How would
that do? Say, it's real pretty here, like spring in the orchard, ain't
it, Mother? Well, now, you figure out what you're going to have for
bureau fixings, and I'll get back to my tacking. I want to get done
to-night and get that pretty white furniture moved in. You're sure the
enamel is perfectly dry on that bed? That was the last piece he worked
on. I think Jed made a pretty good job of it, for such quick work. Don't
you? Got a clean counterpane, and one of your pink-and-white patchwork
quilts for in here, haven't you, and a posy pin-cushion? My! but I'd
like to know what she says when she sees it first!"
And so the two old dears jollied each other along till far past their
bedtime; and when at last they lay quiet for the night Mother raised up
in the moonlight that was flooding her side of the room and looked
cautiously over to the other side of the bed:
"Father! You awake yet?"
"Yes!" sleepily.
"What'll we do about going to church to-morrow? The telegram might come
while we're gone, and then we'd never know what she answered."
"Oh, they'd call up again until they got us. And, anyhow, we'd call them
up when we got back and ask if any message had come yet?"
"Oh! Would we?" and Mother Marshall lay down with a sigh of relief,
marveling, as she often had, at the superior knowledge in little
technical details that men so often displayed. Of course in the real
vital things of life women had to be on hand to make things move
smoothly, but just a little thing like that, now, that needed a bit of
what seemed almost superfluous information, a man always knew; and you
wondered how he knew, because nobody ever seemed to have taught him! So
at last Mother Marshall slept.
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