A YEEY GOOD SERVANT. 
good deal longer notice of leaving than fifteen days. 
Before we became np to the dodges of servants, we 
used to be very considerate. “ Your mother is dying ? 
Poor man, of course you must go, and have your 
full wages up to date,” and on such an urgent occa- 
sion, for the sake of common humanity, we will cheer- 
fully submit to the unpleasant inconvenience of hav- 
ing no servant. The kitchen cooly will keep us from 
starvation. A short time afterwards a special mess- 
age would arrive that our servant’s mother* was very 
sick, and would have to be moved to some other part 
of the country, and of course that duty must devolve 
on him ; he was very sorry, but he could not come 
back, and master had better get another servant. A 
few days after this on stepping into a neighbour’s 
bungalow, who should also step in but our old ser- 
vant, doing all the duties of his new situation. We 
would say something very reproachful, probably ask 
whether his mother was dead and buried, or had 
suddenly got well ? He would say nothing, only prob- 
ably give a laugh and run out of the room. After 
that incident we felt no sympathy at all with our 
servants when told of the illness or even death of 
any of their relatives, not even if it was their father 
or mother ! If their parents had been of little ser- 
vice to them in many general ways, they made up 
for it in this very strange way, they got sick and 
died so often ! When we saw our servant some morn- 
ing come in with a very grave face, unusually serious, 
there was sure to be something ‘ ‘ up. ” If, after the 
breakfast things were cleared away, instead, as usual, 
of retiring to the kitchen, he stood at a short dis- 
tance from you, stood steadfastly looking at you, but 
said nothing, your former suspicions would be con- 
firmed. You would then ask him what he wanted. 
After some difficulty the only reply would be Mas- 
ter knows I am a vary good servant.” The very 
good servant would be not in the least abashed or 
confounded , if he was told plump and plain that we 
knew nothing of the sort, but quite the contrary. 
If he did not retire, we would again press him on 
the subject, when he would likely begin some long 
story of the illness and destitution of some of his 
relations, and that they were very poor. A light 
now begins to dawn upon us, and we have a toler- 
ably good idea what is wanted. So, to save a length - 
ened and prolonged interview, we plainly ask him 
how much money he wants in advance, for there is 
no manner of doubt that is what he is drifting at. 
We are right, the sum is named, and with some slight 
irritation, we exclaim, “ Could you not have briefly 
said so at first, and saved all this long talk ? ” There 
