CHAPTER II.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 428, 14 December 1889, Page 6

CHAPTER 11.

Tmk moving was over early in July and the Franklins were settled in the new house behind the linden tree, and Mrs Franklin had beon so much botter that she often could come down bo dinner and supper and 'behave,' as Bob said, 'like everybody else ' The view out of her window was even a greater pleasure than could bs expected. Bob was fast turning into a landscape gardener, and s>o far had not flagged in keeping the yard and garden patch looking clean and tidy. He had requested a pear tree for his birthday, and bhouerh transplanted so late in the season it seemed to be doing well. Dolly was as busy as a bee inside the hou&o ; tet >c heedless Lizzio left the week before they moved to go into what she was pleased to call the country, and at first' Mrs Franklin had been made very miserable. Dolly proposed advertising, but her mother gave a disconsolate shake of the head. * Where's old Nora?' asked Mr Franklin suddenly. ' Have you seen her lately ? Doesn't sho live somewhere near the new house?' 'Of course, said his wife, brightening. ' I think that it can't be more than half a mile. Perhaps she'll come and help us with the moving and then we'll see what can be done afterwards.' Nobody knows to what good end any little lane of decision may lead. Old Nora had indeed helped with the moving ; the childien are grown now, and she has much spare time on her hands, and was glad to earn something and to help her old mistiess. She had indeed helped Dolly amazingly, and they had many a comfortable talk together as they worked in the clean new kitchen. At last Dolly ventured to say a word at the end of the tireb ten days when she and her father were sitting in Mrs Fianklin'& room, and there was a pause and the breeze rustled in the cool tree outside. ' Don't you think wo have been getting on well with the housekeeping?' she, asked timidly, and the mother and father eagerly said yes. - 'Then why can't we keep on in just the s,ame way all this summer?' Dolly asked again. ' Oh, but you can't, dear child/ said the mother. 1 Why not ?' asked Dolly, and sho thought that her father had never looked so pleased. ' [ can try for a while at any rate,' the girl went on. 'Itis so easy to do the work here in this nice house and Nora can work on Mondays ; she says she will ; and then she can come again in, the week to help with any heavy work, or. if wshavecompany. 1 wish that I could try ; it would save us so much money, and you know we had to &pend more than we expected in coming here ; it would bo a way that I could help father along until Bob can do something. 1 • Why, don't you mean to ' But Dolly was not ready to say anything elso, and just bhon somebody rang the front door bell and she ran down with her heart beating very fast. It was only ,1 woman with dressmaking patterns to sell, who talked a long time about them. JJ'olly tried to listen patiently after she had' faaid that noborly wished for any, but at any rate she had time to get over the excitement she felt about her plans. She could not to 1 yet whether she must give up going to school any moie. The housekeeping with some hindrances went on delightfully that summer. It was perhaps a commonplace thing enough that a girl of sixteen, wellgrown and Rt,rong and capable as Dolly Franklin wast, should cook and sweep and plan and sew for her little household, but to the anxious girl herself and the applauding members of the family it seemed most wonderful. Dolly was a very good cook and was always learning new things, and she kept the house looking fresh and pleasant. She was very careful not to waste, for she knew how haid her father worked for what they had, and what a difference it made because her mother wae not well and strong. There was always a doctor's bill to reckon on, but this half year it promised bo be much less than usual. Nobody knew how many of the lightest things in the housework found their way to Mrs Franklin's willing thin hands, and somehow there was a pleasantness in the household that warmed everybody's heart. It made such a difference when one really wished to do the work : so many girls hate to do itand are even ashamed of it in their own dear homes ; but more and more Dolly found her ambition and her power growing, and the morning work could soon be done in so much less time than at first. She had plenty of time to go into town whenever it was necessary, and she saw as much of her friends as ever she had, and somehow enjoyed life a great deal better than ever before. Sometimes she did nob need old Nora for anything bub the washing ; somebimes she came bwo or bhree times in a week to help with hard work, bub Dolly looked round and well and prebtier bhan ever, her mother thought, when she and her father and Bob started for church on Sunday morning all in their Sunday clothes.