But let 's go out on the veranda . Everything is so fearful neat in here that it kind of makes me homesick . I suppose I 'll get used to it after awhile but it eases me up to look at the yard . Emily has n't had time to tidy it up yet . '' As soon as they were comfortably seated on the veranda Mr. Harrison began his tale of woe . `` I lived in Scottsford , New Brunswick , before I came here , Anne . My sister kept house for me and she suited me fine ; she was just reasonably tidy and she let me alone and spoiled me ... so Emily says . But three years ago she died . Before she died she worried a lot about what was to become of me and finally she got me to promise I 'd get married . She advised me to take Emily Scott because Emily had money of her own and was a pattern housekeeper . I said , says I , 'Em ily Scott would n't look at me . ' ` You ask her and see , ' says my sister ; and just to ease her mind I promised her I would ... and I did . And Emily said she 'd have me . Never was so surprised in my life , Anne ... a smart pretty little woman like her and an old fellow like me . I tell you I thought at first I was in luck . Well , we were married and took a little wedding trip to St. John for a fortnight and then we went home . We got home at ten o'clock at night , and I give you my word , Anne , that in half an hour that woman was at work housecleaning . Oh , I know you 're thinking my house needed it ... you 've got a very expressive face , Anne ; your thoughts just come out on it like print ... but it did n't , not that bad . It had got pretty mixed up while I was keeping bachelor 's hall , I admit , but I 'd got a woman to come in and clean it up before I was married and there 'd been considerable painting and fixing done . I tell you if you took Emily into a brand new white marble palace she 'd be into the scrubbing as soon as she could get an old dress on .
Well , she cleaned house till one o'clock that night and at four she was up and XXXXX it again .
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