The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram., 1921-02-18
Chapter 107
WE GO BACK

lnere udQ Deen hurry OF SNOW
during the evening, but the morning
came clear and cold and the snow was
only enough to make white lines along
the hedges and fences. So there would
be no difficulty about driving back to
the city.
l was up early and dressed, so as to
be ready any time Francis wanted to
leave. Francis had been given Laura S
old room, and / had done what l could
to dress it up a little when / knew
he was driving out for me. And
James, anxious to help me. had built
a fire in the little wood stove in the
room, and volunteered to carry up hot
water in the morning.
81 can qualify now for both waitress
and chambermaid." he joked as he
passed down the hall with great jug
of hot water
But there the extra luxury due a
guest ended. The family thought they
had done their duty the evening be-
fore-this was a new day, with a new
days work
So when l hurried through the cold
hall and the chilly sitting room, and
opened the kitchen door, it was to see
things as they had always been-as
they had been for years, from the time
l was young girl.
A gust of warm air--hot air greeted
me, and the odor OF many things cook
ing for breakfast. Before the hot
stove stood Esther-in one of her
calico housedresses with the sleeves
torn off at the elbow to allow her free.
dom to work. She had not put on her
corsets, SO from in back | got all the
flabby shapelessness of her figure-at
shapelessness so lacking in grace or
prettiness as to be immodest. Her face
was red from bending over steaming
things on the stove, and her hair,
hastily done. was hanging up wisps
from her forehead and neck. In other
words, Esther had slipped back into
her comfortable old rut.
The table was set in the kitchen, as
we usually had it. So there were to
be no special preparations for our
guest, I thought. But l was wrong
Esther was cooking what she consid-
cred particularly good breakfast
watched her, while helped. She was
frying ham and potatoes, she had bat
ter stirred ready for hot cakes, from
the oven she produced batch of new
biscuits, there were eggs ready to b.
fried as well. And oatmeal was SIM
mering on the back of the stove, while
several varieties of jellies and jams
stood in jars on the table.
But. Esther" l protested, you're
not going to have Francis see you
looking like that"
Like what?" Esther demanded
while her little eyes showed sudden
resentment. in my workin' clothes
you mean? Well. | guess it Wont
kill him. Enid Haines, you're not
goin' to start putin on airs, are you:
He knows l got to work, so cam
come down all dressed up"
"All right, it doesn't matter"
broke in, afraid her suddenly raised
voice would reach beyond the kitchen
door Have you fruit for breakfast?' p
Fruit, Land, haven't we enough ?
Too much" l answered, sorry fOl
this question, too. There was no helI
for it-Esther was in charge and
had to accept her way of doing things
| had no desire to put on airs" ae
she expressed it, iOr Francis Meade's
benefit. Francis knew | came from d
poor family. plain farmers family
for generations back. The only thing
! hated him to see was the lack oi
certain little niceties of everyday life
of civilized llfe-little things that hat
nothing to do with money.
He came in with a cheerful goot
morning, and kissed me with EsthCl
looking on--a greeting that made me
happy and made me blush, too. TheI
Jim came in from the barn, and James
followed. Jim, nodding good morning
to Francis, walked over to the two
buckets of water sitting on the ledge
under the window, poured out ba
sinful, and went through his regular
morning ceremony. This consisted i
ducking his face and most of his heat
in the cold water, with great deal OF
splashing and blowing, and then wasl.
ing his hands with soap and the same
cold water. This ceremony ended by
a vigorous rubbing with the roller
towel-which, I'm sorry to say, die
more cleansing than the cold water
and then Jim was ready to eat
Though I had seen this every morn
ing for years, somehow it shocked mc
awfully today i looked around a
Francis, but he gave no sign of har
ing noticed anything, except for hu
morous twinkle in his eyes.
Il never take anything but coffee