Grandmother Ruth would open the hall doors an hour before it was time for us to go to bed, to let the superfluous heat rise for our benefit.
In the matter of bathing, however, a great deal was left to be desired at the old house.

There were six of us to take turns at that one tub.
Grandmother Ruth took charge: she saw to it that we did not take too long, and listened to the tearful complaints about the coldness of the water.

On Saturday nights her lot was not a happy one.

She used to sit just outside the kitchen door and call our names when our turns came; and as each of us went by she would hand us our change of underclothing.
Although the brass kettle was kept heating on the stove all the while, we had trouble in getting enough warm water to "take the chill off." More than once--unbeknown to grandmother Ruth--I followed Addison in the tub without changing the water.

He had appreciably warmed it up.