Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1874-01-16


with no flies in uncovered milk, no dish
towels under the stove, no silver in the
sink, or the table looking as ifset by hur-
ricane. She did the marketing also, and
the monthly bills showed a surprising diff
ference, for no spoilt messes went to the
pigs, timely care kept things in order, and
good Judgment made economy pleasant
possibility.
When Illness came had no thought of
anything beyond the sick room; all went
below as regularly as If l were still there.
If friends called, my neat housekeCper
could receive and answer to their inquir-
les. If forgot TO eat, she came to me wi4s
some tempting dish and begged me to take
| ii, with look of sympathy that made 1t
sweet and when l asked how the family
got on, found that all had Jared well, and
no sense of neglect or waste added TO my
anxieties. only one falling did discover
in Miss S. Il always gave her name as she
gave me mine, and returned the respect
she gave me as scrupulously as I could.)
| She was not very strong, for much work
| had done for her what it does for most
| American women in her case, and by less
ening her health had impaired her useful
| ness Finding that the washing was too
hard for her, l got stout neighbor TO come
| in and do it.
The good Irish woman shifted at first 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 crater she is and mighty
helpful 10 ye, lave alone her being true
! lady. I'm wishing yen get another as good
when she goes"
So did |, for alas, my little 5. did go, be-
| cause she only came for the summer and
| preferred the city in winter. Her fame,
however, had gone abroad, and n friend,
hearing her praises sung, came TO secure
| her as companion for her old mother. |
! could cordially recommend her to this ca
sicr place, for her experience as a teacher
made her Il good reader, her know ledge Of
| uccdiv-wurk made her a good seamstress,
! aud the thrifty household virtues of an in
! telligent New England woman made her
comfort in any home she might enter. Be-
fore she left, however, half a dozen of my
neighbors, who, by the way, had foretold
! the utter failure Of my experiment, came
| 10 see, talk with, and try to tempt Miss 5.
! 10 come and d. Tor them what she had done
| for me. But She preferred the city and
went, taking with her the respect, graft
tude ard regard of the whole family.
| Cheered by my first success I tried again,
and found no lack of excellent American
women longing fora home aud eager TO ac
cept the rights, not privileges, which / Of
feted them. Every one whose advertise
ment | answered replied to me, and one
person came 10 see me, 50 anxious was she
| to secure place where she could be "treat-
ed like a lady, though she did work for her
daily bread - bnt a young daughter must
be with her; ard though l longed TO take
| in those homeless souls, we needed but
one, for | could not give up the work that
is my best medicine for both mind and
body.
So l took Miss j., 4 pretty, solt-eyc1 wo-
man, whose modest dress ana gentle man
ner won me at once. She was a farmers 5
daughter seeking to support herself, and
had lived seven years in one place as help
er, three years az hOusekeeper for clergy
man, and for two years had the charge Of d
mothcrless little boy. All these experience
IS had given her poNer aud skill of differ
ent sorts, and the refinement of feeling
which is SO grateful to those we live with.
She, too, had worked hard aud overlaXed her
strength; but was ready to do anything in
return for Kindness, respect and the pro-
lection OF home. We liked her even bet
ter than our s., and the prospec; Of n lone
~ winter was made endurable to me by
the presence Of one who could be both help
er and companion. She did the cooking
washing and ironing, though preferred tC
help with the latter as it was better gym
nas.ics for an arm, cramped with too much
pen work, than any movement cure ever
invented. As found her stronger thar
Miss s. and able to do much that never
felt willing 10 ask Of the other, gave her
four dollars week, and felt that it was
money well spent. Unfortunately sud
den change Of plan made it necessary tC
shut up our house for the winter and dis
band our forces. l had feared that Miss j.
would find it too solitary, and was botl
touched and pleased when she said will
real regret:
"Oh no, I'd give anything to stay will
you till spring or longer. 1t is the sort o
place l wanted and never hoped to find"
, made known the case to friend, and il
a week FIVE townswomen came to inquir
about my housekeeper, for this second sue
cess converted several of the most unbe
> lieving uatrons, A place was soon found
and when l said good-by to my friend a
well as helper she paid me the best compli
ment ever received 81 thought, perhaps
you wrote one way arout work and triet
= another but you don't; and if ever yo
want me III come again with all m
= heart"
Now this experiment is worth telling
= because it has been successfully tried wit
three different women and there are plen
ty more ready TO do their best in familie
e. where they can be properly treated. Som
= ladies may object to having stranger 9
the table, vet it is better to have a lad
+. there than an ear at the key-hole and a
5 Irish tongue to gossip of family affairs
a the neighbors' girls. Some may think tha
+ this helper would be in the way ii she sat /
c knows the parlor, but well-bred woman
by instinct when to go and when to stay
. She gently vanished when visitors came IL
. orif some duty kept her there Introduce
|, her, and so prevented any feeling of awl
r wardness ON the part of guests, or thi
a sense of seclusion which is so hard TO a 81
1 cial sensitive woman.
: Miss J. always sat in the dining room
: which in the evening was lighted the folC
i ing doors left open and the music or chat
d the parlor free to heras to us. 1t was plea
5 ant to me to see the neat, pretty woman 81
l. ting there, enjoying the books, brightenir
20 at friendly word, ready to lend har