Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1879-03-12
WOODSTOCK, VT, WEDNESDAY, MAR. l2, 1870,

WY N"'" N"N'b' W WV" ''NN'''''''''
seryants'
Prot, No, Miss Clara, neither they
nor their children were able TO solve
that difficult domestle problem, 1t
was not until the twenty'slsth century
that mechanical servants we're first
constructed and even then they were
poorly made, and so inadequate, that
they were seldom used II took near
ly u hundred years 10 perfect the In
yentlon, and make them what they
arc now,
Miss 4, Apropos OF that. We had a
droll experience here last week. Tell
thcm about your new cook, Edith
Mrs. 4. Oh, q most absurd thing !
but since Clara has spoken Of It, ]
may as well tell you, ] was over
persuaded last week to buy new
patent cook, with 50 many Improve
mcnts that Twas completely won over.
So purchased the thing, aud told
Dawson, my housekeeper 10 set II
going at once. Unfortunately, We
had a dinner-pariy that evening, aud
you eau imagine how ! felt when |
found that everything was completely
spoiled-hlerally burned 10 cindcrs !
To cap the climax Of my miseries,
Just as il was time to make tho coffee
the horrid thing stopped entirely,
stood stock still, and all the screwing
and oiIing only made it worse
Prof But why not have sent tor
the inventor or the merchant
Mrs. Y. We did ; but when the
man who made it came next morning,
he insisted that Dawson had put II
out OF order OF course thot was ab.
surd, tor Dawson had been with me
for five years, and he manages all the
servants beautifully, though / have
some very complicated ones. There
is my new waiter with the double sus.
pension attachment, which is such an
Intricate thing; and Dawson UNDER
stood it from the very first, although
I don't even yet, and | never dare to
put finger on It.
Miss r. But l did put finger on
it one day, and the consequence was
that he poured a whole bottle Of VINE
into my glass, or rather orer it.
DR.. r. 1t is scarcely to be wonder
ed at that these mishaps occur some
times the greater wonder is that
they don't occur ottener. | set my
letter.writer at work not long ago to
write letter Of smympathy and con-
do.ence to friend who had lost his
wife, but instead he sent letter Of
congratulations
Mrs. r.. Now that was really drcd.
full.
DR.. II. So I thought, Mrs. Trevor,
for it nearly ended our friendship.
Mrs. r. Bnt then what are such an'
noyances compared with the unpleas.
antuess of having servants with eyes
ears and tongue for ever about one :
Why, domestic privacy must be impos.
sible under such conditions.
Prof. Doubtless it was, but peo-
pie were forced to endure an evil for
which they could find no cure. These
civilized barbarians prlded themselves,
too, on having subjugated the houses
to their uses. You know they employ
ed those animals to draw vehicles, and
they even rode upon their backs.
Mrs. 7. YesI have read about
that. At what time did they get an
idea of using electric propellers like
ours?
Prof. About A. D. 245O. You
have, of course seen tie models and
drawings at the Antiquarian Rooms,
the ancient horse.
Miss. r. Yes we were there last
week. 1t seems almost incredible,
but suppose they actually went about
in those queer vehicles, with the
horse attached.
DR.. r. Beyond a doubt Miss
Clara. What ancient history, have
you been reading lately may ask
Miss Y. Oh, it isn't history, not
even treatise on history, DR.. Rem
ington. But one day when l was
looking over the books at the Anti
quarian Rooms, 1 got hold Of queer
volume 1t was poked away in a
dusty corner, as if no one cared for it.
and it was called the Centennial
Record 1 brought it home, and
Edith and l have been dipping into it
ever since. 1t gives an account of a |
festival, held in the year Of 1876 IN
This country, at which all the inhabit-
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