Spirit of the times. [volume] (Ironton, Ohio) 1853-1858, 1853-07-19
= From the National Era.
sSIIElP.O

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can land some of the sllliest and viles
affections of social distinctions, u,iefl,
alien to the Piiuciplcs and spiri. Of ou
institutions.
Among these, have frequently la.
occasion 10 notice, in contributions
10 our popular Literature, tho exhibition
of one, nppafen'ly predicted upon ht
action Of the utter inlerioriiy and de
pendcnce-,he comparative slaterv-o
the class ofpcoplo familinrly known u.
"Hired Help" The magazines abound
in this species Of delincal'o on: the col
unns Of tho Era hare not been entirely
free from il.
Washington Irving, noticing the for.
tunes Of a spen Thrift hero, states that
he wou!l have got alon, swimGninsly,
hal il not been for d low conspiracy
against him cl the tailors anil slocma.
kers, those constant foes Of rising greet.
ness and genius. who most prcposiesous'
~ clamorcl for the payment oflhei, dues.
In like manner, the writer's above
Il j udeI TO make their heroes, or, more
commonly hcroincs, the victims Of their
servants, who expect not only 10 be paid
a pittancs for iheir labor, but even 10
b, treated somewhat like human beings
Having the high presumption to rcpu.
liaic that cAat!e like !cmcanor so agree.
able TO the in !cl cncc, sclfshncss, and
nps'art priIe oi"nas,cr" an "mstress.' -
The West is more commonly ma Ic the
scene Of these terrible lr.bulations.
Some clcrsyman's OF doctors wife Gn Is
her lot east, for inslnnce, in Him is.
Filled with all manner of false i,lcas Of
life, AMI unknowing how 10 dischar.e
her household duties she at once finds
herself involve in difficulty. She ap.
plies among the daughters of the neigh.
boring farmers for "help;" but is hor..
hel 20 EnI that her "hclp:" has the i'm.
pa 'cnre 10 bear hcrse!ftowarl the great
lady simply as towards an equal aud
friend, AMI to expect similar treatment
IN return. The heroine Gnls this spiri,
niversnl-.hat even the Irish and Ger.
man women have caushi it. The poor
thIn5 feels inlignanl; siraigh,way her
grievances ar" parnIed in the pages OF
some magazine; AMI public sympathy ia
invoke for her sul'crngsi
Now, am we'll acquainted with the
West; and pronounce this overwcen.
ing vanity on the pa't Of employers the
great source oflhe difficulty in procuring
"help," so much complained of there.
There ia spiri, Of independence, of
equality, at the west, which will brook
no assumptions Of superiority. And
surely it is spirit to be applaudc!
rather han con lcmnel. Let fine ladies'
at length learn to recognise it. Let
them cast asilc their silly airs, consi Ter.
ing that by Natures sovereign decree, the
mall is often superior to the mistress.
Let them not dream Of banishing their
servants from the family table or parlor.
Let III? principles Of Christianity govern
n I'i's matter, AMI there can be no DIFF
lculty. II will then be found that the
'eelful help, which cannot be cocrce /,
'r even bought, will never be sought in
,ain.
In the mean time, | hope to encounter
10 more such literature hcroiles. ri
here is scarcity in that line, wouhI
commend writers to The oihcrstdc, where
he genuine article is much more likely
. be lonn!. Mrs. Gage has signaIizeI
Ter cool sense an true nobility of char.
'c'ef' ny giving US lyric on "The
A'ichen Girl;' anl has thus opone
field we'll worthy of further cu,vation
IAN.