warranted after a six-course
dinner had been hurried through in one hour, two courses having been
omitted that Bridget might catch the train leaving for New York at
3.10. Nor would he have said anything further than the final words
of dismissal had he not come home late one afternoon to dress for a
dinner at his club, when he discovered that, owing to the usual
causes, the week's wash, which the combined efforts of cook and
waitress should have finished that day, was delayed twenty-four
hours, the consequence being that Thaddeus had to telephone to the
haberdashery for a dress-shirt and collar.

"It's bad enough having one's wife buy these things for one, but
when it comes to having a salesman sell you over a telephone the
style of shirt and collar 'he always wears himself,' it is
maddening," began Thaddeus, and then he went on at such an
outrageous rate that Bessie became hysterical, and Thaddeus's
conscience would not permit of his going out at all that night, and
that was the beginning of the end.

"I'll fix 'em at Christmas-time," said Thaddeus.

"You won't forget them at Christmas, I hope, Thad," said Bessie,
whose forgiving nature would not hear of anything so ungenerous as
forgetting the servants during the holidays.

"No," laughed Thaddeus. "I won't forget 'em. I'll give 'em all the
very things they like best."

"Oh, I see," smiled Bessie. "On the coals-of-fire principle. Well,
I shouldn't wonder but it would work admirably. Perhaps they'll be
so ashamed they'll do better."

"Perhaps--if the coals do not burn too deep," said Thaddeus, with a
significant smile.

Christmas Eve arrived, and little Thad's tree was dressed, the gifts
were arranged beneath it, and all seemed in readiness for the
dawning of the festal day, when Bessie, taking a mental inventory of
the packages and discovering nothing among them for the servants
save her own usual contribution of a dress and a pair of gloves for
each, turned and said to Thaddeus:

"Where are the hot coals?"

"The what?" asked Thaddeus.

"The coals of fire for the girls and John."

"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 an