How to Treat Hived Help.

Tuapeka Times, Volume XX, Issue 1428, 11 February 1888, Page 2 (Supplement)

How to Treat Hived Help.

There is no doubt but people who are obliged to keep servants have more or lass trouble with them. Perhaps I ought not to express my thoughts and feelings on this subject, as I do not keep regular servants ; however, 1 h.ivc had quite an amount of experience with hired help, ns we hire all our coarse work done, and I lind they are bumau, and with many a little kindness goes a great way ; there is no one rule that will work for all. As with children wo must govern them according to their dispositions, a mildrebuke to some will bring them to subjection, while other* would require a scries of punishments to yield, ifou will find a little study of your servant's disposition will prove that what would be a kindness to one wonld be sure to lead another farther from your influence. I think a little praise now and then is very gratifying. If servants do their work quickly and well, why not tell them you are pleased and let them see you appreciate their effoits, but, as I said before, one rule will not work for all, unless it be " kindness of heart" and ",true charity ;" even then you will find servants the world over whose heart's kindness or Christian charity will not soften. I was reading some time ago suggestions about our home life, and among them were these " Dont's " — Don't fret, don't be cross to children, dou't be too particular, don't be slovenly, don't talk too loud, don't mutter, don't order your servants, don't be too familiar with your servants, etc. I rather fancy these arc the disagreeable extremes — where is the person who can always, under any circumstances, hit the happy medium?

A tendency of the present day (says the London Saturday Review") is tho Jaxity of conversation peimittei by many ladies in society in their male friend?. This evil is one of rapid growth, and has spread in many cases from the married women to the girls, who think that they can make themselves as agreeable to the men as their successful rivals, by adopting the same style and allowing the same freedom of conversation. This, to a great extent, is attributable to the rage for beautiful women which for some time now has been dominant in London society ; for now a woman, if she is extremely lovely and can get an introduction, is sure to be a star in society for a time, no matter what her position may be and whether it entitles her to be feted and made much of by the great ones of the laud, and wishing to make her reign as successful as possible until a brighter star arises and eclipses her, permits and encourages that loose kind of conversation that is so attractive to many men. This rage for beauty has been a great bane in London society for some time, and has rightly been a source of annoyance to the younger unmarried members of families who hold there position by right, foi it is an undoubted hardship for them to feel themselves shelved and neglected by the men in favor of the fashionable beauties, and some of the sillier of them think that they can improve their position by copying the ways, manners, and conversation of these piratical craft.

Sofa Cushion. — First, make a square pillow of the size required and stuff it with hair or excelsior filling, then cut a cover of the same width, and five inches longer, of the common blue i<?enim, using the wrong or palest side for the outside. Ornament the cover with dogwood blossoms, or any fourpetaled flower, done in outline stitch with white working-cotton. Interspersed among the flowers place groups of dis^s as large, or larger, than :i silver dollar, and work them with turkey-red cotton. Groups of threes and twos are made irregular with the diskoverlapping and one in each group filled in darning stitch, and the others with lace stitch or French knots. The circles should be first traced in outline stitch. Sew three sides of the cover .together and edge with white or red cable cord, and tie the open end five inches from the top in meal bag fashion with a ribbon, or cord and tassels. The frill above tbe tying should be faced with Turkeyred calico. The self-evident advantages of this cushion over those of more elegant material lies in the possibility of laundrying it whenever it is soiled or defaced from daily use.