"How do you do?" said the lady."I'm real glad to see you.Hope you had a nice trip down in the cars.""Lordy, yes'm!" was the emphatic answer, accompanied by a brilliant smile."I never had such a long ride in my life.'Twas just like bein' rich.I made believe I WAS rich most all the way, except when a man set down in the seat alongside of me and wanted to talk.
Then I didn't make believe none, I bet you!""A man?" grinned Thankful."What sort of a man?""I don't know.One of the railroad men I guess 'twas; anyhow he was a fresh young guy, with some sort of uniform hat on.He asked me if I didn't want him to put my bag up in the rack.He said you couldn't be too careful of a bag like that.I told him never mind my bag; it was where it belonged and it stayed shut up, which was more'n you could say of some folks in this world.I guess he understood; anyhow he beat it.Lordy!" with another smile."Iknew how to treat HIS kind.Miss Coffin's told me enough times to look out for strange men.Is this where I'm goin' to live, ma'am?""Why--why, yes; if you're a good girl and try hard to please and to learn.Now--er--Marguerite--that's your name, isn't it?""No, ma'am, my name's Imogene."
"Imo--which? Why! I thought you was Marguerite.Miss Coffin hasn't sent another girl, has she?""No, ma'am.I'm the one.My name used to be Marguerite, but it's goin' to be Imogene now.I've wanted to change for a long while, but up there to the Home they'd got kind of used to Marguerite, so 'twas easier to let it go at that.I like Imogene lots better; Igot it out of a book."
"But--but you can't change your name like that.Isn't Marguerite your real name?""No'm.Anyhow I guess 'tain't.I got that out of a book, too.
Lordy," with a burst of enthusiasm, "I've had more names in my time! My Aunt Bridget she called me 'Mag' when she didn't make it somethin' worse.And when I first came to the Home the kids called me 'Fire Alarm,' 'cause my hair was red.And the cook they had then called me 'Lonesome,' 'cause I guess I looked that way.And the matron--not Miss Coffin, but the other one--called me 'Maggie.'
I didn't like that, so when Miss Coffin showed up I told her I was Marguerite.But I'd rather be Imogene now, if you ain't particular, ma'am.""Why--um--well, I don't know's I am; only seems to me I'd settle on one or t'other and stay put.What's your last name?""I ain't decided.Montgomery's a kind of nice name and so's St.
John, or Wolcott--there used to be a Governor Wolcott, you know.
I s'pose, now I'm out workin' for myself, I ought to have a last name.Maybe you can pick one out for me, ma'am.""Humph! Maybe I can.I've helped pick out first names for babies in my time, but pickin' out a last name for anybody would be somethin' new, I will give in.But I'll try, if you want me to.
And you must try to do what I want and to please me.Will you promise me that?""Lordy, yes'm!"
"Um! Well, you might begin by tryin' not to say 'Lordy' quite so many times.That would please me, for a start.""All right'm.I got in the habit of sayin' it, I guess.When Ifirst come to the Home I used to say, 'God sakes,' but the matron didn't like that.""Mercy on us! I don't wonder.Well--er--Imogene, now I'll show you the house and your room and all.I hope you like 'em."There was no doubt of the liking.Imogene was delighted with everything.When she was shown the sunny attic bedroom which was to be hers she clapped her hands.
"It's elegant, ma'am," she cried."Just grand! OH! it's too splendid to believe and yet there ain't any make-believe in it.
Lordy! Excuse me, ma'am, I forgot.I won't say it again.I'll wait and see what you say and then I'll say that.And now,"briskly, "I guess you think it's time I was gettin' to work.All right, I can work if I ain't got no other accomplishments.I'm all ready to begin."As a worker she was a distinct success.There was not a lazy bone in her energetic body.She was up and stirring each morning at five o'clock and she evinced an eager willingness to learn that pleased Mrs.Barnes greatly.Her knowledge of cookery was limited, and deadly, but as Thankful had planned to do most of the cooking herself, for the first season at least, this made little difference.Altogether the proprietress of the High Cliff House was growing more and more sure that her female "hired help" was destined to prove a treasure.
"I am real glad you like it here so well, Imogene," she said, at the end of a fortnight."I was afraid you might be lonesome, down here so far from the city."Imogene laughed."Who? Me?" she exclaimed."I guess not, ma'am.
Don't catch me bein' lonesome while there's folks around I care about.I was lonesome enough when I first came to the Home and the kids used to make fun of me.But I ain't lonesome now, with you so kind and nice.No indeedy! I ain't lonesome and I ain't goin' to be.You watch!"Captain Obed heartily approved of Imogene.Of Kenelm Parker as man-of-all-work his approval was much less enthusiastic.He had been away attending to his fish weirs, when Kenelm was hired, and the bargain was made before he returned.It was Hannah Parker who had recommended her brother for the position.She had coaxed and pleaded and, at last, Thankful had consented to Kenelm's taking the place on trial.
"You'll need a nice, trustworthy man to do chores," said Hannah.
"Now Kenelm's honest; there ain't a more honest, conscientious man in East Wellmouth than my brother, if I do say it.Take him in the matter of that umbrella he lost the night you first came, Mrs.
Barnes.Take that, for instance.He'd left it or lost it somewheres, he knew that, and the ordinary person would have been satisfied; but not Kenelm.No sir-ee! He hunted and hunted till he found that umbrella and come fetchin' of it home.'Twas a week afore he did that, but when he did I says, 'Well,' I says, 'you have got more stick-to-it than I thought you had.You--'""Where did he find it?" interrupted Thankful.
