THE " SPECIMEN DAY " OF A PARSON'S WIFE

[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.] SIR, —I have seen the articles in the Spectator on " Specimen Days." Perhaps you would consider one of my days inter- esting, as it is as candidly described as the" Days " I have read. I am a parson's wife. We have a house containing nineteen rooms, for which we pay no rent, and round it are lawns, and a kitchen garden. I have two children at home, and two at boarding-school. Those at home are taught by a governess who gives them -tuition in return for a comfortable home, and good food. I have one elder maid, and two young ones, also a gardener, who receives £163 a year, and whose services are necessary for coal and water, and who lives out. - At 7.30 I get up and dress the youngest child. After breakfast, and the giving, and writing, of orders for household work and supplies, I answer business letters. Then, as will readily be imagined, with only two young maids about the house, some cleaning, tidying, arranging, or renewing comes in with fair frequency. Once a week (frequently twice) the horse is put in at 10.30, and I drive myself to the town, and there choose, and bring.. back, meat, fish, fruit, ace. (The only article with which we can be fully supplied by

trade delivery is bread.) I do not get back much before the midday meal.

The afternoons of these days I spend in needlework or writing. Once a week the whole morning is given to sorting, booking, and repairing the laundry; and washing the small woollen things. The other mornings of the week are spent in making, altering, and repairing the 'wardrobes of the whole family. The afternoons of those days I usually spend in visiting in the parish. Last year I paid 196 visits, the year before 242, and the year before that 212. When people are out, the visit is not counted. I have also to attend gatherings such as those of the Women's Institute or those connected with charities. These frequently keep me till seven.

I confess that after seven I do no work beyond putting the youngest child to bed and knitting the family's stockings. My aim has always been that everybody in the house should do about the same amount. Upon this point—evening work—

I am perhaps the idlest. But, on the other hand, between three and seven, when the maids are resting, I am at work. It is easy, so long as no one in the house is ill.

The gardener keeps himself. The cost of keeping the rest of us is as follows :—

£ s. d.

Rates and taxes (not Income Tax), per week

• • 1 15 0 Horse and trap, per week .. .. ..

• • 0 10 0 Stationery and postage per week . • •

0 7 6 Wages (indoor) .. .. .. . • •

1 15 0 House renewals (inside and out), per week ..

• •

1 15 0 Dressing 6 people, per week .. .

• •

1 10 0 Fuel, light, and washing, per head, per week

• • 0 4 10 Food, per head, per week .. .

• • 0 11 6

We have an income of £1,100 a year. The above expenses come to about £740. All the remainder goes on school fees, charity and presents,, and medical expenses. If there is any over it is used for a holiday. If not it is not.

Neither I nor my husband ever have any amusements. He has one cigarette' a day, and I one newspaper. We have one weekly newspaper and we all have sweets at Christmas and Easter, but not at other times. As I some- times have as many as five visitors in one day on parish business, my life cannot always be arranged quite as methodically as I could wish. But what I want to know is—

am I a worker, or am I not am, Sir, &c., A PARSON'S WIFE.