HIGH LIFE BELOW STAIRS

Western Star, Issue 336, 14 February 1880, Page 6

HIGH LIFE BELOW STAIRS

A London householder sends the following account of a case of modern “ high life below stairs ” to the papers. He says: —“ Trusting the following tacts that lately occurred to me may be a warning ; to any of your readers who may be placed i in the same position, I have thought it i only right to give them publicity through your,widely-read columns. About a fortnight since I was suddenly called i from home-by an urgent telegram ini timating the sudden illness of a near '' relative, and, together with my wife, left i the house at a tew hours’ notice, taking i only what we considered absolutely neces- , sary. The house was left in caarge of I three female servants and the coachman, I all of whom had been in my service for a J long time, and were I considered, thoroughly trustworthy, When we left I vve told the servants we should probably Ihe back in about a fortnight’s time, j After remaining at my relative’s house 1 three days the illness took a favorable turn, and the doctors pronounced the patient • out of all danger. We accordingly re- ; turned to town the same afternoon, and arrived home about 10 that night. You may judge of my surprise when we drew up at our door to find the whole house brilliantly lighted up and sounds of music and dancing going on in the drawingroom. However, I let myself in with my key, and immediately proceeded to the room from whence the sounds of festivity came. Tnere we found some ten or a dozen couples, all in full evening dress, dancing, and a man playing the piano. In an adjoining room our cook, robed in one uf my wife’s newest dresses, was doing the £ Lady Bountiful’ at a supper-table, at which was seated among some other people,another of our servants —the lady’s maid—dressed in one of my wife’s evening dree**)* and wearing a large quantity of her jewels. The sequel is soon told. After the confusion consequent on our unexpected arrival had subsided, the ‘ guests ’ we'-e bundled out of the house, our four servants quickly followed them, and were left to manage as best we could till we could engage a fresh supply. On examining our rooms, we found that most of the drawers containing my wife’s valuables and dresses had been opened by duplicate beys, and that very free use had evidently been made of their contents by our late domestics.”