The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1884-10-08

| 4 kANN
strips of blue and gray carpeting before
the larger pieces took away any suspicion
of baroness.
The room Beth and 1 shared was pre-
cisely similar, except that u floor was
painted a bright warm brown, and oul
cretonne covers and bits of carpet were
scarlet and white. But it was on oul
common sitting-room that we lavishcd
II greatest skill. The three windows
were curtaincd with full drapcrics Of
checsc-cloth, over cream colored shades,
o BIG crimson bow at the top of each
window where the draperlcs parted.
Mamie, who was not in the least ars'
thetic, pleaded to have the whole floor
covered, but as this meant twenty-five
Yards of carpeting, she was voted down
IN the score of economy as we'll as OF art
A wide margin was stained q
most delightful deud-leaf brown, and
nine wards of crimson and wood
colored carpet made a square large
enough to come we'll out around the cen
ter table. And the tablc-wc saw it one
dav in front of an a]uction-room. The
top looked as though opposing forces had
fought across it, but the standard wa
good and solid; so home it went, and
when it was covered with Bcth,s old
gray dyed crimson, and tho
studcpt-lar. set over the darn in tho
middle, the effect MAS all that could be
desired.
Then we had Bcth's piano and the
plants, and nobody knows until she tries
it how far a piano and plants go toward
furnishing a room. We had a comforta'
bic lounge, bought Gin the CLOTH" and
covered by our own hands, a big Shaker
rocking-cha and two or three smaller
rockers and camp-chairs. The wall-pa'
per was subdued, and our few pictures
and brackets made quite q show, and
when we had scattered u books and
trinkets about the room, it was a decided
success.
"There, Mamie" said Kate, when We
reached the coy kitchen on our tour oil
inspection, "you can tuck your little feet
right into the oven, and feast your eyes
on the braided mat, and if the cat was
only here, you would have reached the
climax of earthly happiness"
The young architect looked inquiring'
". and Nannie's ideal of bliss was eX'
planned to him. He made nj comments.
but looked at her with a peculiar ex'
preston in his handsome eyes, and l fell
that the stability of the society was
threatened.
The next night as we were sitting
down cozily to our tea and toast. and
baked apples and milk, there was a ring
nat the door. and Kate, answering it,
came back with a basket.
ats directed to YOU, Mamie" she
said, holding it to the light. So Mamie
opened it, when II stepped a plump,
self satisfied Maltese kitten, and attached
to one forc-paw was a card which said
ssThe Climax" Beth turned the card
over, and read the young architects
name.
"Oh, Nannie" she said, turning or
her %reproachfully, 81 hope you are not
going to spoil everything" But Nan
ME was busy filling Il saucer for the new
conner, and made no answer.
l may as well say here that, soon after,
the young man came to INC in a very
straightforward way, made known his
intentions in regard TO Mamie, and
asked permission to visit her. That
night, while she was gone on an GRAND,
l laid the question before the Other
girls.
II move" said Kate, who was rather
given to sounding phrases-'l move
that he be granted leave to withdraw
"Oh, let him comew said Beth, with
true Southern obliviousness OF conse'
quences.
Well, he came, and came again, and
the little romance unfolded in a kindliel
atmosphere than that of o boarding
house parlor, and after a while | think
we all rather enjoyed him, as he was q
high-minded, intelligent young fellow,
who conducted his wooing with very
little nonsense. Some evenings he
would come in with his drawing-board
under his arm, and establishing him
self at our kitchen table, put in his mar
velously fine lines and figures. with
Mamie sitting beside him with her sew
ing, making quite a Darby and Joan
picture. Kate sometimes shook her fist
at him from the covert of the sitting!
room, but she usually ended with "Blcss
the children!"
But to turn from love to figures. How
much did it cost?
Now, l do not expect to be believed
when I say that our entire furnishing,
from the small mirrors in our bedrooms
to the big iron spoon in the pantry, cost
exactly $12S.63 nevertheless, that wa:
the exact total. 1t may seem more cred
liable when it is understood that oul
drcssing-tab!es, wash.stands, and otto
mans were packing-boxes, and that the
inviting cushioned chairs were originally
barrels. Of course our bedsteads were
not furnished with hair mattresses and
rose blankets, but we had warm cover
ings, and clean straw-filled ticks, which
were simply luxurious after boarding
house mattresses.
Our table was not set forth with cut
glass and silver Except Hates spoons
and forks, but it was clean, and tho
food wholesome and varied.
And about the cost of living? w;
elected Kate treasurer, and every Satur
day night each Of lis pG1t five dollars ant
8 half into a-Dox kept for the purpose
and she paid for everything out of it
WeGuestionci her often, during the frs
|. month, how the money was holding out
but she made no satisfactory answer.
The first day of January we each fount
on our plate at supper the following no
tice: "The first monthly meeting of TIT
Home Cooperative Society will be helt
this evening in the kitchen, as sool
as the dishes arc done. A full attend
ance is desired, to hear the report of TIN
treasurer"
Every member wa present, and tn
treasurer read her report. After setting
forth at some length the origin and oh
ject of the society, she presented thu
following figures:
In ACCOUNT WITH HOME COOPERATIVE SOCIETY
DR.. CT
To Cash 1900. $s7.43 By ton coal 900. 5 10
" grOCeres".... 800
" meat and yege-
tables.".... 16.7
" milk. ......... rs
" labor twashing,
ironing and
cleaning)... &C
" rent........... $50
STAT
" balance on hand 24.G
1913 1914
(Which means" said Kate" dropping
her official manner, ''that we have hat
all this good time, and dent owe q cen
for anything, and have six dollars ant
seventeen cents apiece coming back tt
u.s." and she counted out four little pile.
of money.
"And coal in the bin, and food in the
larder," added Beth.
The next month we paid five dollars {
week each, and had a surplus, and after
that, four dollars a week usually covered
all expenses.
When we started, though we asked nc
advice, we had floods of it, and no end
Of dismal predictions. you'll QUARREL
Nv Nvl e IL