368 REGULATION OF TIME OFF. 



should be apprised of the intention of the owner as soon as 

 possible, but given to understand that his services will be 

 required until a certain date and that no reference will be 

 given should he leave before that time. 



" A good servant is very apt to take it into his head that there is nobody 

 like him. He begins to give himself airs, as if he were an indispensable 

 personage, whose loss could not be supplied. He will sometimes forget 

 himself so far as to do things which he knows would procure the discharge 

 of any other servant. The longer a man of this kind is suffered the worse 

 he grows. He encroaches here and there till he has privileges sufficient to 

 incite rebellion in all the rest of the household. At last he becomes quite a 

 fool, and there is no longer any managing of him, and he has to be sent 

 about his business. A man who ventures to do wrong, or to forget his duty, 

 merely because he knows that he is highly esteemed, must have very little 

 foresight. It is the very way to forfeit all he has gained, and estimation of 

 this kind once lost is always lost. It is a greater evil to lose a good name 

 than never to obtain it." -John Stewart, " Stable Economy" p. 70. 



It is economy when a servant is to be discharged for 

 some fault to have as little time as possible elapse between 

 his getting notice and his actual exit from your service. 

 A malicious servant can do a great deal of harm in a few 

 hours. 



" Personally," said I, " I always make short work of it both with horses 

 or servants, when I find either absolutely burdens. My advice is, send for 

 your delectable stud- groom, give him a month's wages, pay his way back to 

 where he came from, give him a couple of sovereigns extra to soften his 

 prompt dismissal, and start him by the first conveyance in the morning : you 

 can give as a reason for dismissing him that you intend to take charge of 

 your horses yourself." Charles Brindley, " The Hunting Field" p. 88. 



REGULATION OF TIME OFF. 



Too many owners consider a request for a uniform amount 

 of time off a piece of unreasonable assumption. Servants 

 who serve their employer faithfully should be considerately 



