nd
painted; the new rag carpet that Martha had put away in her cupboard
"in case" was put on the floor; new lace curtains, bought out of
the butter money, replaced the frilled art muslin that had been at
the windows. Martha's best pin-cushion, her best stand-covers and
pillow-shams were all brought out for Thursa's use. It seemed very
fitting to her that her treasures should be used by Arthur's bride.
She thought of it all sadly, but without bitterness.

One afternoon Aunt Kate and Pearl came over, and Martha invited them
to come upstairs and see the room she had made ready for Thursa.

"Upon my word, Martha," Aunt Kate said, as she looked admiringly at
Martha's tastefully arranged room, "you're fixin' up as if you were
goin' to be married yerself, and I just hope this English girl of his
is all he thinks she is, and not a useless tool like some of them
are. I mind well one Englishwoman who lived neighbour to me down in
Ontario, nice woman, too, but sakes alive, she was a dirty
housekeeper. She was a cousin to the Duke of something, but she'd
make a puddin' in the wash-basin just the same. I'd hate awful to see
Arthur get a girl like that. I suppose you haven't heard him say
whether she's been brought up thrifty. It means a lot, let me tell
you. I've seen women that could throw out as much at the back door as
their man could bring in the front. You don't know, do you, whether
or not she's savin'?"

"I don't know, I'm sure," Martha said. "I don't think she has much
experience, but she can learn. It's no trick to do housework."

"Well, now, Martha, you're wrong, for it is a trick," Aunt Kate said
positively. "It's the finest thing a woman can know. A man will get
tired of a pretty face, but he ain't likely to tire of good vittles
and well-mended clothes; and if he came home hungry and found her
playin' the piano and no dinner ready, it would make him swear, if
anything would."

Aunt Kate went down-stairs then to help Mrs. Perkins do some sewing,
and Pearl and Martha were left alone.

"It's awful good of you, Martha, to help Arthur's wedding along so
well," Pearl said, "but I know you are glad to do it. People ought to
be kind to any one that's gettin' married, I do think. They need
flowers and kind things said about them far more than people do when
they are gettin' buried. Pshaw! When a person's dead they're clean
out of the bush and not needin' help from any one; but getting
married is awful. Ma saved the lilacs