'What shall we put in our boxes?' said Dane smiling.
Hazel caught up a bit of paper and ran off a list long enough to call for good packing,then she stopped suddenly.
'Olafwe cannot send in the dark. One man may have ten children, and another may have no wife. And people in Florida don't want thick shawls, and Oregon can do without thin muslins.'
'We will pack every box according to its destination. Let me hear your list.'
'Well,' said Hazel, folding her hands and gazing into the fire, 'let's begin with an imaginary family. People rather old, five children, and one of them delicate. And suppose they want a general outfit,a great piece of white cotton, and plenty of flannel; and I have seen Mrs. Bywank dispense ready-made felt shirts.'
'All right so far. Go on.'
'Then there must be dresses, of course; and one specially nice for the minister's wife. And a shawl. For her, I mean. The delicate child must have a soft quilted jacket, and bright-coloured warm wrapper, for days when she wants to lie on the sofa.'
But here Dane caught his wife in his arms and between laughing and kisses informed her that she was playing her "Rolle" of fairy again and getting impracticable.
'There is no sofa to lie on, in many of these houses, Hazel,' he went on more gravely. 'And it is better that we should send an essential supply to many, than to a few all they might want. Keep to essentials in the main. Now go on.'
'But Olaf!those things not essentials? Then you will rule out collars and cuffs and gloves and neck-ties? What are essentials? I do not believe I know.'