HOUSEHOLD HELP. 357 



does, and to sew on the merchine, and to do heaps o' things. 

 My ! but I does wish you wanted her ! " 



She was thoroughly in earnest and had not the least idea 

 that any one could take exception to her words or wishes, 

 or that they were in any Avay unreasonable. 



Perhaps the most satisfactory — nay, we should more cor- 

 rectly say, the least unsatisfactory — help the Florida house- 

 keeper can find among the native colored population, as at 

 present generally constituted, is a ''dish-washer," pure and 

 simple ; namely, a boy of about twelve or sixteen years of 

 age, who can Avash dishes, pots, and pans, prepare vegeta- 

 bles, make fires, carry wood, scour the floors, and at odd 

 times do light out-of-door work, such as hoeing and weed- 

 ing the flowers. 



From three to five dollars a month are the wages usually 

 paid the "dish-washer," and, if a good-tempered, obedient 

 boy, who is above the average intelligence of his class, can 

 be obtained, he will lighten the burden of housekeeping 

 wonderfully. We tried two of them once ; they were not 

 of this latter kind, though. 



One was a mulatto boy, who was bright enough, and 

 easily taught his duties, but disobedient, indisposed to work 

 and very sullen in disposition. He departed suddenly one 

 day, by special permission, after threatening to horsewhip 

 his mistress because she opined that the corners of the 

 kitchen required sweeping as well as the center. 



There is an odd incident connected with this promising 

 youth, which so aptly illustrates the fondness of his race 

 for high-sounding names, that we can not refrain from in- 

 serting it here. 



He had two sisters. One, by the assistance of a fun- 

 loving white neighbor, was named "E Pluribus Solus," 

 to the intense delight and pride of her parents. The sec- 

 ond one was called Jettica, and when, a little later, the 



