The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-08-27

once for all the indulgence that was allowed
us there of course, man like me, when he
has done his work, likes to spend his even
ings now and then with his friends or AZ
his club. But never could get ont of
night without first asking leave. and
then IT was always, What do YOU want
to go out for, Thomas p or tWbero
do you want to sgo to, Thomasr or How lonS
shall you be gone, Thomas" making me fee1
more ike as If | was ticket-of-leave man
than man bearing the respectable character
did. And would you believe, thouob ~
fered to put lock on the back door and stand
the expense myself, so as might come in anv
hour of the night without disturbing ~
family the gentleman he wouldn't allow n
saying he wondered only however | eonld ss2
such thing That doesn't much look lie
indulgence, should say, should your'
"As to the matter of going out at NIGHTS
Thomas" replied Mrs. Primworthy. 0I fnoy11
of many places where that is not allowed for a
habit, and yet the master and mistress. shonld
say, quite as indugent as need be. Bat now,
what do you wish me to do for your becanse
you see, here is some one else come To do
business with me, and dare say her time is
precious, the same as mine is"
"Why, what | want is a regular frst-olass
situation; and l think buffers place the one
to suit me best, because people always treat a
butler with greater respect and consideration
butler holds situation sort of halfway in a
family between the parlor and the kitchen.
lie Is not exactly master, nor he isn't looked
upon quite like servant; and then too, his
having charge of the wine, and the silver and
such like things, of itself makes his place of
importance; and to tell you the truth, Mrs.
Primworthy, it is not every one that is quail
ned for 1t, but after the experience l have
had"
Thomas was not permitted to finish the pro-
clamation of his competency for the office newly
aspired to, Mrs. Primworthy making so mani
fest a transfer of her attention to the new arri-
val that he made his bow, signifying at the
same time his intention of calling again
in day or two. What was effected at
the threatened interview | did not learn.
but | remember thinking at the time. had
been Mrs. Primworthy, should be somewhat
cautious about helping this airifed gentleman
into tirst-class family, even in the new form
of butler. Curiosity tempted me to ask the
woman something about him, when she told
me she had known him for several years: that
he had been taken by the hand out of a hovel
by some one or other who had given him a
decent education, and provided him with two
or three successive situations Till lately, none
knew his place better than did Thomas, but
he had recently held a situation at Lady
IS, who had, in fact, as Mrs. Primworthy
expressed it, completely spoiled him. This
lady, under the by no means rare deluson
that she had got a treasure, was persuaded
that she could not do enough for Thomas, nor
require too little from him, coupled with a
superstitious dread of the awfulness of the
calamity, should Thomas ever leave her.
Under the combined influence of these Joint
impressions, it was no wonder if Thomas
indulgences increased both in number
and in magnitude. What he liked he
did, and what he liked not he left alone or
did by deputy, till it had grown hard to define
exactly the nature of the position which he
held in this Lady -'s establishment; and
there, no doubt, it was he had conceived the
happy notion of a neutral Office between up
stairs rule and downstairs servitude for which
he deemed himself so admirably suited. But
in an evil day for him, Lady - took i'll and
died, died most unexpectedly. Poor Thomas
of course, participated in the general disper-
sion of her retinue that ensued, winding up in
the service of this Mr.. -, six months ex-
perience of which had quite satisfied him.
1t was now my turn, the last conner already
alluded to being the individual whom was
expecting, and whose appearance was verify
relief to me; for although l confess to have
been somewhat entertained by much had
been fain to listen to, |, in truth, desired to
hear no more. My own business was of very
ordinary nature and speedily concluded. Had
anything passed worth jotting down, it should
hofO bCOh IOCOIu6u lOT Lu0 D6u6uL OF the
reader; but l refrain from inflicting the recital
of my commonplace transaction upon others,
who, like myself, have probably had enough
of the subject.
My admission behind the scenes, if may so
term it, went, l think, to strengthen the no
tions l had already held, as to the correct
mode of dealing with domestic servants. l
had always been under the impression
that there were two errors to guard
against if you desire to be satisfac-
torily served. One is, the mistake of being
over strict, and the other that of being too in
dulgent. To steer evenly midway course be-
tween these two very common tendencies,
while it forms one of the secrets of successful
management is an art of which few are mas
ter. And third notion of mine is this-that
for the kitchen the happiest and most success
full form of government is the republican. II
cook be president, let her be nothing more. A
monarchy below stairs never answers. If cook
is permitted to WELD the reins, she will very
soon assume the whip, and the community
will be subject to periodical disruption. Being
already prepossessed with the correctness of my
theory, l came away with existing impressions
deepened by what was constrained to hear
during my half-hour's detention in the Ser
wants Registry. Society.