Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-08-29

wage. but that pure and simple without the
usual long and melancholy tales for accom-
sion to be severe with him We have received
registered letters from him, which have
caused us great amusement. He IS little
gentleman and makes no complaints. but
simply asks to go. The last occasion was
when we discovered mango. very eypen-
sive fruit at that tire. concealed among
his beongings. He said nothing nor did
we. but the next morning we had to sign
for the registered letter, which read as fol-
lows:
Sir: wish to leave for my house from the
end of May. 1903. and during this time 1
shall he able to serve you. Hoping that you
for any other man for which all of Kindness
l shall ever pray for your long life and
prosperity. beg to remain. sir,
Your most obedient servant.
We said little about the letter, but told
him that of late he had done so well that
we had intended at the end of the -FOUR
months to give him rupees more month
if he still gave satisfaction. and he smiled
beam:ngly and has been perfect ever since
evidently relieved to think that he is not 10
go away.
Far From Ideal.
AS to ayahs they are the stupidest and
dirtiest and slyest of beings! The one who
sews and is a good lady's maid steals. and
the one who knows nothing whatever and
takes three months to learn not to put on
ones stockings wrong side out or ones
boots with the tongue in, nor to hang ones
washing which she has just completed In
front of the hotel on the freshly painted
railing. for every one to view. may be hon
est in regard to money, but is far from 1t
in regard to eatables and wearing apparel,
and is so disgustingly odoriferous that we
cannot bear to have her near us. What she
does not want for herself she takes for
her family, who. II one is living for any
length of time in the town of her abiding,
may be seen at all hours fitting about half
naked. and always followed by two or three
dreadfully NANCY pie dogs. If she travels
with you she never thinks of getting out
at the station where you have repeatedly
told her you are to change trains. but must
be hunted up and hauled out of the packed
compartments just as the train is leaving.
and her dirty bundle of bedding, wadded
quilt gray blanket and some dirty cloth
ing rescued from the piles of things belong
ing to the other natives. She continually
throws into the wash your cleanest clothes.
washes your clothes with your hair brush
and cleans your silver with your tooth
brush. makes your bed with the second
sheet as bedspread. and is, in fact. incur
ably, impossbly stupid. except to her
own gains. She may be pretty. and in that
case she spends every minute she can steal
in sitting in the roadway and talking to any
stray man that passes. She usually wears
nose ring. numbers of heavy silver ear
rings and a peated skirt and chuddar of
thin white stuff. the latter over her Shout
ders and head After one ayah who sewed
nicely but smelled impossibly, another who
washed well but stole and never learned
to make bed third who never had any
time for us. as her children not only re-
quired our time but our belongings. and a
fourth who was Christian, but listened at
the door. was impertinent and stole the
sugar. we are resting for a time in the
satisfaction of having one who is pretty in
dark Madonna style, modest, apparently
honest. fairly clean and obedient. so even
If she can never learn the use of a shoe
horn nor can be persuaded that a brush
for shoe backing will not do for pale gray
cloth dresses we sigh and are content.
MARGARET STIRLING