FEBRUARY 193 



market. But then are extra good, judicious, sensible 

 masters and mistresses so very common ? 



Of all the deadly -dull subjects of conversation among 

 women, the deadliest is the abuse of servants ; and few 

 seem to realise that it is practically self-condemnation, as, 

 in the long run, bad servants mean bad mistresses, or, 

 at any rate, mistresses with unsympathetic natures and 

 without the talent to rule firmly but not tyrannically. 



When we think of servants' homes and training, and 

 how their youth has been passed, especially in large 

 towns, and how they are suddenly brought to face 

 unaccustomed luxury and high feeding, and to live an 

 exciting life of society among themselves, the ceaseless 

 wonder to me always is that servants are as good as 

 they are, and keep as 'straight' as they do, more 

 especially as they are very often set a bad example by 

 the people they serve. In large households where there 

 are many — and consequently idle — menservants, keep- 

 ing up a high standard of morality is hopeless, or at 

 least very difficult. The constant absence from home 

 so common to-day is one of the great causes of 

 unsatisfactory establishments. 



Under -servants in moderate -sized houses are the 

 ones that excite my pity. It is always ' the girl ' who is 

 to do this and that, the half -up and half -down drudge 

 who has two or three people who think they have an 

 absolute right over her ; or ' the boy ' who is to have all 

 work and no play. It is on the same principle, I 

 suppose, as the ' fag ' at school. ' I had to do it once, 

 so now I will make someone else do the same.' Petty 

 love of power and cruelty is so inherent in human 

 nature ! As was recounted some time ago in the 

 ' Spectator,' ' I'll learn you to be a toad !'— the remark 

 of a small urchin as, stone in hand, he eyed the 

 offending reptile. 



