"Sary Dodd! Oh, Sary, I"m right glad to see you! Come in, won"t you?"
greeted Mrs. Brewster, coming to the door.
"Just in time, Mrs. Dodd, to help me shove this press in to the spare room," added Polly, arresting her work to smile at the new-comer.
"Give Sary time to lay off her bonnet, child!" reproved Mrs. Brewster, pulling out a rocker for the widow.
"Laws me! What"cher doin"--a-cleanin" house agin!" cried Sary, leaning against the door-frame panting for breath.
"Winded, Sary? Ah told you-all Ah"d carry that heavy box from the wagon. But no!" exclaimed Mr. Brewster.
Polly was over by the door by this time, and she stooped to carry the box indoors.
"Goodness! What"s in the box to make it so heavy?"
"Chil", that box hol"s all my treasures on arth! Some few things Bill lef me, our fam"iy alb.u.m, an" my gran"mother"s pieces of reel silver--four plated! And mos" of all, the Brittania cake basket Bill gave me on our annerversary!" explained Sary, pathetically, as she dabbed a black cotton glove at her dewy eyes.
"Sam, take the team to the barn and leave Sary with us. We"ll soon have her feeling at home," said Mrs. Brewster, seeing a frown coming over her lord and master"s face, as he wondered if his home-life was to be shadowed by a sorrowing widow!
The moment Mr. Brewster left for the barn, his wife returned to the "help," who had plumped herself down into the wooden Boston rocker and was fanning herself vigorously with a newspaper.
"Let me remove your bonnet, Sary," offered Mrs. Brewster kindly, taking the twisted black strings to undo the knot that was tightly tied under a heavy double chin.
"Ah declar t" goodness, Miss Brewster, ef you-all hain"t too good!
Ah"ll jest set t" git my second wind, an" then Ah"ll tek right hol" of things!" gasped Sary.
"Don"t hurry yourself. Just cool off and then you"ll feel better after such a long ride. Shall I send Polly to the spring-house for some cold milk?" asked the lady of the house, folding the flimsy crepe token of Sary"s state of widowhood.
"G"wan now, Miss Brewster--I"m no infant!" scoffed Sary. "Don" cher know a fat bein" mustn"t tech milk "cause it"s more fattenin"?"
The hostess refrained from giving her opinion, but she busied herself with unpinning the rusty black plush cape that the widow had donned when she began her journey to new surroundings. Being quite rested by this time, Sary gripped a hold on each arm of the rocker and managed to hoist her bulky form out from the too close embrace of the senseless wooden arms.
"Now ef Polly er you-all "ll show me what to bunk, Ah ricken Ah"ll change my Sunday-best an" pitch inter work," said the willing help.
"Polly, you drag the box in while I show Sary her room," called Mrs.
Brewster, coming to the door that opened from the living-room directly into John"s chamber--now to be a guest room.
CHAPTER IV
THE "SERVANT PROBLEM" SOLVED
In the wild mountain regions of the Rockies, where maids are unheard of, and the "hotels" provide the most primitive service, the house-wives have little concern over the perplexing question of "help"
as experienced in large cities.
If it is necessary to a.s.sist a neighbor who is marrying off a daughter and wants to provide her with a trousseau, a sewing-bee is arranged and ranchers" families for miles around drive in and visit. Quilts, sheets, and other necessities are quickly st.i.tched and neatly folded out of the way by the women, while the men occupy themselves with work about the place until it is time for the grand dinner.
The same neighborly help is offered in other emergencies, so that few families want servants. At the same time, help has not been looked down upon as menial work by the ranchers, and so the "help" lives as a member of the family that happens to secure one.
In cases such as Sary Dodd"s, where a woman is left penniless and another woman needs her practical aid, the two meet half-way and the kitchen atmosphere is serene. Quite different is the case in cities, however.
Sary felt she was the social equal to any rancher"s wife, for had she not been mistress of a ranch, too--even though it was never paid for.
So she felt she was doing the Brewsters a favor by sharing their home and work, even while she admitted the obligation she was under of being provided with bed and board.
The tiny room allotted to the widow was directly back of the kitchen L.
It had a single window that gave a fine view of Rainbow Cliffs, but the furniture was of the plainest. Sary took in the simplicity in one glance and then turned to her mistress.
"Ah"ve hear"n tell how Sam Brewster kin buy er sell th" hull township, ef he likes, Miss Brewster," ventured Sary, slyly.
But the mistress had heard of Sary"s p.r.o.neness to gossip and so replied: "We don"t consider wealth worth anything unless you know what to do with it. We live as comfortably as we like, and try to use what is left in helping others."
Sary made no reply to this statement, but watched Mrs. Brewster go to the window and pull on the cord that was stretched at one side of the window-frame. Instantly, the decorated window-shade pulleyed up to allow more light to shine into the room.
"Now Ah see how that wu"ks!" cried Sary, delightedly.
Mrs. Brewster turned with a questioning look in her eyes.
Sary explained. "Cal Lorrimer tol" me like-es-how them winder shades wu"ked but Ah jest coulden" see it."
Mrs. Brewster laughed and Sary ventured to pulley the shade herself.
She drew it up and down several times and then turned to express her sentiments to her mistress.
"My, but yuh"re ferchunit t" have all seeh new-fangled idees in the house! It clean locoes me t" think Ah"m livin" wid sech fine contraptions." And Sary pressed her large freckled, hands over her spa.r.s.e red hair to signify how "locoed" her brain really was.
Mrs. Brewster laughed merrily. "Why, Sary, since I left Denver, my friends all have shades in the windows that run up and down on springs without any other help. They go by themselves."
"Now, Miss Brewster! Do _you_ believe that fairy-tale?" quizzed Sary, looking keenly at her mistress to see if she was trying to laugh at her ignorance of city-life.
"It is a fact, Sary--not a fairy-tale. My friend has them all through her house, and I expect to replace these pulleys with spring rollers, some day."
Sary pa.s.sed her hand over the l.u.s.tra design on the shade and Mrs.
Brewster turned to leave the room. Before she closed the door, she said: "I"m going to start dinner, Sary. When you are ready you can join me in the kitchen."
The moment the mistress was gone, Sary ran to make sure the door was securely closed. Then she turned to inspect the belongings of the room.
"Huh! the press ain"t so much--plain deal painted brown."
The press was pa.s.sed by the scornful occupant of the room, and the bed next came under her appraising eye.
"Th" bed"s soft wood, too, but it feels comfertible."
Sary sat on the bed and bounced up and down to test the springs and mattress before she pulled back the covers to examine the quality of filling in the ticking.
"Laws! It hain"t corn-husks, a-tall! It"s soft as down!"
Inborn curiosity compelled her to take a hairpin and rip open a bit of the seam. To her amazement she pulled out a tangle of long whitish hair.