as unimpeachable, I
thought here was a fine opportunity of putting the golden rule into
practice," replied Mrs. Reston to her husband's remonstrances upon the
rashness of her proceeding.

"What a woman you are! You know that such an argument is unanswerable,
and I must retreat from the field vanquished," laughingly remonstrated
the husband, and the matter dropped.

"Now, Jarvis," said Mrs. Reston, when a few mornings later she had given
her orders to the new cook, "I dare say you will miss your usual
stimulant for some time, and you are quite at liberty to make yourself
coffee or cocoa whenever you wish, and if there is any other way in
which you may be helped to fight against your besetment let me know, for
I want you to look upon me as your friend."

Cook stammered something unintelligible, and, somewhat surprised at her
agitation, Mrs. Reston left the kitchen.

"If this don't beat everything! Nothing but lectures and black looks
have I ever had before, and now to think of a real lady speaking so
kind, and saying she wanted to be my friend!" And, in her excess of
astonishment and emotion, Jarvis stood and watched the milk for the
pudding she was about to make boil over, and then mechanically emptied
what remained into the coffee dregs which were yet standing on the
breakfast table. Weeks passed away and Mr. Reston ceased to tease his
wife about her latest philanthropic effort, and Mrs. Reston forgot to
watch Jarvis with anxiety, and dismissed all misgivings as to the
prudence of the step she had taken.

"Breakfast not ready yet! how's this?" asked Mr. Reston one morning,
entering the dining-room at the usual time, to find the housemaid just
commencing to lay the cloth, and his wife looking troubled.

"It can't be helped, dear. Symonds has been single-handed this morning,
for Jarvis is not down yet," replied Mrs. Reston. Her husband raised his
eyebrows and coughed significantly as he sat down and took up his
newspaper.

"What's the matter with your paragon, my dear?" he presently said.

"I haven't asked her yet," was the dry answer. Mr. Reston thought he had
better not pursue the subject, and relapsed into silence. After he had
left the house, Mrs. Reston examined the contents of the cellaret, and
came to the conclusion that Jarvis had been helping herself in large
quantities from the stores of wine and spirits kept there.

She had been visiting with her husband the previous evening, and the
housemaid had al