The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-08-27

been so much comfort in my parents home with
only one servant, that could not understand
why two should cause me so much trouble.
Some days after this, as things went so com
fortably, did not trouble to replace Mary, the
cook came to say that she wished to leave as 1t
was so dull. and she mad always been USED TO a
telow-servant.
AS the girl suited me was sorry for this, but
by no InduCement that could offer could she
be prevailed upon TO stay. then made up my
mo 70 fpe change nPtgn to servants TV Ta'I mnt be
had one only in the house OF medical man did
not look respectable.
This decided the matter. For some time |
inquired in the neighborhood, az shops, and
among friends, fOr their recommendation OF 9ny
girls, TIL the month of the cooks notice had
nearly expired. That she meant to leave was
evident in her manner; she startled me one
morning by saying, "If you please ma'am,
which hour to-day will be convenient to you to
see a lady respecting my characterW so knew
there was no hope of her remaining.
"But am not suited, Jane; surely, you will
not think of leaving before get some oue?"
THE lady has no servant, maam, and both
and Mary are going TO her on Monday, if my
character suits"
My astonishment was unbounded. "Why
did not Mary ask to come back to me?'
because l wrote and told her that you said
ii was so much more comfortable with one SER
want, that she did not think you cared to have
her back"
But how came you to know that | said
SO Z" 1 asked 81 never told YOU"
al have heard you tell master twenty times,
and you told Mrs. Lester so when she was here"
A lady then called, and from her learned
tina; scarcely any servants were to be heard OF
excepting at the registry oihces, Where ladleS
were making up their minds to go as matter
OF course; and she highly recommended one IN
a neghboring town, that was reported TO nave
always a great number of servants to choose
from. did not quite like this mode OF pro-
Ceedilg, but when found that girls were to be
obtai ned in no other way / reluctantly gave in,
md hn naytA Ao ms m
this, as | afterwards heard, excellent home for
servants.
On my arrival l found upwards of twenty
ladies sitting round two rooms opening into
each other with folding-doors, some OF them un
lhstakably gpntlewomen, yet they we're appa-
reDtly engaging with the most odd-looklng
young women, whose manner and dress ap-
peaTed almost disreputable. Crlnolines like
hooped casks, feathers, wells, earrings, Aounces,
and long trailing dresses were the order of the
day; just as ii the girls had equipped them
selves from variety OF rag-shops, such was the
style of their costume. Not one girl that saw
would have taken into my service. At the
end OF eight hours, tired and cross, left un-
suited and after a weary journey OF SIX miles
in an omnibus, / arrived home feeling that this
had been the hardest and most unsatisfactory
days work had ever experienced; ana worse,
l had to endure a repetition perhaps more than
once, for heard one lady say to another, that
she had been TO the office every day Tor three
weeks and was unable to find a useful general
servant. What prospect for me, who had only
four days in which to obtain some help or
other!
The second day found me less particular in
my scrutiny of faces and attire. l had always
a habit OF ondeavoring to tnd out mysteries,
and so l began to speculate upon what freak
possessed these girls to come In their tawdry
tnery, from wherever procured, rather than in
their proper working-cothes. The afternoon
came on, and yet | was unsuited. lady,
whom had seen the day before, now entered,
and, addressing herself to me. asked If many
servants had been hired. l could NOT tell. The
ice of reserve once broken, l asked her if the
girls really were servants.
"Oh, yes, they are servants, and some of
them good girls, too"
"But their dress ~ remarked.
"True, that it Is the fault OF thoughtless
mistresses, who give them their cast-oH clothes,
and the girls, am told, generally make holi-
day ofthe remaining hours after they leave here,
and 20 with the young men of their acquaint-
ance to cheap places of amusement, which they
could not do you know, in their working clothes.
| wish to fiLd general servant, though keep
two others, ann never hire cook, notwith-
standing it is what | need; for, as a regular
cook will not wash up breakfast things, nor, in
fact go out of her way TO assist at all, it is
quite out of my power to hire one and especially
for the reason that my husbands income will
not admit OF any extravaganza, the common
failing of halteducated cooks, so called.n
But there must be good servants to be had
if only one knew how to get them" replied.
"UndOubtedly there are, but they seek and
find places in different class. They have been
trained to work. and understand what Is re-
qured of them, and how to do it, They are
desrous of keeping their places, and would
deem it beneath them to obtain situation other
than by recommendation. But all are not good
servants who get footing in families of rank
and position, as | have known TO my cost, for
under the impression that was being admra-
bly, suited, | hired a young woman who had
been kitchen-maid IN Lord C's family, never
rejecting that, had she been worth keeping, she
would never have descended to The rank of gene
raj servant.
"By-the-way efficiency in this class of SER
wants is difficult to obtain. l do not, at this
moment, recollect more than two that really
were what they professed to be; but they are
usually good tempered, soft-handed, idle, and
lnattentive, but honest young woman, who have
grown up to do as they liked, without an idea of
method or thorough cleanliness, and to whom
active, orderly mlstresses are perfect torture;
who take to lmpertlnence as defense; for what
mistress will make reply to insult?
II am now seeking young girl of sixteen, to
train her to my work. | begin to think that
have found my misson,-as it is said that every
Womanthas one-and that is to train up SER
wants, as it would seem, for others benefit hith-
erto. However, it Is but return to the days of
our reat-grandmothers; they spent hours in
their kitchens, ard trained their servants to
work, and their daughters in their own steps.
NOW we want to find good household helpers,
ready-Inade to our hand, without any effort OF
our own. This we know cannot be, unless
ABOUT some thousand training schools were
opened for their manufactu and even then
40 not see that mistresses OF the middle class
would dement, much, for the colonists abroad
would be sending over premiums to the girls to
emerate, oIerlng each good home and good
husband" And my new friend laughed heartily,
as she rose, saying, at Is no use staying
longer; the girls have gone home to their tea
dinner at O'Clock, and will not return,n
yet there are plenty of young women sitting