University of Virginia Library

14. SILAS CHRISTIE'S PLAN

"I reckon," Silas Christie said, "that now Arabella's got the cash she'll want another sort of livin' from what she can get here. And it's in natur' that she'll have her fine city folks comin' down to visit her. Now, I've been thinkin' as I sot here smokin' that the best way to get 'round the matter was to build an addition to this here house."

"Why," cried Mrs. Christie, in astonishment, "the house is a sight too big for us now."

"That's all right. But the house is mine and I intend it'll stay so till I pass in my cheeks. That's why I propose to build a two-story frame addition. It can take in a dinin' room, a kitchen, a parlor, and a half dozen small sleepin' rooms."

"But, look here," objected Mrs. Christie, still doubtful and wondering, "how am I goin' to do all that extry work? I got more'n enough to do now, I can tell you, and so has the help, and Arabella can't do it as things are, if she's got to go to school."

"Wait a moment," said Silas, "don't cry out till you're hurt. Who asked you to do any extra work, or Arabella, either? She kin have all the help she wants. And as for goin' to school, why, I was thinkin' of that, too."

He stopped and smoked a while, after the unwonted effort of these long sentences, and Mrs. Christie still waited, her faculties bewildered.

"You were talking about the Purple Lady down yonder being hired to teach her. Waal, I guess she's goin' to undertake the job. I gave her a lift yesterday, as she was walkin' through the woods."

"Gave her a lift?" echoed Mrs. Christie, wondering much that he should have thus come into communication with that strange, solitary personage who had hitherto held aloof from all the town. Silas Christie nodded, as he answered:

"Yes, and glad enough to get it, too, she was. She's gettin' kinder feeble, I should judge; she'd walked farther than she was able, and found the way home a durned sight too long."

Again the smoke clouds soared up almost to the rafters of the kitchen.

"Besides, I knowed a thing or two about her, though she didn't guess that I did. Her little place yonder is goin' to be sold out by the sheriff a month from to-day, if she don't pay up the rent."

"The Purple Lady's house!" cried Mrs. Christie. "Waal, it's goin' to rack and ruin anyway, it ain't fit for any one to live in."

"That's so," assented Silas, "but she'd got the letter from some of Arabella's folks in New York, askin' her to teach the girl and train her up to be a fine lady. She's mighty pleased to undertake the job, only she began to cry and come right out with the truth about her house, not knowin' as I was on to all that bizness before. So I said, says I, 'You undertake that job and we'll see about the rest.'"

Mrs. Christie's eyes opened wider and wider at every word. Her curiosity was at fever pitch.

"Now," continued Mr. Christie, impressively, "that old woman's house is a good half mile from here, and spooks or no spooks, it's a tumble-down old rookery, where, like as not, Arabella'd get her death of cold. My notion is, mother, that as soon's the addition's built to this house, which will be in a few weeks' time, we'll bring the Purple Lady straightway over here and let her set up housekeepin' with Arabella. Then she kin have all the fine folks she wants down here and run the establishment jest the way them big bugs is used to. Arabella won't have no long walks in the winter days, and everything'll be as snug as a bug in a rug."

Mrs. Christie, heedless of the inelegance of the comparison, was lost in admiration of the wisdom of this arrangement and the happy solution of all the difficulties. Arabella would still be under their roof, but would be perfectly free and independent. "The fine folks could come jest as often as they'd a mind, without her bein' pestered to death in tryin' to have things to their likin'. For, as everybody knew, the Purple Lady was one of their own sort. Of course, it was a bit creepy to have her so near, but it would be a real charity to take her away from that tumble-down old ruin and give her a comfortable home."

So reasoned Mrs. Christie, while but one objection presented itself to her mind, and this she put into words.

"Arabella used to be powerful scared of her."

"Jerusha Jane, she must get over that nonsense," cried Silas. "Why, the old woman's as harmless as a tame kitten, and Arabella, she kin have two hired girls livin' right in them rooms with her. Have you got anything else to say agin the plan?"

"No, I ain't," answered Mrs. Christie. "It's a real, good plan, and I don't see how you ever come to think of it, Silas Christie."

The man chuckled and his wife continued:

"Though I always did know you were mighty smart about lots of things when you set your mind to them."

Silas fairly beamed at the unwonted praise, for their busy lives had left them but little time for the amenities. The truth was, Mrs. Christie fairly fluttered with delight. Her impassive face shone, her eyes were alight, her cheeks glowed, as she nervously clasped and unclasped her hands.

"You look ten years younger, Catherine," said Silas, suddenly, "the jaunt down to town must have done you good."

"'Taint that so much," Mrs. Christie responded, her eyes filling with tears, "it's havin' all these frets and worries straightened out. It's real good of you, Silas, to take so much thought about it."

"I'd do more'n that for you, old girl," the man replied. "I'm a rough hoss to travel with, but steady in the traces, and I guess I know how to value what I've got."

He patted her head with rough kindliness as he rose up to go at the warning sound of the kitchen clock, rusty somewhat upon its wheels, striking out eleven o'clock. After he had gone the rounds of the house, as was his custom, inspecting bolts and bars, Mrs. Christie sat alone, staring through the open door of the stove at the dying fire, her heart full to overflowing with joy and thankfulness, that everything promised to be so happily arranged, and that Silas had lent himself to the various plans and had even found means to work them out in an effective manner.

Visions of the furnishing of that new wing, of visitors to come, of all the pleasant excitement that had been hitherto crowded out of her life, rushed upon her mind and caused her to linger for some time while the rest of the household was wrapped in dreamless slumber.