"Robert, this is Kate," she said. "Would you have any deeply
rooted objections to marrying me at six o'clock this evening?"
"Well, I should say not!" boomed Robert's voice, the "not" coming
so forcibly Kate dodged.
"Have you got the information necessary for a license?" she asked.
"Yes," he answered.
"Then bring one, and your minister, and come at six," she said.
"And Oh, yes, Robert, will it be all right with you if I stay here
and keep house for Adam until he and Milly can be married and move
in? Then I'll come to your house just as it is. I don't mind
coming to Nancy Ellen's home, as I would another woman's."
"Surely!" he cried. "Any arrangement you make will satisfy me."
"All right, I'll expect you with the document and the minister at
six, then," said Kate, and hung up the receiver.
Then she took it down again and calling Milly, asked her to bring
her best white dress, and come up right away, and help her get
ready to entertain a few people that evening. Then she called her
sister Hannah, and asked her if she thought that in the event she,
Kate, wished that evening at six o'clock to marry a very fine man,
and had no preparations whatever made, her family would help her
out to the extent of providing the supper. She wanted all of
them, and all the children, but the arrangement had come up
suddenly, and she could not possibly prepare a supper herself, for
such a big family, in the length of time she had. Hannah said she
was perfectly sure everyone of them would drop everything, and be
tickled to pieces to bring the supper, and to come, and they would
have a grand time. What did Kate want? Oh, she wanted bread, and
chicken for meat, maybe some potato chips, and Angel's Food cake,
and a big freezer or two of Agatha's best ice cream, and she
thought possibly more butter, and coffee, than she had on hand.
She had plenty of sugar, and cream, and pickles and jelly. She
would have the tables all set as she did for Christmas. Then Kate
rang for Adam and put a broom in his hand as he entered the back
door. She met Milly with a pail of hot water and cloths to wash
the glass. She went to her room and got out her best afternoon
dress of dull blue with gold lace and a pink velvet rose. She
shook it out and studied it. She had worn it twice on the trip
North. None of them save Adam ever had seen it. She put it on,
and looked at it critically. Then she called Milly and they
changed the neck and sleeves a little, took a yard of width from
the skirt, and behold! it became a "creation," in the very height
of style. Then Kate opened her trunk, and got out the petticoat,
hose, and low shoes to match it, and laid them on her bed.