Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-07-31

Ekkrso Ia my hCuss, and want ssgvanfS I
and not companions and friGndAS
"All right, you have my approval thsrs;
but thought the trouble was you were mot I
mistress They obey just Tar enough to en- |
able them to keep their places and draw their
wages, and they have no conception Of any
other kind Of service. Now, il were a |
housekeeper | should try these girls; Ger
tainly you couldn't be worse effn
If you were housekeeper you would do
lust as the rest of US do-bear the Ills we
know rather than tempt the unknown
perhaps so; I'm profoundly thankful I'm
not a woman, to go on doing thing to all
eternity because my grandmother did it be-
fore me, and my neighbors would think 1t
so queer of me to try new way
what are you going to do about the let
teri You really ought TO answer it.n
$50 shall / shall tell the minister have
forwarded the letter to Mrs. E L Howe.
who will correspond with him If she decides
to pursue the matter"
II the editors letter, proving that Mrs E
l. Howe was no myth, created deep and pro-
found excitement in the little circle Of three.
what can be said of the effect produced by
letter addressed to Miss Matte Harper, offer
ing 10 her and her sister service in the house
hold Of the writer, with wages and condi-
lions very carefully specified To be sure,
IT was signed Mrs Frederic 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 bingham to be title
of greater respect, and stipulated that the
engagement was only for month Of trial,
at the end Of which time, if Mrs Lattimer
be not pleased, she would pay their expenses
home.
.sIs1l come pretty tough on you. Marthy
Harper, being looked down on as servant
said the kind old housekeeper. You won't
have any ISOLATION with the family
II don't care to associate with the family;
we don't associate with the men We make
shirts for said Matte. Il shall have Dolly,
and Dolly will have me, and we shall both
have the babies don't think we shall care
for much more
1t was only at Mattie's earnest entreaty
that the minister forbore to accompany
them 10 their new home.
alt would look as if We expected TO be re-
ceived as something more than we are" she
said to Dolly "And / want her TO under
stand that all we ask is fair wages for fair
work.
DO LQey went dioIc- "A olddit AooA-Aio
maid answered their ring at the door bell
calculated their social standing at glance,
and left them in the hall while she went for
her mistress. Presently the girl came back
and conducted them to the kitchen. Mattie's
eyes noted that the floor was unswept, the
range greasy, and pile Of unwholesome
looking towels lay on the table; for Bridget
had been gone week, and a procession of
| than the LAST had
held brief possession of her kingdom.
II am SO glad it isn't basement kitchen,
and see what a nice large yard" she said to
Dolly, whose eyes were ready to overflow.
Something came clatteriit along the hall,
and the door was pushed open to admit ii
beautiful boy Of four, drawing a tin horse
after him
"Oh, you darling." exclaimed Dolly, rap
turously.
But the boy drew back u little saying,
"Where's Bridget"
And in minute the nurse pounced upon
him and dragged him off, calling him "a
little torment and bad, naughty boy"
Matties first bread, rashly undertaken
with Bridget's home made yeast was an
utter failure, and the baby chung obstinately
to johanna in spite OF Dolly's Establishments,
while Mrs. Lattimer, knowing nothing OF
housekeeping herself, had not a particle OF
patience with ignorance i'll Others, and chung
| to her deep persuasion that no.hing but the
most vigorous putting down could ever keep
those girls from disagreeable assumption.
But long before the end Of the month Dolly
reigned sweet and serene in the nursery
wore her nurses cap without an uncomtort-
able thought, and drank in delight from the
shaded park, with its flowers and birds and
| fountains, as unconscious of bitter servitude
as the children she loved and guarded
"As for Matte" Mrs Lattiner confessed
to her brother, ''shes invaluable, and shal
never be able TO endure an ordinary servant
| again, but if she hadn't known her mind bet
ter than did mine we should have parted
the very first week. That's one blessed thing
your old journal has done for the labol
question, and il my snip ever comes III II
endow the paper out of gratitude"
"Ah, always felt that / was born to be
benefactor," said the editor. Your shiI
would have come in long ago If you hal
called me for pilot"
"And which one did he marryi" asks th'
saucy girls at my elbow.
Neither of them, my dear. Pretty Dolly
in the course OF time, went back TO Hing
ham and married farmers boy, who hao
worked his way through college, and was no
ashamed of his wife for having made he
way in the same fashion; and Matte, fo
aught know. is middle aged and respecta
Bile old maid. living on her savings ant
educating heather in Africa. For this story
has nothing to do with marrying or givins
in marriage, but with the fact that a goot
many ships that are continuallyiat sea nigh
come prosperously in if they would joiI
company with each other, without regarding
the fact that one might be q merchant YES
sci and tine other simply lugger.-Congre
gationalist.
Penmanship at the Postofice.