Elizabeth knitted her brows over this problem. “I suppose you haven’t a great deal of money,” she said hesitatingly, for she did not want to hurt his feelings. “I am, alas, in the same impoverished condition, but if twenty-five cents would do you any good I will gladly add that to your store.”
“Elfie, you are too much for me,” returned the young man gravely. “Bless your dear little heart! I don’t know anyone I would rather borrow from, but I won’t ask you to lend yet. We will see how well we can manage first. Of course you knew long ago that I was not rolling in wealth. In fact, it took my bottom dollar to get me through my trip to Europe, but it was well worth it. I am rather resourceful and I can manage, even if I have to sleep on a pile of straw.”
This seemed poverty indeed to Elizabeth and she determined to consult her mother about certain discarded articles in the attic. This she did that very evening, but in the meantime Mr. Kemp had made the joyous announcement of his connection with the Gilmore family and had been accepted as something more than an ordinary acquaintance. He had met many of the young people and was considered a great addition to their circle, for he was merry and entertaining, good-tempered and thoughtful, so was included in all social affairs of the neighborhood and was frequently invited out to dinner; consequently the fare at the Mansion House became less of a grievance.
Therefore it happened that when Elizabeth began to make her inquiries about the odd pieces of cast-off furniture Kathie was ready to lend a hand.
“Oh, do let him have any of that old stuff,” she begged. “We must fix him up somehow. Probably he will want to use it only for awhile anyhow. What is there up there, mother?”
Mrs. Hollins considered. “Well, let me see; there is a table with a broken leg, two or three rickety chairs and things of that kind. There is an old four-poster bedstead, too, but he would hardly want that.”
“He might,” declared Kathie; “we will ask him, anyhow.”
The upshot of the matter was that contributions came in from near and far. The young people began to be interested at once, and were eager to have a hand in furnishing the studio, so one and another hunted up odds and ends of furniture. The Paines rooted out an old bureau from their attic and that was the beginning of a collection which included a mattress, pillows, curtains, covers, rugs, odd dishes, and ended up with a kerosene oil stove. All these were mounted upon a wagon and one Saturday morning appeared a procession of young folks following the wagon to its destination. Neal Paine, Dick Hollins, Hal Tyson, and some others had lent a hand toward the repairing of the old building and were on the premises when the wagon approached. Elizabeth, of course, was there and was the one who first spied the troop.
“Look what’s coming!” she cried out.
The workers inside speedily rushed out, and the goods were dumped on the ground amid much laughter and joking. The girls insisted upon helping to clean the rooms and worked with a will, so that before the day was over the little house really looked cosey and as if it had been lived in by “somebody besides chickens,” Elizabeth said. Thus was the studio of Oliver Kemp established and many good times did it see.