Mr. Smith, at Miss Maggie's, saw comparatively little of it all, though he had almost daily reports from Benny, Mellicent, or Miss , who came often to Miss Maggie's for a little chat. It was from Miss Flora that he learned the outcome of Mellicent's present to her mother. The week was past, and Miss Flora had come down to Miss Maggie's for a little visit.
Mr. Smith still worked at the table in the corner of the living-room, though the Duff-Blaisdell records were all long ago copied. He was at work now sorting and other Blaisdell records. Mr. Smith seemed to find no end to the work that had to be done on his Blaisdell book.
As Miss Flora entered the room she greeted Mr. Smith cordially, and dropped into a chair.
"Well, they've gone at last," she panted, handing her furs to Miss Maggie; "so I thought I'd come down and talk things over. No, don't go, Mr. Smith," she begged, as he made a move toward departure. "I hain't come; to say nothin' private; besides, you're one of the family, anyhow. Keep right on with your work; please."
Thus , Mr. Smith went back to his table, and Miss Flora settled herself more comfortably in Miss Maggie's easiest chair.
"So they're all gone," said Miss Maggie cheerily.
"Yes; an' it's time they did, to my way of thinkin'. Mercy me, what a week it has been! They hain't been still a minute, not one of 'em, except for a few hours' sleep—toward mornin'."
"But what a good time they've had!" Miss Maggie.
"Yes. And didn't it do your soul good to see Mellicent? But Jane—Jane nearly had a fit. She told Mellicent that all this gayety was nothing but froth and flimsiness and vexation of spirit. That she knew it because she'd been all through it when she was young, and she knew the vanity of it. And Mellicent—what do you suppose that child said?"
"I can't imagine," smiled Miss Maggie.
"She said SHE wanted to see the vanity of it, too. Pretty cute of her, too, wasn't it? Still it's just as well she's gone back to school, I think myself. She's been repressed and held back so long, that when she did let loose, it was just like cutting the string of a bunched-up ruffle—she flew in all directions, and there was no holding her back anywhere; and I suppose she has been a bit foolish and in the things she's asked for. Poor dear, though, she did get one ."
"What do you mean?" "Did she tell you about the present for her mother?"
"That she was going to get it—yes."
Across the room Mr. Smith looked up suddenly.
"Well, she got it." Miss Flora's thin lips snapped grimly over the words. "But she had to take it back."
"Take it back!" cried Miss Maggie.
"Yes. And 'twas a beauty—one of them light purple stones with two pearls. Mellicent showed it to me—on the way home from the store, you know. And she was so pleased over it! 'Oh, I don't mind the saving all those years now,' she cried, 'when I see what a beautiful thing they've let me get for mother' And she went off so happy she just couldn't keep her feet from dancing."
'"I can imagine it," nodded Miss Maggie.
"Well, in an hour she was back. But what a difference! All the light and happiness and springiness were gone. She was almost crying. She still carried the little box in her hand. 'I'm takin' it back,' she choked. 'Mother doesn't like it.' 'Don't like that beautiful pin!' says I. 'What does she want?'
"'Oh, yes, she liked the pin,' said Mellicent, all teary; 'she thinks it's beautiful. But she doesn't want anything. She says she never heard of such foolish goings-on—paying all that money for a silly, useless pin. I—I told her 'twas a PRESENT from me, but she made me take it back. I'm on my way now back to the store. I'm to get the money, if I can. If I can't, I'm to get a credit slip. Mother says we can take it up in forks and spoons and things we need. I—I told her 'twas a present, but—' She couldn't say another word, poor child. She just turned and almost ran from the room. That was last night. She went away this morning, I suppose. I didn't see her again, so I don't know how she did come out with the store-man."
"Too bad—too bad!" sympathized Miss Maggie. (Over at the table Mr. Smith had fallen to writing furiously, with vicious little jabs of his pencil.) "But Jane never did believe in present-giving. They never gave presents to each other even at Christmas. She always called it a foolish, practice, and Mellicent was always SO unhappy Christmas morning!"
"I know it. And that's just what the trouble is. Don't you see? Jane never let 'em take even comfort, and now that they CAN take some comfort, Jane's got so out of the habit, she don't know how to begin."
"Careful, careful, Flora!" laughed Miss Maggie. "I don't think YOU can say much on that score."
"Why, Maggie Duff, I'M taking comfort," Miss Flora. "Didn't I have chicken last week and turkey three weeks ago? And do I ever the butter or hunt for cake-rules with one egg now? And ain't I going to Niagara and have a phonograph and move into a fine place just as soon as my mourning is up? You wait and see!"
"All right, I'll wait," laughed Miss Maggie. Then, a bit anxiously, she asked: "Did Fred go to-day?"
"Yes, looking fine as a , too. I was off the steps when he went by the house. He stopped and . Said he was going in now for real work—that he'd played long enough. He said he wouldn't be good for a row of pins if he had many such weeks as this had been."
"I'm glad he realized it," observed Miss Maggie grimly. "I suppose the
Gaylord young people went, too."
"Hibbard did, but Pearl doesn't go till next week. She isn't in the same school with Bess, you know. It's even grander than Bess's they say. Hattie wants to get Bess into it next year. Oh, I forgot; we've got to call her 'Elizabeth' now. Did you know that?"
Miss Maggie shook her head.
"Well, we have. Hattie says nicknames are all out now, and that 'Elizabeth' is very and good form and the only proper thing to call her. She says we must call her 'Harriet,' too. I forgot that."
"And Benny 'Benjamin'?" smiled Miss Maggie.
"Yes. And Jim 'James.' But I'm afraid I shall forget—sometimes."
"I'm afraid—a good many of us will," laughed Miss Maggie.
"It all came from them Gaylords, I believe," Flora. "I don't think much of 'em; but Hattie seems to. I notice she don't put nothin' discouragin' in the way of young Gaylord and Bess. But he pays 'most as much attention to Mellicent, so far as I can see, whenever Carl Pennock will give him a chance. Did you ever see the beat of that boy? It's the money, of course. I hope Mellicent'll give him a good lesson, before she gets through with it. He deserves it," she ejaculated, as she picked up her fur neck-piece, and fastened it with a jerk.
In the she paused and glanced cautiously toward Mr. Smith. Mr.
Smith, perceiving the glance, tried very hard to absorb himself in the
rows of names dates before him; but he could not help hearing Miss
Flora's next words.
"Maggie, hain't you changed your mind a yet? WON'T you let me give you some of my money? I'd so LOVE to, dear!"
But Miss Maggie, with a violent shake of her head, almost pushed Miss
Flora into the hall and shut the door firmly.
Mr. Smith, left alone at his table, wrote again furiously, and with vicious little jabs of his pencil.
. . . . . . .
One by one the winter days passed. At the Duffs' Mr. Smith was finding a most congenial home. He liked Miss Maggie better than ever, on closer acquaintance. The Martin girls fitted pleasantly into the household, and plainly did much to help the mistress of the house. Father Duff was still as as ever, but he was not so much in evidence, for his increasing was confining him almost to his own room. This meant added care for Miss Maggie, but, with the help of the Martins, she still had some rest and leisure, some time to devote to the walks and talks with Mr. Smith. Mr. Smith said it was absolutely , for the sake of her health, that she should have some recreation, and that it was an act of charity, anyway, that she should lighten his loneliness by letting him walk and talk with her.
Mr. Smith could not help wondering a good deal these days about Miss Maggie's financial resources. He knew from various indications that they must be slender. Yet he never heard her plead poverty or preach economy. In spite of the absence of protecting rugs and tidies, however, and in spite of the fact that she plainly conducted her life and household along the lines of the greatest possible comfort, he saw many evidences that she counted the pennies—and that she made every penny count.
He knew, for a fact, that she had refused to accept any of the Blaisdells' . Jane, to be sure, had not offered any money yet (though she had offered the carpet, which had been refused), but Frank and James and Flora had offered money, and had urged her to take it. Miss Maggie, however would have none of it.
Mr. Smith suspected that Miss Maggie was proud, and that she regarded such a gift as too much of charity. Mr. Smith wished HE could say something to Miss Maggie. Mr. Smith was, indeed, not a little disturbed over the matter. He did try once to say something; but Miss Maggie tossed it off with a merry: "Take their money? Never! I should feel as if I were eating up some of Jane's interest, or one of Hattie's gold chairs!" After that she would not let him get near the subject. There seemed then really nothing that he could do. It was about this time, however, that Mr. Smith began to demand certain extra luxuries—honey, olives, , candied fruits, and imported jellies. They were always luxuries that must be bought, not prepared in the home; and he promptly increased the price of his board—but to a sum far beyond the extra cost of the he ordered. When Miss Maggie at the size of the increase, he pooh-poohed her objections, and declared that even that did not pay for having such a nuisance of a boarder around, with all his
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