ut of course neither of us
will want very much done for us if we live a cotter's life with these
simple surroundings, and so I think one man will be quite enough to do
for you all you will want done. But of course if you think it necessary
to have two I shall not object.'

"'One will be enough,' said I, 'and I will see about sending for him
this afternoon.'

"'I am so glad,' said Anita, 'that you have not got him now, for we can
have our first meal in the cot all by ourselves. I'll run up-stairs and
dress, and then I will come down and do my first cooking.'

"In a very short time Anita appeared in a neat dress of coarse blue
stuff, a little short in the skirts, with a white apron over it.

"'Come, now,' said she, gayly, 'let us go into the kitchen and see what
we shall have for dinner. Shall it be dinner or lunch? Cotters dine
about noon.'

"'Oh, make it lunch,' said I. 'I am hungry, and I do not want to wait to
get up a dinner.' Anita agreed to this, and we went to work to take the
lid off a hamper which she told me had been packed by Mrs. Parker and
contained everything we should want for several days.

"'Besides,' she said, 'that widow woman has left no end of things, all
in boxes and cans, labelled. She must have been a very thrifty person,
and it was an excellent piece of business to buy the house just as it
stood, with everything in it.'

"Anita found it difficult to make a choice of what she should cook for
luncheon. 'Suppose we have some tea?'

"'Very good,' said I, for I knew that was easy to make.

"'Then,' said she, on her knees beside the hamper, with her forefinger
against her lips, 'suppose--suppose we have some croquettes. I know how
to make some very plain and simple croquettes out of--'

"'Oh, don't let us do that,' said I; 'they will take too long, and I am
hungry.'

"'Very well, then,' said Anita. 'Let us have some boiled eggs; they are
quick.'

"I agreed to this.

"'The next thing,' said Anita, 'is bread and butter. Would you like some
hot soda-biscuit?'

"'No,' said I; 'you would have to make some dough and find the soda,
and--isn't there anything ready baked?'

"'Oh, yes,' she answered; 'we have Albert biscuit and--'

"'Albert biscuit will do,' I interrupted.

"'Now,' said she, 'we will soon have our first meal in the cot.'

"'This is a very unassuming lunch,' she said, when we were at last
seated at the table, 'but I am going to give you a nice dinner. If you
want more than