The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1880-09-11

| l am going to be an ordinary servant III
one sense, and Bible one too; dihgent
in business, not an eye servant. At any
rate, | shall have an easier conscience
and lighter heart than if depended
on you or married for money or a
| home.n
Minnie Grey, aged thirteen, reading
the paper, came to the notice inserted
by Ella Vincent. Minnie always read
every line in the papers, advertisements
and all, therefore she alighted upon
what one or two of the others had
missed.
"Mother, hasn't this the true ring
in it?" she asked; and as her mother
listened she read the first article among
the Wants.
"Oh, dear! I don't know" said Mrs.
Grey, in a discouraged tone. "She may
not know how to cook, after all, and
her ironing may be like the last Bridget's
not fit to be seen. Somehow these
ignorant people seem to think they can
do the very things they know the least
about
"But perhaps this one is not ig-
norant," suggested Oracle, the eldest
daughter.
at is likely she is; for American
girls who can teach or do other things
are not very apt to go out to service.
Even if she can read and write well, she
is probably gifted with superintendent
curiosity, and will make herself mis-
tress of the contents of our letters, notes
and bills. Or she may be such a lover
of trashy literature as to neglect her du-
ties for the dime novel or the four-dol-
lar-a-year Weekly Cancer" And dis
couraged Mrs. Grey leaned YEARLY back
in her chair and closed her eyes.
swell, mamma,s she could not possibly
DE worse than the last Bridget.''
"Well, perhaps it will do no harm to
try" sighed Mrs. Grey, as though from
new girl she expected only new trials
81 can not make drudge of myself. To
take care of your own room and mine is
as much as | can expect of you school
girls at present. believe l will write
to this American girl"
Minnie ran for pen, ink and portfolio
for her mother.
"She mag be too fine for common
servant GIRL said the doubling mother,
"she may expect to help entertain our
company, play on the piano, take her
meals with us, and be a sort of chief adj
wiser in family matters.'
"Oh, if she attempts such airs you
can very readily dismiss her, said
Grace. "At any rate you must have
somebody before next Friday, papa says,
or you will be i'll with fretting and work
ing so hard"
"She says Kitchen servant '" re-
marked Minnie, glancing at the paper.
"Ah, yes, reflected Mrs. Grey, taking
the newspaper from her daughter and
reading the notice carefully.
at is not to assist in the homework,
or in any place not menial Yes, rather
like the sound of it. I'll engage her by
the week at present; offer her two dol
lars and give her to understand that she
is to use her head as well as her hands"
So Mrs. Grey was the first to write,
and Ella Vincent, expecting no better
offer and well satisfied with that, ac-
cepted it at once.
1t was soon evident to the family that
their new help was neither ignorant nor
silly. She was quiet, unobtrusive, neat,
tasteful, always interested in her work,
and always good-natured and polite.
She called the young ladies g Miss
Grace" and "Miss Minnie,' quite as
respectfully as any inferior servant would
have done, until, at the request of the
two and with the ready permission of
their mother, the prefix was dropped.
But even then when speaking of them to
others she preferred to seem less famil-
lar.
" l have never yet seen Ella make her
finger into hook and stick it inside the
sugar-bowl when she passes it, said
Oracle, one day, about a month after
Elias advent among them. "Her nails
are always as clean as lady's, and she
is quite dainty in her ways. l like her."
"And she does not smuggle tea, COT
fee, butter, fruit and other luxuries by
the pound out of the house to her rela-
tions,'' said Mr.. Grey. "The grocery
bill is less this month than it has been
in an age; less than it was during the
four weeks Bridget and I were here
alone"
els such the factP' inquired sur
prised Mrs. Grey. cit is a great relief
to me to have some one who cares how
things are done, and who takes pride
in seeing that every thing is attended to
in the right time, too. Yes, it is posi-
tive luxury to have girl like her around.
We ought to show our appreciation of
her intelligent services by increasing
her wages. She saves two or three dol.
lars worth of worry every week, and l
believe she is perfectly trustworthy"
"I'n try her," exclaimed Minnie.
" I'll try her ON my portfolio or one or
two of my letters. III leave them in
the kitchen or on the walk with piece
OF thread or tiny straw inside"
"Don't you feel little ashamed to
propose such trick, Minnie,'' asked
her father, "after her kindness to YOU
in helping you in your fractions and pre-
pairing, of her own accord, that surprise
for you on your birthdayP"
"No, papa, l do not feel ashamed,
because l do not think she would read
my notes any sooner than she would
take my pocket-book 1t is only proving
her, you see, just as | prove my sums.
She said the other day it was good to
prove all things, then we would have no
doubts.''
You may not be far from being
lust, Minnie added the father eft Is