CHAPTER V
SHOPPING
As Boxley Hall was a sort of experiment, Mr. Fairfield concluded to rentthe place for a year, with the privilege of buying.
By this time Patty was sure that she wished to remain in Vernondale allher life; but her father said that women, even very young ones, werefickle in their tastes, and he thought it wiser to be on the safe side.
"And it doesn't matter," as Patty said to Marian; "for, when the year isup, papa will just buy the house, and then it will be all right."
Having found a home, the next thing was to furnish it; and about this Mr.Fairfield was very decided and methodical.
"To-morrow," he said, as they were talking it over at the Elliotts' oneevening, "to-morrow I shall take Patty to New York to select the mostimportant pieces of furniture. We shall go alone, because it is a veryspecial occasion, and we can't allow ourselves to be hampered by outsideadvices. Another day we shall go to buy prosaic things like tableclothsand carpet-sweepers; and then, as we know little about such things, weshall be glad to take with us some experienced advisers."
And so the next day Patty and her father started for the city to buyfurniture for Boxley Hall.
"You see, Patty," said her father after they were seated in the train,"there is a certain proportion to be observed in furnishing a house,about which, I imagine, you know very little."
"Very little, indeed," returned Patty; "but, then, how should I know suchthings when I've never furnished a house?"
"I understand that," said Mr. Fairfield; "and so, with my advantagesof age and experience, and your own natural good taste, I think weshall accomplish this thing successfully. Now, first, as to what wehave on hand."
"Why, we haven't anything on hand," said Patty; "at least, I have afew pictures and books, and the afghan grandma's knitting for me; butthat's all."
"You reckon without your host," said her father, smiling. "I possess somefew objects of value, and during the past year I have added to mycollection in anticipation of the time when we should have our own home."
"Oh, papa!" cried Patty; "have you a whole lot of new furniture that Idon't know about?"
"Yes," said Mr. Fairfield; "except, that, instead of being new, it ismostly old. I had opportunities in the South to pick up bits of fine oldmahogany, and I have a number of really good pieces that will help tomake Boxley Hall attractive."
"What are they, papa? Tell me all about them. I can't wait anotherminute!"
"To begin with, child, I have several heirlooms; the old sideboard thatwas your grandfather Fairfield's, and several old bureaus and tables thatcame from the Fairfield estate. Then I have, also, two or three beautifulbook-cases, and an old desk for our library; and to-day we will hunt upsome sort of a big roomy table that will do to go with them."
"Let's make the library the nicest room in the house, papa."
"It will make itself that, if you give it half a chance, though we'll doall we can to help. But I'm so prosaic I would like to have specialattention paid to the comforts of the dining-room; and as to your ownbedroom, Patty, I want you to see to it that it fulfills exactly yourideal of what a girl's room ought to be."
"Oh, I know just how I want that; almost exactly like my room at AuntAlice's, but with a few more of the sort of things I had in my room atAunt Isabel's. I do like pretty things, papa."
"That's right, my child, I'm glad you do; and I think your idea of prettythings is not merely a taste for highfalutin gimcracks."
"No, I don't think it is," said Patty slowly; "but, all the same, you'dbetter keep pretty close to me when I pick out the traps for my room. Doyou know, papa, I think Aunt Isabel wants to help us furnish our house.She wrote that she would meet us in New York some time."
"That's kind of her," said Mr. Fairfield; "but, do _you_ know, it justseems to me that we'll be able to manage it by ourselves. Our house isnot of the era of Queen Isabella, but of the Princess Patricia."
"That sounds like Aunt Isabel. They always called me Patricia there.Don't you think, papa, now that I'm getting so grown up, I ought to becalled Patricia? Patty is such a baby name."
"Patty is good enough for me," said Mr. Fairfield. "If you want to becalled Patricia, you must get somebody else to do it. I dare say youcould hire somebody for a small sum per week to call you Patricia for agiven number of times every day."
"Now, you're making fun of me, papa; but I do want to grow up dignified,and not be a silly schoolgirl all my life."
"Take care of your common sense, and your dignity will take careof itself."
After they crossed the ferry, and reached the New York side, Mr.Fairfield took a cab, and they made a round of the various shops, buyingsuch beautiful things that Patty grew fairly ecstatic with delight.
"I do think you're wonderful, papa," she exclaimed, after they hadselected the dining-room furnishings. "You know exactly what you want,and when you describe it, it seems to be the only possible thing thatanybody could want for that particular place."
"That is a result of decision of character, my child. It is a Fairfieldtrait, and I hope you possess it; though I cannot say I have seen anymarked development of it, as yet. But you must have noticed it in yourAunt Alice."
"Yes, I have," said Patty; "she is so decided that, with all hersweetness, I have sometimes been tempted to call her stubborn."
"Stubbornness and decision of character are very closely allied; butnow, we're going to select the furniture for your own bedroom, and ifyou have any decision of character, you will have ample opportunity toexercise it."
"Oh, I'll have plenty of decision of character when it comes to that,"said Patty; "you will find me a true Fairfield."
Aided by her father's judgment and advice, Patty selected the furnishingsfor her own room. She had chosen green as the predominant colour, and thecouch and easy-chairs were upholstered in a lovely design of green andwhite. The rug was green and white, and for the brass bedstead with itswhite fittings, a down comfortable with a pale green cover was found. Thedainty dressing-table was of bird's-eye maple; and for this Mr. Fairfieldordered a bewildering array of fittings, all in ivory, with Patty'smonogram on them.
"And I want a little book-case, papa," she said; "a little one, you know,just for my favouritest books; for, of course, the most of my books willbe down in the library."
So a dear little book-case was bought, also of bird's-eye maple, and apretty little work-table, with a low chair to match.
"That's very nice," said Patty, with an air of satisfaction, "for, thoughI hate to sew, yet sometimes it must be done; and with that littlework-table, I think I could sew even in an Indian wigwam!"
Patty hadn't much to say regarding the furniture of her father'sbedroom, for Mr. Fairfield attended to that himself, and selected thethings with such rapidity and certainty that it was all done almostbefore Patty knew it.
"Now," said Mr. Fairfield, "there are two guest-chambers to be furnished;the one you call Marian's room, and the other for the general strangerwithin our gates."
Marian's room was done up in blue, as she had requested, and the otherguest-room was furnished in yellow.
It was great fun to pick out the furniture, rugs, and curtains forthese rooms; and Patty tried very hard to select such things as herfather would approve of, for she dearly loved to have him commend hertaste and judgment.
As they were sitting at luncheon, Mr. Fairfield said: "This afternoon, Ithink, we will devote to pictures. I'm not sure we will buy any, but wewill look at them, and I will learn what is your taste in art, and youwill leant what is mine."
"I haven't any," said Patty cheerfully. "I don't know anything about artand never did."
"You still have some time, I hope, in which to learn."
"I've time enough, but I don't believe I could learn. The only pictures Ilike are pretty ones."
"You _are_ hopeless, and that's a fact," said Mr. Fairfield. "Of alldiscouraging people, the worst are those who like pretty pictures!"
"But I'm sure I can
learn," said Patty, "if you will teach me."
"You are more flattering than convincing," said Mr. Fairfield, "but Iwill try."
And so after luncheon they visited several picture shops, and Mr.Fairfield imported to his daughter what was at least a foundation for aneducation in art.
Back in Vernondale, Patty confided to Marian that she had had a perfectlylovely time all the morning, but the afternoon wasn't so much fun. "Infact," she said, "it was very much like that little book we had to studyin school called 'How to Judge a Picture.'"
The following Saturday another shopping tour was undertaken. This timeAunt Alice and Marian accompanied the Fairfields, and there was more funand less responsibility for Patty.
Her father insisted upon her undivided attention while Mrs. Elliottselected table-linen, bed-linen, towels, and other household fittings;but, as these things were chosen with Fairfield promptness and decision,Patty had nothing to do but admire and acquiesce.
"And now," she remarked, after they had chosen two sets of china and aquantity of glass for the dining-room; "now, if you please, we will buyme some tea-things to entertain the Tea Club."
"We will, indeed," said Mr. Fairfield, and both he and Aunt Alice enteredinto the selection of the tea-table fittings with as much zest as theyhad shown in the other china.
Dainty Dresden cups were found, lovely plates, and a tea-pot, andcracker-jar, which made Marian and Patty fairly shriek with delight.
A three-storied wicker tea-table was found, to hold these treasures, andMr. Fairfield added the most fascinating little silver tea-caddy andtea-ball and strainer.
"Oh," exclaimed Marian, made quite breathless by the glory of itall, "the Tea Club will never want to meet anywhere except at yourhouse, Patty."
"They'll have to," said Patty. "I don't propose to have them every time."
"Well, you'll have to have them every other time, anyway," said Marian.
After the fun of picking out the tea-things, it was hard to come down tothe plainer claims of the kitchen, but Aunt Alice grew so interested inthe selection of granite saucepans and patent coffee-mills that Patty,too, became enthusiastic.
"And we must get a rolling-pin," she cried, "for I shall make pumpkinpies every day. Oh, and I want a farina-kettle and a colander, and a_bain-marie,_ and a larding-needle, and a syllabub-churn."
"Why, Patty, child!" exclaimed her father; "what are all those thingsfor? Are you going to have a French _chef_?"
"No, papa, but I expect to do a great deal of fancy cooking myself."
"Oh, you do! Well, then, buy all the contraptions that are necessary, butdon't omit the plain gridirons and frying-pans."
Then Aunt Alice and Patty put their heads together in a most sensiblefashion, and ordered a kitchen outfit that would have delighted the heartof any well-organised housekeeper. Not only kitchen utensils, but laundryfittings, and household furnishings generally; including patentlabour-saving devices, and newly invented contrivances which weresupposed to be of great aid to any housewife.
"If I can only live up to it all," sighed Patty, as she looked at theenormous collection of iron, tin, wood, and granite.
"Or down to it," said Marian.