CHAPTER XII
THE TOYS RATTLE OUT
Early in December Mrs. Hattie, after an extended search, found asatisfactory home. It was a somewhat pretentious house, not far fromthe Gaylord place. Mrs. Hattie had it repapered and repaintedthroughout and two new bathrooms put in. (She said that everybody whowas anybody always had lots of bathrooms.) Then she set herself tofurnishing it. She said that, of course, very little of their oldfurniture would do at all. She was talking to Maggie Duff about it oneday when Mr. Smith chanced to come in. She was radiant that afternoonin a handsome silk dress and a new fur coat.
"You're looking very well--and happy, Mrs. Blaisdell," smiled Mr. Smithas he greeted her.
"I am well, and I'm perfectly happy, Mr. Smith," she beamed. "How couldI help it? You know about the new home, of course. Well, it's allready, and I'm ordering the furnishings. Oh, you don't know what itmeans to me to be able at last to surround myself with all thebeautiful things I've so longed for all my life!"
"I'm very glad, I'm sure." Mr. Smith said the words as if he meant them.
"Yes, of course; and poor Maggie here, she says she's glad, too,--thoughI don't see how she can be, when she never got a cent, do you, Mr.Smith? But, poor Maggie, she's got so used to being left out--"
"Hush, hush!" begged Miss Maggie.
"You'll find money isn't everything in this world, Hattie Blaisdell,"growled Mr. Duff, who, to-day, for some unknown reason, had desertedthe kitchen cookstove for the living-room base-burner. "And when I seewhat a little money does for some folks I'm glad I'm poor. I wouldn'tbe rich if I could. Furthermore, I'll thank you to keep your sympathyat home. It ain't needed nor wanted--here."
"Why, Father Duff," bridled Mrs. Hattie indignantly, "you know how poorMaggie has had to--"
"Er--but tell us about the new home," interrupted Mr. Smith quickly,"and the fine new furnishings."
"Why, there isn't much to tell yet--about the furnishings, I mean. Ihaven't got them yet. But I can tell you what I'm GOING to have." Mrs.Hattie settled herself more comfortably, and began to look happy again."As I was saying to Maggie, when you came in, I shall get almosteverything new--for the rooms that show, I mean,--for, of course, myold things won't do at all. And I'm thinking of the pictures. I wantoil paintings, of course, in gilt frames." She glanced a littledisdainfully at the oak-framed prints on Miss Maggie's walls.
"Going in for old masters, maybe," suggested Mr. Duff, with a sarcasmthat fell pointless at Mrs. Hattie's feet.
"Old masters?"
"Yes--oil paintings."
"Certainly not." Her chin came up a little. "I'm going to have anythingold in my house--where it can be seen--For once I'm going to have NEWthings--all new things. You have to make a show or you won't berecognized by the best people."
"But, Hattie, my dear," began Miss Maggie, flushing a little, andcarefully avoiding Mr. Smith's eyes, "old masters are--are veryvaluable, and--"
"I don't care if they are," retorted Mrs. Hattie, with decision. "Ifthey're old, I don't want them, and that settles it. I'm going to havevelvet carpets and the handsomest lace curtains that I can find; andI'm going to have some of those gold chairs, like the Pennocks have,only nicer. Theirs are awfully dull, some of them. And I'm going tobuy--"
"Humph! Pity you can't buy a little common sense--somewhere!" snarledold man Duff, getting stiffly to his feet. "You'll need it, to swingall that style."
"Oh, father!" murmured Miss Maggie.
"Oh, I don't mind what Father Duff says," laughed Mrs. Hattie. Butthere was a haughty tilt to her chin and an angry sparkle in her eyesas she, too, arose. "I'm just going, anyway, so you don't need todisturb yourself, Father Duff."
But Father Duff, with another "Humph!" and a muttered something abouthaving all he wanted already of "silly chatter," stamped out into thekitchen, with the usual emphasis of his cane at every other step.
It was just as well, perhaps, that he went, for Mrs. Hattie Blaisdellhad been gone barely five minutes when her sister-in-law, Mrs. Jane,came in.
"I've come to see you about a very important matter, Maggie," sheannounced, as she threw off her furs--not new ones--and unbuttoned hercoat--which also was not new.
"Then certainly I will take myself out of the way," said Mr. Smith,with a smile, making a move to go.
"No, please don't." Mrs. Jane held up a detaining hand. "Part of itconcerns you, and I'm glad you're here, anyway. I should like youradvice."
"Concerns me?" puzzled the man.
"Yes. I'm afraid I shall have to give up boarding you, and one thing Icame to-day for was to ask Maggie if she'd take you. I wanted to givepoor Maggie the first chance at you, of course."
"CHANCE at me!" Mr. Smith laughed,--but unmistakably he blushed. "Thefirst--But, my dear woman, it is just possible that Miss Maggie maywish to--er--decline this great honor which is being conferred uponher, and she may hesitate, for the sake of my feelings, to do it beforeme. NOW I'm very sure I ought to have left at once."
"Nonsense!" (Was Miss Maggie blushing the least bit, too?) "I shall bevery glad to take Mr. Smith as a boarder if he wants to come--but HE'Sgot something to say about it, remember. But tell me, why are youletting him go, Jane?" "Now this surely WILL be embarrassing," laughedMr. Smith again nervously. "Do I eat too much, or am I merely noisy,and a nuisance generally?"
But Mrs. Jane did not appear to have heard him. She was looking at MissMaggie, her eyes somber, intent.
"Well, I'll tell you. It's Hattie." "Hattie!" exclaimed two amazedvoices.
"Yes. She says it's perfectly absurd for me to take boarders, with allour money; and she's making a terrible fuss about where we live. Shesays she's ashamed--positively ashamed of us--that we haven't movedinto a decent place yet."
Miss Maggie's lips puckered a little.
"Do you want to go?"
"Y-yes, only it will cost so much. I've always wanted a house--with ayard, I mean; and 'twould be nice for Mellicent, of course."
"Well, why don't you go? You have the money."
"Y-yes, I know I have; but it'll cost so much, Maggie. Don't you see?It costs not only the money itself, but all the interest that the moneycould be earning. Why, Maggie, I never saw anything like it." Her facegrew suddenly alert and happy. "I never knew before how much money,just MONEY, could earn, while you didn't have to do a thing but sitback and watch it do it. It's the most fascinating thing I ever saw. Icounted up the other day how much we'd have if we didn't spend a centof it for ten years--the legacy, I mean."
"But, great Scott, madam!" expostulated Mr. Smith. "Aren't you going tospend any of that money before ten years' time?"
Mrs. Jane fell back in her chair. The anxious frown came again to herface.
"Oh, yes, of course. We have spent a lot of it, already. Frank hasbought out that horrid grocery across the street, and he's put a lot inthe bank, and he spends from that every day, I know. And I'm WILLING tospend some, of course. But we had to pay so much inheritance tax andall that it would be my way not to spend much till the interest hadsort of made that up, you know; but Frank and Mellicent--they won'thear to it a minute. They want to move, too, and they're teasing me allthe time to get new clothes, both for me and for her. But Hattie's theworst. I can't do a thing with Hattie. Now what shall I do?"
"I should move. You say yourself you'd like to," answered Miss Maggiepromptly.
"What do you say, Mr. Smith?"
Mr. Smith leaped to his feet and thrust his hands into his pockets ashe took a nervous turn about the room, before he spoke.
"Good Heavens, woman, that money was given you to--that is, it wasprobably given you to use. Now, why don't you use it?"
"But I am using it," argued Mrs. Jane earnestly. "I think I'm makingthe very best possible use of it when I put it where it will earn more.Don't you see? Besides, what does the Bible say about that man with onetalent that didn't make it earn more?"
With a jerk Mr. Smith turned on his heel and renewed his march.
"I think the only thing money
is good for is to exchange it forsomething you want," observed Miss Maggie sententiously.
"There, that's it!" triumphed Mr. Smith, wheeling about. "That'sexactly it!"
Mrs. Jane sighed and shook her head. She gazed at Miss Maggie withfondly reproving eyes.
"Yes, we all know your ideas of money, Maggie. You're very sweet anddear, and we love you; but you ARE extravagant."
"Extravagant!" demurred Miss Maggie.
"Yes. You use everything you have every day; and you never protect athing. Actually, I don't believe there's a tidy or a linen slip in thishouse." (DID Mr. Smith breathe a fervent "Thank the Lord!" Miss Maggiewondered.) "And that brings me right up to something else I was goingto say. I want you to know that I'm going to help you."
Miss Maggie looked distressed and raised a protesting hand; but Mrs.Jane smilingly shook her head and went on.
"Yes, I am. I always said I should, if I had money, and I shall--thoughI must confess that I'd have a good deal more heart to do it if youweren't quite so extravagant. I've already given you Mr. Smith toboard."
"Oh, I say!" spluttered Mr. Smith.
But again she only smilingly shook her head and continued speaking.
"And if we move, I'm going to give you the parlor carpet, and some rugsto protect it."
"Thank you; but, really, I don't want the parlor carpet," refused MissMaggie, a tiny smouldering fire in her eyes.
"And I shall give you some money, too," smiled Mrs. Jane, verygraciously,--"when the interest begins to come in, you know. I shallgive you some of that. It's too bad you should have nothing while Ihave so much."
"Jane, PLEASE!" The smouldering fire in Miss Maggie's eyes had become aflame now.
"Nonsense, Maggie, you mustn't be so proud. It's no shame to be poor.Wasn't I poor just the other day? However, since it distresses you so,we won't say any more about it now. I'll go back to my own problems.Then, you advise me--you both advise me--to move, do you?"
"I do, most certainly," bowed Miss Maggie, still with a trace ofconstraint.
"And you, Mr. Smith?"
Mr. Smith turned and threw up both his hands.
"For Heaven's sake, lady, go home, and spend--some of that money!"
Mrs. Jane laughed a bit ruefully.
"Well, I don't see but what I shall have to, with everybody against melike this," she sighed, getting slowly to her feet. "But if youknew--if either of you knew--how really valuable money is, and how muchit would earn for you, if you'd only let it, I don't believe you'd bequite so fast to tell me to go and spend it."
"Perhaps not; but then, you see, we don't know," smiled Miss Maggie,once again her cheery self.
Mr. Smith said nothing. Mr. Smith had turned his back just then.
When Mrs. Jane was gone, Mr. Smith faced Miss Maggie with a quizzicalsmile.
"Well?" he hazarded.
"You mean--"
"I'm awaiting orders--as your new boarder."
"Oh! They'll not be alarming, I assure you. Do you really want to come?"
"Indeed I do! And I think it's mighty good of you to take me.But--SHOULD you, do you think? Haven't you got enough, with your fatherto care for? Won't it be too hard for you?"
She shook her head.
"I think not. Besides, I'm going to have help. Annabelle and FlorenceMartin, a farmer's daughters are very anxious to be in town to attendschool this winter, and I have said that I would take them. They willwork for their board."
The man gave a disdainful sniff.
"I can imagine how much work you'll let them do! It strikes me the'help' is on the other foot. However, we'll let that pass. I shall beglad enough to come, and I'll stay--unless I find you're doing too muchand going beyond your strength. But, how about--your father?"
"Oh, he won't mind. I'll arrange that he proposes the idea himself.Besides,"--she twinkled merrily--"you really get along wonderfully withfather, you know. And, as for the work--I shall have more time now:Hattie will have some one else to care for her headaches, and Janewon't put down any more carpets, I fancy, for a while."
"Well, I should hope!" he shrugged. "Honestly, Miss Maggie, one of thebest things about this Blaisdell money, in my eyes, is that it may giveyou a little rest from being chief cook and bottle washer and headnurse combined, on tap for any minute. But, say, that woman WILL spendsome of that money, won't she?"
Miss Maggie smiled significantly.
"I think she will. I saw Frank last evening--though I didn't think itnecessary to say so to her. He came to see me. I think you'll find thatthey move very soon, and that the ladies of the family have some newclothes."
"Well, I hope so."
"You seem concerned."
"Concerned? Er--ah--well, I am," he asserted stoutly. "Such a windfallof wealth ought to bring happiness, I think; and it seemed to, to Mrs.Hattie, though, of course, she'll learn better, as time goes on how tospend her money. But Mrs. Jane--And, by the way, how is Miss Florabearing up--under the burden?"
Miss Maggie laughed.
"Poor Flora!"
"'Poor Flora'! And do I hear 'Poor Maggie' say 'Poor Flora'?"
"Oh, she won't be 'poor' long," smiled Miss Maggie. "She'll get used toit--this stupendous sum of money--one of these days. But just now she'snearly frightened to death."
"Frightened!"
"Yes-both because she's got it, and because she's afraid she'll loseit. That doesn't sound logical, I know, but Flora isn't being logicaljust now. To begin with, she hasn't the least idea how to spend money.Under my careful guidance, however, she has bought her a few newdresses--though they're dead black--"
"Black!" interrupted the man.
"Yes, she's put on mourning," smiled Miss Maggie, as he came to adismayed stop. "She would do it. She declared she wouldn't feel halfdecent unless she did, with that poor man dead, and giving her all thatmoney."
"But he isn't dead--that is, they aren't sure he's dead," amended Mr.Smith hastily.
"But Flora thinks he is. She says he must be, or he would have appearedin time to save all that money. She's very much shocked, especially atHattie, that there is so little respect being shown his memory. So sheis all the more determined to do the best she can on her part."
"But she--she didn't know him, so she can't--er--really MOURN for him,"stammered the man. There was a most curious helplessness on Mr. Smith'sface.
"No, she says she can't really mourn," smiled Miss Maggie again, "andthat's what worries her the most of anything--because she CAN'T mourn,and when he's been so good to her--and he with neither wife nor chicknor child TO mourn for him, she says. But she's determined to gothrough the outward form of it, at least. So she's made herself somenew black dresses, and she's bought a veil. She's taken Mr. Fulton'spicture (she had one cut from a magazine, I believe), and has had itframed and, hung on her wall. On the mantel beneath it she keeps freshflowers always. She says it's the nearest she can come to puttingflowers on his grave, poor man!"
"Good Heavens!" breathed Mr. Smith, falling limply into a chair.
"And she doesn't go anywhere, except to church, and for necessaryerrands."
"That explains why I haven't seen her. I had wondered where she was."
"Yes. She's very conscientious. But she IS going later to Niagara. I'vepersuaded her to do that. She'll go with a party, of course,--one ofthose 'personally conducted' affairs, you know. Poor dear! she's soexcited! All her life she's wanted to see Niagara. Now she's going, andshe can hardly believe it's true. She wants a phonograph, too, butshe's decided not to get that until after six months' mourning isup--it's too frivolous and jolly for a house of mourning."
"Oh, good Heavens!" breathed Mr. Smith again.
"It is funny, isn't it, that she takes it quite so seriously? Bessiesuggested (I'm afraid Bessie was a little naughty!) that she get thephonograph, but not allow it to play anything but dirges and hymntunes."
"But isn't the woman going to take ANY comfort with that money?"demanded Mr. Smith.
"Indeed, she is! She's taking com
fort now. You have no idea, Mr. Smith,what it means to her, to feel that she need never want again, and thatshe can buy whatever she pleases, without thinking of the cost. That'swhy she's frightened--because she IS so happy. She thinks it can't beright to be so happy. It's too pleasant--to be right. When she isn'tbeing frightened about that, she's being frightened for fear she'lllose it, and thus not have it any more. I don't think she quiterealizes yet what a big sum of money it is, and that she'd have to losea great deal before she lost it all."
"Oh, well, she'll get used to that, in time. They'll all get used toit--in time," declared Mr. Smith, his face clearing a little. "Thenthey'll begin to live sanely and sensibly, and spend the money as itshould be spent. Of course, you couldn't expect them to know what todo, at the very first, with a sum like that dropped into their laps.What would you do yourself? Yes, what would you do?" repeated Mr.Smith, his face suddenly alert and interested again. "What would you doif you should fall heir to a hundred thousand dollars--to-morrow?"
"What would I do? What wouldn't I do?" laughed Miss Maggie. Thenabruptly her face changed. Her eyes became luminous, unfathomable."There is so much that a hundred thousand dollars could do--so much!Why, I would--" Her face changed again abruptly. She sniffed as at anodor from somewhere. Then lightly she sprang to her feet and crossed tothe stove. "What would I do with a hundred thousand dollars?" shedemanded, whisking open a damper in the pipe. "I'd buy a newbase-burner that didn't leak gas! That's what I'd do with a hundredthousand dollars. Are you going to give it to me?"
"Eh? Ah-what?" Mr. Smith was visibly startled.
Miss Maggie laughed merrily.
"Don't worry. I wasn't thinking of charging quite that for your board.But you seemed so interested, I didn't know but what you were going tohand over the hundred thousand, just to see what I would do with it,"she challenged mischievously. "However, I'll stop talking nonsense, andcome down to business. If you'll walk this way, Mr. New Boarder, I'lllet you choose which of two rooms you'd like."
And Mr. Smith went. But, as had occurred once or twice before, Mr.Smith's face, as he followed her, was a study.