Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-09-20

sNot in the least; [ viii forward your
letter with line to the editor. Why not
write here?" he continued.
And with the promptness of a despera-
ton Matte seized the venerable goose
Quill, with which alone the minister
thought it possible to write his sermons,
and penned upon great, square sheet
brief, ladylike letter. The minister's IN
dorsement was also brief, TO the effect
that the writer was a sensible, practical
and Christian girl, tolerably well educat-
ed, and would IN his estimation be q bene-
diction in family as that described IN
the communication signed Mrs. E. L.
Howe. While be thought it more than
probable that the case was q fictitious
one. he felt sure that there were multi
tudes OF women similarly situated, ard
the editor would be doing good Chris
tian work if he would put this young
woman in comm anication with some one
Of them.
The joint letter found its way in due
time 60 the sanctum of puzzled and
amused editor, who frowned and laughed
half disposed to toss it into the waste
basket, but finally put it in bis pocket
with a half dozen other documents. 1t
might have remained there indefinitely for
the editor was q young man, and had no
personal interest in the domestic prob
lem, but dining that day with his sister,
his serene enjoyment was suddenly dis
turbed by a series of dull thumps upon
the stairs, followed by piercing screams.
"There!r said Mrs. Lattimer, rushing
away. She's let the baby fall dow8 stairs;
always said she kill ii! I shall dismiss
her the minute FRED gets backw she
painted, returning with her baby. Il
never draw an easy breath until the chill
dren are asleep"
ooh, by the way, Florence" replied
her brother, i've got hold of solution
for all your domestic difficulties. Never
say I am not practical again. Here are
two servants for you, made to order-a
cook and o nursery maid-natiVe, sisters,
educated, warranted by the minister;
what more could you ask?"
raymond, what on earth are you talk
ing about?n
It's all here, you can see for yourself.
The fact is, I've been thinking, a great
deal about this labor question; and one
evening [ wrote a letter to the Journal,
purpOrtiug to be from Mrs. q. J.. Howe,
setting forth the troubles with servants,
and appealing TO the host Of respectable,
unemployed women for help"
"You miserable humbug! Tread it with
agsympathizing heart, and meant to write
to her myself-Our CASES are so much alike
only forgot IT,"
"Well, here comes letter from rustic
maiden, who speaks for her sister and
herself, and proposes to undertake the
Job. She's IN serious earnest, too, and
Pm quite impressed by her letter. just
read lt.'
Mrs. Lattimor read With a critical, not
to say sheptioal air.
I'D sooner have Bridget with all her
peppery temper. Deliver me from su-
peri0r Pm as good as you-are servants. l
intend to be mistress in my own house
aud I want servants and not companions
and friends.''
"AIl right, you have my approval there
but I thought the trouble w&s you were
not mistress. They obey just far enough
to enable them TO keep their places and
draw their wages, and they have no con-
ception of any other kind of service.
Now If [ we're a housekeeper, [ should try
these girls, certainly you couldn't be
worse off,
eff you were a housekeeper you would
do just as the rest of US do-bear tho ills
we know, rather than tempt the IN
known"
"Perhaps so; I'm profoundly thankful
I'm not a woman, to go on doing a thing
to all eternity because my grandmother
did it before me, and my neig hbors would
think it so queer OF me TO try any new
way"
"Whet are you going to do about the
letter? You really had ought to answer
it,"
$50 [ shall. I shall tell the minister I
have forwarded the letter to Mrs. E. L.
Howe, who will correspond with him if
she decides to pursue the matter"
If the editors letter proving that Mrs.
E. l.. Howe was no myth, created deep
and profound excitement in the little
circle of three, what can be said of the
effect produced by letter addressed TO
Miss Matte Harper, Offering to herself
and sister, service in the household of the
writer, with wages and conditions very
carefully specified? To be sure it was
signed Mrs. Frederick Lattimer, but of
course one would use fictitious name in
paper. The letter was written IN very
plain terms; it said servants, and not
hired girls, which was supposed in Hing
ham to be title of greater respect, and
stipulated that the engagement was only
for a month of trial, at the end of which
time, il Mrs. Lattimer be not pleased, she
would pay their expenses home.
"It1l come pretty tough on you, Mar
toy Harper, being looked down OF as a
servant" eaid the kind old housekeeper.
"You won't have any ISOLATION with the
family"
Il don't care TO associate with the
family; we don't associate with the men
we make shirts for" said Matte. 81
shall have Dolly, and Dolly will have me,
and we shall both have the babies. l
don't think we shall care for much more"
1t was only at Mattie's earnest entreaty
that the minister forebore to accom- pany
them to their new home.
1t would look as if we expected to be
received as something moro than we
are" she said to Dolly. "And want her
to understand that all we ask is fair wages
for fair work"
So they went alone. A smart looking
maid answered their ring at the door
bell, calculated their standing at a
glance, and left them in the hall while
she went for her mistress. Presently
the girl came back aud conducted them
to the kitchen. Mattie's eyes noted that
the floor was unswept, the range greasy,
and pile of unwholesome-lookipg
towels lay on the table; for Bridget had
been gone week, and procession of
supplies, each one worse than the last,
had held brief possession of her king
dom.
II am so glad it isn't 8 basement
kitchen, and see what nice large yard"
she said to Dolly, whose eyes were ready
TO overflow.