The Girl at Cobhurst

  CHAPTER IV

  THE HOME

  It was late in the afternoon when Ralph and Miriam Haverley alighted atthe station at Thorbury. Miss Dora Bannister, who had come down to see afriend off, noticed the two standing on the platform. She did not knowwho they were, but she thought the one to be a very handsome young man,and the other a nice-looking girl who seemed to be all eyes.

  "What a queer-looking colored man!" said Miriam. "He looks mashed ontop."

  The person alluded to was getting down from a wagon drawn by a mournfulhorse, and now approached the platform.

  "Is you Mr. Hav'ley, sir?" he said, touching his hat. "Thought so; I'mthe man in charge o' yer place. Got any baggage, sir?"

  On being informed that the travellers had brought three trunks with them,and that some boxes would be expected on the morrow, Mike, who with hisworn felt hat pressed flat upon his head, might give one the idea of abottle with the cork driven in, stood for a moment in thought.

  "I can take one trunk," he said, "the one ye will want the most tonight,and ye'd better have the others hauled over tomorrow with the boxes. Yecan both go in the wagon, if ye like. The seat can be pushed back, and Ican sit on the trunk myself, or ye can hire a kerridge."

  "Of course we will take a cab," said Ralph. "How far is it to Cobhurst?"

  "Well, some says three miles, and some says four. It depends a good dealon the roads. They're pretty good today."

  Having engaged the services of a country cabman, who declared that hehad known Cobhurst ever since he was born, and having arranged forthe transfer of their goods the next day, the Haverleys rattled outof the town.

  "Now," said Miriam, "we are truly going home, and I do not remember everdoing that before. And, Ralph," she continued, after gazing right andleft from the cab windows, "one of the first things we ought to do is toget a new man to take charge of the place. That person isn't fit. I neversaw such slouchy clothes."

  Ralph laughed. "I am the man who is to have charge of the place," hesaid. "What do you think of my clothes?"

  Miriam gave a little pull at his hair for reply. "And there is anotherthing," she continued. "If that is our horse and wagon, don't you reallythink that we ought to sell them? They are awful."

  "Don't be in a hurry," said Ralph. "We shall soon find out whether we ownthe horse or not. He may belong to the man. He's not a bad one, either.See, he is passing us now with that big trunk in the wagon."

  "Passing us!" exclaimed Miriam. "Almost any horse could do that. Did youever see such an old poke as we have, and such a bouncy, joltingrattletrap of a carriage? It squeaks all over."

  "Alas," said Ralph, "I am thinking of something worse than jolts orsqueaks. I am hungry, and I am sure you must be, and I don't see what weare going to do about supper. I am afraid I am not a very good manager,yet. I had an idea that Cobhurst was not so far from the station, andthat we could go over and look at the house, and come back to a hotel andstay there for the night; but now I see it will be dark before we getthere, and we shall not feel like turning round and going directly back.Perhaps it would be better to turn now."

  "Turn back, when we are going to our home!" cried Miriam. "How can youthink of such a thing, Ralph? And you needn't suppose that neither of usis a good manager. I am housekeeper now, and I did not forget that weshall need our supper. I have it all there in my bag, and I shall cookit as soon as we reach the house. Of course I knew that we could notexpect anything to eat in a place with only a man to take care of it."

  "What in the world have you?" asked Ralph, much amused.

  "I have four breakfast rolls," she said, "six mutton chops, a package ofground coffee, another of tea, a pound of sugar, and a good big piece ofgingerbread. I am sorry I couldn't bring any butter, but I was afraidthat might melt in a warm car, and run over everything. As for milk, weshall have to make up our minds to do without that for one meal. I got upearly this morning, and went out and bought all these things."

  Ralph was on the point of saying, "What are we going to have forbreakfast?" But he would not trouble his sister's mind with any suchsuggestions.

  "You are a good little housewife," said he; "I wish we were there, andsitting down at the table--if there is any table."

  "I have thought it all out," said Miriam, "if it is one of those largefarm-houses, with a big kitchen, where the family eat and spend theirevening, we shall eat there, too, this once. You shall build a fire,and I'll have the coffee made in no time. There must be a coffee-pot,or a tin cup, or something to boil in. The chops can be broiled overthe coals."

  "On what?" asked Ralph.

  "You can get a pointed stick and toast them, if there is no other way,sir. And you need not make fun of my supper; the chops are very niceones, and I have wrapped them up in oiled silk, so that they will notgrease the other things."

  "Oh, don't talk any more about them," exclaimed Ralph. "It makes me toodreadfully hungry."

  "If it is a cottage," remarked Miriam, looking reflectively out of thewindow, "I cannot get it out of mind that there will be all sorts ofkitchen things hanging around the old-fashioned fireplace. That would bevery nice and convenient, but--"

  "You hope it is not a cottage?" said her brother.

  "Well," answered Miriam, presently, "home is home, and I made up my mindto be perfectly satisfied with it whatever kind of house it may be. Itseems to me that a real home ought to be like parents and relations;we've got them, and we can't change them, and we never think of such athing. We love them quite as they are. But I cannot help hoping, just alittle, that it is not a cottage. The only ones I have ever been in smeltso much of soapsuds."

  It was now quite dark, and the road appeared to be growing rougher. Everynow and then they jolted over a big stone, or sunk into a deep rut. Ralphlet down the front window.

  "Are we nearly there?" he asked of the driver.

  "Yes, sir," said the man; "we are on the place now."

  "You don't mean," exclaimed Miriam, "that this is our road!"

  "It's a good deal washed just here," said the man, "by the heavy rains."

  Presently the road became smoother and in a few minutes thecarriage stopped.

  "I am trembling all over," said Miriam, "with thinking of being at home,and with not an idea of what it is like."

  In a moment they were standing on a broad flagstone. Although it wasdark, they could see the outline of the house before them.

  "Ralph," whispered Miriam, drawing close to her brother, "it is not acottage." Without waiting for a reply she went on: "Ralph," she said, herhands trembling as they held his arm, "it is lordly."

  "I had some sort of an idea like that myself," he answered; "but, mydear, don't you think it will be well to keep this man until we go insideand see what sort of accommodations we shall find? Perhaps we may beobliged to go back to the town."

  Miriam immediately began to ascend the broad steps of the piazza.

  "Come on, Ralph," she said, "and please don't talk like that."

  Her brother laughed, paid the driver and dismissed him.

  "Now, little girl," he cried, "we have burned our ships, and must takewhat we shall find."

  "Oh, Ralph," cried Miriam, "I couldn't have gone back. If there arefloors to the rooms, they will do to sleep on for to-night."

  At this moment a wide front door opened, revealing a colored womanholding a lamp.

  "Good evenin'," said she; "walk in."

  When Ralph and Miriam had entered, the woman looked out the open door.

  "Is you all?" she asked.

  "Oh, yes," said Ralph.

  The woman hesitated a moment, looked out again, and then closed the door.

  "Would you like to go to your rooms afore supper?" she asked.

  The brother and sister were so absorbed in gazing about them, that theydid not hear the question. The lamp, still in the woman's hand, gave apoor and vacillating light, but they could see a wide, long hall, talldoors opening on each side, some high-backed chairs, and otherdark-colored furniture.
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  "Yer rooms is ready," continued the woman; "ye can take yer pick of them.Supper'll be on the table the minute ye come down. Ye'd better take thislamp, sir, and thar's another one in the upper hall. I expect ye two isbrother and sister. Ye're alike as two pins of different sizes."

  "You're right," said Ralph, holding up the lamp, and looking about him;"but please tell me, where are the stairs?"

  "Oh, yer open that glass door right in front of ye," said the woman. "I'dgo with yer, but I smell somethin' bilin' over now."

  Opening the glass door, they saw before them a narrow staircase intwo flights.

  "Stairs shut up in a room of their own," said Ralph, as they ascended."Did you ever see anything like this before?"

  "I never saw anything like anything before," said Miriam, in a low,reverent voice.

  On the floor above they found another wide hall, and four or fiveopen doors.

  "There is your lamp," said Ralph to his sister; "take the first room youcome to, and to-morrow we will pick and choose."

  "Who would have thought," said Miriam, "that a woman--"

  "Don't let us think or talk of her now," interrupted her brother. "Tohurry down to supper is our present business."

  When the two went downstairs, they found the colored woman standing by anopen door in the rear of the hall.

  "Supper's ready, sir," said she, and they entered the dining-room.

  It was a large and rather sparely furnished room, but Miriam and Ralphtook no note of anything except the table, which stood in the middle ofthe floor, lighted by a hanging lamp. It was a large table and arrangedfor eight people with chairs at every place. The woman gave a littlelaugh, as she said:--

  "I reckon you all may think this is a pretty big table for two people,an' one not growed up, but you see I didn't know nothin' about the sizeof the family, an' Mike he didn't know nothin' either. I'm Phoebe, Mike'swife, an' I ain't got nothin' in the world to do with this house, formostly I go out to service in the town, but I'm here now; and of coursewe didn't want you all to come an' find nothin' to eat, an' no beds made,an' as you didn't write no orders, sir, we had just to do the best wecould accordin' to our own lights. I reckoned there would be the gem'enand his wife, an' perhaps two growed-up sons, though Mike, he wasdoubtful about the growed-up sons, especially as to thar bein' two ofthem. Then I reckoned thar'd be a darter, just about your age, Miss, an'then there'd be two younger chillen, one a boy an' one a girl, an' agov'ness for these two. Of course I didn't know whether the gov'ness wasin the habit of eatin' at your table or not, but I reckoned that thistime, comin' so late, you'd all eat at the same table, an' I put a platean' a cheer for her. An' Mike went ter town, an' got groc'ries an' thingsenough for to-night and tomorrow, an' as everything was ready I just lefteverything as it was. I reckoned you wouldn't want ter wait until I'd sotthe whole table over again."

  "By no means," cried Ralph, and down they sat, Ralph at one end of thelong table, and Miriam at the other. It was a good supper; beefsteak, anomelet, hot rolls, fried potatoes, coffee, tea, preserved fruit, and allon the scale suited to a family of eight.

  When Phoebe had retired to the kitchen, presumably for additionalsupplies, Miriam stretched her arms over the table.

  "Think of it, Ralph," she said, "this is our supper. The first meal weever truly owned."

  They had not been long at the table when they were startled by the loudringing of the door-bell.

  "'Pon my word," ejaculated Phoebe, "it's a long time since that bell'sbeen rung," and getting down a plate of hotter biscuit, with which shehad been offering temptations, she left the room. Presently she returned,ushering in Dr. Tolbridge.

  Briefly introducing himself, the doctor welcomed the brother and sisterto the neighborhood of Thorbury, and apologized for the extremepromptness of his call.

  "I heard you had arrived," he said, "from a hackman I met on the road,and having made a visit near by I thought I would look in on you. Itmight be days before I should again have a chance. But don't let medisturb your supper; I beg that you will sit down again."

  "And I beg you, sir," said Ralph, "to sit down with us."

  "Well," said the doctor, smiling, "I am hungry, and my own supper-time ispassed. You seem to have plenty of room for a guest."

  "Oh, yes, indeed, sir," said Miriam, who had already taken a fancy to thedoctor's genial face. "Phoebe thought we were a large family, and you cantake the seat of one of the grown-up sons, or the daughter's chair, orthe place that was intended for either the little boy or little girl, orperhaps you would like the governess' seat."

  At this Phoebe turned her face to the wall and giggled.

  "A fine imagination," said the doctor, "and what is better, a bountifulmeal. Please consider me, for the present, the smallest boy, who mightnaturally be supposed to have the biggest appetite."

  "It would have been funnier," said Miriam, gravely, "if you had been thegoverness."

  The supper was a lively one; the three appetites were excellent; thedoctor was in his jolliest mood, and Ralph and Miriam were delighted withhim. On his part, he could not help looking upon it in the light of ajoke--an agreeable one, however--that these two young people, one of thema mere child, should constitute the new Cobhurst family. He had knownthat the property had gone to an unmarried man who was in business, andhad not thought of his coming here to live.

  "And now," said the doctor, as they rose from the table, "I must go. Mywife will call on you very soon, and in the meantime, what is there thatI can do for you?"

  "I think," answered Miriam, looking about her to see that Phoebe was notin the room, "that it would be very nice if you could get us a new man.We like the woman well enough, but the man is awful."

  The doctor looked at her, astonished.

  "Do you mean Mike?" he asked, "the faithful Mike, who has been in chargehere ever since Mr. Butterwood took to travelling about for the good ofhis rheumatisms? Why, my dear young lady, the whole country looks uponMike as a pattern man-of-all-work. He may be getting a little cranky andindependent in his notions, for he has been pretty much his own masterfor years, but I am sure you could find no one to take his place whowould be more trustworthy or so generally useful."

  Ralph was about to explain that it was only the appearance of the man towhich his sister objected, but she spoke for herself.

  "Of course, we oughtn't always to judge people by their looks," she said,"but in my thoughts about our home, I never connected it with such a veryshabby person. But then, if he is an old family servant, he may be thevery kind of a man the place needs."

  "Oh, I advise you to stick to Mike, by all means," said the doctor, "andto Phoebe, too, if she will stay with you. But I think she prefers thetown to this somewhat secluded place."

  "A good omen," said Ralph, as he closed the door after the doctor. "As aneighbor, I believe that man is at the head of his class, and I am veryglad that he happened to be the first one who came to see us."

  "Well," said Miriam, "we haven't seen the others yet, and I am glad thatwe don't know whether this doctor is homeopathic or allopathic, so thatwe can get started in liking him before we know whether we approve of hismedicines or not."

  "Upon my word," cried Ralph, "I never knew that you had opinions aboutthe different medical schools. Did they teach you that sort of thing atMrs. Stone's?"

  "I suppose I can have opinions without having them taught to me, can'tI?" she answered. "I saw a lot of sickness among the girls, and I amhomeopathic."

  "Stuff," exclaimed Ralph, "I don't believe you ever took any medicine inyour life."

  "I have not taken much," answered Miriam, "but I have taken enough tosettle it in my mind that I am never going to take any more of thesame sort."

  "And they were not little sugar pills?"

  "No, indeed they were not," said Miriam, very decidedly.

  "I've made a fire in the parlor," said Phoebe, coming in, "if you allwant to sit there afore you go to bed."

  "I don't want to sit anywhere," cried Miriam,
"and I am crazy to get apeep out of doors. Come on, Ralph, just for a minute."

  Ralph followed her out on the piazza.

  "It's awfully dark," said Miriam, "but if we walk carefully, I think wecan get far enough away from the house to look up at it, and find out alittle what it looks like."

  They groped their way across the driveway, and on to the grass beyond.

  "We can see a good deal of it against the sky!" exclaimed Miriam. "Whattall pillars! It looks like a Greek temple in front. And from what I canmake out, it's pretty much all front."

  "I suppose it is a regular old-fashioned house," said her brother,"with a Grecian portico front, and perhaps another at the back. But youmust come in now, for you have on neither hat nor wrap." And he tookher by the hand.

  "It isn't cold," said Miriam, "and oh, Ralph, look up at the stars. Thoseare our stars, every one of them."

  Ralph laughed, as he led her into the house.

  "Yes, indeed," she insisted, "we own all the way down, and all the wayup."

  "Now then," said Miriam, when they had closed the door behind them, "howshall we explore the house? Shall we each take a lamp, or will candlesbe better?"

  "Little girl!" exclaimed her brother, "I had no idea that you were such abunch of watch springs. It is nearly nine o'clock, and after the day'swork that you have done, it is time you were in bed. House exploring canbe done to-morrow."

  "Yes, indeed, Miss," said Phoebe, who stood by, anxious to shut up thehouse and retire to her own domicile, "and I will go up into your roomwith you and show you about things."

  Half an hour after this, Miriam came out of her bedroom, holding a bit oflighted candle in her hand. She was dressed, with the exception of hershoes. Softly she advanced to the foot of the stairs which led to thefloor above.

  "They are partly my stairs," she said to herself, as she paused for amoment at the bottom of the step. "Ralph told me that he considered theplace as much mine as his, and I have a right to go up. I cannot go tosleep without seeing what is up here. I never imagined such a third flooras this one."

  In less than a minute, Miriam was slowly creeping along the next floor ofthe house, which was indeed an odd one. For it was nothing more than agallery, broader at the ends than the sides, with a railed open space,through which one could look down to the floor below. Some of the doorswere open and she peeped into the rooms, but saw nothing which inducedher to enter them. Having made the circuit of the gallery, she reached anarrow staircase which wound still higher upward.

  "I must go up," she said; "I cannot help it."

  Arrived at the top of these stairs, Miriam held up her candle and lookedabout her. She was in a great, wide, magnificent, glorious garret! Hersoul swelled. To own such a garret was almost too much joy! It was therealization of a thousand dreams.

  Slowly advancing, she beheld fascinations on every side. Here were oldtrunks, doubtless filled with family antiquities; there was a doorfastened with a chain and a padlock--there must be a key to that, or thelock could be broken; in the dim light at the other end of the garret,she could see what appeared to be a piled-up collection of boxes, chests,cases, little and big, and all sorts of old-fashioned articles of use andornament, doubtless every one of them a treasure. A long musket, itsstock upon the floor, reclined against a little trunk covered withhorse-hair, from under the lid of which protruded the ends of some dustyfolded papers.

  "Oh, how I wish Ralph were here, and that we had a lamp. I could spendthe night here, looking at everything; but I can't do it now with thislittle candle end."

  At her feet was a wooden box, the lid of which was evidently unfastened,for it lay at an angle across the top.

  "I will look into this one box," she said, "and then I will go down."

  She knelt down, and with the candle in her right hand, pushed aside thelid with her left. From the box there grinned at her a human skull,surrounded by its bones. She started back.

  "Uncle Butterwood," she gasped and tried to rise, but her strength andsenses left her, and she fell over unconscious, upon the floor. Thecandle dropped from her hand, and, fortunately, went out.