The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1884-09-17

our experiment III bn6 uBub OI nug6
joke, which they were willing to help
along, 80 they gave US number of house
keeping things, among others braided
mat, and half-dozen plants all in bios.
som, and sold us their range at very low
price. Those familiar with the peculiar
attributes of stoves and stove-pipes will
understand the relief it was to have q re-
liable range in running order. Besides
this, we had couple OF bedsteads with
the furnishings, a few dishes, our trunks
and half.dozen packing boxes Of differ
emit sizes.
The next fortnight was q busy one
We rose early aud went to bed late, and
lived in picnic fashion, while we painted,
and pounded, and planned. We were in
a state of mind where we wished for no
advice, much less help from anybody out
side; but after jamming considerable
plaster from the walls, and skin from our
knuckles, we decided that there were
times when man could be made useful
and at Nannie's suggestion certain
young architect from the boarding.h
was taken into our confidence, and did
valiant service in putting up shelves and
hooks.
One Friday night, with the last screw
in the kitchen clock shelf, the work was
done, and | doubt if many brides, going
into houses luxuriously appointed without
care of theirs, feel half the satisfaction
that we did in looking round on the re-
suit of our ingenuity and hard work.
And it was right cosy little place. There
was a &c l-sized sitting room with two
sleeping-rooms opening from it, kitchen
adjoining, storeroom, closets, etc., and as
the house was on a corner, we had the
sun most of the day.
Kate and Mamie painted the floor of
their room soft gray, and covered their
dressing-.able and wash stand with blue
and drab chintz. The one window was
draped with full curtains of unbleached
cotton, trimmed and looped back with
bands of the chintz and low cush.
toned chair and ottoman were covered
with the same blue and drab covering.
A low painted bedstead and chest of
drawers completed their furniture, and
strips of blue and gray carpeting before
the larger pieces took away any suspicion
of baroness.
The room Beth and l shared was pre-.
cisely similar, except that our floor was
painted a bright warm brown, and our
cretonne covers and bits of carpet were
scarlet and white. But it was on our
common sitting-room that we lavished our
greatest skill. The three windows were
curtained with full draperies of cheese.
cloth, over cream-colored shades, a big
crimson bow at the top of each window
where the draperies parted. Mamie, who
was not in the least esthetic, pleaded to
have the whole floor covered, but as this
meant twenty-five yards of carpeting, she
was voted down on the score of economy
as we'll as of art. A wide margin was
stained most delightful dead-leaf brown,
and nine yards Of crimson and wood.
colored carpet made square large enough
to come we'll out around the center table.
And the table-we saw it one day in front
of an auction-room. The top looked as
though opposing forces had fought across
it, but the standard was good and solid
so home it went, and when it was covered
with Beth's old gray shawl dyed crimson,
and the student-lamp set over the darn in
in the middle, the effect was all that could
be desired.
Then we had Beth's piano and the
plants, and nobody knows until she tries
it how far piano and plants 60 toward
furnishing room. We had comforta-
BILE lounge, bought Gin the CLOTH" and
covered by our own hands, big Shaker
rocking-chair, and two or three smaller
was subdued, and our few pictures and
brackets made quite show, and when we
had scattered our books and trinkets
about the room, it was decided success.
"There, Mamie" said Kate, when we
reached the cozy kitchen on our tour of
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 inquiringly,
and Nsnnie's ideal of bliss was explained
to him. He made no comments, but
looked at her with peculiar expression
in his handsome eyes, and l felt 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 ring
at the door, and Kate, answering it, came
back with basket.
~ o uiicctou w YOU, NdHuic, SUE bhlu,
holding it to the light. So Mamie opened
it, when out stepped plump, self.satis.
fed maltese kitten, and attached to one
fore.paw was card which said, " The
Climax" Beth turned the card over, and
read the young architects name.
ooh, Nanniel" she said, turning on
her reproachfully, al hope you are not
going to spoil everything" But Mamie
was busy filling saucer for the new
conner, and made no answer.
may as we'll say here. that, soon after
the young man came to me 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 errand, laid the
question before the other girls.
al move," said Kate, who was rather
given to sounding phrases" move that
he be granted leave to withdraw"
"Oh, let him comel b" said Beth, with
true southern obliviousness of conse-
quences.
Well, he came, and came again, and the
little romance unfolded in a kindlier at
mosphere than that of clearinghouse
parlor, and after while l think we all
rather enjoyed him, as he was 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 himself at our Kitchen