Mary was silenced for the time. But a banishment of the subject did not, in any way, lesson the difficulties. Thoughts of these soon again became apparent in words; and the most natural form of these was the sentence--
"I don"t know what we _shall_ do!" uttered by the mother in a tone of deep despondency.
"Suppose we take a few boarders?" Mary urged, about three weeks after the conversation just alluded to.
"No, Mary; we would be too much exposed: and then it would come very hard on you, for you know that I cannot stand much fatigue," Mrs.
Turner replied, slowly and sadly.
"O, as to that," said Mary, with animation: "I"ll take all the burden off of you."
"Indeed, child, I cannot think of it," Mrs. Turner replied, positively; and again the subject was dismissed.
But it was soon again recurred to, and after the suggestion and disapproval of many plans, Mary again said--
"Indeed, mother, I don"t see what we will do, unless we take a few boarders."
"It"s the only thing at all respectable, that I can think of," Mrs.
Turner said despondingly; "and I"m afraid it"s the best we can do."
"I think we had better try it, mother, don"t you?"
"Well, perhaps we had, Mary. There are four rooms that we can spare; and these ought to bring us in something handsome."
"What ought we to charge?"
"About three dollars and a half for young men, and ten dollars for a man and his wife."
"If we could get four married couples for the four rooms, that would be forty dollars a week, which would be pretty good," said Mary, warming at the thought.
"Yes, if we could, Mary, we might manage pretty well. But most married people have children, and they are such an annoyance that I wouldn"t have them in the house. We will have to depend mainly on the young men."
It was, probably, three weeks after this, that an advertis.e.m.e.nt, running thus, appeared in one of the newspapers:
"BOARDING--Five or six genteel young men, or a few gentlemen and their wives, can be accommodated with boarding at No.--Cedar street.
Terms moderate."
In the course of the following day, a man called and asked the terms for himself and wife.
"Ten dollars," said Mrs. Turner.
"That"s too high--is it not?" remarked the man.
"We cannot take you for less."
"Have you a pleasant room vacant?"
"You can have your choice of the finest in the house?"
"Can I look at them, madam?"
"Certainly, sir." And the stranger was taken through Mrs. Turner"s beautifully furnished chambers.
"Well, this is certainly a temptation," said the man, pausing and looking around the front chamber on the second floor. "And you have named your lowest terms?"
"Yes, sir; the lowest."
"Well, it"s higher than I"ve been paying, but this looks too comfortable. I suppose we will have to strike a bargain."
"Shall be pleased to accommodate you, sir."
"We will come, then, to-morrow morning."
"Very well, sir." And the stranger departed.
"So much for a beginning," said Mrs. Turner, evidently gratified.
"He seems to be much of a gentleman. If his wife is like him, they will make things very agreeable I am sure."
"I hope she is," said Mary.
On the next morning, the new boarders made their appearance, and the lady proved as affable and as interesting as the husband.
"I always pay quarterly. This is the custom in all the boarding houses I have been in. But if your rules are otherwise, why just say so. It makes no difference to me," remarked the new boarder, in the blandest manner imaginable.
"Just suit yourself about that, Mr. Cameron. It is altogether immaterial," Mrs. Turner replied, smiling. "I am in no particular want of money."
Mr. Cameron bowed lower, and smiled more blandly, if possible, than before.
"You have just opened a boarding house, I suppose, madam?" he said.
"Yes sir, I am a new beginner at the business."
"Ah--well, I must try and make you known all I can. You will find Mrs. Cameron, here, a sociable kind of a woman. And if I can serve you at any time, be sure to command me."
"You are too kind!" Mrs. Turner responded, much pleased to have found, in her first boarders, such excellent, good-hearted people.
In a few days, a couple of young men made application, and were received, and now commenced the serious duties of the new undertaking. Mary had to a.s.sume the whole care of the house. She had to attend the markets, and oversee the kitchen, and also to make with her own hands all the pastry. Still, she had, a willing heart, and this lightened much of the heavy burden now imposed upon her.
"How do you like your new boarding house?" asked a friend of one of the young men who had applied, and been received. This was about two weeks after his entrance into Mrs. Turner"s house.
"Elegant," responded the young man, giving his countenance a peculiar and knowing expression.
"Indeed? But are you in earnest?"
"I am that. Why, we live on the very fat of the land."
"Pshaw! you must be joking. Whoever heard of the fat of the land being found in a boarding house. They can"t afford it."
"I don"t care, myself, whether they can afford it or not. But we do live elegantly. I wouldn"t ask to sit down to a better table."