Maryarrangedwiththeowner，aBayportman，toleasethishouseandlandatasmallrentalforthreeyears。Intheleasewasincludedconsenttothemakingofnecessaryalterationsandrepairsandtheprivilegeofpurchasing，atapricethereinnamed，attheendofthethreeyears，shouldthetenantwishtodoso。
Thenwiththeaidofsoapandwater，whitepaintandwhitewash，attractivebutinexpensivewallpapers，andoddsandendsofquaintoldfurniture，ofwhichtheparlorandbestbedroomoftheGould-
Hamiltonhomesuppliedthelargerquantity，sheproceededtomakeovertheinteriorofthelittlebuilding。Toeverybitofnauticalbric-a-brac，picturesofoldsailingshipsandseacuriosshegaveespecialprominence。Thenthelawnwasmowed，thetangledshrubberyuntangledandclippedandpruned；cheapbutprettylatticesmadetolookliketheshroudsofaship，overwhichclimbingrosesweresupposed——someday——totwine，wereplacedagainstthewalls，andrustictablessetaboutunderthetreesandthegrapearborwithshiplanternshungabovethem。Thedrivewaydowntothelanewasrolledandhardened，andasign，paintedbyJoshuaBemis，thelocal“House，BoatandSignPainter，TinsmithandGlazier“——seeMr。
Bemis’sadvertisementintheAdvocate——washungonaframebythegateway。
CaptainShad’sremarkswhenhefirstsawthatsignmaybeworthquoting。Maryhadnotconsultedhimconcerningit；shedeemeditbestnottodoso。Whenitwasinplace，however，sheledhimouttoinspect。Shadrachadjustedhisspectaclesandreadasfollows：