"Oh, nothing much," she answered. "She--she said she'd never worn
caps like a common servant, and wasn't going to begin now; and then
she didn't 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 doesn't like to polish them up on Wednesday
because it gives her a backache on Thursday, which is her day out."

Bessie's eyes took on their watery aspect again.

"Do the fenders look so very badly, Ted?" she asked.

"They're atrocious," said Thaddeus.

"I'm 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 subject's too much for me. Let's
go out--somewhere, anywhere--to 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 I'll
suffocate."

Bessie did as she was told, and before ten o'clock the happy pair