"Well, I think he ought to be chastised," said Mrs. Perkins.
"Who? What are you talking about?" demanded Thaddeus.
"That nasty O'Hara man," said Mrs. Perkins. "He said 'he'd be damned' over the wire."
Thaddeus immediately became energetic. "He didn't blackguard you, did he?" he demanded.
"Yes, he did," said Mrs. Perkins, the water in her eyes affecting her voice so that it became mellifluous instead of merely melodious.
"But how?" persisted Perkins.
"Well—we—we—rang him up—it was only as a surprise, you know, dear—we rang him up—"
"You—you rang up—O'Hara?" cried Perkins, aghast. "It must have been a surprise."
"Yes, Teddy. We were going to settle the lamp question; we thought you were bothered enough with—well, with affairs of state—"
The candidate drew up proudly, but immediately became limp again as he realized the situation.