Still, there is a fair chance of a home of her own for every likely
girl who comes here, and there is no better way of getting ready for
it, than by helping to keep in order the homes of others. While
she is attending to other people's children she is preparing herself
for managing her own. If she lets her mistress's baby fall into the
wash-tub, she ought not to expect that any young man who sees
her carelessness will propose to her.
But if she be faithful and kind, industrious and patient, she will
soon feel at home in the home of her employers. She will win their
respect and then their affection. No treasure is felt to be so valuable
as a confidential servant, when the confidence has been gained, not
by liberties taken, but by interests protected. To the nurse-maid
mothers intrust the darlings of their home. Upon her care and
intelligence their safety and frequently their lives depend. The
mother cannot help loving those that love her children. To be kind
to them is to win a warm place in her regard.
The home may have many antiquarian relics. The old Family
"UP-STAIRS, DOWN-STAIRS, IN MY LADV's CHAMBER." 8[
Bible may be there, recording the births, marriages and deaths of
many generations. Old trees may stand around the family roof-tree.
Old keepsakes may adorn the mantel-shelves ; old portraits hang
upon the walls, and old dresses, some of them old bridal dresses, be
treasured in the closets, but more precious than all of these is the
faithful old servant who has become one of the family by years of
endearing service in it. When Joseph had served Pharaoh faithfully,
so that he had become essential to his kingdom, he made him ruler
of his household, and said to him, " Only in the throne will I be
greater than thou." Every one should know his or her place, and
each one's place is just his own ; the one in which his duties are.
and neither the place above nor the place below him.
In order to do this, mutual forbearance as well as mutual confi-
dence must prevail on both sides. There must be no treasuring
up of little vexations until they estrange mistress and maid from each
other. Every stone of offence should be removed at once, as we go
along, and not left until a heap accumulates. Little trials are often
far more difficult to bear than great ones, just as the sting of a
mosquito irritates the skin worse than a good slap with the open
hand. Let mistress and servant try to alleviate and as much as
possible prevent the little trials of domestic life. Suppose, oh,
servant, that you let the fire go out at the hour when your mistress
will return tired with a journey and need a cup of tea. Will it make
the kettle boil to tell her you are sorry, but that you forgot all about
it ? If you are the cook and allow the dinner to spoil, and pour
catsup over the pudding, and sweet sauce over the meat, while you
deluge your pastry with salt in mistake for powdered sugar, and
use cayenne as you would common pepper, will it restore peace of
mind and stomach to the family to tell them that your sight is not as
good as it was, and that " things are not what they seem " to you ?
If you drop hairpins and bodkins into your home-made bread, will
it undo the horrible tortures you have inflicted on those who have
swallowed it if you say that the baker's man or the butcher's boy
rang the bell in your hour oi hiead and
Page 47
Presented as published in 1883. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
Still, there is a fair chance of a home of her own for every likely girl who comes here, and there is no better way of getting ready for it, than by helping to keep in order the homes of others. While she is attending to other people's children she is preparing herself for managing her own. If she lets her mistress's baby fall into the wash-tub, she ought not to expect that any young man who sees her carelessness will propose to her.
But if she be faithful and kind, industrious and patient, she will soon feel at home in the home of her employers. She will win their respect and then their affection. No treasure is felt to be so valuable as a confidential servant, when the confidence has been gained, not by liberties taken, but by interests protected. To the nurse-maid mothers intrust the darlings of their home. Upon her care and intelligence their safety and frequently their lives depend. The mother cannot help loving those that love her children. To be kind to them is to win a warm place in her regard.
The home may have many antiquarian relics. The old Family
"UP-STAIRS, DOWN-STAIRS, IN MY LADY'S CHAMBER." 81
Bible may be there, recording the births, marriages and deaths of many generations. Old trees may stand around the family roof-tree. Old keepsakes may adorn the mantel-shelves ; old portraits hang upon the walls, and old dresses, some of them old bridal dresses, be treasured in the closets, but more precious than all of these is the faithful old servant who has become one of the family by years of endearing service in it. When Joseph had served Pharaoh faithfully, so that he had become essential to his kingdom, he made him ruler of his household, and said to him, " Only in the throne will I be greater than thou." Every one should know his or her place, and each one's place is just his own ; the one in which his duties are. and neither the place above nor the place below him.
In order to do this, mutual forbearance as well as mutual confidence must prevail on both sides. There must be no treasuring up of little vexations until they estrange mistress and maid from each other. Every stone of offence should be removed at once, as we go along, and not left until a heap accumulates. Little trials are often far more difficult to bear than great ones, just as the sting of a mosquito irritates the skin worse than a good slap with the open hand. Let mistress and servant try to alleviate and as much as possible prevent the little trials of domestic life. Suppose, oh, servant, that you let the fire go out at the hour when your mistress will return tired with a journey and need a cup of tea. Will it make the kettle boil to tell her you are sorry, but that you forgot all about it ? If you are the cook and allow the dinner to spoil, and pour catsup over the pudding, and sweet sauce over the meat, while you deluge your pastry with salt in mistake for powdered sugar, and use cayenne as you would common pepper, will it restore peace of mind and stomach to the family to tell them that your sight is not as good as it was, and that " things are not what they seem " to you ? If you drop hairpins and bodkins into your home-made bread, will it undo the horrible tortures you have inflicted on those who have swallowed it if you say that the baker's man or the butcher's boy rang the bell in your hour oi hiead and