American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1873-10-25
"Oh, building pays" answered Jack,


unholy compact, and that invisible hands
at night took up the work where his Irish
hod carriers had left it. And certainly
the housc-that is, myself, you under
stand-grew with rapidity that gave
some color to her accusation.
Finally the day came when l stood fin
ished from head to foot, or, if you prefer
ii, from roof to basement. And though |
say it, that perhaps should not say it, l
was a handsome structure. | had a
piazza, a balcony, a bay-window; no mod
ern improvement or adornment had been
spared on me. l was as yet, empty, to be
sure, but that was a lack easily supplied /;
all the more easily that Jack the very
evening l was done brought over his
woman-kild, with the addition of young
Ned Wyndham, who happened to be max
ing a call at the old house, to give their
united voice about the furnishing.
l remember Just how the party looked
as they entered. Minnie came first of all.
She wore thin white dress, covered with
1 fiounces and puffings, and the folds OF
which she had gathered up out of the
dust, so that 1 had peep at the rosettes
on her little high-heeled slippers. Her
black wavy hair had red rose bud on the
left side, to balance the pink dimple in
her right cheek, suppose, and her black
eyes were wide open and sparkling.
Altogether l approved of her, and if had
not been afraid, being so new, of doing
some harm to myself, l should have Civ
en- some sign of satisfaction. Ned Wynd-
ham followed her, quite an elegant-look-
ing young fellow, with white hands and a
| tawny moustache, and who-ttat l saw at
once-admired her quite as much as
did. Jack and his mother brought up the
| rear, Jack carrying notebook and pen
Gil, and Mrs. Heaton with a look of sur
prise and remOnstrance on her face. She
was speaking as she entered.
| ''But, my dear boy" she said, 81 can
not conceive why you should want to
throw away your money on this house."
Now, this of course was not pleasant for
me to listen to, but l resolved to
hear further, and not take any hasty
prejudices. at isn't everybody, you
know she continued, who cares to
take furnished house,
"And it isn't everybody 1 would let it
our agreement, mother? l mean to have
nice people in here, so l must bait my
trap accordingly. That's why 1 have
brought you all over this evening to give
me the benefit of your taste. Come, won't
somebody begin?"
"Oh, what a dear little bay-window
room! ~ here cried Minnie, who had been
| fitting about without much attending to
the others. eff it were my house l should
make this my snuggery; I'd put my
piano in that recess there, and disgrace
fully easy chair here in the bay-window."
| 'And fill the balcony with roses and
things" completed young Wyndham,
whose mind was plainly distracted by
| that red rosebud.
| Not bad suggestions either" said Jack,
whose pencil was already jotting down
pianos, easy-chairs, and plants. 'Now
what do you say, mother?"
"This room with the dark paneling l
should furnish in deep crimson" said
| Mrs. Heaton, reaectively, from the
| threshold. at is just my idea of a COM
| Portable winter parlor; and with a hand
some set of book cases-that is if it was
my own house, l mean," she added, sud
| denly pulling herself up short in this
| field so delightful to woman, and resum-
ing the prudential tone with which she
considered it necessary to hold Jacks
| lavishness in check-"but | can't see the
good of getting together pretty things
| for strans ers to spoil"
ooh, I'll get the worth of my outlay,
| never fear" said Jack, laughing. "Deep
| crimson, you ook-cases-'m-
| m"
And that is the way it was from garnet
| to cellar. Not word could any body
drop but Jacks little stump of pencil
| caught it up and pinned it fast in twink
ling. If these suggestions were carried
out, tlcIc WAS every pIoSpSCt VI Us clc-
giant little dwelling as any body need
desire.
And it was so. Yes, | don't know why
l should be shy of the treth, and l openly
declare that l never wish to see nicer
looking house than l was after the cabi-
netmaker and upholsterer had finished
with me- and 1 stood complete from top
to toe in my new clothes. The work had
been thoroughly well done. had variety
without guadiness; bright clear tints, and
dark rich shades, lit up with the CLEAN of
mirrors and gliding, and sOftened with
such profusion of greenery wherever it
could be placed, that l appeared to have
grown rather than to have been made
Minnie, who approved of me thoroughly
and, indeed, was mainly the result of
her taste-had declared | should be named
the Nest, for was not like any other or
binary house.
1t was an autumn day when 1 was fin
ished-the even, as l recollect, before
Minnie's birthday. She stood in the gar
den of the old house with Jack, looking
at me as my windows frightened in the
setting sun, till l seemed all in glow,
inside and out.
''The last stick went in today said
Minnie. "The nest is all ready for the
birds"
"Then suppose we go over and take a
d's-eye view," suggested Jack, with
ltuSn, taking MS arms from tnc fence,
and throwing away the end of his cigar.
He opened the gate, and they strOlled over
together.
Minnie was all in black that evening,
with black necklace round her throat,
and her thick black hair waving all over
her shoulders. She made Inc think of
little nun, only those long curis and the
bright eyes didn't suit with my ideas of
nun exactly,
They came in and stopped in the little
bay-window room, furnished just as she
had suggested. She looked round her,
then out at the flowers and green things in
the balcony, and then all round her again.
"Oh," she said, II hope whoever comes
here will be somebody L can like, for /
do love this house 50, can't give it up
entirely"
Now | thought this very pretty speech
indeed, and l made the most of the last
sun-rays in order to look as bright as |
could, as a suitable acknowledgement.
Jacks face frightened, too. 81 am so
glad you like it," he said, heartily, and
taking both her hands in his. My dear
Minnie" he continued, tomorrow, /
know, is your birthday, but you won't
mind my anticipating by few hours, l
suppose, on making my present something
useful as well as ornamental. You are
monarch of all you survey" he went
on, jestingly-"of this house and all it
contains; and, my dear little girl, l only
hope you may be as happy in your nest as
have been in building it for YOU"
you built it-for-me?" said Minnie,
in so low n voice that | shoulI hardly