Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-12-07
Servant Girls.

JESUS NuIlsti bne OOn vi uOu, uiA IVY
hesitate to be and style himself a servant,
and he distinctly told his followers that they
among them who were most perfectly ser
wants of their fellows in this life should oc-
cupy the highest posts in the life to come.
To learn to serve, then, is the first OF les
sons and with the thing should go The
name. Those who refuse the name and
scorn the work of servants turn their backs
alike upon the principles Of Christianity
and of liberty. To scorn to be a servant is
to aspire to be master, and this is moon
sstent both with religion and freedom. But
before these principles can be made to pre-
vail it must be understood that he who by
relative position is still called MASTER"
must be himself but more useful servant
in higher place of usefulness. Thekrne
promotion is not from servant to lord, but
from lower service to a higher one, in pro-
portion to ability and faithfulness. This is
alike the theory Of our religion and of our
politics, and ought to be the theory of our
social life. Not only should it be the theory
but it should be the practice; and nowh ere
should the theory be more freely accepted
and more completely made practical than
among the Christian men and women who
are the employers of labor in the field, the
warehouse, the factory and the household.
When Christianity and democracy so pre-
vail, we shall see less reluctance shown to
assuming name, or place, in the primary
ranks of service. When the heads of house
holds recognize their duty in the higher
ranks of service, those who are entering
those ranks in the lower grades will
show no more aversion to them than
the lieutenant or the midshipman shows
to beginning in the lower grades OF mill
tary and naval duty. These thoughts
are suggested by the following letter of a
correspondent of the Maine Home Farm,
which we hope will be read by those who
employ domestic servants. 1t ought to get
a hearing in the state Of Vermont, which is
not yet entirely sunken in the slough of
aristocratic ideas which dominate social life
in "free" America outside, (and sometimes
inside,) of the "rural districts" -; 81 have
read a great many articles lately on the
question of American servant girls, and have
been very much interested in them. Hav-
| ing desire to know more about it from &C.
tual observation, took up my abode for a
week where could see and hear all the OBJ
| jections which are brought forward against
homework. In the family where l was,
there had Just been installed in the capacity
Of help, a young American girl, educated,
and more refined by nature than the woman
for whom she was at work. 1t was her first
undertaking in this direction, and she knew
nothing of the manner of treatment which
girls receive who work in the city. The
work was undertaken from a pure sense of
love for it aud in preference to shop-work.
She was first surprised to learn that she was
not expected to eat with the family, it being
considered beneath their dignity to eat at
the same table with one whom they had
hired to do their homework. Also, when
sitting after the work was done, in the
sewing-room, aud a caller dropped in, it was
not thought necessary to introduce her.
Being sensitive and knowing that the per
son, a music teacher paid for her work as
much as she and not so cultivated, had no
better right to be recognized, she was disap-
pointed and hurt. And so in consequence
Vi dll llleSt tDluBs, diououSh ohS AN'NN SNN
work and it agreed with her, she left, pre-
ferring less congenial work whereby she
should not lose her social standing. Now
let me ask some of those persons who talk
so much about American girls doing house.
work because it is healthier and better, IL
they think their talk and writings will pro-
duce the effect that is desired | do not
blame them that they do not go more. Tie
people who want these girls should be talked
to awhile and taught that it does not lower
them in any respect to work in the kitchen
| would as soon sit at the same table with
the girl hired to do my work in the kitchen
as the one paid to do my sewing or to teach
me music. One is just as honest as thu
other, and in some respects it is better to dc
the one well than to do the other two. All
men are born equal, and as long as they do
not sink below this equality in their char
acter and habits, do not deny them thei
right. | have no doubt that all of the hom'
circle believe as do about this, but there
are many who do not, and to whomsoever Of
them reads this | will say, Look and study
for yourself and see if you are not convinced
that what say is true"