The Sully County watchman. (Clifton, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1894, 1888-09-22
aThau ~ aaid Mat%;.


let me try. should like nothing better
than to be her housekeeper. l delight in
housekeeping; I'm born cook, and Dolly
would be perfectly happy with two ba-
bies to cuddle and sew for!
The minister looked at her doubtfully.
81 suspect il lie only the rosy side of b Or
work that this letter writer describes;
there must be good many disagreeable
things about the position of cook or nur.
sery maid"
about our present position" began Mat
tie, but stopped abruptly.
Not even to the minister would she
have owned that they were actually pin
ched sometimes for suitable food.
"Do you think" she asked, hesitating-
ly, "there would be any impropriety in
my writing to this lady TO inquirer"
mot IN the least; will forward your
letter with line to the editor. Why not
write here?" he continued.
And with tho promptness of despera-
ton Matte seized the venerable goose
quill, with which alone the miuister
thought il possible to write his sermons,
and penned upon great, square sheet a
brief, ladylike letter. The minister's IN
dorsement was also brief, to the effect
that the writer was sensible, practical
and Christian girl, tolerably we'll educat-
ed, and would in his estimation be bene-
diction in family as that described In
the communication signed Mrs. E. l..
Howe. While he thought ii more than
probable that the cnse was a ficticious
one, he fel. sure that there were multi.
tudes of women similarly situated. and
the editor would be doing good Chris
tian work il he would put this young
woman in comm unication with some one
of them.
The Joint letter found its way in due
time co 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 half dozen other documents. It
might have remained there indefinitely for
the editor was 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 series of dull thumps upon
the stairs, followed by piercing screams.
"There!' said Mrs. Lattimer, rushing
away. She's let the baby fall down stairs;
always said she kill il, l 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"
"Oh, by the way, Florence" replied
her brother, 'Ive got hold of solution
for all yonr domestic difficulties. Never
say am not practical again. Here are
two servants for you, made to order-a
cook and nursery maid-native, sisters,
educated, warranted by the minister;
what more could you ask?"
Ray aymond, what on earth are you talk
ing abouts"
Its all here, you can see for yourself.
The fact is, I've been thinking, great
deal about this labor question; and one
evening wrote letter to the journal,
purporting to he from Mrs. L. J.. Howe,
setting forth the troubles with servants,
and appealing 10 the host of respectable,
unemployed women for help"
"You miserable humbug! read it with
assympathizing heart, and meant 10 write
to her myself-onr 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
I'm quite impressed by her letter. just
read it."
Mrs. Lattimer read with critical, not
to say sheptioel air.
"Id sooner have Bridget with all her
peppery temper. Deliver me from su-
perior I'm as good as. you.are servants. /
intend to be mistress in my own house
and want servants and not com panions
and friends"
"Ali right, you have my approval there
but l thought the trouble w.s you were
not mistress. They obey just far enough
to enable them to keep their places aud
draw their wages, and they have no oon-
ception of any other kind of service.
Now if we're housekeeper, l should try
these girls, certainly you couldn't be
worse off,
"If you we're housekeeper You would
do just as the rest OF as do-bear tho ills
we know, rather than tempt the un
known"
perhaps so; I'm profoundly thankful
I'm not woman, to go on doing thing
to all eternity because my grandmother
did it before me, and my neiahbors would
think IL so quesr' of mo TO try any new
way
"Hat are you hoihS 10 ~ ABOUT Tue
letter. You really had ought to answer
it,"
$50 1 shall. shall tell the minister
have forwarded the letter to Mrs. L. l.
Howe, who will! correspond with him If
she decides TO purs ne the matter"
If the editors letter proving that Mrs.
Z. l.. Howe was no myth, Great. d deep
and profound excitement in the little
circle of three, what can be said of the
effect produced by aletter addressed to
Miss Mattie Harper, Offering to herself
aud sister, service in the household of the
writer, with wages and conditions very
specitieds To be cure it was
signed Mrs. Frederick Lattimer, but OF
course one would use fictitious name in
a paper. The letter was written III very
plain terms; it said servants, and not
hired girls, which was supposed in Hing
ham to be title of greater respect, and
that the engagement was only
for mouth of trial, at the end of which
time, if Mrs. Lattimer be not pleased, she
would pay their expenses home.
eth come pretty tough or you, Mar
al -.