Chapter VIII. Merry and Molly

y,thoughsheknewtheboyswouldlaugh.Theydid,andhermothersaidinatoneofsurprise,— “Why,child,whatmorecanyouwant?I'msureyourroomisalwaysasneatasanewpin,thankstoyourbringingup,andItoldyoutohaveafiretherewheneveryouwantedto.” “Letmehavesomeoldthingsoutofthegarret,andI'llshowyouwhatIwant.Itisneat,butsobareanduglyIhatetobethere.Idosolovesomethingprettytolookat!”andMerrygavealittleshiverofdisgustassheturnedhereyesawayfromthelargegreasybootDickwasholdinguptobesureitwaswelllubricatedallround. “SodoI,andthat'safact.Icouldn'tgetonwithoutmyprettygirlhere,anyway.Why,shetouchesuptheoldplacebetterthanadozenflower-potsinfullblow,”saidthefarmer,ashiseyewentfromthescarletgeraniumtothebrightyoungfacesonearhisown. “IwishIhadadozeninthesitting-roomwindow.Mothersaystheyarenottidy,butI'dkeepthemneat,andIknowyou'dlikeit,”brokeinMerry,gladofthechancetogetoneofthelong-desiredwishesofherheartfulfilled. “I'llfetchyousomenexttimeIgoovertoBallad's.Tellmewhatyouwant,andwe'llhaveaposybedsomewhereround,seeifwedon't,”saidherfather,dimlyunderstandingwhatshewanted. “Now,ifmothersaysImayfixmyroom,Ishallbesatisfied,andI'lldomychoreswithoutabitoffuss,toshowhowgratefulIam,”saidthegirl,thankingherfatherwithakiss,andsmilingathermothersowistfullythatthegoodwomancouldnotrefuse. “Youmayhaveanythingyoulikeoutofthebluechest.There'salotofthingstherethatthemothsgotatafterGrandmadied,andIcouldn'tbeartothroworgive'emaway.Trimupyourroomasyoulike,andmindyoudon'tforgetyourpartofthebargain,”answeredMrs.Grant,seeingprofitintheplan. “Iwon'tI'llworkallthemorningto-morrow,andintheafternoonI'llgetreadytoshowyouwhatIcallanice,prettyroom,”answeredMerry,lookingsopleaseditseemedasifanotherflowerhadblossomedinthelargebarekitchen. Shekeptherword,andtheverystormyafternoonwhenJillgotintotrouble,Merrywasworkingbusilyatherlittlebower.Inthebluechestshefoundavarietyoftreasures,andignoringthemothholes,usedthemtothebestadvantage,tryingtoimitatethesimplecomfortwithatouchofelegancewhichprevailedinMrs.Minot'sbackbedroom. Threefadedred-moreencurtainswentupatthewindowsoverthechillypapershades,givingapleasantglowtothebarewalls.Aredquiltwithwhitestars,rathertheworseformanywashings,coveredthebed,andagaycloththetable,whereajudiciousarrangementofbooksandbasketsconcealedthespots.Thelittleair-tightstovewasbanished,andapairofancientandironsshoneinthefire-light.Grandma'slastandlargestbraidedruglayonthehearth,andherbrasscandlesticksadornedthebureau,overthemirrorofwhichwasfestoonedawhitemuslinskirt,tiedupwithMerry'sredsash.Thispieceofelegancegavethelasttouchtoherroom,shethought,andshewasveryproudofit,settingforthallhersmallstoreoftrinketsinalargeshell,withanemptyscentbottle,andacleantidyoverthepincushion.Onthewallsshehungthreeold-fashionedpictures,whichsheventuredtoborrowfromthegarrettillbettercouldbefound.Oneamourningpiece,withaverytallladyweepingonanurninagroveofwillows,andtwosmallboysinkneebreechesandfunnylittlesquaretailstotheircoats,lookinglikecherubsinlargefrills.Theotherwasasgoodasabonfire,beinganeruptionofVesuvius,andveryluridindeed,fortheBayofNapleswasboilinglikeapot,theredskyrainingrocks,andafewdistractedpeoplelyingflatupontheshore.ThethirdwasareallyprettysceneofchildrendancingroundaMay-pole,forthoughnearlyahundredyearsold,thelittlemaidssmiledandtheboysprancedasgaylyasiftheflowerstheycarriedwerestillaliveandsweet. “NowI'llcallthemalltosee,andsaythatitispretty.ThenI'llenjoyit,andcomeherewhenthingslookdismalandbareeverywhereelse,”saidMerry,whenatlastitwasdone.Shehadworkedalltheafternoon,andonlyfinishedatsuppertime,sothecandleshadtobelightedthatthetoilettemightlookitsbest,andimpressthebeholderswithanideaoftrueelegance.Unfortunately,thefiresmokedalittle,andawindowwassetajartocleartheroomanevil-disposedgustblewin,waftingthethindraperywithinreachofthelight,andwhenMerrythrewopenthedoorproudlythinkingtodisplayhersuccess,shewashorrifiedtofindtheroominablaze,andhalfherlaborallinvain. Theconflagratio