van Arsdale ladies will register," said Leicester, with a
sudden remembrance of his last experience as a clerk.
"Yes, of course," said Dorothy; "and we mustn't giggle this time,
either. I'm not at all sure they'll come, but I hope they will; and of
course, if they do they must be received properly."