I have been thinking about that, said Bessie, after a moment. You see, Thad, there are a great many things about running a house that neither you nor I are familiar with yet, and it seems to me that maybe wed better wait a little while before we impose these rules on the girls; it would be awkward to have to make changes afterwards, you know.
There is something in that, said Thaddeus; but, after all, not so much as you seem to think. All rules have exceptions. Ive no doubt that the cook will take exception to most of them.
Thats what Im afraid of, and as shes so old I kind of feel as if I ought to respect her feelings a little more than we would Norahs, for instance. I can just tell you I shall make Norah stand around.
I think it would be a good plan if you did, said Thaddeus. Im afraid Norah will die if you dont. She works too hard to be a real servantreal servants stand around so much, you know.
Dont be flippant, Thaddeus. This is a very serious matter. Norah is a good girl, as you say. She works so much and so quickly that she really makes me tired, and Im constantly oppressed with the thought that she may get through with whatever she is doing before I can think of something else to occupy her time. But with her we need have none of the feeling that we have with Jane and Ellen. She is young, and susceptible to new impressions. She can fall in with new rules, while the other two might chafe under them. Now, I say we wait until we find out if we cannot let well enough alone, and not raise discord in our home.
There never was an Eden without its serpent, sighed Thaddeus. I dont exactly like the idea of fitting our rules to their idiosyncrasies.
It isnt that, dear. I dont want that, either; but neither do we wish to unnecessarily hamper them in their work by demanding that they shall do it our way.
Oh, well, you are the President of the Republic, said Thaddeus. You run matters to suit yourself, and I believe well have the most prosperous institution in the world before we know it. If it were a business matter, Id have those rules or die; but I suppose you cant run a house as you would a business concern. I guess you are right. Keep the rules a week. Why not submit em to your mother first?
I thought of that, said Bessie. But then it occurred to me that as Ellen had served always under your mother, it would be better if we consulted her.
I dont, said Thaddeus. Shed be sure to tell you not to have any rules, or, if she didnt, she would advise you to consult with the cook in the matter, which would result in Ellens becoming President, and you and I taxpayers. She used to run our old house, and now see the consequences!
What are the consequences? asked Bessie.
Mother and father have been driven into a hotel, and the children have all been married.
Thats awful, laughed Bessie.
And so the rules were filed away for future reference. That they would have remained on file for an indefinite period if Thaddeus had not asked a friend to spend a few weeks with him, I do not doubt. Bessie grew daily more mistrustful of their value, and Thaddeus himself preferred the comfort of a quiet though somewhat irregular mode of living to the turmoil likely to follow the imposition of obnoxious regulations upon the aristocrats below-stairs. But the coming of Thaddeuss friend made a difference.
The friend was an elderly man, with a business and a system. He was a man, for instance, who all his life had breakfasted at seven, lunched at one, and dined at six-thirty, of which Thaddeus was aware when he invited him to make his suburban home his headquarters while his own house was being renovated and his family abroad. Thaddeus was also aware that the breakfast and dinner hours under Bessies régime were nominally those of his friend, and so he was able to assure Mr. Liscomb that his coming would in no way disturb the usual serenity of the domestic pond. The trusting friend came. Breakfast number one was served fifteen minutes after the hour, and for the first time in ten years Mr. Liscomb was late in arriving at his office. He had not quite recovered from the chagrin consequent upon his tardiness when that evening he sat down to dinner at Thaddeuss house, served an hour and ten minutes late, Ellen having been summoned by wire to town to buy a pair of shoes for one of her sisters children, the sister herself suffering from poverty and toothache.
I hope you were not delayed seriously this morning, Mr. Liscomb, said Bessie, after dinner.
Oh no, not at all! returned Liscomb, polite enough to tell an untruth, although its opposite was also a part of his system.
Ellen must be more prompt with breakfast, said Thaddeus. Seven, sharp, is the hour. Did you speak to her about it?
No, but I intend to, answered Bessie. Ill tell her the first thing after breakfast to-morrow. I meant to have spoken about it to-day, but when I got down-stairs she had gone out.
Was it her day out?
No; but her sister is sick, and she was sent for. It was all right. She left word where she was going with Jane.
That was very considerate of her, said Liscomb, politely.
Yes, said Bessie. Ellens a splendid woman.
Later on in the evening, about half-past nine, when Mr. Liscomb, wearied with the excitement of the first irregular day he had known from boyhood, retired, Thaddeus took occasion to say:
Bessie, I think youd better tell Ellen about having breakfast promptly in the morning to-night, before we go to bed.
Very well, returned Bessie, Ill go down now and do it; and down she went. In a moment she was back. The poor thing was so tired, she said, that she went to bed as soon as dinner was cooked, so I couldnt tell her.
Why didnt you send up word to her by Jane?
Oh, she must be asleep by this time!
Oh! said Thaddeus.
It was nine oclock the next morning when Ellen opened her eyes. Breakfast had been served a half-hour earlier, Jane and Bessie having cooked some eggs, which Bessie ate alone, since Thaddeus and Liscomb were compelled to take the eight-oclock train to town, hungry and forlorn. Liscomb was very good-natured about it to Thaddeus, but his book-keeper had a woful tale to tell of his employers irritability when he returned home that night. As for Thaddeus, he spoke his mind very plainlyto Liscomb. Bessie never knew what he said, nor did any of the servants; but he said it to Liscomb, and, as Liscomb remarked later, he seemed like somebody else altogether while speaking, he was so fierce and determined about it all. That night a telegram came from Liscomb, saying that he had been unexpectedly delayed, and that, as there were several matters requiring his attention at his own home, he thought he would not be up again until Sunday.
Bessie was relieved, and Thaddeus was mad.
We must have those rules, he said.
And so they were brought out. Ellen received them with stolid indifference; Jane with indignation, if the slamming of doors in various parts of the house that day betokened anything. Norah accepted them without a murmur. It made no difference to Norah on what day she swept the parlor, nor did she seem to care very much because her days at home were shifted, so that her day out was Friday instead of Thursday.
Has Ellen said anything about the rules, my dear? asked Thaddeus, a week or two later.
Not a word, returned Bessie.
Has she looked anything?
Volumes, Bessie answered.
Does she take exception to any of them?
No, said Bessie, and Ive discovered why, too. She hasnt read them.
Thaddeus was silent for a minute. Then he said, quite firmly for him, She must read them.
Must is a strong word, Teddy, Bessie replied, particularly since Ellen cant read.
Then you ought to read them to her.
Thats what I think, Bessie answered, amiably. Im going to do it very soonday after to-morrow, I guess.
What has Jane said? asked Thaddeus, biting his lip.
Bessie colored. Jane had expressed herself with considerable force, and Bessie had been a little afraid to tell Thaddeus what she had said and done.
Oh, nothing much, she answered. Sheshe said shed never worn caps like a common servant, and wasnt going to begin now; and then she didnt like having to clean the silver on Saturday afternoons, because the silver-powder got into her finger-nails; and that really is too bad, Teddy, because Saturday night is the night her friends come to call, and silver-powder is awfully hard to get out of your nails, you know; and, of course, a girl wants to appear neat and clean when she has callers.
Of course, said Thaddeus. And I judge by the appearance of the brass fenders that she doesnt like to polish them up on Wednesday because it gives her a backache on Thursday, which is her day out.
Bessies eyes took on their watery aspect again.
Do the fenders look so very badly, Ted? she asked.
Theyre atrocious, said Thaddeus.
Im sorry, dear; but I did my best. I polished them myself this afternoon; Jane had to go to a funeral.
Oh, my! cried Thaddeus. This subjects too much for me. Lets go outsomewhere, anywhereto a concert. Music hath its charms to soothe a savage breast, and my breast is simply the very essence of wildness to-night. Put on your things, Bess, and hurry, or Ill suffocate.
Bessie did as she was told, and before ten oclock the happy pair had forgotten their woes, nor do I think they would have remembered them again that night had they not found on their return home that they were locked out.
At this even the too amiable Bessie was angryvery angryunjustly, as it turned out afterwards.
They werent to blame, after all, she explained to Thaddeus, when he came home the next night. I spoke to them about it, and they all thought wed spend the night with your mother and father at the Oxford.
Theyre a thoughtful lot, said Thaddeus.
And so time passed. The treasures did as they pleased; the dubious auburn-haired Norah continued her aggravating efficiency. Bessies days were spent in anticipation of an interview of an unpleasant nature with Jane or Ellen to-morrow. Thaddeuss former smile grew less perpetualthat is, it was always visible when Bessie was before him, but when Bessie was elsewhere, so also was the token of Thaddeuss amiability. He chafed under the tyranny, but it never occurred to him but once that it would be well for him to interview Ellen and Jane; and then, summoning them fiercely, he addressed them mildly, ended the audience with a smile, and felt himself beneath their sway more than ever.
Then something happened. A day came and went, and the morrow thereof found Thaddeus dethroned from even his nominal position of head of the house. There was a young Thaddeus, an eight-pound Thaddeus, a round, red-cheeked, bald-headed Thaddeus that looked more like the Thaddeus of old than Thaddeus did himself; and then, at a period in which man feels himself the least among the insignificant, did our hero find happiness unalloyed once more, for to the pride of being a father was added the satisfaction of seeing Jane and Ellen acknowledge a superior. Make no mistake, you who read. It was not to Thaddeus junior that these gems bowed down. It was to the good woman who came in to care for the little one and his mother that they humbled themselves.
Shes great, said Thaddeus to himself, as he watched Jane bustling about to obey the command of the temporary mistress of the situation as she had never bustled before.
Shes a second Elizabeth, chuckled Thaddeus, as he listened to an order passed down the dumb-waiter shaft from the stout empress of the moment to the trembling queen of the kitchen.
Shes a little dictatorial, whispered Thaddeus to his newspaper, when the monarch of all she surveyed gave him his orders. But there are times, even in a Republic like this, when a dictator is an advantage. I hate to see a woman cry, but the way Jane wept at the routing Mrs. Brown gave her this morning was a finer sight than Niagara.
But, alas! this happy state of affairs could not last forever. Thaddeus was just beginning to get on easy terms with Mrs. Brown when she was summoned elsewhere.
Change of heir is necessary for one in her profession, sighed Thaddeus; and then, when he thought of resuming the reins himself, he sighed again, and wished that Mrs. Brown might have remained a fixture in the household forever. Still, he added, more to comfort himself than because he had any decided convictions to expressstill, a baby in the house will make a difference, and Ellen and Jane will behave better now that Bessies added responsibilities put them more upon their honor.
For a time Thaddeuss prophecy was correct. Ellen and Jane did do better for nearly two months, and thenbut why repeat the old story? Then they lapsed, that is all, and became more tyrannical than ever. Bessie was so busy with little Ted that the household affairs outside of the nursery came under their exclusive control. Thaddeus stood itI was going to say nobly, but I think it were better put ignoblybut he had a good excuse for so doing.
A baby is an awful care to its mother, he said; a responsibility that takes up her whole time and attention. I dont think Id better complicate matters by getting into a row with the servants.
And so it went. A year and another year passed. The pretty home was beginning to look old. The bloom of its youth had most improperly fadedfor surely a home should never fadebut there was the boy, a growing delight to his father, so why complain? Better this easy-going life than one of domestic contention.
Then on a sudden the boy fell ill. The doctor cameshook his head gravely.
You must take him to the sea-shore, he said. It is his only chance.
And to the sea-shore they went, leaving the house in charge of the treasures.
I have confidence in you, said Thaddeus to Jane and Ellen on the morning of the departure, so I have decided to leave the house open in your care. Mrs. Perkins wants you to keep it as you would if she were here. Whatever you need to make yourselves comfortable, you may get. Good-bye.
What a comfort it is, said Bessie, when they had reached the sea-shore, and were indulging in their first bit of that woful luxury, homesicknesswhat a comfort it is to feel that the girls are there to look after things! An empty house is such a temptation to thieves.
Yes, said Thaddeus. I hope they wont entertain too much, though.
Ellen and Jane are too old for that sort of thing, Bessie answered.
How about Norah?
Oh, I forgot to tell you. There was nothing really for Norah to do, so I told her she could go off and stay with her mother on board-wages.