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Show - 10 - CHAPTER II Suffice to say that the coming weeks were busy ones for the entire family. Each new day brought the painters, plumbers and carpenters driving up to the gate, unloading their equipment and working from early morning to dusk. The roof of Gaven House needed complete refurbishing and the plumbing throughout was carefully checked. Jim and Athena spent hours picking the colors for the various rooms, watching closely as the painters mixed them to suit their specifications, while the girls assisted as much as possible. The time spent in the scrubing and cleaning, also, was reward indeed to all the members of the family as the final results became evident. Tom and Maddle MacCarthy proved to be invaluable. Maddie worked indoors with Athena with the help of two local women while Tom concentrated on the gardens and general outdoor work. He had soon cleared away all the weeds and the huge old Lilac bushes and Hydrangia, not to mention the firey Pyra-canthas were bursting with color and their fragrance filled the air* Even the fountain, with its graceful maiden standing with outstretched hands was - sparkling and flowing again. She now stood amidst the little fawns in the pond and smiled dreamily. The gazebo had been repainted and the schrubs and bushes around it trimmed. The profusion of flowers surrounding it gave forth a lovely perfume. The old carriage house in the rear had also started to take on a look of occupancy. It was now being used as a garage for the family Stude-baker. The rooms above were being renovated as living quarters for Tom and Maddie. How delighted was this nice couple to have returned to the home where they had been so happy in the past. The high fence that surrounded the grounds of Gaven House had been cleaned and all the rusts spots removed and repainted its original black |
