to rebound with resentful force, saturating one to the skin. Of fierce
blasts that seemed to lurk around every corner. Of street-lamps gleaming
meaninglessly out of the murk, curiously suggesting blinking eyes set in
a vacant face, and at last--at last--in blessed contrast--an open door,
the sound of cheery voices, the feel of warmth and welcome, the sight of
a plain, wholesome haven--rest.

Martha Slawson checked her children's vociferous clamor with a word.
Then her orders fell thick and fast, causing feet to run and hands to
fly, causing curiosity to give instant way before the pressure of
busy-ness, and a sense of cooperation to make genial the task of each.

"Hush, everybody! Cora, you go make up the bed in the boarder's room.
Turn the mattress, mind! An' stretch the sheets good an' smooth, like I
learned you to do. Francie, you get the hot-water bottle, quick, so's I
can fill it! Sammy, you go down to the cellar, an' tell Mr. Snyder your
mother will be much obliged if he'll turn on a' extra spark o'
steam-heat. Tell'm, Mrs. Slawson has a lady come to board with her for a
spell, that's fixin' for chills or somethin', onless she can be kep'
warm an' comfortable, an' the radianator in the boarder's room don't
send out much heat to speak of. Talk up polite, Sammy; d'you hear me?
An' be sure you don't let on Snyder might be keepin' a better fire in
his furnace if he didn't begrutch the coal so. It's gospel truth, o'
course, but landlords is _supposed_ to have feelin's, same as the rest
of us, an' a gentle word turneth aside wrath. Sabina, now show what a
big girl you are, an' fetch mother Cora's nicest nightie out o' the
drawer in my beaurer--the nightie Mrs. Granville sent Cora last
Christmas. Mother wants to hang it in front of the kitchen-range, so's
the pretty lady can go by-bye all warm an' comfy, after she's took her
supper off'n the tray, like Sabina did when she had the measles."