KEEPING HOUSE AND HOUSE KEEPING. CHAPTER I. THE CONSULTATION. "My dear," said Mrs. Harley to her husband one morning, "I have been thinking we had better make a change in our domestic department. Nancy, I find, is getting quite impertinent; she wants to go out one afternoon every week, and that, in addition to her nightly meetings, is quite too much. Shall I settle with her to-day and dismiss her ?" 66 Why, wife," said Mr. Harley, "you really astonish me. This changing of help is enough. to make one wearied of living. very good girl, for aught I can see. Nancy is a I am sure she is an excellent cook, and you had better take into the account how much you would miss her in arranging your supper-table now and then, and her economical habits in the use of every article, not excepting wood, wherein she has saved full half her wages the present winter." 6 "Oh, husband, you know nothing about her. To be sure, she is careful about some things, and methodical and neat, I will allow; but she wants too many privileges. There must be a fortnight every year set apart for visiting her mother, and that hateful aunt, that plagued us so last summer with coming down' to do her shopping, as she called it. Besides, there is Friday evening for the lecture, and she is not always as pleasant as you take her to be when you are out of the house. I only wish you had to manage one week in-doors. I suspect making out invoices and examining bales of merchandise would be easy work compared with it. But tell me, had I not better dismiss Nancy before we give our party? There is a fine housekeeper who is about leaving Mrs. Hunt, whom I could obtain for two dollars a week, and with her I could get rid of overseeing forever from morning till night. However, I submit it to you whether she shall go or not; I want no words as an afterpiece. Say all now, just as you think." "As you ask my advice, my dear, I will give it you; but you know, beforehand, you will act as you please, notwithstanding. I make it a rule with myself, when I obtain a clerk who is honest and faithful, to overlook the many disagreeables by steadily fixing my eye upon the predominating good qualities, and to retain him in my service. As there are no faultless beings among the employers nor the employed, I account it a good thing to be forbearing to overlook what we cannot avoid; and when we do reprove, let it be done mildly, yet firmly. I should try this course with Nancy, and if she is really incorrigible and impudent, I should dismiss her; if not, by all means keep her; for our frequent changes of help may lead people to call us very particular persons, to say the least. As I have already remarked, you can talk with Nancy, and if you find her desirous of staying, I would show a disposition to retain her, for where there is one better you would find many worse, as we have had frequent experience." "I don't know about that, Mr. Harley. Su B san Miles was a great deal pleasanter tempered, and kinder to little John. Ellen Sawyer was very good, although she was slack; and there are things I do not like in Nancy; and as I have all, comparatively, to do with her, I must say I am the better judge about her good or bad qualities." 66 'Well, wife, I see, after all, you mean to have your own way. My place is in the store, yours in the house; and I leave you to manage. I will bring home some small notes at dinner-time, and if Nancy has her dismission, she can be paid and go, I suppose." Mr. Harley made his way to the store, thankful, as we may infer, that he had one retreat where the din of fault-finding was not heard. As Nancy came up to take the breakfast dishes, Mrs. Harley began to interrogate her. "I find, Nancy, of late, you require many privileges. I have just been talking with husband, and he thinks if we can keep together, we had better; if not, we will separate. You know your wages are high, and my demands. upon your time are proportionately so; if, therefore, you can give up your weekly after |
