a "windfall," as uncle theodore calls it, has come to the family; grandmother was quite a "well-to-do" woman before, now she is a rich woman. some investments in mines that grandfather made years ago have turned out to be of marvellous value, and the result is that my grandmother, my uncle theodore, my aunt gwendolin have greatly increased in wealth.
aunt gwendolin wanted to change the form of our living at once; she would introduce a page and a butler to our household staff. but grandmother said she was accustomed to a quiet life and preferred it. she insists, in spite of my aunt's protests, that a chinese cook, a house-maid, a laundress, a gardener, and that lovely chauffeur ought to be enough to attend to the wants of four people.
aunt gwendolin stormed, and said it was so common to live as we did, that the english always kept a butler; but grandmother was firm. another example that mothers in america can rule in the house if they wish.
grandmother seemed a good deal concerned about this sudden acquisition of wealth. "an addition of silver to bell-metal does not add to the sweetness of the tone," she said. "i fear an undue proportion of silver impairs more than bells."
