shelf; over this several open
shelves, as high as I can easily reach; and above the shelves, filling
the space to the ceiling, short cupboards entirely around the room for
cracked dishes that are too good to throw away, but are never used: for
ice-cream freezers in the winter, and a great many more things that
belong to the same category--a sort of hospital for disabled or retired
culinary utensils. Now we will look at the china closet, but we shall
need the gas in order to see it in all its glory, and you can tell Jack
it is lovely with a clear conscience."

"I never speak without a clear conscience," said Aunt Jerusha mildly.

CHAPTER XV.

A DANGEROUS RIVAL.

"Dear me," said Aunt Jerusha, as Jill, after displaying the kitchen
pantry, showed her the windowless china closet, elegant with varnished
walnut, plate-glass and silver-plated plumbing, "dear me, this is as
fine as a parlor. It seems a real pity to keep it all out of sight."

"The pity is that it was made so fine. I should not object to polished
walnut in a light room, although cherry, birch or some other
fine-grained, hard, light-colored wood is preferable; but all this
ornamental work, these mouldings, cornices and carved handles are worse
than useless--they are ugly and troublesome. If I can have my own
way--I'm glad Jack isn't here to make comments--I shall have every part
of the new pantries as plain and smooth as a marble slab, with not a
groove or a moulding to hold dust, and never a crack nor a crevice in
which the tiniest spider can hide. The shelves will be thin, light and
strong; some wide and some narrow; a wineglass doesn't need as much
room as a soup tureen; the cupboard doors shall be as plain as doors
can be made, and shall _not_ be hung like these, to swing out against
each other at the constant risk of breaking the glass and of pushing
something from the narrow shelf in front of them. They ought to slide,
one before another, and the front shelf should be wide enough to hold
_lots_ of things when they are handed down from the upper part of the
cupboards."

"I'm sure the little sink must be handy," said Aunt Jerusha, amiably
looking for merits where Jill saw only defects.

"It might be if there was room enough at each side for drainers and for
dishes to stand before and after washing. I don't wonder that Jack's
china is 'nicked' till the edges look like saw teeth; glass and fine
crockery can't be piled up into pyramids even by the