The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1868-02-28
A Truthful Story Of To-Day

Mrs Smith of course you know
her. Her husband, Mr.. Smith, is 8
wholesale dealer in Goldfish, eimlets,
molasses, cotton goods and patent
medicines. Mr. and Mrs. Smith are
of the real bon ton, the recherche of
society, and the beau monde consider
Mrs. Smith the belle of their particu-
lar element. You meet Mrs. Smith
upon the street, and politely raise
your hat, or more probably duck your
head in bow, in token of 81 would
cut it off if it would render you any
pleasure" Now, you would hardly
believe that Mrs. Smith, that richly
dressed and fashionable lady, with a
proud and elastic step, and a con.
temptuous curl at servant girls upon
her beautiful and naughty lip, was
once a servant--ah, twice--servant
girl and factory hand in the Yankee
land of Lowell. That is to her hon
or: for have not kings married COM
moners, and dukes made dachesses
of peasant girls? She was naughty
q few months ago, but there has been
change. Those who once thought
her all arrogance now find in her ami
ability, and those that thought sher
naughty, now love her for sympa-
thetic kindness. Thereby begins our
story.
Mrs. Smith at one time was the
most unpleasant mistress a servant
girl ever tried to please; and if by
dint OF perseverance any Of them re-
mainCd in her employ two weeks, Mr..
Smiths astonishment was plainly Wis.,
ible.
Well, Mr.. Smith put on airs as well
as Mrs. Smith, as if it was by lucky
accident he got started and followed
up his fortune to his present impor-
tance. Tell Mr. Smith how he work
ed at common labor few days ago,
or how he learned the art of buying
or selling for profit, by graduating
from boarding house waiter to the
stewardship, and there learned his
first idea Of trade and he will prob
ably reply, 'Ah, them was old times
Old times, true enough. just de-
cade gone since them old times
The man at the intelligence Office
had sent five different girls to Mrs.
Smiths employ in two weeks, and OF
this particular morning Mrs. Smith
wanted q new servant.
sMr. Smith, said the lady, address
ing her husband in a tone that said
palmer than words, Il have an order
for you this morning. Mr.. Smith,
the steamer has arrived. / see by
this mornings paper that there
were three hundred women on board,
and should think you might get me
real good servant woman. / want
no more girls about the house. l be-
lieve that, if l have as much trouble
another six months with servant girls
as have had in the past six, i shall
go distracted, die, or be obliged to
do my own housework.'
We'll, my DEAR Smith replied, in
bantering tone of voice to his wife
l-(bantering with Mrs. Smith was
like little boys venturing on thin ice J
well, my dear, if you do the first
act, / shall take good care of you
in the asylum if the second, ! shall
see you decently entombed; and i
you do your own housework, / viii
pay you servants wages regularly
Therep
For a moment Mrs. Smith held hel
breath then came low murmurings
Smith began to move. Then the
first sharp drops from between hel
lpearl-like teeth and rosy lips. Smitl
was in the han. Then, with tht
Ithundering majesty of Xantippe Jun
ior, she spoke, and Smith was making
his exit by the street door.
A boy and girl came running int
the dressing room while yet tn
clouds hung over the atmosphere o
the cozy place. Mrs. Smith smiles
and the sunshine breaks through.
Not yet dressed, my darlingf ant
the full tide of MONDAY brlghtnes
shines Respondent all around, mel
lowed by the tones of a mother
voice.
Il should like a situation said
Isweet face at the intelligence office
The face was not what was usual.
called pretty, but there was q charr
about the wholepersOn that was rath
Ter prepossessipg. The intelligenc
officer looked st the woman-as onl
men in that situation can--to see
the woman would suit the place, an
the place the woman.
L have only one place, he replied
ls.n1 .ha 10 ,,,a of thA hardest v0ne