own.

"I thought this was your vacation," remonstrated Bessie.

"Well, so it is," said Thaddeus. "But--but I've got one or two
matters to attend to--matters of very great importance--so that I
think I'll have to go."

"If you must, you must," said Bessie. "But I think it's horrid of
your partner to make you go back to town this hot weather."

"Don't be cross with my partner," said Thaddeus; "especially my
partner in this matter."

"Have you different partners for different matters?" queried Bessie.

"Never mind about that, my dear; you'll know all about it in time,
so don't worry."

"All right, Teddy. But I don't like to have you running away from
me when I'm at a hotel. I'd rather be home, anyhow. Can't I go
with you? Little Ted is well enough now to go home."

"Not this time; but you can go up next Wednesday if you wish,"
returned Thaddeus, with a slight show of embarrassment.

And so it was settled, and Thaddeus went to town. On Wednesday they
all left the sea-shore to return to Phillipseburg.

"Oh, how lovely it looks!" ejaculated Bessie, as she entered the
house, Norah having opened the door. "But--er--where's Jane,
Norah?"

"Cookin' the dinner, mim."

"Why, Jane can't cook."

"If you please, mim, this is a new Jane."

Bessie's parasol fell to the floor. "A wha-a-at?" she cried.

"A new Jane. Misther Perkins has dispinsed with old Jane and Ellen,
mim."

Bessie rushed up-stairs to her room and cried. The shock was too
sudden. She longed for Thaddeus, who had remained at the station
collecting the bath-tubs and other luxuries of the baby from the
luggage-van, to come. What did it all mean? Jane and Ellen gone!
New girls in their places!

And then Thaddeus came, and made all plain to the little woman, and
when he was all through she was satisfied. He had discharged the
tyrants, and had supplied their places. The latter was the
important business which had taken him to town.

"But, Teddy," Bessie said, with a smile, when she had heard all,
"how did poor mild little you ever have the courage to face those
two women and give them their discharge?"

Teddy blushed. "I didn't," he answered, meekly; "I wrote it."

Five years have passed since then, and all has gone well. Thaddeus
has remained free, and, as he proudly observes, domestics now
tremble at his approach--that is, all except Norah, who remembers
him as of old. Ellen and Jane are living together in affluence,
having sav