The sun., 1883-03-25
HoUsAxEErxxe IN xwoLAxn

LONDON, March 8.-It may be funny to
glance at comic paper and to see the skits
about "Servantgaiism." High Life Below
Stairs." and Flunkydom." We laugh and ex-
claim that 1t Is worry good indeed; but. except
in the case OF a confirmed bachelor or clubman.
tho fun is qualified by an uneasy conscious
ness. and the laughter sounds a trifle hollow.
When some trustful. ingenious American
matron rapturously extols our splendid do
nestle arrangements and cnvles us our we'll
drilled attendants and our facilities for house,
keeping. We are not always candid enough to
repudiate the implied compliment.
We allow ourselves to talk OF our superior
housekeeper and excellent butler; VIC smile
little contemptuously at the perennial troubles
OF good Mrs. Jones and the agonies OF poor
Mrs. Brown. who cannot get good servants.
change them as she may. We have q soul
above those minor details. II at all phlan-
thropic. we advocate refining and educat-
ing our menials: we have admirable theories
FOR their management-justice tempered with
condescension. discipline coupled with paternal
forbosrance. regularity relieved BY recreation.
In fact. we draw out a rule In which we make
no allowances for infrmities OF temper. acci-
dents. broakages. and-humnn nature. II not
inclined to regencrato the human race. not
sanGuine enough to expect that tho relations
can ever be thornloss between him who COM
mnnds and him who oboys, between him who
gives and him who receives q SALARY. we accept
as meekly rs we can the existing state OF things.
which In London is-to say tho least-as bad
rs II can be. Lot not tho struggling. house,
keeper on f200 a year look regretfully Mt the
superior advantages Of the owner OF two or five
thousand. The same troubles repeat them
selves. only mngniled and it is pretty gem
orally admitted that tho wheels OF n manaQe
bal
hands OF a genera, servant Al any rate. there
is hut ono enemy in the camp. no allied forces
Rrrayed In occult warfare: no concerted at-
tacks against tho common ne myth masters.
Here In London there is u dsep-roo;ed ma
lignRnt antagonism between the two classes.
no amount OF cringinr seryili.y on the pnrt Of
the Interiors can gloss over their instructive
hatred for their supr-ors: : no amount OF good
treatment or indulgence awaits to win from
them confidence or honest allegiance. Hero
Kindness breeds contcmpt: consideration
creates carclcssncss: truth bece,s dishonesty:
reprimand. however Justly administered. calls
forth insolcnce. A system OF cold s;andofllsh-
ness. OF short and emptory commend. Of in.
stunt dismissal for the slightest offence for
eiyn as II may be 10 onn's intcr,sts ia AS ak
pericnce proves it, the only successful one
Club servants are ayowediy tho best. because
most despotically trs,ted. They obey at n
word and arc cashlered for N worJ.
In private establishments the idios syncrasies
of the so-calied upper s.ryants-hou sekceper.
butler. Indies maid. head houscmnid-nre as
,u,,ar,us an. ,,,,liur rbav ,xn.,.t ,,,.i,,os
n""'oi""' .. ' my o"P'..' ""''"V'
tho servants hall. whore they take the princi-
pal meals OF the luy Il separate apartment
wbi,bor thev c,, rs.ort IN ,nr,,t. of s,ropger
""'.o. my .'" w. n", VI '.,ons'.
allowed to the common herd, against whom
tho norta,s or tbI. r,on, mr., ,lo.,a The
nnns.,uasor,. mv o ~ r'a, "n a." or'a b. .ne
and bu,tered toast in the AFTERNOON. shared in
nv tba hnt,or ,n1 h,ough, bv nm ,h;n,,
,, ny wv uu"'. ".I o'o'S"' Wy M "DI'o,
Kitchen maid who waits on the iuminaries OF
the basement far more drfcrcntinlly than they
do on their employers. The hierarchy and
precedence Of status arc strictly maintaip"d; ;
tho seats Mt table arc marked with scrupuious
'ioe,y. IN. "'Nesp0' pl's'ue'' po','c'' ~
auesting the hn'l'r to say grace; tho cook
so,Ion ia allowed til, ,hs high ,nd migbtv
% onss retire 1v when the M srulery @ S maids @ hastily has,y
risc to remove the chairs and open the doors.
rho r,or,, IN ~ FAMILY nrsv.ra ni,ht onI
ino mary" !" W ''''"s t,"'''N "E"' anu
The upper crust have the privilege Of per-
forming their "risons knoe,ino before chairs
.pr''i'ns tneir "r',o"7 hh"D',ns oc'ote eia'Is'
and file out without curtsoyins. In the coun.
,r, ,,hnn ,h ho,., T., t,,, ~, ,.,a;,,r, ,,o hri,,
their own attendants. fuil dress is de rjg"pn in
the servants hail for supper The Iudics
m o,ds vi, with o,o, char In ,hsir ,ni,ots .
~, ,,o WV, -. .e ,,,, V. ~ .i.n .n''.,7
thing II they did not appear with fresh flowers
in their hair.
Our domestics have code OF good breeding
by which they kindly eaui us. II We infringe
II or come snort OF II. they instantly resent IT,
Az foreign legation thG iirst ioo'man threw
up his place because he had always been in the
habit OF bringing o'clock tea TO his ladies. and
could not submit to stand In the hall AMI open
the door for the butler to pass in with the tray
at any other time than after dinner. In a
country house in some remote shire. u valuable
nnd aIn g excellent bntler highly reeSmmended by by
first months service because. much rs he iked
the situation in every respect. It went against
ladies were not in full evening dress every
night A pew in church. common to the whole
| household WAS elsewhere an insuparable OBJ
lection tho proposition made TO a man twho
had never when out Of service SCARED beyond
the third class OF u railway trainl to travel in
side n coach on II ur-in-hand trip. was re-
sented as an insult. and met with floods Of
| tears another IHcinati take a piApa