Hadn't I better wait and see?" And you hesitate. Besides, there are always the rugs to be beaten then. So you leave it till next September, and the first thing you know then, a genial and most welcome warmth is radiating the atmosphere some chilly evening, and you suddenly realize that Williams has taken time by the forelock and reinstalled himself for another year. I then extract what comfort I can from recounting his good points. He has several. He keeps the ashes down, and the furnace room tidy, and above all, he never fails us, no matter how blizzardy and cold the morning.
I repeat to myself the proverb about the fire and frying-pan, and get an extra provision of weight in the family underwear. Sometimes I brace myself for a good plain talk with Williams, but it's always Christmas in our house before you know it, and I never like to prejudice the smallness of my Christmas offering by adding admonition therewith. Clearly, Williams is with us to stay.
