Cornelia’s cheeks grew rosy, but she held up her spirited little head, and tried to be sensible about it. This wasn’t exactly what she had expected, of course, to get her first order from a common working man, but then, what difference? It was a real order and would bring her and the family what they needed, more windows, more light, more room; why not? And, if her dream of uplifting and beautifying homes had been a true ideal, why, here was her opportunity. Everybody began in a small way, and it really was wonderful to have opportunity, even so humble as this, open up right at the beginning. She caught her breath, and tried to think. Of course everybody began everything in a small way at first.
“Well,” she said, hesitating, “I think perhaps I could. That is really my business, you know, interior decorating. I mean to do it on a large scale some day.”
“You don’t say!” said the man, looking at her admiringly. “I know women is getting into business a lot these days. But I ain’t never heard of that—what do you call it—interior decorating? You don’t mean wall-paper and painting? ’Cause I could introduce you to my boss. He builds a lot of houses.”
“Well, yes,” said Cornelia, trying not to laugh. “My business is after the house is all built. I select wall-papers and curtains, and tell them what furniture to get, or how to arrange what furniture they have so it will look well in a room. I’ve been studying along those lines in college; it’s artistic work, you know.”
“I see!” said the man, looking at her with narrowing, speculative eyes; “good idea, real good idea! Like to have some one arrange my house. Tell us what to buy. We’re laying out to get some new furnitoor, either a parlor soot or a dining-room, though my wife’s got her heart set on a new bedroom outfit, and I don’t know which’ll come off first. Guess I’ll send her in to talk it over with you. I like them little birds real well. Where you goin’ to put ’em? Here?” He looked at the two long front windows.
“No, these are going up on the third floor in my brother’s room, the front room. I’m going to make that all blue and white, and these blue birds will make it look cheerful.”
“H’m! I guess when Nannie sees ’em she’ll be strong fer the bedroom set, and let the other rooms go a spell till we can afford it.”
“Why not paint your old bedroom set, and have it decorated like your curtains, and save the money for some good furniture downstairs? They are using painted furniture a lot now for bedrooms.”
He stared at her eagerly.
“There, now, see? I told you you were going to be real useful to me. You’ve saved me the price of a bedroom set a’ready. It’s a bargain. You do the decorating, and I’ll do the carpentering. I’ll see about them winders, and let you know tomorrow afternoon.”