Aunt Jane's Nieces at Millville
Look over the furniture in the house and telegraph me what
condition it is in. Everything about the place must be made cozy and
comfortable, but I wish to avoid an appearance of vulgarity or
extravagance."
The answer to this was a characteristic telegram:
_Furniture on the bum, like everything else. Will do the best I can.
McNutt_.
Uncle John did not display this discouraging report to Patsy or her
father. A little thought on the matter decided him to rectify the
deficiencies, in so far as it lay in his power. He visited a large
establishment making a specialty of "furnishing homes complete," and
ordered a new kitchen outfit, including a modern range, a mission style
outfit for a dining-room, dainty summer furniture for the five chambers
to be occupied by his three nieces, the Major and himself, and a variety
of lawn benches, chairs, etc.
"Look after the details," he said to the dealer. "Don't neglect anything
that is pretty or useful."
"I won't, sir," replied the man, who knew his customer was "the great
John Merrick," who could furnish a city "complete," if he wished to, and
not count the cost.
Everything was to be shipped in haste to the Junction, and Uncle John
wrote McNutt to have it delivered promptly to the farm and put in order.
"As soon as things are in shape," he wrote, "wire me to that effect and
I'll come down. But don't let any grass grow under your feet. I'm a man
who requires prompt service."
The days were already getting uncomfortably warm, and the little man was
nervously anxious to see his farm. So were the nieces, for that matter,
who were always interested in the things that interested their eccentric
uncle. Besides Patricia Doyle, whom we have already introduced, these
nieces were Miss Louise Merrick, who had just celebrated her eighteenth
birthday, and Miss Elizabeth--or "Beth"--De Graf, now well past fifteen.
Beth lived in a small town in Ohio, but was then visiting her city
cousin Louise, so that both girls were not only available but eager to
accompany Uncle John to his new domain and assist him to enjoy his
summer outing.
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In a village there lived two men who had the self-same name. Both were named Claus. But one of them owned four horses, and the other owned only one horse; so to distinguish between them people called the man who had four horses Big Claus, and the man who had only one horse Little Claus. Now I'll tell you what happened to these two, for this is a true story.
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