The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1880-10-21
CHAPTER VI.


The work OF building the addition to the ''Bird's-
nest vas begun forthwith. Earle and Cleave-
Iarl both IN erstood the use of TOOLS so no out
sid. helps vas needed. The walls were built
double and flled in with dry clay, pounded fine
au6 poured in from the top, in order to have the
rooms as warm as possible during the cold Winter
ws thsr Wood was so scarce that Earle thought
it worth while to exercise little care and fore
thoaght in older to insure comfort.
When t. = od-rooms with their two nice closets,
were all completed, Bertha put down, in the sit
-ing-roon the carpet which her mother had given
her and began to arrange things to her liking.
at her suggestion, Earle had put in a double win
dow on the south side of the house, and little
portico over the front door to serve instead of
rail- On each side Of the fireplace he had filled
ne spaces with frames, on which Bertha had put
-uffed wool cushions, mattresses, for a kind Of
Iivan, and covered them with a bright furniture
.hintz, which she had brought with her for such
purposes. Large square wool pillows fitted them
out as very comfortable seats or lounging places
The walls Of the sittng-room were first covered
with heavy cloth and then with paper of a soft
waria gray, the carpet was crimson and black, in
"a small pattern, and when the pictures were hung
in groups about the walls, and the windows We're
ciirtairied with plain white muslin, with the
pretty chintz over it, and the "Boston comfort"
fitted win a thick wool cushion and chintz cover
the room certainly presented a very cosy and COM
Portable appearance. The bedrooms were carpeted
with strips Of partly worn Brussels carpet, that
hsd been used about the furniture i'm packing for
Bertha's father wanted her to have all the COM
forts she could, and had smuggled them in. The
china cupboard stood in the kitchen, and was a
success both as TO usefulness and appearance. The
bedroom partition had been taken out of the
Kitchen "a as to give more room for the table and
fhe walls had been covered with cloth and news
pal,or-. SO that room was now very neat and warm
f1r winter use. Bertha had found few ferns and
moses and had fitted up a little hower-stand for
her doilble window, and planted pansies and
f1rret-rne-nots in it. Her two bedrooms were
cure and neat, with white spreads and curtains OF
unbleaehed muslin, trimmed with bright-colored
bands, and tasteful toilet-stands, made by Earle
aud covered by her own handiwork. She was
husy all day in fitting and arranging and was
raerry and blithe as any bird in her nest-making.
The two men looked on with wonder at her in
genuity, AMI the facility with which her touch
seeuied to Inetamorphose everything with which
she caI1e in contact. She also understood the
preparation Of many delicate dishes for the dessert
az table, as she had been accustomed to that part
Of the housework, and her skill added variety to
their restricted bill of fare. Her husband assisted
hes with their washing, and the shepherd boys,
who had their hunks in the wood-house, did their
own, as they had been accustomed to before she
came 50 1t turned out that the burden Of work
that she had been expecting to take up all
imaginary, Tor Earle placed too high value upon
her to SLOW her to wear herself into a shadow i'm
WORKING Con those rough boys, who were better
able t. e'al on themselves than she was to do it
foI taeln
Il - o,,f
of thoughtful consideration that so often causes
ulel to PIT more work upon wives than they are
ibe to DO and thus cause them to break down
tlr sir health and become invalids in middle age
eaontimes it may be more the fault of the woman
Han Inc man, if she is energetic and ambitious
aud proud But usually it is the case that she