"Mrs. Pranker?" asked Faith.
"That"s my name," replied the woman, as who should say, peremptorily, "what then?"
"I was told--my mother heard--that a sister of yours was looking for a place."
"She hain"t done much about _lookin"_," was the reply, "but she was sayin" she didn"t know but what she"d hire out for a spell, if anybody wanted her. She"s in the keepin" room. You can come in and speak to her, if you"re a mind to. The kitchen floor"s wet. I"m jest a-washin" of it.
You little sperrit!" This to the child, who was amusing himself with the floor cloth which he had fished out of the bucket, and held up, dripping, letting a stream of dirty water run down the front of his red calico frock. "If children ain"t the biggest torments! Talk about Job!
His wife had to have more patience than he did, I"ll be bound! And patience ain"t any use, either! The more you have, the more you"re took advantage of! I declare and testify, it makes me as cross as sin, jest to think how good-natured I be!" And with this, she s.n.a.t.c.hed the cloth from the boy"s hands, shook first him and then his frock, to get rid, in so far as a shake might accomplish it, of original depravity and sandy soapsuds, and carried him, vociferant, to the door, where she set him down to the consolation of gravel pudding again.
Meanwhile Faith crossed the sloppy kitchen, on tiptoe, toward an open door, that revealed a room within.
Here a very fat young woman, with a rather pleasant face, was seated, sewing, in a rocking-chair.
She did not rise, or move, at Faith"s entrance, otherwise than to look up, composedly, and let fall her arms along those of the chair, retaining the needle in one hand and her work in the other.
"I came to see," said Faith--obliged to say something to explain her presence, but secretly appalled at the magnitude of the subject she had to deal with--"if you wanted a place in a family."
"Take a seat," said the young woman.
Faith availed herself of one, and, doubtful what to say next, waited for indications from the other party.
"Well--I _was_ calc"latin" to hire out this summer, but I ain"t very partic"ler about it, neither."
"Can you cook?"
"Most kinds. I can"t do much fancy cookin". Guess I can make bread--all sorts--and roast, and bile, and see to common fixin"s, though, as well as the next one!"
"We like plain country cooking," said Faith, thinking of Aunt Henderson"s delicious, though simple, preparations. "And I suppose you can make new things if you have direction."
"Well--I"m pretty good at workin" out a resate, too. But then, I ain"t anyways partic"ler "bout hirin" out, as I said afore."
Faith judged rightly that this was a salvo put in for pride. The Yankee girl would not appear anxious for a servile situation. All the while the conversation went on, she sat tilting herself gently back and forth in the rocking-chair, with a lazy touching of her toes to the floor. Her very _vis inertiae_ would not let her stop.
Faith"s only question, now, was with herself--how she should get away again. She had no idea that this huge, indolent creature would be at all suitable as their servant. And then, her utter want of manners!
"I"ll tell my mother what you say," said she, rising.
"What"s your mother"s name, and where d"ye live?"
"We live at Kinnicutt Cross Corners. My mother is Mrs. Henderson Gartney."
""M!"
Faith turned toward the kitchen.
"Look here!" called the stout young woman after her; "you may jest say if she wants me she can send for me. I don"t mind if I try it a spell."
"I didn"t ask _your_ name," remarked Faith.
"Oh! my name"s Mis" Battis!"
Faith escaped over the wet floor, sprang past the white-haired child at the doorstep, and was just in time to be put into the chaise by Dr.
Wasgatt, who drove up as she came out. She did not dare trust her voice to speak within hearing of the house; but when they had come round the mills again, into the secluded river road, she startled its quietness and the doctor"s composure, with a laugh that rang out clear and overflowing like the very soul of fun.
"So that"s all you"ve got out of your visit?"
"Yes, that is all," said Faith. "But it"s a great deal!" And she laughed again--such a merry little waterfall of a laugh.
When she reached home, Mrs. Gartney met her at the door.
"Well, Faithie," she cried, somewhat eagerly, "what have you found?"
Faith"s eyes danced with merriment.
"I don"t know, mother! A--hippopotamus, I think!"
"Won"t she do? What do you mean?"
"Why she"s as big! I can"t tell you how big! And she sat in a rocking-chair and rocked all the time--and she says her name is Miss Battis!"
Mrs. Gartney looked rather perplexed than amused.
"But, Faith!--I can"t think how she knew--she must have been, listening--Norah has been so horribly angry! And she"s upstairs packing her things to go right off. How _can_ we be left without a cook?"
"It seems Miss McGonegal means to demonstrate that we can! Perhaps--the hippopotamus _might_ be trained to domestic service! She said you could send if you wanted her."
"I don"t see anything else to do. Norah won"t even stay till morning.
And there isn"t a bit of bread in the house. I can"t send this afternoon, though, for your father has driven over to Sedgely about some celery and tomato plants, and won"t be home till tea time."
"I"ll make some cream biscuits like Aunt Faith"s. And I"ll go out into the garden and find Luther. If he can"t carry us through the Reformation, somehow, he doesn"t deserve his name."
Luther was found--thought Jerry Blanchard wouldn"t "value lettin" him have his old horse and shay for an hour." And he wouldn"t "be mor"n that goin"." He could "fetch her, easy enough, if that was all."
Mis" Battis came.
She entered Mrs. Gartney"s presence with nonchalance, and "flumped"
incontinently into the easiest and nearest chair.
Mrs. Gartney began with the common preliminary--the name. Mis" Battis introduced herself as before.
"But your first name?" proceeded the lady.
"My first name was Parthenia Franker. I"m a relic"."
Mrs. Gartney experienced an internal convulsion, but retained her outward composure.
"I suppose you would quite as lief be called Parthenia?"
"Ruther," replied the relict, laconically.