as relieved when
Lizzie, shortly after this, decided of her own accord to accept a
better-paid position. "Unless, Mama says, you'd care to raise me to
seven a week," said Lizzie, in parting.

"No, no, I cannot pay that," Mrs. Salisbury said firmly and Lizzie
accordingly left.

Her place was taken by a middle-aged French woman, and whipped cream
and the subtle flavor of sherry began to appear in the Salisbury bills
of fare. Germaine had no idea whatever of time, and Sandy perforce must
set the table whenever there was a company dinner afoot, and lend a
hand with the last preparations as well. The kitchen was never really
in order in these days, but Germaine cooked deliciously, and Mrs.
Salisbury gave eight dinners and a club luncheon during the month of
her reign. Then the French woman grew more and more irregular as to
hours, and more utterly unreliable as to meals; sometimes the family
fared delightfully, sometimes there was almost nothing for dinner.
Germaine seemed to fade from sight, not entirely of her own volition,
not really discharged; simply she was gone. A Norwegian girl came next,
a good-natured, blundering creature whose English was just enough to
utterly confuse herself and everyone else. Freda's mistakes were not
half so funny in the making as Alexandra made them in anecdotes
afterward; and Freda was given to weird chanting, accompanying herself
with a banjo, throughout the evenings. Finally a blonde giant known as
"Freda's cousin" came to see her, and Kane Salisbury, followed by his
elated and excited boys, had to eject Freda's cousin early in the
evening, while Freda wept and chattered to the ladies of the house.
After that the cousin called often to ask for her, but Freda had
vanished the day after this event, and the Salisburys never heard of
her again.

They tried another Norwegian, then a Polack, then a Scandinavian. Then
they had a German man and wife for a week, a couple who asserted that
they would work, without pay, for a good home. This was a most
uncomfortable experience, unsuccessful from the first instant. Then
came a low-voiced, good-natured South American negress, Marthe, not
much of a cook, but willing and strong.

July was mercilessly hot that year, thirty-one burning days of
sunshine. Mrs. Salisbury was not a very strong woman, and she had a
great many visitors to entertain. She kept Marthe, because the colored
woman did not resent constant supervision, and an almost hourly change