CHAP. XXXVII.] SCARCITY OF SERVANTS. 303 



and the English in others. They publish three 

 newspapers. We took up our quarters at a com 

 fortable old-fashioned inn, where we were waited 

 upon by the members of the family, for the difficulty 

 of hiring or retaining servants here, seems to be ex 

 treme. One girl had left a lady, whose acquaintance 

 we made, because, being a farmer s daughter, she 

 was not allowed to sit down at table with her mis 

 tress. The lady s sister, who was accomplished, and 

 conversed with us on many literary subjects, was 

 obliged to milk the cow for the whole summer, though 

 they were in easy circumstances, such was the 

 scarcity of &quot; help.&quot; Fortunately for us, my wife 

 and I had, by this time, acquired the habit of wait 

 ing on ourselves in the inns, going occasionally down 

 to the kitchen to ask for things, in a way which in 

 England would be thought quite derogatory to one s 

 dignity, especially in the eyes of the servants, whose 

 trouble would thereby be lessened. Here, on the 

 contrary, we found that it made us popular. The 

 general system in America that servants at inns re 

 ceive no gratuities, but are paid ample wages in 

 stead, is one cause of this difference. Yet much may 

 be said in its favour, as it raises the independence of 

 the servants, and relieves strangers from the per 

 plexity of determining what fees are suitable. 



There was a crowded public meeting the day of 

 our arrival, at which several orators were haranguing 

 an audience of the lowest class, in favour of war 

 with England about Oregon. The walls were pla 

 carded with bills, on which were printed, in large 

 letters, these words, &quot; Forty-Five, or Fight,&quot; which 



