ninety-day note and then shave the note." [Pg 35] [Pg 36] I was glad when she hurried away at the sound of Cyrus in the hall. For a huge lot of work there'll be for me to do until I get things in some sort of order. I've opened a regular set of books to keep the social accounts in. Of course, nobody who goes in for society, on the scale we're going into it, could get along without social bookkeeping as big as a bank's. I pity the official women in the high places who can't afford secretaries; they must spend hours every night posting and fussing with their account-books when they ought to be in bed asleep. [Pg 37]On my second day here "pa" Burke explained what his plans were. "We wish to make our house," said he, "the most distinguished social center in Washington, next to the White House—and very democratic. Above all, Miss Talltowers, democratic." [Pg 37] "He don't mean that he wants us to do our own work and send out the wash," drawled "ma" Burke, who was sitting by. "But democratic, with fourteen servants in livery." "I understand," said I. "You wish simplicity, and people to feel at ease, Mr. Burke." "Exactly," he replied in a dubious tone. "But I wish to maintain the—the dignities, as it were." I saw he was afraid I might get the idea he wanted something like those rough-and-tumble public maulings of[Pg 38] the President that they have at the White House. I hastened to reassure him; then I explained my plan. I had drawn up a system somewhat like those the President's wife and the Cabinet women and the other big entertainers have. I'm glad the Burkes haven't any daughters. If they had I'd certainly need an assistant. As it is, I'm afraid I'll worry myself hollow-eyed over my books. [Pg 38] First, there's the Ledger—a real, big, thick office ledger with almost four hundred accounts in it, each one indexed. Of course, there aren't any entries as yet. But there soon will be—what we owe various people in the way of entertainment, what they've paid, and what they owe us. Second, there's my Day-Book. It contains each day's engagements so that I can find out at a glance just what we've[Pg 39] got to do, and can make out each night before going to bed or early each morning the schedule for
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