KIDD'S OWN JOURNAL. 



129- 



THE WORLD WE LIVE IN. 

 PICTURES OF SOCIETY,— No. III. 



{Continued from page 371, Vol.11.) 



Out on our wretched falsehood ! studied, cold — 

 Are we not like that actor of old time, 

 Who wore his mask so long, his features took 

 Its likeness ? j j> j;_ j^ 



OUBTLESS, my Dear Sir, 

 you will permit me to pre- 

 face this division of our 

 subject, with a few apposite 

 remarks on Truth, copied 

 from "The Petrel." The 

 pages of our Journal are 

 so pre-eminently distinguished for the love 

 of truth, and hatred of falsehood, that I should 

 indeed insult you were I to volunteer an 

 apology for my request : — 



Truthfulness is beyond all price. No crime, 

 however atrocious, makes such wild havoc with 

 human happiness as falsehood, which sheds a vile, 

 insidious venom through all the thousand ramifi- 

 cations of social hopes and fears : joys and sorrows, 

 — aggravating every evil, blighting every blessing. 

 Oh, that men would bear in mind that Truth is 

 the very spirit of God ! It blesseth him who scru- 

 pulously adheres to it. It enables him to shed 

 peace and confidence around him daily, hourly, 

 momentarily ; whilst it brings to himself peace of 

 mind and self-esteem. 



Falsehood, on the other hand, is the curse of 

 social life. It is the peculiar attribute of Satan — 

 the brand with which hemarkshis besotted slaves 

 so distinctly, that he who runs may read. 



Truths, such as these, Mr. Editor, few will 

 venture to depart from. All persons " pro- 

 fess" to love truth, and hate falsehood ; and 

 it would be high treason to question their 

 sincerity. Yet do we daily see these same 

 people virtually and habitually violating the 

 very principles they uphold ! Let me restrict 

 myself to one instance only — and that, a too 

 familiar one. 



You have, more than once, pointed out the 

 incalculable injury that arises from placing 

 children in the care of servants unworthy of 

 the trust. Trite as the subject may be, it is 

 one which it behoves every thinking person 

 to agitate, until some improvement in the pre- 

 sent lamentable system shall have taken place. 

 How is it, let me ask, that the majority of 

 these " domestic machines" possess not a 

 single quality — not even that of good temper, 

 to fit them for their duty ? How is it, that in 

 all other departments the same well-grounded 

 complaints exist ? 



There can be but one proper answer. The 

 evils complained of, have their rise in the 

 unthinking (unfeeling ?) practice of giving 

 servants false characters ; or if not false, at all 

 events characters that are " not true." In 

 ninety-nine cases out of every hundred, the 

 real cause of dismissal is not stated, either by 



the person discharged, or the person who 

 has discharged her. The motive of each is 

 but too apparent. Both parties are equally 

 afraid of each other; and so far, act in 

 concert. 



Let us pause here one moment ; for false 

 characters are a national evil. That they are 

 so readily obtainable, is a disgrace to society, 

 who owe a duty to each other. Ladies really 

 should render each other a more acceptable 

 service. I readily grant that as things are, 

 however painfully conscious a lady may be of 

 the responsibility she incurs whilst giving a 

 character which enables a bad servant to enter 

 another family ; yet she would scarcely be 

 justified in entailing upon herself and others, 

 the annoyances which a refusal would doubt- 

 less incur.* No diplomacy, I believe, has 

 yet been found equal to the combination of 

 strict regard to truth, with immunity from un- 

 pleasant consequences. 



Some time since, on being applied to for the 

 character of a most undeserving person, I gave 

 one so laconic, that it seemed improbable an 

 engagement would be obtained by means of it. 

 This was my object ; for the situation was 

 one of some trust, in the household of an 

 elderly invalid lady. Calling a short time 

 subsequently, to learn the result, I found to 

 my dismay that the very conciseness of my 

 note bad been construed favorably ! Her dis- 

 missal soon took place, and the same character 

 was restored to her. In her next application, 

 she was not so fortunate. She therefore re- 

 turned to me, and complained of the ineffi- 

 ciency of the document I had written. What 

 was I to do ? She forced her way into a sick 

 chamber, and refused to leave it ! I had no 

 alternative, but to give her an other, f 



I pass over individual experiences — of one 

 house being robbed, and another set on fire. 

 Also of our having left(for a few days) at home, 

 a pet canary — an old bird, but in perfect health 

 and song, and dearer to me than any other, of 

 however much greater intrinsic value he 

 might be. On our return, we indeed found a 

 bird ; but a mute had been substituted for our 

 stolen favorite ! It is not so very long, since 

 I was commissioned to leave a note of cer- 



* Gentle Forestiera ! permit us to remark, that 

 we cannot allow this plea. Nor do you, in your 

 inmost soul. The greater and more disagreeable 

 the duty we have to perform, the more noble the 

 sacrifice made in the performance of it. We shall 

 live to hear you readily acknowledge this. — 

 Ed. K. J. 



f Here again we must enter a firm protest against 

 your course of action. You were painfully situated, 

 we grant ; but you should have at once sent your 

 servant for a policeman, and have gently handed 

 the intruder over to his care. In law, no persons 

 can be compelled to give their discharged servants 

 a character ; but if they give it, it -must be just 

 and true. — Ed. K. J. 



Vol. Ill— 9. 



