CHAPTER XII
GUESTS FOR ALL
As the guests would reach the Dorrance Domain by daylight, Leicester'splan of illuminating the grounds was scarcely feasible. But he had hungthe Chinese lanterns on the veranda, and among the trees, and had putcandles inside them, so they could light them up, and have theircelebration in the evening.
It was arranged that the twins should row down to meet the _Mamie Mead_and then get on board, and escort the guests up the lake, towing theirown rowboat.
Dorothy preferred to stay at home, to attend to some last importantdetails in the kitchen, and Fairy said she would sit with grandma on theveranda, and await the arrival.
Soon after four o'clock, Fairy ran into the house screaming to Dorothythat the _Mamie Mead_ was in sight. This gave Dorothy ample time to runup-stairs for a final brush to her hair, and a final adjustment of herribbons, and there was no air of a flurried or perturbed housekeeperabout the calm and graceful girl who sauntered out on the veranda togreet her guests.
Fairy danced half-way down the steps to the dock, and then danced backagain hand-in-hand with Gladys Miller. The others came up more slowly,and Grandma Dorrance rose with pleasure to welcome her dear friend Mrs.Thurston.
Then there was a general chorus of excited greetings all around.
The newcomers were so astonished and delighted at the novelty of thesituation, that they could not restrain their enthusiasm; and theresidents of the Dorrance Domain were so proud and happy to offer suchunusual hospitality, that they too, were vociferously jubilant.
But the stranger among the newcomers was of such appalling proportionsthat Dorothy couldn't help staring in amazement.
Tessie's mother was quite the largest woman she had ever seen, andDorothy privately believed that she must be the largest woman in thewhole world. She was not only very tall, and also very broad, but shehad an immense frame, and her muscles seemed to indicate a powerfulnessfar beyond that of an ordinary man.
To this gigantic specimen of femininity Dorothy advanced, and saidpleasantly: "I suppose this is Kathleen?"
"Yis, mum; an' it's proud I am to be wid yez. The saints presarve ye,fur a foine young lady! An' wud yez be's afther showin' me to medaughter? Och, 'tis there she is! Tessie, me darlint, is it indadeyersilf?"
Tessie had caught sight of her mother, and unable to control herimpatience had run to meet her. Though Tessie was a fair-sized girl sheseemed to be quite swallowed up in the parental embrace. Her mother'sarms went 'round her, and Leicester exclaimed, involuntarily, "Somebodyought to rescue Tessie! she'll have every bone cracked!"
But she finally emerged, unharmed and beaming with happiness, and thenshe led her mother away to the kitchen, the big woman radiating joy asshe went.
"She jars the earth," said Jack Harris; "as long as she's on this side,the lake is liable to tip up, and flood this place of yours. But I say,Less, what a magnificent place it is! Do you run the wholeshooting-match?"
"Yes, we do," said Leicester, trying to look modest and unostentatious."It isn't really too big, that is,--I mean,--we like it big."
"Like it? I should think you would like it! It's just the greatest ever!I say, take me in the house, and let me see that, will you?"
The girls wanted to go too, and so leaving the elder ladies to chat onthe veranda, the children ran in, and the Dorrance Domain was exhibitedto most appreciative admirers.
Jack Harris was eager to see it all; and even insisted on going upthrough the skylight to the roof. This feat had not before been thoughtof by the Dorrance children, and so the whole crowd clambered up thenarrow flight of stairs that led to the skylight, and scrambled out onthe roof. Dorothy's dignity was less observable just now, and she andEdith Putnam romped and laughed with the other children as if they wereall of the same age. The view from the roof was beautiful, and the placereally possessed advantages as a playground. There was a railing allaround the edge, and though the gables were sloping, many parts of theroof were flat, and Jack declared it would be a lovely place to sit on amoonlight night.
Then down they went again, and showing the guests to their variousrooms, made them feel that at last they were really established in theDorrance Domain. This naturally broke the party up into couples, andLeicester carried Jack off to his own room first, to show him the manyboyish treasures that he had already accumulated.
Fairy flew around, as Jack Harris expressed it, "like a hen with herhead off," and everywhere Fairy went, she dragged the more slowly movingGladys after her, by one hand. Gladys was devoted to Fairy, and admiredher thistledown ways; but being herself a fat, stolid child, could byno means keep up to Fairy's pace.
Dorothy took Edith Putnam to her room, and being intimate friends thetwo girls sat down together, and became so engrossed in their chat, thatwhen nearly a half-hour later, Lilian and May Lewis came in to talk withthem, Edith had not yet even taken off her hat.
Although dear friends of the Dorrances', Edith and May were of verydifferent types.
Edith Putnam was a round, rosy girl, very pretty and full of life andenthusiasm. She was decidedly comical, and kept the girls laughing byher merry retorts. She was bright and capable, but disinclined for hardwork, and rather clever in shifting her share of it to other people'sshoulders.
May Lewis, on the other hand, was a plain, straightforward sort of girl;not dull, but a little diffident, and quite lacking in self-confidence.Not especially quick-witted,--yet what she knew, she knew thoroughly,and had no end of perseverance and persistence. She was of a mostunselfish and helpful disposition, and Lilian well knew that withoutasking, May would assist her at her household tasks during the visit,and would even do more than her share.
Dorothy frankly explained to the girls what the household arrangementswere in the Dorrance Domain, and said, that since certain hours of theday must be devoted to regular work by the Dorrance sisters, the guestswould at such times be thrown upon their own resources forentertainment.
"Not I!" cried Edith; "I shall help you, Dorothy, in everything you haveto do while I'm here. Indeed, I just think I'll do up your chores foryou, and let you take a rest. I'm sure you need one. Not that you lookso; I never saw you look so fat and rosy in your life; but you mustn'twork too hard just because you have company. You mustn't do a singlething extra for us, will you?"
"You mustn't dictate to your hostess, miss," returned Dorothy, gaily;"and I hardly think you can assist me very much, for I look after thecookery part, and I think you've given me to understand that you detestcooking. Also, I most certainly shall do extra things while you'rehere. It is my pleasure to entertain my guests properly," and Dorothysmiled in her most grown-up manner.
"Good gracious! Dorothy Dorrance, did your manners come with yourDomain, or where did you get that highfalutin air of yours?"
"Oh, that was put on purposely to impress you with my importance," saidDorothy, dimpling into a little girl again. "But truly, I must skip downto the kitchen now, and see if my Parker House rolls are rising, rose orhaving risen. No, you can't come, Edith; you'd spoil the rolls,--thoughyou'd do it in a most well-meaning way. Now you girls all go out, anddisport yourselves on the lawn, while I do my noble duty. Though I'mfree to confess I'm scared to death of that awe-inspiring mother-personthat Tessie has imported."
"I think she'll be helpful," said May Lewis. "She came up with us youknow, and really she's wonderful. She looked after us all, and she's asfunny as a red wagon."
"Red wagon!" exclaimed Edith; "she's nearer the size of a redautomobile, and she has the same kind of energy that automobiles aresaid to have. I don't own one myself, so I don't know."
"I don't own one either," said Dorothy, "so I don't know how to manageone. But I suppose I must make a try at managing the bulky Kathleen,--soI may as well start."
The whole troop ran down the wide staircase, except Fairy, who slid downthe banister, and leaving the others in the hall, Dorothy ran away tothe kitchen.
There she found Kathleen proceeding in a manner quite in accorda
nce withher appearance. She had assumed immediate and entire charge of thesupper preparations, and was ordering Tessie about in a good-natured,but domineering way.
"Lave me have a bit o' red pepper, darlint," she was saying, as Dorothycame in; "this dhressin' is flat for the want of it. Ah, Miss Dorothy,is that you, thin? an' I'm jist afther shlappin' together yersalad-dhressin'. I obsarved the things all shtandin' ready an' Iwhacked 'em up."
"Why, that was very kind of you, Kathleen," said Dorothy; "it has helpedme a great deal. Where are my rolls, Tessie?"
"They was risin' too fast, miss," said Kathleen, entirely ignoring herdaughter's presence, "an' I set 'em in the pantry forninst, to kape 'emback."
"Good for you, Kathleen! you're a jewel. I was afraid those things wouldget too light. Now, if you'll get them for me, I'll mould them over."
"Shure, I moulded them over, miss. They're all ready to bake, an' it'sKathleen as'll bake 'em for ye."
"Well," said Dorothy, laughing, "there doesn't seem to be anything leftfor me to do. Will you dress the salad, Kathleen?"
"I will that, miss! Now don't bother yer purty head anny more about thesupper. Shure, it's Kathleen will attind to it all, intoirely. Thisshcapegrace, Tessie, will show me where things do be, an' yez needn'tshow so much as the tip av yer nose, until it's all on the table."
"Kathleen, you're an angel in disguise, and not much disguised at that.Now look here, I'm very practical, and if you're going to stay here aweek, we may as well understand each other from the start. I'd bedelighted to leave this supper entirely in your hands; but are you surethat you can do everything satisfactorily? I'm rather particular, asTessie can tell you, and to-night, I want everything especially nice,and well-served, in honor of my guests."
"Now, there's talk for ye! You're the right kind of a lady to wurrukfor. But, ye need have niver a fear; Kathleen'll do iverything jist asfoine as yersilf or yer lady grandmother cud be afther desirin'."
"Very well, Kathleen, I shall trust you with the whole affair then. Youcan broil chickens, of course?"
"To a turrn, miss." Kathleen's large face was so expressive as she saidthis (and there was so much room on her face for expression), thatDorothy felt no further doubts as to the chickens.
She ran from the kitchen, laughing, and joined the group on the veranda.
"I'm a lady of leisure," she announced gaily; "that large and altogetherdelightful piece of architecture, called Kathleen, insists upon cookingthe supper, over which I had expected to spend a hard-working hour."
"Jolly for Kathleen!" exclaimed Leicester, throwing his cap high in theair, and catching it on his head; "I do hate to have Dot working for herliving, while we're all enjoying ourselves."
"Jolly for Kathleen!" echoed Jack Harris; "the lady of magnificentdistances."
And though Grandma Dorrance did not join audibly in the general hurrah,she was no less glad that her pretty Dorothy was relieved from householddrudgery on that particularly merry occasion.