stress ever found
fault with _my_ cooking (or washing), and I have always lived with the
_best families_, too.' The cutting emphasis with which this point of the
'best families' is pushed home, is familiar to nearly every housekeeper.
It was scarcely a departure from sober truth in the lady who, on being
asked if she kept a hired girl, replied that she had an Irish lady
boarding with her, who occasionally condescended, when she had nothing
of more consequence to do, to help a little in the work of the family.
An amusing trifle is going the rounds of the papers, which well hits
off, and without much exaggeraration, the self-assumed prerogatives of
the servant girl of our great cities:

"Now, Miss Bradford, I always likes to have a good, old-fashioned
talk with the lady I lives with, before I begins. I'm awful
tempered, but I'm dreadful forgivin'. Have you Hecker's flour,
Beebe's range, hot and cold water, stationary tubs, oilcloth on the
floor, dumb waiter?' Then follows her planned programme for the
week: 'Monday I washes. I'se to be let alone that day. Tuesday I
irons. Nobody's to come near me that day. Wednesday I bakes. I'se
to be let alone that day. Thursday I picks up the house. Nobody's
to come near me that day. Friday I goes to the city. Nobody's to
come near me that day. Saturday I bakes, and Saturday afternoon my
beau comes to see me. Nobody's to come near me that day. Sunday I
has to myself."

I have now pointed out some of the principal faults of servants, and
indicated what I believe to be some of the causes of those faults.
Alluding, in passing, to some influences which it seems to me might be
made available in correcting some of these faults, I have yet to mention
what I conceive to be the most important reason of all for the general
worthlessness of the class under consideration. And in noticing this I
shall necessarily couple with that notice some suggestions which I
firmly believe, if put into practice, will be exceedingly beneficial in
producing the reform we all so ardently wish for. And I feel the less
hesitation in saying this, because they are based upon no theory of my
own devising, but upon principles which are everywhere recognized and
acted upon, except, singularly enough, in the conduct of our domestic
affairs. To be brief, then, I attribute the greatest of the evils of our
system of domestic service _to a want of business management