XVII 

 In the Firelight 



JONATHAN had improvidently lighted his pipe 

 before he noticed that the fire needed his at 

 tention. This was a mistake, because, at least 

 in Jonathan s case, neither a fire nor a pipe 

 responds heartily to a divided mind. As 1 

 watched him absently knocking the charred 

 logs together, I longed to snatch the tongs 

 from his indifferent hands and &quot;change the 

 sorry scheme of things entire.&quot; Big wads of 

 smoke rolled nonchalantly out of the corners 

 of the fireplace and filled the low ceiling with 

 bluish mist, yet I held my peace, and I did 

 not snatch the tongs. I know of no circum 

 stances wherein advice is less welcome than 

 when offered by a woman to a man on his 

 knees before the fire. When my friends make 

 fudge or rare-bits, they invite criticism, they 

 court suggestion, but when one of them takes 

 the tongs in his hand, have a care what you 

 say to him! In our household a certain con- 



