Paste Jewels

"Paste Jewels" by John Kendrick Bangs is a collection of funny stories set in the late 1800s. It tells about Thaddeus and Bessie Perkins as they figure out how to run their home with a bunch of different servants. The stories are fun and light, showing the funny parts of home life and the relationships between the couple and their staff. In the beginning, we meet Thaddeus and Bessie as they start their married life, full of love. But soon, the humor starts as they try to get used to being married, especially because of their household staff. Thaddeus is friendly, and Bessie is smart and practical. We see them deal with their cook, Ellen, and other quirky servants, and we also see the love and frustration in their relationship, with the stories highlighting the funny mistakes and silly errors that are made from day to day communications between each other.