[TO THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR."]
SIR,—I hope I am not too late with my contribution towards the interesting discussion going on just now in your paper. I refer to the letters on domestic servants. May I, as one of them, .give ray opinion ? The letter of" Satisfied Mistress "was the first one I read, and after reading it I said to myself "Well, that lady is worth serving." It is nice to come across ladies sometimes who treat their servants with consideration and kindness, and I am sure they will be repaid with good service. As "J: P." says in her letter, we do know a good mistress when we get one, and serve her accord- ingly. So I thank "Satisfied Mistress" for her kindness to ser- vants. I know several houses Tun on the 'same principles as "Satisfied Mistress" runs hers: plenty of liberty if liked, and comfort within doors; with the result the houses are nicely kept, and some of the servants have been there for fourteen years (in one house), and in other two houses I know of the maids have been ten years. The thing speaks for itself. When maids are con stantly changing, there is something wrong, as it cannot always be the fault of the maids. I like the bit in her letter which says there are no " left-overs " in her bedrooms. Such a boon to get a nice bedroom ! How often are our bedrooms made up at old carpets, broken furniture, old beds, with nasty old mattresses on them. Truly some ladies think any old thing is good enough for servants. They forget that we can enjoy a nice thing just the same as they can.
The letter of "H." speaks for itself. Like "J. P.," I am very much surprised at such a letter coming from a minister's wife. One expects something different from a manse. If " H." is as sarcastic to her maid as she is represented in her letter to the Spectator, then I am not surprised at her not being able to keep her maid. After reading her letter I said : "Nothing on earth would tempt me to serve her." I resent very much the remark about the "clammy sitting-room." Would "H." kindly explain what she means by "clammy sittingLroom" kept for funerals and gloomy occasions? If they are clammy, which I deny, they are a jolly sight more comfortable than some of the servants' bedrooms, whose windows very often look out on coal-cellars and ashpits; and a decent meal can be got in the "ben end," which is more than can be got in some of the manse kitchens, which I know for a fact; and let me also remind "H." that it is the folks who occupy the clammy sitting-rooms who help to keep "H." sitting in the drawing-room she talks about. Like " J. P.," I also say that "H." deserves all she gets. I have been in service for twenty years, and in that time I have never yet had a mistress, or even heard of one, who gives her maids a cup of tea in bed every morning. I think "Dissatisfied Servant" must have only dreamt it—if she will excuse me saying so.
I differ from Miss C. Tait when she says we don't mind comfort or liberty so much as being looked down upon, which we cer- tainly are. We do like comforts and the privilege of being able to go out for an hour or two, even if we don't take advantage of it every day. Yet the privilege is a great boon. We resent the way we are looked down on, no matter how high our position in service. The fact that you are a servant is quite enough for some folks. Now, what we want is a Union, and I hope the day is not far distant when we shall get -it, and put an end ono for all to the domestic servant being looked down on, as the Union will put us
on an equal footing, with other workers who have not the long hours we have—namely from 6 or 6.30 till 10, and at everybody's beck and call. And let the "gentry ". take their dinner at 1 o'clock instead of 8.o'cloek. I am sure they would feel a lot happier—an4 so, would the servants.—I am, Sir, &e, A. B.
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