“Pleasant gathering,” he said “Mighty pleasant. Been coming here to Christmas dinner ever since I can remember. Married Julia Bowles, you know, Anita’s sister—Mrs. Trask, that is—but I reckon Teddy has told you all the ins and outs of the family. Fine family, good housekeepers, good friends, plenty of looks, plenty of money, good characters, good citizens. I don’t always like their friends, but it’s none of my business who comes here.”
“Who is that man in the doorway?” asked Josie, designating Cheatham, thinking she might get a side line on his traits from Uncle Tom.
“Cheatham! He’ll do it, all right, all right. I can’t abide that man. But I’m not obeying the rules of hospitality to be criticizing a fellow guest to a fellow guest.”
“I won’t tell,” laughed Josie.
“Of course not. Anybody that’s a friend of Teddy’s is sure to be a good sport—that is, anybody but Cheatham. I never could understand my sister-in-law and her son in allowing that man to darken their doors. That’s what he does to a door when he enters it. He sure does darken it. As for Colonel Trask, I know he can’t stand the man any more than I can, but he’s one of these old time courtly men who let the women folk rule them. Me? I tell you nobody bosses me. If my Julia tried that game on me, I tell you I’d—I’d—”
“Tom, go out and look in the sleigh for my glasses. Don’t say ‘send one of the children,’ because I’m sure they would break them. Go along, Tom! That’s a dear,” said Aunt Julia in a tone not to be questioned.
“Yes, my dear!” from the valorous Tom.
“I’ll go help find them,” suggested Josie. “Men never know how to find things,” and then she whispered to Uncle Tom as they started towards the front door, “I really believe your wife’s glasses are hanging by a hook on the front of her dress. I saw something dangling there. Why don’t you look?”
“I’ll bet they are. Won’t I have a good laugh on her, though!”
Josie was right and Uncle Tom was jubilant over the joke on Aunt Julia.