Miss Cordelia's Accommodation Page #2

"Miss Cordelia's Accommodation" is a charming short story by Lucy Maud Montgomery that explores themes of community, kindness, and the complexities of human relationships. Set in a quaint Canadian village, the story follows Miss Cordelia, a warm-hearted but somewhat unconventional woman who decides to open her home to travelers in need of shelter. Through her interactions with various guests, Montgomery beautifully illustrates the power of hospitality and the bonds that can form among strangers. The narrative captures the essence of small-town life and the importance of compassion, making it a delightful read for fans of Montgomery's work.

• Short story

								

four-acre field, was quite frisky and went at a decided amble down Elm
Street and across the bridge. The long wagon had been filled up with
board seats, and when Miss Cordelia came back over the bridge the
boards were crowded with factory children--pale-faced little creatures
whose eyes were aglow with pleasure at this unexpected outing.

Miss Cordelia drove straight out to the big pine-clad hills of
Deepdale, six miles from Pottstown. Then she tied Nap in a convenient
lane and turned the children loose to revel in the woods and fields.
How they did enjoy themselves! And how Miss Cordelia enjoyed seeing
them enjoy themselves!

When dinner time came she gathered them all around her and went to the
wagon. In it she had a basket of bread and butter.

"I can't afford anything more," she told Cynthia Ann, "but they must
have something to stay their little stomachs. And I can get some water
at a farmhouse."

Miss Cordelia had had her eye on a certain farmhouse all the morning.
She did not know anything about the people who lived there, but she
liked the looks of the place. It was a big, white, green-shuttered
house, throned in wide-spreading orchards, with a green sweep of
velvety lawn in front.

To this Miss Cordelia took her way, surrounded by her small
passengers, and they all trooped into the great farmhouse yard just as
a big man stepped out of a nearby barn. As he approached, Miss
Cordelia thought she had never seen anybody so much like an incarnate
smile before. Smiles of all kinds seemed literally to riot over his
ruddy face and in and out of his eyes and around the corners of his
mouth.

"Well, well, well!" he said, when he came near enough to be heard. "Is
this a runaway school, ma'am?"

"I'm the runaway schoolma'am," responded Miss Cordelia with a twinkle.
"And these are a lot of factory children I've brought out for a
Saturday treat. I thought I might get some water from your well, and
maybe you will lend us a tin dipper or two?"

"Water? Tut, tut!" said the big man, with three distinct smiles on his
face. "Milk's the thing, ma'am--milk. I'll tell my housekeeper to
bring some out. And all of you come over to the lawn and make
yourselves at home. Bless you, ma'am, I'm fond of children. My name is
Smiles, ma'am--Abraham Smiles."

"It suits you," said Miss Cordelia emphatically, before she thought,
and then blushed rosy-red over her bluntness.

Mr. Smiles laughed. "Yes, I guess I always have an everlasting grin
on. Had to live up to my name, you see, in spite of my naturally
cantankerous disposition; But come this way, ma'am, I can see the
hunger sticking out of those youngsters' eyes. We'll have a sort of
impromptu picnic here and now, I'll tell my housekeeper to send out
some jam too."

While the children devoured their lunch Miss Cordelia found herself
telling Mr. Smiles all about old Nap and her little project.

"I'm going to bring out a load every fine Saturday all summer," she
said. "It's all I can do. They enjoy it so, the little creatures. It's
terrible to think how cramped their lives are. They just exist in
soot. Some of them here never saw green fields before today."

Mr. Smiles listened and beamed and twinkled until Miss Cordelia felt
almost as dazzled as if she were looking at the sun.

"Look here, ma'am, I like this plan of yours and I want to have a hand
in helping it along. Bring your loads of children out here every
Saturday, right here to Beechwood Farm, and turn them loose in my
beech woods and upland pastures. I'll put up some swings for them and
have some games, and I'll provide the refreshments also. Trouble,
ma'am? No, trouble and I ain't on speaking terms. It'll be a pleasure,
ma'am. I'm fond of children even if I am a grumpy cross-grained old
bachelor. If you can give up your own holiday to give them a good
time, surely I can do something too."

When Miss Cordelia and her brood of tired, happy little lads and
lasses ambled back to town in the golden dusk she felt that the
expedition had been an emphatic success. Even old Nap seemed to jog
along eye-deep in satisfaction. Probably he was ruminating on the
glorious afternoon he had spent in Mr. Smiles's clover pasture.

Every fine Saturday that summer Miss Cordelia took some of the factory
children to the country. The Point Pleasant people nicknamed her
equipage "Miss Cordelia's accommodation," and it became a mild
standing joke.

As for Mr. Smiles, he proved a valuable assistant. Like Miss Cordelia,
he gave his Saturdays over to the children, and high weekly revel was
held at Beechwood Farm.

But when the big bronze and golden leaves began to fall in the beech
woods, Miss Cordelia sorrowfully realized that the summer was over and
that the weekly outings which she had enjoyed as much as the children
must soon be discontinued.

"I feel so sorry," she told Mr. Smiles, "but it can't be helped. It
will soon be too cold for our jaunts and of course I can't keep Nap
through the winter. I hate to part with him, I've grown so fond of
him, but I must."

She looked regretfully at Nap, who was nibbling Mr. Smiles's clover
aftermath. He was sleek and glossy. It had been the golden summer of
Nap's life.

Mr. Smiles coughed in an embarrassed fashion. Miss Cordelia looked at
him and was amazed to see that not a smile was on or about his face.
He looked absurdly serious.

"I want to buy Nap," he said in a sepulchral tone, "but that is not
the only thing I want. I want you too, ma'am. I'm tired of being a
cross old bachelor. I think I'd like to be a cross old husband, for a
change. Do you think you could put up with me in that capacity, Miss
Cordelia, my dear?"

Miss Cordelia gave a half gasp and then she had to laugh. "Oh, Mr.
Smiles, I'll agree to anything if you'll only smile again. It seems
unnatural to see you look so solemn."

The smiles at once broke loose and revelled over her wooer's face.

"Then you will come?" he said eagerly.

Half an hour later they had their plans made. At New Year's Miss
Cordelia was to leave her school and sooty Pottstown and come to be
mistress of Beechwood Farm.

"And look here," said Mr. Smiles. "Every fine Saturday you shall have
a big, roomy sleigh and Nap, and drive into town for some children and
bring them out here for their weekly treat as usual. The house is
large enough to hold them, goodness knows, and if it isn't there are
the barns for the overflow. This is going to be our particular pet
charity all our lives, ma'am--I mean Cordelia, my dear."

"Blessings on old Nap," said Miss Cordelia with a happy light in her
eyes.

"He shall live in clover for the rest of his days," added Mr. Smiles
smilingly.
								Rate this book:0.0 / 0 votes