produced. And it may be done, by the conviction that we are working out a noble des- tiny— that we are touching everywhere the springs of life — and co-laborers of the Infinite One, in beautifying, adorning, and advancing the Universe — that we are one of the noble army of industrials, through whose toil the world goes steadily forward, in the way of an everlasting progress. We will go to our labor with joy ; nay, with enthusiasm ; because we know our work is a kind of worship, or prayer, through whose mysterious ways we ap- proach ever and ever nearer to the Perfect ! That kindly old Greek, Plutarch, has in his life of Numa declared his convictions that there was once a Golden Age, in whose era there was neither master nor slave; such an era, to be sure, there may yet be in the future, when the race shall have reached a purely Christian — that is to say morally perfect development ; but we doubt if it ever existed to any extent in the past. For in this country where we claim that the ballot makes all men who use it sovereigns, we acknowledge at the same time that in one sense all men are servants. The multitude who roll over the capitalist's money for him are no more his servants than he is theirs; for though without question his service is seemingly pleasant and theirs frequently painful, yet if their hands and their industry make it possible for him to procure his luxuries, it is his money and his brains that make it possible for them to procure their necessaries. The condition of the served and servitor has existed since the earliest records — a con- dition likely to remain until the fullness of time. One cannot be independent of the other. The whole fabric of society is thus one of interwoven dependence; if the employed cannot be independent of the employer, neither can the employer be independent of the employed ; each owes to the other a duty in the complete fulfillment of the tacit contract between them, so that on the whole it is exactly as honorable to be a good servant as to be a good mas- ter. And if this be true as between man and man in the outside affairs of the world, it is equally true in domestic affairs and between woman and woman. It is, if possible, more true; for the contact of the household is closer than any contact of business or out-door occupation, and the persons thus brought together are more mutually dependent for com- fort and happiness. When a woman secures another woman's service, she does not buy her body and soul also ; and when a woman sells to another woman her honest labor, she sells the understood value of the money; on the one hand, wages, home, consideration, and kindness are due; on the other, work, faithfulness, and civility. Let enthusiasm be the ..watchword in the household — and mutual obligation thoroughly understood. Recognize work when conscientiously done, but do not over-praise, which will ruin the best servant. Repeat the necessary instructions until sufficient skill is acquired, never do yourself a ser- vant's alloted work because it is ill-done, have them do it over until they are proficient. The lack of enthusiasm, and neglect of fulfillment of duty on both sides causes the strong reverberating discord of " Domestic Service," in our households, and can only cease to ring through the land, and have cause to cease when enthusiasm and mutual obligation is exemplified by mistress and maid.

AI-modernized reading of the original text

produced. And it may be done, by the conviction that we are working out a noble destiny— that we are touching everywhere the springs of life — and co-laborers of the Infinite One, in beautifying, adorning, and advancing the Universe — that we are one of the noble army of industrials, through whose toil the world goes steadily forward, in the way of an everlasting progress. We will go to our labor with joy ; nay, with enthusiasm ; because we know our work is a kind of worship, or prayer, through whose mysterious ways we approach ever and ever nearer to the Perfect ! That kindly old Greek, Plutarch, has in his life of Numa declared his convictions that there was once a Golden Age, in whose era there was neither master nor slave; such an era, to be sure, there may yet be in the future, when the race shall have reached a purely Christian — that is to say morally perfect development ; but we doubt if it ever existed to any extent in the past. For in this country where we claim that the ballot makes all men who use it sovereigns, we acknowledge at the same time that in one sense all men are servants. The multitude who roll over the capitalist's money for him are no more his servants than he is theirs; for though without question his service is seemingly pleasant and theirs frequently painful, yet if their hands and their industry make it possible for him to procure his luxuries, it is his money and his brains that make it possible for them to procure their necessaries. The condition of the served and servitor has existed since the earliest records — a condition likely to remain until the fullness of time. One cannot be independent of the other. The whole fabric of society is thus one of interwoven dependence; if the employed cannot be independent of the employer, neither can the employer be independent of the employed ; each owes to the other a duty in the complete fulfillment of the tacit contract between them, so that on the whole it is exactly as honorable to be a good servant as to be a good master. And if this be true as between man and man in the outside affairs of the world, it is equally true in domestic affairs and between woman and woman. It is, if possible, more true; for the contact of the household is closer than any contact of business or out-door occupation, and the persons thus brought together are more mutually dependent for comfort and happiness. When a woman secures another woman's service, she does not buy her body and soul also ; and when a woman sells to another woman her honest labor, she sells the understood value of the money; on the one hand, wages, home, consideration, and kindness are due; on the other, work, faithfulness, and civility. Let enthusiasm be the watchword in the household — and mutual obligation thoroughly understood. Recognize work when conscientiously done, but do not over-praise, which will ruin the best servant. Repeat the necessary instructions until sufficient skill is acquired, never do yourself a servant's alloted work because it is ill-done, have them do it over until they are proficient. The lack of enthusiasm, and neglect of fulfillment of duty on both sides causes the strong reverberating discord of " Domestic Service," in our households, and can only cease to ring through the land, and have cause to cease when enthusiasm and mutual obligation is exemplified by mistress and maid.

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