At half-past twelve a man and a woman arrived whom Julia Cloud had
hired to help; and the house was like a busy hive, not a drone among
them. It really was wonderful how short a time it took to dismantle a
home that had been running for years. But the hands were wonderfully
eager that took hold of the work, and they went at things with a will.
Moreover, Julia Cloud's domain was always in perfect order, which made
a big difference.
They ate their lunch from the pantry shelf, because Ellen had taken
the dining-room table. But it was a good lunch, bread and butter,
apple butter, cookies, half a custard pie, and glasses of rich, foamy
milk. Then they went to work again. The children were smudged with
dust and tumbled and happy. They were doing real things for the first
time in their lives, and they liked it. Moreover, they were bringing
to pass a beloved plan that had seemed at first impossible; and they
wanted to hustle it through before anything spoiled or delayed it.
There was Aunt Ellen. There was no telling what she might not do to
hinder, and Julia Cloud was easily troubled by her sister, they could
see that, wise children that they were; so they worked with all their
might and main.
Two more men were requisitioned, and the furniture began a steady
march up to the attic, where it was to be stored.
Leslie developed a talent for finding the place where she was most
needed and getting to work. She put the sideboard drawers in order,
and then went to packing away garments from the closets in drawers and
trunks and chests, until by four o'clock a great many little nooks and
corners in the house were absolutely clear and empty, ready for the
cleaning before the new tenants arrived, although, to tell the truth,
there was scarcely a spot in Julia Cloud's house that needed much
cleaning, because it had always been kept immaculate.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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