She found Mrs. Tom there , and the latter promptly despatched Jack and Mamie to the post-office that she might have an opportunity to hear Josephine 's news . `` I 've had an awful week of it , Ida , '' said Josephine solemnly , as she sat down by the stove and put her feet up on the glowing hearth . `` I suppose Zillah is pretty cranky to wait on , '' said Mrs. Tom sympathetically . `` Oh , it is n't Zillah . Mary Bell looks after her . No , it 's the house . I never lived in such a place of dust and disorder in my born days . I 'm sorrier for David Hartley than I ever was for anyone before . '' `` I suppose he 's used to it , '' said Mrs. Tom with a shrug . `` I do n't see how anyone could ever get used to it , '' groaned Josephine . `` And David used to be so particular when he was a boy . The minute I went there the other night I took in that kitchen with a look . I do n't believe the paint has even been washed since the house was built . I honestly do n't . And I would n't like to be called upon to swear when the floor was scrubbed either . The corners were just full of rolls of dust -- you could have shovelled it out . I swept it out next day and I thought I 'd be choked . As for the pantry -- well , the less said about that the better . And it 's the same all through the house . You could write your name on everything .
I could n't so much XXXXX clean up .
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