Ethel Morton at Rose House | Page 8

are planning to have some women
and children who need country air come out from New York this

summer and live in a farmhouse that we have on the place here."
Moya nodded. "She did."
"We need a cook. We are going to give them simple food, but
nourishing and well cooked."
"If it's me you're thinking of for the cooking, ma'am, I'm a poor cook
beyond potaties and stew."
"You never were taught to cook?"
"Taught? No, ma'am. I picked up what little I know from me mother.
'Tis simple enough, but too simple for what you need."
"If you'll try to learn, here's what we've planned. Kate needs a helper.
Not because she isn't strong and hearty, but because Mr. Emerson and I
want her to have a little more time for pleasure than she has had for a
good many years. She won't take a real vacation, so we are going to
give her a partial vacation."
"Me being the helper?" inquired Moya, her thin face lighting.
"More than the helper. Kate has agreed to teach you how to cook all the
dishes that it will be necessary to cook for the women and children this
summer. You couldn't have a better teacher."
"I'm sure of it," answered the young woman, turning gratefully to Kate.
"I'll do my very best."
"You shall have a room for yourself and the baby, and wages," and she
named a sum that made Moya's eyes burn.
"I'm not worth that yet," she cried, "but I know you'll need me to dress
respectable, so I'll not refuse it and I'll get some decent things for the
baby and mesilf!"
"If Kate finds that you take hold well she'll teach you more elaborate
cooking. There's always a place waiting somewhere for a good cook,

and here's your chance to learn to be a really excellent cook."
So the problem of obtaining a cook was settled without trouble, and as
Ethel Brown found Mrs. Schuler not only ready but eager to act as
Matron, two of the possible difficulties seemed to have proved
themselves no difficulties at all.

CHAPTER IV
PLANS
The work of the carpenters filled in very acceptably the time when the
members of the Club were toiling at school.
A visit of inspection toward the end of June gave the onlookers the
greatest satisfaction.
"Everything is as fine as a fiddle!" exclaimed Roger as they all stopped
in one of the upstairs rooms. "Now it's up to us to do the papering and
painting and to concoct some furniture."
So it was decided that all the bedrooms should have white paint and
walls of delicate hues and that Mrs. Schuler's office should be pink
with white paint and white curtains at the windows.
"We can get very pretty papers for ten cents a roll," said Margaret. "I
saw some beauties when I went to the paperers to get some flowery
papers for James to cut out when he was pasting decorations on to our
Christmas Ship boxes."
"Are you going to use wall paper?" asked Miss Merriam quickly.
"Aren't we?" inquired Margaret. "It didn't occur to me that there was
anything else. There is paper on the walls now."
"It's a lot more sanitary to have the walls kalsomined, I know that," said
James in a superior tone. "Haven't you heard Father say so a dozen

times?"
"I suppose I have, now I think about it," replied Margaret. "It stands to
reason that there would be less chance for germs to hide."
"Do you suppose these old walls are in good enough condition to go
uncovered?" asked Roger, passing his hand over a suspicious bulge that
forced the paper out, and casting his eye at the ceiling which was
veined with hair cracks.
"Probably the walls will not be in the pink Of condition," returned Mrs.
Morton; "but, even so, color-washing will be better than papering."
"We can go over them and fill up the cracks," suggested Tom, "and we
can whitewash the ceilings."
"That's what I should advise," said Miss Merriam. "Put the walls and
ceilings in as good condition as you can, and then put on your wash.
Kalsomining is rather expensive, but there are plenty of color washes
now that any one can put on who can wield a whitewash brush."
"Me for the whitewash brush at an early date," Roger sang gayly.
"What do you suggest for these upstairs floors, Miss Merriam?
Grandfather thought they weren't bad enough to have new ones laid,
but they do look rather rocky, don't they?"
He cast a disparaging glance at the boards under his feet, and waited for
help.
"Were you planning to paint them?"
"Yes," Roger nodded.
"Then you ought to putty up the cracks first. That will make them
smooth