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Show - 79 - Just before dinner one evening Maddie was bustling about, helping Mrs. S. "I see that the decantor is empty, ma'am. If you want to serve wine tonight it'll have to be replenished. Did you wish me to go downstairs and refill it at the wine barrel?" "Never mind, Maddie," answered Athena. "I'm sure one of the girls will go down to the basement and fill it." "I'll go, Mama," said Penny. She took thedecantor and started toward the door• near the pantry which opened on to the staircase leading to the basement. "Be carefull, my dear," said her mother. "Be sure to turn on the light." "Of course, Mama," answered Penny, as she pulled the string attached to the light bulb located at the top of the stairs. She went down, grasping the bannister with one hand and the container with the other. At the bottom of the stairway was another string which she pulled and the entire area was illuminated immediately. She always enjoyed going down to the old basement. Like the attic, it remained untouched, exactly the way it was when the Gavens lived there. Overhead the great beams ran across the ceiling supporting the house, and the walls consisted of thick cement blocks which formed the foundation. The old wine barrels lined one wall and above them were shelves stacked with jars of fruit and jams, as well as large crockery jugs containing olive oil, wine vinegar and olives soaked in oil and spices. At the other end were garden tools, wooden crates slacked high with empty jars and upright barrels with lids. Within them were stored rice, beans, macaroni, barley for soups, and other dry staples. Also, there were quite a bit of discarded items such as stacks of old newspapers, garden hoses, and other articles which would; be disposed of St a -later date. |