This she
expended in building an ell with extra sleeping rooms, painting the
structure cream colour with brown trimmings, and replacing old
furniture with that of modern make. This latter, she confessed within
a year, was a great mistake, for the new chairs became rickety, the
castors would not hold in the bed posts, the bureau drawers became
unmanageable, and the rooms, as she expressed it, had a "second-hand"
appearance. Then it was that the old mahogany furniture, that had
been relegated to the attic, was brought down, furbished up, and
restored to its original place. When Quincy entered the room which he
had formerly occupied, it did not seem possible that five years had
elapsed.
The second cause that had led Mrs. Hawkins to change the small and
modest sign--"Rooms and Board"--which had been in the front window
for years, for a large swinging sign over the front door--"Hawkins
House"--having large gold letters on a blue ground--was the rapid
growth of the town. Many new mills had been erected in the
neighbouring city of Cottonton. The operatives being unable to obtain
suitable accommodations in the city, had come to Fernborough to live,
where they could have gardens, fresh air, and playgrounds for their
children. Fernborough became to Cottonton what Methuen is to
Lawrence. Mrs. Hawkins was democratic, but shirt-sleeves and Prince
Albert coats did not look well together, so she had turned what had
been her sitting room into a private dining room, and it was here
that what she called her "star boarders" were served.
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