Daily Kennebec journal., 1900-05-12
A Transformed Farmhouse.


she was expecting a classmate to visit
her, and she was trying to look at the
farmhouse with another's eyes.
The best room was dark. Marcia
raised the window with difficulty Tht
blinds also stuck, as though theil
hinges had rusted fast. but the light
streamed in at last. Marcia sat dowr
and looked about her.
She saw a brown ingram carpet, 2
walnut table with marble top, on
which reposed the family Bible upon
green worsted mat, a sofa and six
chairs, hard and slippery in stiff black
haircloth; a narrow wood mantel with
an ornament Of waxen fruit under a
glass shade, and walls of stainless
whiteness, on which hung cuts OF
Wa ashingtons death-bed, Grants
family. a framed wreath of immor-
telles from the coffin Of her nothef $
aunt. and couple of chromos.
Asleep" and Awake"
Strange l had forgotten how hid
eous this room is,'' she murmured
"but have really never seen it lighted
before. And then the best room of all
our neighbors Is just like it, and until
i
to compare 1t with. 1t is a perfect
nightmare"
She studied it for some time. and
then passed out into the room behind.
This was really the dining-room, but
as there were two kitchens the family
usually ate in the larger and better
one and cooked in the one beyond, and
used this as a sittingroom. 1t. too.
was darkened but she threw open the
blinds and surveyed it. 1t was
papered. and had a rocking chair and
a lounge. besides its diningroom fur
piture; a pocket filled with newspapers
hung on the wall beside walnut
bookcase.
Marcia went back to the front Of
the house and turned the key in the
hall door. 1t creaked noisily and
yielded with reluctance. The door
opened stiff1y on its unused hinges.
Marcia looked out into the little porch.
She had never sat there. The family
used the side piazza famliarly and
this seemed strange. A honeysuckle
climbed over it. and sweet briar bush
crowded against one end.
Here is some comfort anyway" the
girl murmured to herself. The air of
the hall was chill and pungent with
long dead odors. yet the stairs gave
certain dignity with their slender white
balustrade topped by shining cherry
rail. Marcia left the door open and
went up to the bedrooms.
They were four in number. First the
guest room, stiff and sombre with an
old fashioned bed. bureau, dull carpet
and four chairs. Then her mothers
bedroom: it was equally uninteresting
with walnut furniture, an elaborate
patchwork quilt on the bed, and a few
family photographs in oval walnut
frames hung high on the walls. Marcia
turned away with a shiver. Her own
room came next, and here was a
difference. True, the furniture was
painted yellow. but her college ac-
quisitions of pictures, flags, pillows.
bits of silver and memorabilia of all
kinds gave a cheerful air.
That's not so bad" she said The
room over the kitchen was used by
the various hired girls" who came and
went. 1t. too, was stuffy and dull.
Marcia went slowly down stairs to
the front porch and sat for an hour
with pencil and paper in her lap.
When dinner was over, the farmer
and his wife came into the dining
room. The day was warm and they
were glad of rest. Mrs. Noble took
UP her mending basket and rocked
leisurely, while the farmer stretched
himself on the lounge.
Marcia drew a chair up to the table
and began resolutely.
Father, I want to talk so.nethtue
over with you and mother. You ee--
am through college now and IL. t- ,ma
home to stay, and I want some % the
girls to visit me; you know e. / W.
low promised to come next month for
the first one. Would you MIND if |
fixed the house up little bafoi1 she
comes? OF course | don't mean to
make great changes, but here and
there"
Mr.. Noble locked beeT~7ldered. WV.
thought we looked pretty well. didn't
you. mother? We was painted .neid
and out not long ago. and the clrpets
amt old"
oh. father" said Marcia hastily. 81
didn't mean to do great things win Won
trust me and Just let me make the house
little prettier if can? I've a hundred
hoiidIS tdiHeu Dy tutoring tnlS last year
that laid aside on purpose"
I've got most as much egg money
myself interposed her mother. You
shant spend A cent Of yours. Your faith
or was calculating to buy parlor Or
gan
"Oh. mother, how lovely" Marcia
burst out. Not the organ, for | don't
want one. but if | can have that money
too
''Of course you can. child" said the
father smiling. II guess you shall have
as much as you need to fix the house up
YOU want to"
Mrs. Root has got a new parlor suit of
red plush. and an art square she calls ii
in the best room. | think we can af-
ford as much she cam
Marcia laughed.
We'll do better than that. mother,
We'll have really pretty house, the
prettiest one around. If only you will let
me do as I like.
Go ahead" said the farmer compIa-
Gently, as he composed himself for his
nap.
Haines Corners was two miles from a
large village and twenty from the city.
Marcias first trip was to the former.
where she drove in the buggy, followed
by the hired man upon a load of furni-
ture. The proprietor of the store was
Mortified 10 find that Farmer Noble
wished to sell his walnut chairs and Ia
hle, and three ingram carpets.
Just as good as new he exclaimed
What in the word
Its Just to please me. Mr. Stacy"
Marcia smiled. and before he knew what
he was doing he had bought and paid for
the entire load. The next day she went