table. Let me guess, you were fixing to make some handkerchiefs? Placemats? That pattern sure is pretty.”
“I thought I’d make a curtain for that window there,” said Rose. “Do you think I would have enough fabric?”
“I reckon you would,” said Elizabeth. “Here, why don’t you sit and let me look. I’ll bet you were looking for shears. Men put things in the places one would least likely imagine. I’ve been married a bit longer than you, so let me see if I can round them up.”
Rose smiled as Elizabeth gazed around the kitchen. She reached up into a basket on a shelf. “Eureka!”
“No, really?” Rose laughed. “In that basket? Why ever…?”
“I told you, didn’t I? You wait. The barn and his shop will be an entirely different matter. A thing in every place and a place for everything.”
Rose got her sewing kit. She put the kettle on and set the cookies out over Elizabeth’s protests. They spent a companionable morning visiting while making the curtain. It turned out, there was enough material for the curtain and two placemats.
“I can’t thank you enough,” said Rose. “Not only for the help, and the meal, but for the friendship you’ve shared.”
“It truly is a pleasure,” said Elizabeth, smiling. “This was pure enjoyment for me. What can I do to actually help you?”
Rose bit her lip. “I’m embarrassed to ask.”
“Go on. What are friends for?”
“Back in Boston, I’d take a bath every Saturday night. Somehow…” She closed her eyes, shaking her head.
Elizabeth laughed gently. “You and Mr. Smith not quite that acquainted, is that it? I can surely understand.”
“If I could just have a little help filling the tub, Mrs. West. Only if you’re able to spare the time. Just a bit of water. My arms are still a bit weak from a fever I had back east. I’d take such a quick bath and feel all the better for it,” she said fervently.
“Come around back,” said Elizabeth. “Wait until you see this, Mrs. Smith.”
Elizabeth led Rose out the back door. Attached to the side of the house was a post, around which was coiled something that looked like a flattened rope of some type of canvas material. Elizabeth tugged at the rope-like thing and dragged one end of it to the pump. She attached it to the spout and returned to get the other end of the rope. Elizabeth pulled it toward the back of the house and Rose followed. There was a clothesline and a large copper bathtub. Elizabeth put the rope-like thing into it and bade Rose to wait a moment. Then Elizabeth returned to the pump and began propelling water into the tub through the canvas tube.
“It’s a hose,” called Elizabeth. “Your husband saw how fire brigades put out fires with them, and he devised this here contraption. My husband was so impressed he had Mr. Smith make one for us, too.
After pumping the tub full, Elizabeth went inside, returning with muslin sheets, flannel cloths, and a bar of soap. After setting the other things down on an overturned pail, she pinned the sheets to the clothesline on either side of the tub, creating an enclosed space. “See that? The sun will warm the water, and you’ll have perfect privacy. Nobody can see back here, there’s nobody for miles. Anyone coming, you’d hear them, if you were not singing too loudly.”
Rose laughed. “Well, I’ll be.”
“There’s an India rubber plug in the bottom, see that? When the weather is warm, bathing is easy as pie. No lifting and carrying pails of water. We get a lot of rain in the winter months, and save that water in rain barrels. That makes nice bath water.”
“I can’t thank you enough,” said Rose.
“You leave the hose and everything for Mr. Smith to put away, all right?” Elizabeth surveyed her work, her hands on her hips.
By now, Rose was sure that the pastor and his wife must have met with the congregation of Grace Church. They must have organized everyone so that each day, someone would cook for Rose and Charles,
“I thought I’d make a curtain for that window there,” said Rose. “Do you think I would have enough fabric?”
“I reckon you would,” said Elizabeth. “Here, why don’t you sit and let me look. I’ll bet you were looking for shears. Men put things in the places one would least likely imagine. I’ve been married a bit longer than you, so let me see if I can round them up.”
Rose smiled as Elizabeth gazed around the kitchen. She reached up into a basket on a shelf. “Eureka!”
“No, really?” Rose laughed. “In that basket? Why ever…?”
“I told you, didn’t I? You wait. The barn and his shop will be an entirely different matter. A thing in every place and a place for everything.”
Rose got her sewing kit. She put the kettle on and set the cookies out over Elizabeth’s protests. They spent a companionable morning visiting while making the curtain. It turned out, there was enough material for the curtain and two placemats.
“I can’t thank you enough,” said Rose. “Not only for the help, and the meal, but for the friendship you’ve shared.”
“It truly is a pleasure,” said Elizabeth, smiling. “This was pure enjoyment for me. What can I do to actually help you?”
Rose bit her lip. “I’m embarrassed to ask.”
“Go on. What are friends for?”
“Back in Boston, I’d take a bath every Saturday night. Somehow…” She closed her eyes, shaking her head.
Elizabeth laughed gently. “You and Mr. Smith not quite that acquainted, is that it? I can surely understand.”
“If I could just have a little help filling the tub, Mrs. West. Only if you’re able to spare the time. Just a bit of water. My arms are still a bit weak from a fever I had back east. I’d take such a quick bath and feel all the better for it,” she said fervently.
“Come around back,” said Elizabeth. “Wait until you see this, Mrs. Smith.”
Elizabeth led Rose out the back door. Attached to the side of the house was a post, around which was coiled something that looked like a flattened rope of some type of canvas material. Elizabeth tugged at the rope-like thing and dragged one end of it to the pump. She attached it to the spout and returned to get the other end of the rope. Elizabeth pulled it toward the back of the house and Rose followed. There was a clothesline and a large copper bathtub. Elizabeth put the rope-like thing into it and bade Rose to wait a moment. Then Elizabeth returned to the pump and began propelling water into the tub through the canvas tube.
“It’s a hose,” called Elizabeth. “Your husband saw how fire brigades put out fires with them, and he devised this here contraption. My husband was so impressed he had Mr. Smith make one for us, too.
After pumping the tub full, Elizabeth went inside, returning with muslin sheets, flannel cloths, and a bar of soap. After setting the other things down on an overturned pail, she pinned the sheets to the clothesline on either side of the tub, creating an enclosed space. “See that? The sun will warm the water, and you’ll have perfect privacy. Nobody can see back here, there’s nobody for miles. Anyone coming, you’d hear them, if you were not singing too loudly.”
Rose laughed. “Well, I’ll be.”
“There’s an India rubber plug in the bottom, see that? When the weather is warm, bathing is easy as pie. No lifting and carrying pails of water. We get a lot of rain in the winter months, and save that water in rain barrels. That makes nice bath water.”
“I can’t thank you enough,” said Rose.
“You leave the hose and everything for Mr. Smith to put away, all right?” Elizabeth surveyed her work, her hands on her hips.
By now, Rose was sure that the pastor and his wife must have met with the congregation of Grace Church. They must have organized everyone so that each day, someone would cook for Rose and Charles,
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