“Oh!” Thaddeus replied, “I have ’em in the library. I don’t think they’ll go well with the tree.”
“What are they?” queried Bess, with a natural show of curiosity. “Checks?”
“Yes, partly,” said Thaddeus. “Mary is to have a check for $16, Bridget one for $18, and John one for $40.”
“Why, Thaddeus, that’s extravagant. Now, my dear, there’s no use of your doing anything of that—”
“Wait and see,” said Thaddeus.
“But, Teddy!” Bessie remonstrated. “Those are the amounts of their wages. You will spoil them, and if I—”
“As I said before, wait, Bess, wait!” said Thaddeus, calmly. “You’ll understand the whole scheme to-morrow, after breakfast.”
And she did, and when she did she almost wished for a moment that she didn’t, for after breakfast Thaddeus summoned the three offenders into his presence, and the effect was not altogether free from painful features to the forgiving Bess.
“Bridget,” Thaddeus said, “do you remember what Mrs. Perkins gave you last Christmas?”
“I do not!” replied Bridget, rather uncompromisingly; for it was a matter of history that she thought Mrs. Perkins on the last Christmas festival had shown signs of parsimony in giving her a calico gown instead of one of silk.