The Republican journal., 1873-12-11
American Help.

Miss Louise NJ Alc0tt has given chap
ter Of her experience on the everlasting
Servant girl question in the Boston Tran
script She says: Remembering happy
experience Of other years, when we an
swered the advertisements Of a housekeep-
er and got an excellent woman who did
ali the work for three dollars Il week, |
turned to the column Of wants in the Tran
script and found five advertisement of
American women wishing places rs house
keepers, | answered several saw one
young widow with a child, also d pert
spinster. whose first question was Is your
fatlor wdnwar?' and several stout
ladies who wished merely to order other
servants about, and We're altogether too ell
egant for our simple family. Two remain
ed who seemed eligible, Miss Amelia e.
and Miss Annie s. Miss Amelia was too
much dressed and seemed rather afraid Of
work, 50 after q look at her gave her up
and went after Miss Annie.
| found delicate little woman of thirty,
perhaps, neat, modest, cheerful, and lady
like She made no promises, but said III
come and try so | engaged her for three
dollars a week to take entire charge tthe
kitchen department. She came, and with
family-l peace that lasted unbroken for
four months, in spite of much company,
dangerous illness in the house and many
unforeseen incidents. My little Miss S. was
one Of the family for in the beginning |
said to her, 4 want some one to work with
me as my sisters used to do. There is no
mistress or maid about it, and the favorIS
as much on your side as mine. Work is
part Of my religion, and there is no deg
radiation in it, SO you are as much lady
to me, cooking my dinner in the kitchen,
as any friend who sits in the parlor. Eat
with us, talk with us. work with us and
when the daily tasks are done, rest with
us; read our books, sit in our parlor, and
enjoy all we can offer you in return for
your faithful and intelligent services
She smiled, and looked as lif she caught
q glimpse of hope and comfort after much
weary seeking for a home as well as a
place ! think that she found | kept my
word, and was a happy little woman all
summer | know that a great load was
lifted off my shoulders, when day after day
| found three nicely cooked meals ready
at the appointed hour, my kitchen always
neat, with no flies in uncovered milk, no
dish towels under the stove, no silver in
the sink, or the table looking as if set by q
hurricane She did the marketing also,
and the monthly bills showed surprising
difference, for no spoilt messes went to the
pigs, timely care kept things in order, and
good Judgment made economy a pleasant
possibility.
When illness came | had no thought
for anything beyond the sick room; all
went below as regularly as if | were still
there. If friends called, my neat house
keeper could receive and reply to their in
quiries If [ forgot to eat she came up to
me with some tempting dish and begged
me to take it, with a look OF sympathy
that made it sweet; and when asked how
the family got on, found that all had far
ed well, and no sense of neglect or waste
added to my anXieties Only one failing
did | discover in Miss 5. U always gave
her name as she gave me mine, and re
turned the respect she gave me as scrupu-
lousy as could) She was not very slrong
for much work had done for her what it
does for most American women in her
case, and by lessening her health had in
paired her usefulness Finding that the
washing was too hard for her, got a stout
ne. ghbor to come in and do it.
liz SOot liiolh Nv olllstu ~ A''N
at my lady as she called Miss S, but be
fore the summer was over the kind soul
gave in and said heartily, Sure, Miss,
dear, it's a nice little crature she is, and
mighty helpful to ye, lave alone her being
a true lady I'm wishing ye'll get another
as good when she goes.'''
How quickly one generation of men
follows another to the grave! We come
like the ocean waves to the shore, and
scarcely strike the strand before we roll
back into the torgetfuhess whence we
came. There is a skeleton in every
house, Aye, in some, many We can
stand upon the corner Of any street, and,
looking back, we shall see that all the
houses have changed occupants in very
few years. The old men have gone, and
q generation that knew them not have
taken their places. Yes! while we look
we ourselves grow old and pass on to join
the great caravan whose tents are almost
in sight on the other side. In youth the
other world seems a great way off, but
later we feel and realize that it is close at |
hand and what is better, nature does the
work for passing into it, so
that easily we grow into it-are born
into it,