The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1885-01-24
aid Kate, with bookkeeper prompt.

said Kate, with bookkeeper prompt
ness.
Why" said Beth, beginning to be
eager, "lots of families live on less than
that, and pay for everything out of it
clothes and doctors bills and every
thing"
Well, We talked till midnight, and the
more we talked, the more feasible the
scheme seemed and it was decided that
we should commence tenement hunting
the very next morning, and after Beth
and had gone to our own room, Kate
came hurrying across to cay that she
had some spoons and forks which had
been her mothers, and that Mamie
said she knew how to make lovely
waffles.
We expected tedious time finding
rent within our means; but it is as
tonlshing how fortune helps those who
try to he'll themselves. That very
week a nice little scholar of Nannie's
stopped after school to say that her
parents were going to move out of the
city. We knew where she lived-a
pleasant house in respectable locality;
go after supper Kate aud 1 hunted up
the landlord, the next day We went in a
body to inspect the place, and the bar
gam was concluded.
Between that time and our departure
we babe fair to lose our reputation of
being the quiatest boarders in the
house. for every night there was talking
and laughing in one room or the other,
while we stitched and hemmed and
fgured-this last the hardest of all.
Kate, with a confidence born of much
twlnkling, which list was perfectly salts
factory to all of us-untu we inquired
prices. One thing We were agreed up
on, and that was, rigid economy, 80 We
cheapened this and left out that, until
it looked quite reasonable.
Well, the first day of December
found us III "our own hired house" and
as Beth turned the key in the hall door.
We felt that we had burned our ships
behind us.
The outgoing tenants seemed to re-
gard our experiment in the light of
huge joke, which they were willing to
help along. SO they gave us a number
of housekeeping things, among others
braided mat, and half-dozen plants
all III blossom, and sold us their range
at very low price. Those familiar with
the peculiar attributes of stove and
stove-pipes will understand the relief it
was to have reliable range in running
order. Besides this, we had couple
OF bedsteads with the furnishings, few
dishes, our trunks and a half dozen
roosH hovao of SiHaranf
The next fortnight was a busy one.
We rose early and went to bed late, aud
lived in picnic fashion, while we painted
and pounded, and planned. We were
In state of mind where we wished for
no advice, much less help. from anybody
outside; but after iamming considerable
plaster from the walls, and skin from
our knuckles, we decided that there were
times when a man could be made use
full, and at Nannie's suggestion certain
young architect from the boarding
house 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 1 doubt if many brides, going
into houses luxuriously appointed with
out care of theirs, feel half the satisfac-
ton that we did in looking round on
the result of our ingenuity and hard
work. And it was right cczy little
place. There was a good-sized sitting
room with two sleeping-rooms opening
from it, kitchen adjoining, store
room, closets, etc, and as the house was
on corner, we had the sun most of the
dav.
Kate and Mamie painted the floor of
their room soft gray, and covered their
dressing-table and washstand 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 cushioned
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 carpetipg before
the larger pieces took away any suspicion
of baroness.
The room Beth and I shared was pre-
cisely similar, except that our floor was
painted bright warm brown, and our
cretonne covers and bits of carpet were
scarlet and white. But it was on our
common siiting-room that we lavished
our greatest skill. The three windows
were curtalned with full draperies of
cheese-cIoUh, over cream colored shades,
a big crimson bow at the top of each
window win ere the drsperies parted.
Mamie, who was not in the least esthetic,
pleaded to have the whole floor covered,
but as this meant twenty five yards of
carpetiDg, she was voted down on the
score of economy as well as of art. A
wide margin was stained most delight
full dead-ieaf brown, and nine yards of
cri and wood-colored carpet made
a square large enough to come we'll out
around the center table. And the table
we saw it one day in front of an auc-
ton room. The top looked as though
opposing forces had fought across it,
but the standard was good and solid so
nome it went, and when it was covered
with Beth's old gray shawl dyed Grim
son, and the student lamp set over the
darn 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 go
towards furnishing a room. We had
comfortable lounge bought ain the
cloth and covered by our own hands, a
big Shaker rocking chair, and two or
three smaller rockers and camp chairs.
The wall paper 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 cosy kitchen on our tour of
inspection, you can tuck your little
feet right into the oven. and feast ynnr