“So it is. I thought when we first came down here that the household arrangements in the few places where we stopped must be the exception, but they are certainly the rule. I have seen as many as three beds in the main room where everything went on, cooking, sleeping and eating. It seemed perfectly dreadful to me then, but I found it was a matter of pride to set up as many beds as possible, the more beds, the more generous the accommodations, and I actually came to it myself when I found that I was expected to entertain any casual wayfarer who happened to want lodging.” “I shall never forget what a delightful surprise your house was to us,” said Alison. “After staying at Hannah Maria’s it seemed a palace. I don’t see why so many want to live in such a lop-lolly way. John told us a great deal about it before we came and we stipulated for several things. We were determined to have our own milch cows, for one thing, so we could have good butter.” “Such butter as they give you!” ejaculated Mrs. Van Dorn. “Then we were bent upon having a good tight house. Half of them are open to the gallery, and when there comes a norther the way the wind sweeps through that great triangular space is a caution.” “They complain that lumber is so scarce.” “And three sawmills within ten miles. We inquired into that and John built our house accordingly. It is not a very showy affair but we think it fairly comfortable.” “It is a mansion compared to the Haleys’, and is very comfortable.” “Of course there must be a place provided for every Tom, Dick, and Harry to sleep, but they usually want no more than a corner of the gallery and a blanket, and since John has added the man’s room, even in winter we can accommodate a good many. For ourselves we have an unusual arrangement of two bedrooms up-stairs, though they are pretty hot in summer, and I think now it was a mistake not to have all the rooms on the first floor. It will come to a bed in the living-room yet, I think.” “Another thing that we were quite set upon,” said Alison, “was good, wholesome food. I think I should die of indigestion if I were obliged to live on what they consider sufficient down here. They don’t live so in other parts of the South.” “They certainly do in Arkansas and parts of Missouri,” said Mrs. Van Dorn; “I cannot speak from experience of the other states.” “We can. At home we always had good light pone, and I don’t see why they shouldn’t have it here. Eggs are plentiful and so is milk, if one chooses to take a little trouble about it. Is it laziness or ignorance that is the trouble?” “A little of both, I think. At first it was a hard life for the pioneers, as it must always be for them, so the easiest way was the best way and still continues to be, though the country is so rapidly filling up. Where is your brother, girls?”