ture that lady-help;" and as I
soliloquized, recollections of specimens of the kind I had been
afflicted with, came in sad array before my memory--maids with
slip-shod French kid slippers, that had never been large enough for
their feet--love-locks on either side of their cheeks, twirled up
during the day in brown curl-papers--faded lawn dresses, with dangling
flounces and tattered edging; then such sentimental entreaties that I
should not make them answer the door-bell if Ike, the black boy, might
happen to be away on some errand, or expose them to the rude gaze of
the multitude in the market-house; and I groaned in spirit as I
thought what a troublesome creature the "lady-help" was to manage.
During this sympathizing colloquy with myself, my aunt went on
expatiating most eloquently on the merits of her _protege_, Lizzie
Hall. Some pause occurring--for want of breath, I really believe, on
my aunt's side--good-breeding seemed to require a remark from me, and
I faltered out some objection as to the accommodations a city
household afforded for a person of Lizzie Hall's condition.

"Of course," said my aunt, "she will not wish to sit at the same table
with the black servants you may happen to have; but Lizzie will not
cause you any trouble on the score of accommodations, I'll answer for
it, Enna; she is too sensible a person not to fully understand the
difference between town and country habits--and if you say so, I will
engage her for you when I return to Rockland."

My father, who had been dozing over his paper, gradually aroused
himself as this conversation progressed, and as my aunt made the last
proposition, he entered into it most cordially, and begged she would
endeavor to procure the young woman, and send her by the earliest
opportunity. I remained quiet--for I could not say any thing heartily,
seeing nothing but vexation and annoyance in the whole affair for me.
The young woman was evidently a favorite with my Aunt Lina; and should
she not prove a very useful or agreeable maid to me, I would receive
but little sympathy from my immediate family. My father is as ignorant
as a child of what we poor housekeepers require in a domestic; and my
Aunt Lina, though kind-hearted and well-wishing, is in equally as
blissful a state. A very indifferent servant, who happened to please
her fancy, she would magnify into a very excellent one; then, being
rather opinionative and "_set_," as maiden ladies are apt to be when
they pa