her a
Territory it would be as bad. She could come in and talk. She would
insist on talking."

"And if we did not let her," said Mrs. Fenelby, "she would leave,
and I know we could never get another girl as good as Bridget."

"Now you get some idea of the hard work our forefathers had when
they made the United States," said Mr. Fenelby, rising and walking
up and down the room. "But of course they had no case like Bridget.
Bridget is more like a--more like the Philippines. Well!" he
exclaimed, "it is a wonder I didn't think of that in the first
place!"

"What, dear?" asked his wife.

"That Bridget is a colony," said Mr. Fenelby. "That is just what she
is! She is a foreign possession, controlled by the nation, but
having no voice in its affairs. She can pay taxes, but she can't
vote."

He hurriedly wrote the final words of the Constitution of the
Commonwealth of Bobberts in his book and drew a line underneath it,
for Bobberts was showing signs of awakening. Under the line Mr.
Fenelby wrote "First Session of Congress."

Bobberts awoke in a good humor, ready for his evening meal, and Mrs.
Fenelby put aside her sewing and took him.

"I am glad Bobberts is awake," said Mr. Fenelby, "because now we can
go ahead and vote on the tariff. I wouldn't like to do it if he was
not present, because he has a right to take part in the debate, and
it would not be fair to hold the first session without a full
representation. Now, suppose we make the duty on all goods and
things brought into the house an even ten per cent.?"

[Illustration: "She was busy with Bobberts"]

"That would be nice," said Mrs. Fenelby, absently, for she was busy
with Bobberts. "How much is ten per cent. of twenty-five hundred
dollars, Tom?"

"Two hundred and fifty," said Mr. Fenelby, "and that is what we
ought to save for Bobberts every year. Ten per cent. will just do
it."

He had his pen ready to write it in the book, when a new difficulty
came to mind.

"Laura!" he exclaimed. "Ten per cent. will not do it! What about the
rent? We spend fifty dollars a month for rent, and that is nothing
we bring into the house. And theater tickets, when you go to town
and buy them there and use them before you come home. And my
lunches. And my club dues. And your pew rent. And ice cream sodas.
And all that sort of thing. We couldn't collect a cent of duty on
any of those things, because we don't bring them into the house. Ten
per cent. is not enough. We ought