“I don’t know as I’m obligated to answer any questions that anybody sees fit to put to me.”
“Well, I be. Albertina, pass me my glasses from off the mantel-tree-shelf, and that letter sticking out from behind the clock and I’ll read what she says.”
Albertina, with a reproachful look at Mr. Amos, who retired coughing exasperatedly behind a paper that he did not read, allowed herself to be informed through the medium of a letter from Gertrude and a postscript from Eleanor of the projected invasion of the Chase household.
“I should think you’d rather have Eleanor come home by herself than bringing a strange woman and a hired girl,” Albertina contributed a trifle 122 tartly. The distinction of a hired girl in the family was one which she had long craved on her own account.
“All nonsense, I call it,” the old man ejaculated.
“Well, Eleena, she writes that she can’t get away without one of ’em comin’ along with her and I guess we can manage someways. I dunno what work city help will make in this kitchen. You can’t expect much from city help. They ain’t clean like home folks. I shall certainly be dretful pleased to see Eleena, and so will her grandpa—in spite o’ the way he goes on about it.”
A snort came from the region of the newspaper.
“I shouldn’t think you’d feel as if you had a grandchild now that six rich people has adopted her,” Albertina suggested helpfully.
“It’s a good thing for the child,” her grandmother said. “I’m so lame I couldn’t do my duty by her. Old folks is old folks, and they can’t do for others like young ones. I’d d’ruther have had her adopted by one father and mother instead o’ this passel o’ young folks passing her around among themselves, but you can’t have what you’d d’ruther have in this world. You got to take what comes and be thankful.” 123
“Did she write you about having gold coffee spoons at her last place?” Albertina asked. “I think they was probably gilded over like ice-cream spoons, and she didn’t know the difference. I guess she has got a lot of new clothes. Well, I’ll have to be getting along. I’ll come in again.”