, 1873-12-07
THE IfUusEKEEPER'5 AGONY.


comfort Of her family ls almost cnti:oly dopnn-
dent OH thu condition Of llor ktchon II tile
lowor stratum OF the domestic world Ia III etato
Of convubion and earthquake, this urhoaynl
Affects tho whole household AMI throws 1t into
miserable confusion,
But throughout tho country, nul particularly
in tho family districts OF Now England, til o
question hns not boon how best to sccuro calm
and quiet in tho kttulon 1t Inns bcen rather
how to socl1re my nction thoro nt NIL. It Ia nl-
most impossible to oblnin any domestic sorvloo
in tAeso neighlorhootls. and many vito OF
vel1-to-lo farmer or thriving merchant In tint
section Is broken down prcmaturoly In health
alld spiris from elpor hard work; work from
which her husband would gladly hayo relieved
iler, had 1t boon possible to 1ire any QUO to holp
ler iu llor weary aud unroouring household
tasks. But notthor lovo nor nonoy will induce
any womcn-servautB 10 ahnro her laborB.
Tho Irish arc gfcgarlouB, md throng to tho
cities, whore they can indulge lllcir bocIal in-
stincs BY frequent ylsitinSs OF thcIr friends aud
their religious forvorA by frequent church,
goings. Nogroos hayo boon tried, since tho war,
but found wauting, anl tho importation Of
SwedeB, Which WIS at ono timo quito e1totl-
ayoly attempted III Now England by conf
pany, haa not boon 10 successful In ita roBults o.
American girlr, t4at class Of domest!ca WHO
used to he known III "hel!,B," u nanc which waB
appropriate. in epito Of tho fun, which our
n.ltish cousins made uf ls for speaking Of thons
III this un-Europcau fasl,ion,-thcy llaye parsed
out Ut existence. aud tito nppcliatiUn Las died
out with tnom.
In tLe days Of our grcat-grardmotherB.
helps wero numerous. and cyolI in our grand
inotlora' time they wero Htil1 frequent jn Anorl-
can 4o1aes. Tlloy. rors not noryauts. In tho
technical seuEo Of that void tlloy wcro general
ly tho superabundant daughter OF neignboring
family, who, not being ncodod III their own
homes, cano at the request OF a neigbbor, who
bud no gtrls, to aid tAa oycrburdeael wifu IN hor
domestic duticu.
Together tho mistress Of this house and her
noig4borly assistant baked, washed, swept, or
scwed thoy ate at tho sunue tal'lo, went to the
Hatno church. vlBltod tho same parsos, aud wore
really On a sociai equality; those lctps often
married the aolls Of the families whore thoy
won't to assist III The housowork aud Il they TO-
naained single they floquonsly lived till old ago
i'll these homes, in all wlloao interests they
shared ms completely as il tloy had been roalIy.
and not merely adopted. tnenbors of Tho family.
But in lhoHo days, tao New England girla %ho
llaso their own why to make III tue world do NOT
ontes domestic service they 60 to factorios. or
shop gssls. or to loarn dresarna:nS or millsuory,
They prefer anything to nouso sorx. ~
Iu spite Ut tie pictures which Alrs. Whitney,
Miss Alcott, and Mrs. Diaz have recently gissn
girls who, while perfectly competent to onlortatu
II lady'4 GucstH, aro yet coutont to soryo wait.
rosses III those Same ladies' dinsng-roomB aud
kitchens, and who would glatIy believe that
tlloso pleasant portraits were truc, must rel,c-
tautly confess Tint fear, If thoy ara drawn from
the lifo. Huch inaanccs aro fow mud fur botwcen
They are tile very ideal Of llnnd-maidct,s; they
have sense enough to be conapanionable, quick
ness mud tact enough luyer to intrude, att-rc-
B,,cct enough 10 ktcp t!loir place, and novor fool
Inundated by its TOW degrees ifariority in tl,o
social scale, warm hearts enough to appreciate
tAcir mistroBa' kindness, aud to return for it .
genuine affection aud devotion To her interests
in fact quo Buel, Hcryaut III a household would
bctsor dcAorye A1r. Martin Farlunar Tupper's
description. ia wol.hpriny Of happiueza," than
tho bako to whom lo originally applied it.
Mrs. Whitney, Miss Alcott, aud alrs. Daz rop-
rosont Now England ~ tile habstat OF this most
desirable class II noryants aud yet, OF lato. the
B,stou papers have beou Gull Ut iotters from,
nl.sireusos who conlplsin of their servants in
verv ,n,,ch Tim anna wnv t1,nk 1n;.trr,pn4 III tn