ought 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."

Patty said this so exactly with the air of a _Young Housekeeper's Guide_
or _Cooking School Manual_, that Mr. Fairfield laughed outright.

"Chickadee," he said, "you'll come out all right. You have the true
elements of success. You see where you've fallen into error, you're
willing to admit it, and you're ready to use every means to improve in
the future. I'm not quite so surprised as you are at the size of these
bills; for, though we made our estimates rationally, yet we have been
buying a great many things and having a pretty good time generally. I
foresaw this experience at the end of the month, but I preferred to wait
and see how we came out rather than interfere with the proceedings; and
another thing, Patty, which may comfort you some, is the fact that I
quite believe that some of these tradespeople have taken advantage of
your youth and inexperience and padded their bills a little bit in
consequence."

"But, papa, just look at Madame LaFayette's bill. I don't think she
ought to charge so much."

"These do seem high prices for the simple little frocks you wear; but
they are always so daintily made, and in such good taste, that I think
we'll have to continue to employ her. Dressmakers, you know, are
acknowledged vampires."

"I