188 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



made acquaintance; the one frowned so darkly the other dare not 

 trespass. But this heroine, though she might not be an accomplished 

 linguist, though she could not finger with skill the harp or banjo, 

 could set a patch neatly and darn a stocking in a manner her father 

 and brother thought more handsome than any embroidery. One day, 

 when she was visiting a cousin, one of those overburdened women 

 whose patch-basket is never empty, and while doing what she could 

 to reduce the size of it, she told of her desire to be a support and not 

 a burden. As they were sewing and talking, this cousin said to 

 her: "Julia, how I wish you would come over every week and help 

 me with my mending. I would be very willing to pay you, and you 

 do your work in such an efficient manner, I know there are others 

 who would be glad to do the same. I do not seem to be able to keep 

 any help, although I pay all the wages they ask, and while it is pos- 

 sible by good management to get along with the rest of my work, to 

 have to sit up night after night patching and darning when the 

 others have gone to bed is that last straw that breaks the camel's 

 back. 



It seemed like queer employment, but why not? The fathers of 

 the family would certainly approve of having the buttons all on 

 and no holes in their stockings; but few favored fringes on their 

 wristbands or coats out at the elbow. Would they not think their 

 money as wisely expended for these things as given for lessons in 

 music? And as for^the mothers, their verdict was a foregone con- 

 clusion. When her friends found she was not above receiving the 

 honest penny for honest work, she was much in demand. Not only 

 to lower the mending basket, but to have the oversight of those so- 

 cial affairs in which a neighborhood delights, but which often prove 

 such wearisome things to the givers. One woman thus expressed 

 herself. "Certainly I would like to entertain — have a little party 

 every once and a while, but I cannot afford a caterer or to buy my 

 provisions already prepared, and I never will go through what I 

 did the last time I tried to pay some of my social debts. The half- 

 done turkey, the greasy oysters and that big spot of cranberry on 

 the table cloth filled me, thrilled me with such terrors never felt be- 

 fore, and like the Kaven, I said, 'Nevermore'." 



To be able to enjoy their friends' conversation and not have their 

 thoughts distracted by a thousand wonders as to this and that, 

 whether this thing was burning or that cooking; whether the chil- 

 dren were upsetting the ink bottle or pulling off the table cloth, etc., 

 etc.; to have someone arrange the table, and serve the meal in an 

 artistic manner; to turn on the lights at the proper time; to attend 

 to all these as well, if not better than they; was what many had 

 prayed for and but few hitherto attained. Julia's home training 

 had been such that she just fitted this waiting niche, and for her 



