{"product_id":"2940013191334","title":"A Christmas Story","description":"PART I.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e_A WOMAN'S PLAN._\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'My dear Mary,' said I, one morning, to my widowed sister, as she sank\u003cbr\u003einto an arm chair in front of my library fire, and heaved a sigh replete\u003cbr\u003ewith exhaustion and sadness:\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'What is the matter?'\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'Enough for a woman, William, but of course, nothing for an old bachelor\u003cbr\u003elike you, who have only to pay your own bills, eat your meals without\u003cbr\u003ethe trouble of ordering them; lounge through a clean house with no\u003cbr\u003echasing after servants to sweep and wash and dust; sit in your study,\u003cbr\u003eheaping log after log on your devoted andirons, and always meeting me\u003cbr\u003ewith such a provoking cheerfulness, while I have not a moment to myself;\u003cbr\u003eam all the time running to give out stores to one girl; soap and starch\u003cbr\u003eto another; candles and linen to the chambermaid, and orders to the\u003cbr\u003ecoachman; and, even then, I have no peace; for, no sooner do I sit in\u003cbr\u003ethe nursery, hoping to derive a few minutes comfort from a quiet sew,\u003cbr\u003ethan my ears are filled with the dissatisfaction of one girl; the\u003cbr\u003ecomplaints of another; the threatenings to leave of another, and the\u003cbr\u003equarrels of all. I declare, William, I think it was too bad in you to\u003cbr\u003einsist on our leaving that comfortable boarding house, where we lived so\u003cbr\u003emuch cheaper, and had no trouble. It was there, with my small family,\u003cbr\u003ethat I appreciated the freedom from care that you old selfish,\u003cbr\u003eunsympathizing bachelors enjoy; and no wonder you laugh at us. The fact\u003cbr\u003eis, you don't know anything about it; you ----'\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'My dear Mary,' I repeated, 'you have said enough--I only ask for a few\u003cbr\u003eminutes to put this matter in a new light, and, in time, you yourself\u003cbr\u003ewill be convinced.'\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'That's all very well, William, but what's the use of talking to you\u003cbr\u003emen. I never convinced one in my life. No sir! man is an animal that\u003cbr\u003enever acknowledges either that he is wrong, or that a woman is right. I\u003cbr\u003etell you, servants are the bane of my existence. You cannot make them\u003cbr\u003ehappy, do what you may. Why, only the other day I gave Jane a nice pair\u003cbr\u003eof gaiters that I had but partially worn out. She thanked me, and I felt\u003cbr\u003epleased that I had done one kind action, though it was a self-denial.\u003cbr\u003eThe very next morning, in coming out of the kitchen, I passed the ash\u003cbr\u003ebarrel, and looked in it to see if the cinders would ever be sifted.\u003cbr\u003eWhat do you suppose I saw there, mixed up with lemon peel, tea leaves\u003cbr\u003eand ashes? My boots, William--the very pair I had given Jane the day\u003cbr\u003ebefore.'\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'Well what did you do?'\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'Do? Why as soon as I could recover I called her to me, and asked why\u003cbr\u003eshe had thrown them there.' She said without any excitement, that was\u003cbr\u003ethe worst of it, 'I couldn't wear them Madam.'\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'Why not?' I said.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'They were too large for me.'\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'Too large for her, the jade--think of that'--\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'Don't say any more, Mary, I understand the case perfectly--and since we\u003cbr\u003ecannot argue upon the matter just listen to my views (without any\u003cbr\u003einterruption), in the form of a philosophical lecture. It will be very\u003cbr\u003ebrief but to the point.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'Though I have never kept house, as I am an old man I must have lived\u003cbr\u003esomewhere all my life. Being possessed of a healthy and observing\u003cbr\u003eintellect--I have seen and digested much; and it is all easy to my mind.\u003cbr\u003eI have heard you through as I have heard others through; I have seen\u003cbr\u003eyour sufferings and your trials, as I have seen many, very many suffer\u003cbr\u003eand endure trials, and I have solved the problem and told it all to my\u003cbr\u003esegar!'\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'Well now that is selfish, William!'\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'Not at all my dear sister, what lady would tolerate the slightest\u003cbr\u003einterference with her housekeeping? How long would you permit me to stay\u003cbr\u003ehere, in financial partnership, if I even offered one word of advice.'\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'Oh, how unjust, speak out now and let me hear what you have confided to\u003cbr\u003eyour segar.'\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'Well, in the first place, there are two kinds of ways to keep house.\u003cbr\u003eNo. one is to keep your servants; No. two is to be kept by them. Herein\u003cbr\u003eis the key note of much trouble. Another difficulty is fear. I have been\u003cbr\u003eperfectly amazed to listen to ladies when asking a waiter to do\u003cbr\u003esomething for them. Just think of it. I heard Mrs. ----, at table the\u003cbr\u003eother day, turn round and look towards a red headed, uplifted girl, with\u003cbr\u003ea conciliatory smile and say, 'Betty, would you mind giving me a glass\u003cbr\u003eof water?'","brand":"SAP","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47073711751408,"sku":"2940013191334","price":0.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/2940013191334_p0.jpg?v=1763577803","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/2940013191334","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}