After Helen had looked the wonderful kitchen over to her heart's
content, the children went back to the pretty living-room, where they
examined the books in the little bookcase, and then each carrying a
comfy wicker chair, went out on the wide porch. A big grass rug was
spread there, and there was a little porch swing and a wicker table.
Rosanna commenced to tell Helen about herself. She told much more than
she intended, and by the time she had finished, Helen knew more about
her new friend than Rosanna's own grandmother had ever guessed.
Helen herself was a very happy, busy little girl, with wise and loving
parents. They were poor, and Mr. Culver had very wisely taken the first
position that offered as soon as he came home from France and found that
the firm he had formerly worked for had given his position to some one
else, a man much less capable than Mr. Culver and who worked willingly
for wages that Mr. Culver did not feel like accepting. Yes, they were
poor, but as Mr. Culver said, "Just you wait, folkses; this will be fun
to remember some day." And Mrs. Culver called it "our school" and told
Helen that they must both strive to know the best and easiest way of
doing everything while they had to do all for themselves.
Helen's eyes filled with tears when she heard of the death of Rosanna's
young father and mother in a railroad accident when she was such a
little thing that now she could scarcely remember them.
"And then you came to live with your grandmother?" she said, struggling
not to go to Rosanna and hug her tight. A little girl without mother or
father! It was too dreadful.
"Yes, she came to the hospital and as soon as I was well--I was just
scratched up a little--she brought me here."
"Well," said Helen briskly, "it must be fine to have a grandmother. I
suppose grandmothers are 'most exactly as good as mothers," she went on,
trying to make light of Rosanna's misfortune. "I expect they cuddle you
and play with you and hold you 'most exactly like mothers."
"Mine doesn't," said Rosanna sadly. "She kisses me good-night; at least
she holds her cheek so I can kiss _her_, but she never plays with
anybody. And she never holds me: she says I am too big to get on
people's laps. But I guess I must have been a big baby because she never
did hold me even when I was little. There must be different kinds of
grandmothers."
"A little girl I know has one, and my grandmother says that it is a
disgrace the way she spoils that child, and she says she wants me to
grow up to be an honor to our house. You see I am the only grandchild
there is.
"Grandmother had a daughter long ago, but she died when she was only
two, and grandmother was married twice and both her husbands died."
"You seem to have quite a dying family," said Helen politely.
"Yes, we have." Rosanna commenced to feel quite proud of the fact now
that Helen had mentioned it.
"I have an uncle too, and he 'most died over in France but he is home
now."
"My father was there too," said Helen proudly. "He had to give up
everything to go, but mother wouldn't let him say that he had to stay
home and work for us so he went. Mother went to work typewriting and we
lived in three rooms, and I went to school and cooked our suppers at
night. Mother used to come home so tired. After the dishes were washed,
we used to sit and knit. I learned to knit without looking on, so I
could knit and study all at the same time. You are the only friend I
have here in Louisville," concluded Helen, "but of course when school
begins I will have lots of them."
Rosanna was conscious of a jealous pang. She didn't want this
bright-eyed little girl who had just come into her life to have other
friends.
"I don't see why you have to have other friends if you have me," she
said. "Why can't we play together all the time, and have good times? My
grandmother said I was to take you riding every day, and we can have
such fun. If you have a lot of other friends, Helen, you won't come here
at all."
"Why, yes, I will, Rosanna! You will be my bestest friend of all. But
mother says we all need a number of people in our lives because if we
don't we will all get to thinking the same things and talking the same
way, and it is very bad for us."
"Well, I can't have any," said Rosanna hopelessly. "I told you that
before. I suppose if she hadn't had to go to New York, I would never
have had you for a friend. That is the way my grandmother is."
"Oh, well," said Helen, "when she gets back we will explain things to
her, and I am sure she will get to understand all about things. Why, you
just _have_ to have friends, Rosanna, and I want you to have me if you
think you like me enough."
"Oh, I do; indeed I do!" cried Rosanna. "I just can't stand it if she
doesn't let me have you! We will have such good times, Helen, and I can
learn to cook, and we can learn to play duets together and it will be
such fun."
"I should say so!" said Helen happily. "And don't you think it would be
fun to see what all we can do for ourselves? I mean without asking
Minnie. I am sure mother would think it would make us sort of helpless.
Of course she is your maid, and if you would rather have her to do
things for you--"
"No; let's do everything ourselves," said Rosanna, eager to please, and
with a feeling that with someone to enjoy it with her the task would be
a pleasure.
"I tell you what, Helen, until school opens I can be your very best
friend, and you can play with me 'most all the time, and we will be so
happy."
Minnie watched them from a side window in the big house but they did not
see her. Minnie was pleased. She had heard what Mrs. Horton had said
about some child coming to play with Rosanna. Minnie being wiser than
Rosanna and grown up, knew very well that Mrs. Horton did not mean Helen
Culver. But Minnie had had one or two disastrous experiences with the
children who went to the very select dancing school with Rosanna, and
the quiet, pretty, well-behaved girl playing there in the garden seemed
almost too good to be true. She had never seen Rosanna look so well and
so happy. She was glad to see the chauffeur's child "makin' good" as she
expressed it. Minnie's young man had also returned from overseas and she
was sewing every spare moment on things for her own little house and for
herself. If Rosanna had a chance to play all day every day for a whole
week, or as long as Mrs. Horton stayed away--and Minnie piously wished
her a long trip--why, she could be ready for the young man and the
little house just that much sooner.
As soon as this most splendid thought found its way into Minnie's mind
she commenced to make plans to help the children, and as the first one
occurred to her she put her work in her pocket and hurried across to the
playhouse, where she fairly gasped at the sight of Rosanna awkwardly but
cheerfully sweeping leaves and stems off the porch while Helen shook the
rugs.
"Time for you to dress for the evening. Miss Rosanna," she said. "And
wouldn't you like to invite Miss Helen over to supper, and have it
served here on your own porch?"
"Oh, wouldn't that be fun?" cried Rosanna "Wouldn't you like that,
Helen?"
"Indeed I would!" said Helen. She jumped off the porch and looked to see
if the rug was straight. "I will go right home and ask my mother and if
I don't come straight back and tell you, you will know that I can come
to supper." She ran off, returning just at supper time.
Minnie served the meal and it was all as delicious as a party. Even the
cook was glad to see Rosanna really happy. And after the last bit of the
dessert, a pink ice-cream, had been slowly eaten, the two little girls
sat talking in quite a grown-up manner.
Presently Helen's bright eyes spied a lady at the other end of the
garden.
"Someone is coming!" she exclaimed.
"That is a friend of grandmother's. She is coming over every day to see
how I am getting along."
"Good-evening, Rosanna," said the lady. "I think this looks as though
you were having a very nice time indeed."
"We are, Mrs. Hargrave," said Rosanna. "This is my friend, Helen
Culver."
Helen curtseyed.
"How do you do, Helen," said Mrs. Hargrave. "The Culvers of Lee County,
I suppose. A fine old family, my dears. As good as yours, Rosanna. Well,
well, I am glad you are both having a nice time! If you want anything of
me, Rosanna, telephone me and I will be over every day. You little girls
must both come and have luncheon with me some day." She bade them
good-night and walked off, feeling that she had done her whole duty.
"It is time for me to go home," said Helen. "I didn't practice my half
hour this evening, so I must go and do it now."
"I didn't practice either," said Rosanna. "I want to work hard at my
music if we are to play duets. I don't want to be the one who always has
to play secondo. Besides, I have a bee-_u_-ti-ful secret for
to-morrow."