The New Orleans crescent., 1868-06-28
MIas Ryes Servant GIr.s.

The Toronto Globe gives the following interest
ing account Of The arrival in that city of Miss
Rye with sixty servant girls from England:
Yesterday at noon sixty of the hundred gils
brought from England by Miss Rye arrived in this
city in charge Of that lady. Tney were met a.
the station by Mr.. J. A. Donaldson, emigrant
agent, Mr. O'DOnohue and Alderman Manning
who, on behalf of the council, received Miss Rye
as the guest of the citizens. She was provided
with rooms at the Queen's Hotel the girls. at tine
same time, being furnished with q substantial
dinner at Smith, dining rooms, Uaion Station.
While discharging an evidently agreeable duty TO
themselves in this respect, large crowd of citi.
zeps, each snxious to become the possessor of
one Of the newly arrived "helpS,s gathered at
the station; but as O'Clock was the hour named
for the distribution the girls inside and the crowd
outside awaited with equal anxiety the hour to
arrive. heanW lille we were afforded a glimpse
Of The newly arrived immigrants, and although
they appeared in but few instances equal 10
bodily strength to the ideal English servant, it
was evident that they would be q welcome acces.
sion to the mesger supply at present here. They
comprised all classes Of dOmestics, although
bOusemaids and nurse girls predominated in about
the proportion in which such are in demand here.
The voyage had not apparently conducsd to the
improvement Of their appearance, and bat few
seemed possessed Of other than a small valise, in
which their worldly goods were deposited. Yet
hey Vere evidently of a mould that would with
the encouragement that ought 30 be accorded TO
persons new TO the country and its requirements
accommodate themselves with thsnkf1lness to
anything approaching the comforts of home.
At O'Clock the distribution commenced, the
list Of applicants in the hands OF Mr.. Donaldson
2l0 in number, being first selected. Besides,
crowd of fully $50 more waited impatently out.
side to the last in the hope that some one elses
chance would fall to their lot, but With all these
topes very many went away dsapp onted.
Each glrl was allowed her own option of going
or staying when selected and Miss Rye in every
instance demanded in addition TO an understanding
about wages, that the nature of the work should
be presciISed. Housemaids and general servants
were in demand among applicants, while the girls
exhibited disinclination for the Latter and rarely
accepted an offer OF this kind. The evident
anxiety TO secure them was not lost on their per-
cepve faculties, and seeing they had things their
own way, they exhibited the courage to take ad
vantage of it.
One lady we saw making an effort TO secure a
housemsid, was Intellectual in every attempt, and
retired in disgust Inq1iring afterwards of one Of
the girls the for the REFUSAL she stated that
red hair was bad sign in a Mistress and they
would prefer trying some one with less marked
head gear. One girl offered her services to an ap.
pcant for IS a month, but the anxious individual
would engage her for no less than SO. hoping by
This means, he said, to secure himsalf from further
trouble on the score of hunting up domestic as.
sistsnce.
The avidity with which these girls we're picked
up was remarkable, aud exhibited 10 a forcible
manner the demand that exists among us for such
help. Mr.. Donaldson declared that with the ap.
piications coming in from other points he felt
quite competent 10 find Oecups ion for thousand
and that without any effort.
To Miss Bye, on parting. each of the girls bade
an efectionate farewell, and their, whole conduct
tovsrd her showed that she was not ony re-
spected but loved.