‘Well, you are down at nine—what more do you want?’
‘At nine! I am sure that Mrs. Beeton was always up at six.’
‘I have my doubts about Mrs. B. Methinks the lady doth protest too much. I should not be very much surprised to learn that she had breakfast in bed every morning.’
‘O Frank! You have no reverence for anything.’
‘Let us have some more wisdom.’
‘“Frugality and Economy are home virtues without which no household can prosper. Dr. Johnson says, ‘Frugality may be termed—’”
‘Oh, bother Dr. Johnson! Who cares for a man’s opinion. Now, if it had been Mrs. Johnson—!’
‘Johnson kept house for himself for years—and a queer job he made of it.’
‘So I should think.’ Maude tossed her pretty curls. ‘Mrs. Beeton is all right, but I will not be lectured by Dr. Johnson. Where was I? Oh yes—“‘We must always remember that to manage a little well, is a great merit in housekeeping.”’
‘Hurrah! Down with the second vegetable! No pudding on fish days. Vive la bière de Pilsen!’