THE MAID-OF-ALL-WORK'S EPITAPH.
[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.] SIR,—You remember that some time ago you printed versions of the epitaph of a Maid-of-all-work who was " going Lo do nothing for ever and ever " ? Now, Miss Pleignier, of 81 Rosebery Road, Clapham Park, S.W. 2, called upon me recently and said that she had a copy of the epitaph made by her grandmother, Mrs. Whiteside, before 1860, and she left a copy of it with me. Miss Pleignier said that the stone was in Bushey Churchyard, and that she wrote to the Rector, aski g if she might see it. He replied in a letter of January 10th, 1916, saying that the stone was destroyed. She, doubting, went to Bushey and found the stone in a heap
of rubbish.
Miss Pleignier came to me and asked me to take steps to have the stone preserved. To me it is a very "human docu- ment," and quite worth saving, but what power have I in such a matter ? But it occurred to me that I might present the matter to your judgment, and that perhaps you might feel disposed to give it some publicity, which might have the effect of saving the stone. It seems to me that it might be lodged somewhere in safety. I have not, however, had the opportunity of verifying Miss Pleig,nier's statements as to her visit and sight of the stone.
I append a copy of her grandmother's copy of the lines :— " Here lies a poor woman who always was tired, For she lived in a place where help wasn't hired, Her last words on earth were, Dear friends, I am going Where washing ain't done nor sweeping nor sewing, And everything there is exact to my wishes, For there they don't eat, there's no washing of dishes, I'll he where loud anthems will always be ringing (But having no voice, I'll be out of the singing). Don't mourn for me now, don't mourn for me never, For I'm going to do nothing for ever and ever.'" British Museum.
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