Three months later in the year, when the new house at Fern's Hollow was
quite finished, with its dairy and coal-shed, and a stable put up at Mr.
Lockwood's desire, a large party assembled within the walls. Martha had
been diligently occupied all the week in a grand cleaning down; and Tim
and Stephen had been equally busy in clearing away the litter left by
the builders, and in restoring the garden to some order. They had been
obliged to contrive some temporary seats for their visitors, for the old
furniture had not yet been brought up from the cinder-hill cabin; and
the only painful thoughts Martha had were the misgiving of its extreme
scantiness in their house with six rooms. The pasture before the cottage
was now securely enclosed, and the wild ponies neighed over the hedge in
vain at the sight of the clear, cool pool where they had been used to
quench their thirst; and behind the house there was a plantation of tiny
fir-trees bending to and fro in the wind, which they were to resist as
they grew larger. Every place was in perfect order; and the front room,
which was almost grand enough for a parlour, was beautifully decorated
with flowers in honour of the expected guests, who had sent word that
they should visit Fern's Hollow that afternoon.
Pages:
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193