e, and mostly not being able to hire the one maid.
There aren't _any_ girls to be had lately. It means I have to be the
other maid and the man all of the time, and all three, part of the
time." She was starting down the step, but paused as though she could
not resist the relief that came from expression. "And the cost of
living--the necessities are bad enough, but the other things--the things
you have to have not to be out of everything! I lie awake nights. I
think of it in church. I can't think of anything else but the way the
expenses mount up. Everybody's getting so reckless and extravagant and I
_won't_ go into debt! I'll come to it, though. Everybody else does!
We're the only people that haven't oriental rugs now. Why, the
Gilberts--and everybody knows how much they still owe Dr. Melton for
Ellen's appendicitis, and their grocer told Ralph they owe him several
hundred dollars--well, they have just got an oriental rug that they paid
a hundred and sixty dollars for. Mrs. Gilbert said they 'just _had_ to
have it, and you can always have what you have to have.' It makes me
sick! Our parlor looks so common! And the last dinner party we gave
cost--" She detected a wavering in her father's attention, as though he
were listening for sounds inside the house, and broke off abruptly with
a hurt and impatient "Oh, well, no matter!" and ran down the steps.

Judge Emery called after with a relieved belittling of her complaints,
"Oh, if that's all you mean. Why, that's half the fun. I remember when
you were a baby your mother did the washings so that we could have a
nurse to take you out with the other children and their nurses."

Mrs. Mortimer was palpably out of earshot before he finished his
exhortation, so he wasted no more breath but turned back eagerly in
response to a call from Lydia, who came skimming down the hall. "Oh,
Daddy dearest, it's a jewel of a little sitting-room, the one you fixed
up for me--and Mother says we can serve punch there the night of my
coming-out party."

Mrs. Emery was at her heels. Her husband laughed at his wife's
expression, and drew her toward him. "Here, Mother, stop staring at
Lydia long enough to welcome me home, too." He bent over her and rubbed
his cheek against hers. "Come, tell me the news. Are you feeling
better?" He gave her a little playful push toward the door of the
parlor. "Here, let's go in and visit for a while. I'm an old fool! I
can't do any work this morning. I kept Lydia fr