The room contains a table, some chairs and a comfortable rocking chair placed by the fireplace. On the left there is a cupboard with a shelf above it on which are a few dishes. A birdcage hangs in the window. On the wall near the fireplace hangs a large calender with a bright coloured picture of some cows drinking at a stream. Over the table hangs a gas-lamp and by the fireplace is a small gas-ring with a little tin kettle on it.
The cottages of the well-to-do people, however, are a little larger, pretty and comfortable. They stand a little way back from the road and some have a rather big garden round it and a smooth lawn in front of the house.
You go through the garden gate and walk along a path leading to the house. Mounting a few steps you get on to a verandah and right in front of you is the entrance door. Passing through this door you find yourself in the hall where in the comer is a sort of a cloakroom with racks to hang your coat and hat on.
There are some 3—4 doors (depending upon the plan of the house) which lead to the kitchen, study, dining-room and lounge or sitting-room. The sitting-room is a big room some 20—25 feet long and about 15—18 feet wide. In the sitting-room there might be a thick carpet on the floor, one or two good water-colours on the walls, a piano on one side of the room, a radio (television) set on the other side, a bookcase standing against the wall, a small table near the window with a beautiful bowl of flowers, and a couch.
The dining-room is also a pleasant-looking room with a carpet, a dark oak dining-table, which, being unfolded might seat 10—12 persons, six chairs and a side-board. A red lamp-shade hanging down from the ceiling gives a warm colour to the room, and a central (or electric) heating system keeps it warm and comfortable.
Upstairs are the bedrooms, a bathroom and a lavatory, though the latter two might be in some cottages on the ground flood as well.
2. MOVING
PETER. I say, Nick, you are not moving, are you?
NICK. Yes, we are. We have been given a flat.
PETER. Really! You are lucky, you know.
NICK. We are indeed. Three rooms, a kitchen, a bathroom, gas, a balcony overlooking the main street, a —.
PETER. Even in the main street! By gosh!
NICK. Yes. Isn’t that fine! A four-storey house with a shop in the ground storey. You just go out into the street through the main door and here you are, almost in the shop.
PETER. It’s not that house at the corner of N. and M. streets, is it?
NICK. Just so. You can’t imagine how Mother will be surprised. PETER. Why, doesn’t she know?
NICK. No, she doesn’t. She’s gone to our relatives in N. I say, Peter, couldn’t you lend a hand in loading the lorry?
PETER. To be sure. Come on. What’s there to load?
NICK. Why, everything!
(In the new house. Nick, his father, his sister, Ann and Peter)
NICK. What a marvellous flat!
FATHER. Yes, it’s a fine flat indeed. The house is the last word of comfort.
NICK. Which room will be mine, Father?
FATHER. Now, let’s have a look round. This small room will be —. NICK. Will be mine, won’t it, Daddy?
FATHER. Now stop prattling, and be a sensible girl, Ann. So this small room will be our bedroom. One of these communicating rooms will be the dining-room and the other will be yours.
NICK. Am I going to be with her again, Dad? You can’t imagine what a bother she is. I can never get through with my exercises when she is round about.
ANN. That’s not true, Daddy! He always starts teasing me first.
FATHER. Tut, tut! Well, all right. Let this small room be yours, Nick. Ann will be with us.
NICK. Oh, that’s fine. I’ve always dreamt to have a room of my own. Well, let’s start arranging the furniture. Come on, Peter, help me with this bookcase, will you?
PETER. Yes, for sure.
3. RENTING
(Tenant and Landlady.)
T. Have you a room to let?
L. Yes, sir. What room do you require? A double-bedded room or single?
T. I want a furnished living-room on the ground floor with boarding and attendance.
L. How long will you require it?
T. I intend to stay about two months. Will you show me what rooms you have?
L. Certainly. Will you come this way?
T. I like the room. It is tidy and comfortable. Is this a feather-bed?
L. Yes, sir. The room is furnished and carpeted all over as you see. Here is a wardrobe where you can hang up your clothes.
T. I need a table to work at. This wash-stand I would like to be removed.
L. Yes, sir.
T. I will want hot water and my boots cleaned every morning.
L. Yes, sir.
T. And my breakfast must also be ready at eight precisely. What will the price be including board and attendance?
L. How will you take the room, by the week or by the month?
T. Does it make any difference?
L. It does, sir. If you take it for two months, you can have it for 6 pounds a month.
T. And, suppose I take it by the week?
L. You will be charged much more, sir.
T. All right. I take it for two months in that case.
L. When will you move in, sir?
T. Today. Can you let me have a latch-key of my own? By the way, where does this door lead to?
L. To the street, sir.
T. That’s very good. I wouldn’t like to disturb you when I come home late in the evening.
L. I will provide you with a key, sir.
T. Very good. Is there a post office near by? I shall have a large correspondence.
L. Over at the station, sir.
T. That’ll be very convenient. You may expect me in the evening.
L. Yes, sir.
4. HOUSEKEEPING
1
A good housewife, as a rule, rises early in the morning. First of all she makes a fire in the stove and begins to make coffee and get breakfast ready. By the time breakfast is ready, her husband and children are up, too.
Breakfast is over, but her work is not; it has only just begun. While the eldest daughter attends to the children, she tidies the rooms. She sweeps the floors, makes the beds, dusts the furniture, etc. When everything in the house is quite neat and in good order, she goes marketing and buys provisions for the day. After that she begins to prepare lunch. When she sits down to lunch at midday, she feels fairly tired, and yet the day holds some more fatigue in reserve for her. There is the dinner to be cooked, but as it happens to be washing-day, there is a bundle of clothes to be washed and dried. The ironing and mending is generally done on evenings. Now that the washing is done, there comes the dinner to be prepared. It must be ready by the time Father comes home from his work at six o’clock.
While Father smokes his pipe after dinner, she clears the table and washes up the dishes. And that is not all. In a short while the smaller children are to be washed and put to bed. It is only late in the evening that she manages to sit down in the arm-chair, but not to rest. There are the socks and stockings to be darned and the clothes to be mended. She takes out her workbox with her scissors, reels of cotton and silk thread, pins and needles, caps her middle finger with her thimble and down she gets to mending the clothes, putting on a patch here and sewing up a rent there. The evening has far advanced into the night and everything is quiet in the house. Even Father has long ago put away his evening newspaper and gone to bed, but Mother is still at work — up first, she goes to bed last.
2
A. But you musn’t get up, ma. The doctor has strictly prohibited you to do so.
M. I know, but there’s so much to do about the house, my dear.
A. You needn’t fear, Mother dear. You leave that to me.
M. Will you be able to manage the household, my dear?
A. Of course, ma. And I think I’ll be able to cook a dinner, too.
M. Yes, but you do the beds and tidy up the rooms first.
