The Butler, Ellis Parker 1869-1937 creator Preston, May Wilson 1873-1949 text utu 2008 monographic en 1 online resource : multiple file formats "The Cheerful Smugglers" by Ellis Parker Butler is a humorous novel written in the early 20th century. The book revolves around the Fenelby family, particularly Tom and Laura, as they devise a whimsical domestic tariff system to save money for their baby, Bobberts, in hopes of funding his future education. The story unfolds through their quirky domestic interactions, which reveal the dynamics of family life, the absurdities of their plans, and entertaining exchanges influenced by the notion of taxation applied to household purchases. At the start of the novel, we are introduced to the Fenelby family, where the father, Mr. Fenelby, proposes a unique concept for raising funds for Bobberts’ education: implementing a domestic tariff, where they will tax themselves for every item brought into the house. The planning and brainstorming unfold in a playful tone, showcasing the quirky personalities of Tom and Laura as they navigate saving money while also managing their household, including a humorous dynamic with their servant Bridget. Their domestic tariff leads to comedic situations, particularly as the family prepares to welcome guests, indicating the potential chaos that will ensue as they apply their unconventional savings plan to everyday life. (This is an automatically generated summary.) Release date is 2008-11-23 Produced by D Alexander and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive) Original publication data not identified Humorous stories Family life -- Fiction Saving and investment -- Fiction PS Original publication data not identified https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/27317 https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/27317 UtSlPG 260607 20260610133626.0 27317