Ethel Morton at Rose House | Page 4

go to the Home to teach the old ladies how to knit," said
Ethel Brown. "I know her pretty well now. The other day she told me
she had had an application from a family who wanted to board with her
this summer, and she was so sorry to have to turn them away because
she didn't have enough rooms for them."
"I don't see how that helps us any."
"You know Mr. Schuler hasn't been able to take many pupils this
winter and I shouldn't wonder if Mrs. Schuler would be glad to have
something to do this summer when school is closed. Now if they would
go to our Fresh Air house and take charge there for the summer it

would leave Mrs. Hindenburg with enough space to take in her
boarders. She'd be glad, and I should think the Schulers would be glad."
"And we'd be glad! Why, Fraulein is the grandest housekeeper," cried
Helen, using the name that Mrs. Schuler's old pupils never remembered
to change to "Frau." "German housekeepers are thrifty and neat and
careful--why, she's exactly the person we want. How great of you to
think of her, Ethel Brown!"
"You know she wanted to adopt our Belgian baby, so I guess she's
interested in poor children," volunteered Ethel Blue.
"Are our plans far enough along for us to ask her?" inquired Margaret.
"We ought to ask her as soon as we can, because Mrs. Hindenburg's
plans will be affected by the Schulers' decision," Helen reminded them.
"I think we are far enough along," decided Roger. "You see, the idea is
new to you, but I've been working at it for a good many months now,
and if we all pull together to do our share I know we can depend on the
grown-ups to do theirs."
"Shall we appoint Ethel Brown to call on Mrs. Schuler and talk it over
with her? She knows her better than the rest of us because she's seen
her at home oftener."
"Madam President, I move that Ethel Brown be appointed a committee
of one to see our Teutonic friends and work up their sympathies over
the women and children we want to help so that they just can't resist
helping too. Is your eloquence equal to that strain, Ethel?"
Ethel thought it was, and promised to go the very next afternoon. The
discussion turned to the next step to take.
"Grandfather's superintendent is going to move into the new cottage
next week," was Roger's news, "so then we can go over the old house
and see how it is arranged and decide how we'd like to change it."

"And also find out just what furniture is left and draw up a list of what
furniture we shall need."
"Had we better appoint committees for making the different
investigations?" inquired Tom, who was accustomed to the methods of
a city church.
"Later, perhaps," decided Helen. "At first I think we all want to know
the whole situation and then we can make our plans to fit, and special
people can volunteer for special work if we think it can be done best
that way."
"It's a great old plan you have there, Roger," cried Tom, thumping his
friend affectionately on the shoulder. "I bow to your giant intellect.
We'll do our best to make it a success."

CHAPTER II
MOYA AND SHEILA
Elisabeth of Belgium was walking sturdily now on the legs that had
been too weak to uphold her when she first came to Rosemont in
November. Her increasing strength was an increasing delight to all the
people who loved her--and there was no one who knew her who did not
love her--but her activity obliged her caretakers to be incessantly on the
alert. Miss Merriam, the skilled young woman from the School of
Mothercraft, who had pulled her through her period of greatest
feebleness, now found herself sometimes quite outdone by the energy
of her little charge.
The Ethels were always glad to relieve her of her responsibilities for an
hour or two, and it was the afternoon of the day after Roger had
reported his plan to the Club that found the cousins strolling down
Church Street, "Ayleesabet" between them, clinging to a finger of each,
not to help her stand upright but to serve as a pair of supports from
which she might swing herself off the ground.

"See! She lifted her whole weight then!" exclaimed Ethel Blue. "We
shall have to give up calling her 'baby' soon. She's becoming an
acrobat!"
"It's all due to Miss Merriam. I wish she didn't look so tired the last few
days."
Ethel Blue made no reply. She guessed something of the reason that
had made Miss Gertrude appear distressed and silent. A certain note
that she herself