But after dinner, when they had gone into the library, as they usually
did in the evening, Patty brought out her fearful array of paper bugbears
and laid them before her father.
"What are these?" said Mr. Fairfield cheerily. "Ah, yes, I see. The 1st
of the month has brought its usual crop of bills."
"I do hope it isn't the usual crop, papa; for if they always come in like
this, we'll have to give up Boxley Hall and go to live in the
poor-house."
"Oh, I don't know. We haven't overdrawn our bank account yet Whew!
Pacetti's is a stunner, isn't it?"
"Yes," said Patty, in a meek little voice.
"And Fisher & Co. seem to have summed up quite a total; and Smith's
flower bill looks like a good old summer time."
"Oh, papa, please scold me; I know I deserve it. I ought to have looked
after these things and kept the expenses down more."
"Why ought you to have done so, Patty? We have to have food, don't we?"
"Yes; but, papa, you know we estimated in the beginning, and these old
bills come up to about twice as much as our estimate."
"That's a fact, baby, they do," said Mr. Fairfield, looking over the
statements with a more serious air. "These are pretty big figures to
represent a month's living for just you and me and our small retinue of
servants."
"Yes; and, papa, I think Mancy is rather wasteful. I don't say this to
blame her. I know it is my place to see about it, and be careful that
she utilises all that is possible of the kitchen waste.
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