idle ideas in 1905-第30节

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〃Well；〃　said　Mrs。　Wilkins；　〃I've　nothin'　to　say　agen　the　Chinaman；　as
a　Chinaman。　　As　to　'is　being　a　'eathen；　well；　throwin'　stones　at　a
church；　as　the　sayin'　is；　don't　make　a　Christian　of　you。　　There's
Christians　I've　met　as　couldn't　do　themselves　much　'arm　by　changing
their　religion；　and　as　to　cleanliness；　well；　I've　never　met　but　one；
and　'e　was　a　washerwoman；　and　I'd　rather　'ave　sat　next　to　'im　in　a
third…class　carriage　on　a　Bank　'Oliday　than　next　to　some　of　'em。

〃Seems　to　me；〃　continued　Mrs。　Wilkins；　〃we've　got　into　the　'abit　of
talkin'　a　bit　too　much　about　other　people's　dirt。　　The　London
atmosphere　ain't　nat'rally　a　dry…cleanin'　process　in　itself；　but
there's　a　goodish　few　as　seem　to　think　it　is。　　One　comes　across
Freeborn　Britons　'ere　and　there　as　I'd　be　sorry　to　scrub　clean　for　a
shillin'　and　find　my　own　soap。〃

〃It　is　a　universal　failing；　Mrs。　Wilkins；〃　I　explained。　　〃If　you　talk
to　a　travelled　Frenchman；　he　contrasts　to　his　own　satisfaction　the
Paris　ouvrier　in　his　blue　blouse　with　the　appearance　of　the　London
labourer。〃

〃I　daresay　they're　all　right　according　to　their　lights；〃　said　Mrs。
Wilkins；　〃but　it　does　seem　a　bit　wrong　that　if　our　own　chaps　are
willin'　and　anxious　to　work；　after　all　they've　done；　too；　in　the　way
of　getting　the　mines　for　us；　they　shouldn't　be　allowed　the　job。〃

〃Again；　Mrs。　Wilkins；　it　is　difficult　to　arrive　at　a　just
conclusion；〃　I　said。　　〃The　mine…owner；　according　to　his　enemies；
hates　the　British　workman　with　the　natural　instinct　that　evil
creatures　feel　towards　the　noble　and　virtuous。　　He　will　go　to　trouble
and　expense　merely　to　spite　the　British　workman；　to　keep　him　out　of
South　Africa。　　According　to　his　friends；　the　mine…owner　sets　his　face
against　the　idea　of　white　labour　for　two　reasons。　　First　and
foremost；　it　is　not　nice　work；　the　mine…owner　hates　the　thought　of
his　beloved　white　brother　toiling　in　the　mines。　　It　is　not　right　that
the　noble　white　man　should　demean　himself　by　such　work。　　Secondly；
white　labour　is　too　expensive。　　If　for　digging　gold　men　had　to　be
paid　anything　like　the　same　prices　they　are　paid　for　digging　coal；
the　mines　could　not　be　worked。　　The　world　would　lose　the　gold　that
the　mine…owner　is　anxious　to　bestow　upon　it。

〃The　mine…owner；　following　his　own　inclinations；　would　take　a　little
farm；　grow　potatoes；　and　live　a　beautiful　lifeperhaps　write　a
little　poetry。　　A　slave　to　sense　of　duty；　he　is　chained　to　the
philanthropic　work　of　gold…mining。　　If　we　hamper　him　and　worry　him
the　danger　is　that　he　will　get　angry　with　uspossibly　he　will　order
his　fiery　chariot　and　return　to　where　he　came　from。〃

〃Well；　'e　can't　take　the　gold　with　him；　wherever　'e　goes　to？〃　argued
Mrs。　Wilkins。

〃You　talk；　Mrs。　Wilkins；〃　I　said；　〃as　if　the　gold　were　of　more　value
to　the　world　than　is　the　mine…owner。〃

〃Well；　isn't　it？〃　demanded　Mrs。　Wilkins。

〃It's　a　new　idea；　Mrs。　Wilkins；〃　I　answered；　〃it　wants　thinking　out。〃



HOW　TO　SOLVE　THE　SERVANT　PROBLEM。



〃I　am　glad　to　see；　Mrs。　Wilkins；〃　I　said；　〃that　the　Women's　Domestic
Guild　of　America　has　succeeded　in　solving　the　servant　girl　problem
none　too　soon；　one　might　almost　say。〃

〃Ah；〃　said　Mrs。　Wilkins；　as　she　took　the　cover　off　the　bacon　and　gave
an　extra　polish　to　the　mustard…pot　with　her　apron；　〃they　are　clever
people　over　there；　leastways；　so　I've　always　'eard。〃

〃This；　their　latest；　Mrs。　Wilkins；〃　I　said；　〃I　am　inclined　to　regard
as　their　greatest　triumph。　　My　hope　is　that　the　Women's　Domestic
Guild　of　America；　when　it　has　finished　with　the　United　States　and
Canada；　will；　perhaps；　see　its　way　to　establishing　a　branch　in
England。　　There　are　ladies　of　my　acquaintance　who　would　welcome；　I
feel　sure；　any　really　satisfactory　solution　of　the　problem。〃

〃Well；　good　luck　to　it；　is　all　I　say；〃　responded　Mrs。　Wilkins；　〃and
if　it　makes　all　the　gals　contented　with　their　places；　and　all　the
mistresses　satisfied　with　what　they've　got　and　'appy　in　their　minds；
why；　God　bless　it；　say　I。〃

〃The　mistake　hitherto；〃　I　said；　〃from　what　I　read；　appears　to　have
been　that　the　right　servant　was　not　sent　to　the　right　place。　　What
the　Women's　Domestic　Guild　of　America　proposes　to　do　is　to　find　the
right　servant　for　the　right　place。　　You　see　the　　difference；　don't
you；　Mrs。　Wilkins？〃

〃That's　the　secret；〃　agreed　Mrs。　Wilkins。　　They　don't　anticipate　any
difficulty　in　getting　the　right　sort　of　gal；　I　take　it？〃

〃I　gather　not；　Mrs。　Wilkins；〃　I　replied。

Mrs。　Wilkins　is　of　a　pessimistic　turn　of　mind。

〃I　am　not　so　sure　about　it；〃　she　said；　〃the　Almighty　don't　seem　to
'ave　made　too　many　of　that　sort。　　Unless　these　American　ladies　that
you　speak　of　are　going　to　start　a　factory　of　their　own。　　I　am　afraid
there　is　disappointment　in　store　for　them。〃

〃Don't　throw　cold　water　on　the　idea　before　it　is　fairly　started；　Mrs。
Wilkins；〃　I　pleaded。

〃Well；　sir；〃　said　Mrs。　Wilkins；　〃I　'ave　been　a　gal　myself　in　service；
and　in　my　time　I've　'ad　a　few　mistresses　of　my　own；　and　I've　'eard　a
good　deal　about　others。　　There　are　ladies　and　ladies；　as　you　may
know；　sir；　and　some　of　them；　if　they　aren't　exactly　angels；　are　about
as　near　to　it　as　can　be　looked　for　in　this　climate；　and　they　are　not
the　ones　that　do　most　of　the　complaining。　　But；　as　for　the　average
mistresswell　it　ain't　a　gal　she　wants；　it's　a　plaster　image；
without　any　natural　innardsa　sort　of　thing　as　ain't　'uman；　and
ain't　to　be　found　in　'uman　nature。　　And　then　she'd　grumble　at　it；　if
it　didn't　'appen　to　be　able　to　be　in　two　places　at　once。〃

〃You　fear　that　the　standard　for　that　'right　girl'　is　likely　to　be　set
a　trifle　too　high　Mrs。　Wilkins；〃　I　suggested。

〃That　'right　gal；'　according　to　the　notions　of　some　of　'em；〃　retorted
Mrs。　Wilkins；　〃'er　place　ain't　down　'ere　among　us　mere　mortals；　'er
place　is　up　in　'eaven　with　a　'arp　and　a　golden　crown。　　There's　my
niece；　Emma；　I　don't　say　she　is　a　saint；　but　a　better　'earted；　'arder
working　gal；　at　twenty　pounds　a　year；　you　don't　expect　to　find；
unless　maybe　you're　a　natural　born　fool　that　can't　'elp　yourself。
She　wanted　a　place。　　She　'ad　been　'ome　for　nearly　six　months；　nursing
'er　old　father；　as　'ad　been　down　all　the　winter　with　rheumatic　fever；
and　'ard…put　to　it　she　was　for　a　few　clothes。　　You　'ear　'em　talk
about　gals　as　insists　on　an　hour　a　day　for　practising　the　piano；　and
the　right　to　invite　their　young　man　to　spend　the　evening　with　them　in
the　drawing…room。　　Perhaps　it　is　meant　to　be　funny；　I　ain't　come
across　that　type　of　gal　myself；　outside　the　pictures　in　the　comic
papers；　and　I'll　never　believe；　till　I　see　'er　myself；　that　anybody
else　'as。　　They　sent　'er　from　the　registry　office　to　a　lady　at
Clapton。

〃'I　'ope　you　are　good　at　getting　up　early　in　the　morning？'　says　the
lady；　'I　like　a　gal　as　rises　cheerfully　to　'er　work。'

〃'Well；　ma'am；'　says　Emma；　'I　can't　say　as　I've　got　a　passion　for　it。
But　it's　one　of　those　things　that　'as　to　be　done；　and　I　guess　I've
learnt　the　trick。'

〃'I'm　a　great　believer　in　early　rising；'　says　my　lady；　'in　the
morning；　one　is　always　fresher　for　one's　work；　my　'usband　and　the
younger　children　breakfast　at　'arf　past　seven；　myself　and　my　eldest
daughter　'ave　our　breakfest　in　bed　at　eight。'

'That'll　be　all　right；　ma'am；'　says　Emma。

〃'And　I　'ope；'　says　the　lady；　'you　are　of　an　amiable　disposition。
Some　gals　when　you　ring　the　bell　come　up　looking　so　disagreeable；　one
almost　wishes　one　didn't　want　them。'

〃'Well；　it　ain't　a　thing；'　explains　Emma；　'as　makes　you　want　to　burst
out　laughing；　'earing　the　bell　go　off　for　the　twentieth　time；　and
'aving　suddenly　to　put　down　your　work　at；　perhaps；　a　critical　moment。
Some　ladies　don't　seem　able　to　reach　down　their　'at　for　themselves。'

〃'I　'ope　you　are　not　impertinent；'　says　the　lady；　'if　there's　one
thing　that　I　object　to　in　a　servant　it　is　impertinence。'

〃'We　none　of　us　like　being　answered　back；'　says　Emma；　'more
particularly　when　we　are　in　the　wrong。　　But　I　know　my　place　ma'am；
and　I　shan't　give　you　no　lip。　　It　always　leads　to　less　trouble；　I
find；　keeping　your　mouth　shut；　rather　than　opening　it。'

〃'Are　you　fond　of　children；'　asks　my　lady。

〃'It　depends　upon　the　children；'　says　Emma；　'there　are　some　I　'ave
'ad　to　do　with　as　made　the　day　seem　pleasanter；　and　I've　come　across
others　as　I　could　'ave　parted　from　at　any　moment　without　tears。'

〃'I　like　a　gal；'　says　the　lady；　'who　is　naturally　fond　of　children；
it　shows　a　good　character。'

〃'How　many　of　them　are　there？'　says　Emma。

〃'Four　of　them；'　answers　my　lady；　'but　you　won't　'ave　much　to　do
except　with　the　two　youngest。　　The　great　thing　with　young　children　is
to　surround　them　with　good　examples。　　Are　you　a　Christian？'　asks　my
lady。

〃'That's　what　I'm　generally　called；'　says　Emma。

〃'Every　other　Sunday　evening　out　is　my　rule；'　says　the　lady；　'but　of
course　I　shall　expect　you　to　go　to　church。'

〃'Do　you　mean　in　my　time；　ma'am；'　says　Emma；　'or　in　yours。'

〃'I　mean　on　your　evening　of　course；'　says　my　lady。　　''Ow　else　could
you　go？'

〃'Well；　ma'am；'　says　Emma；　'I　like　to　see　my　people　now　and　then。'

〃'There　are　better　things；'　says　my　lady；　'than　seeing　what　you　call
your　people；　and　I　should　not　care　to　take　a　girl　into　my　'ouse　as
put　'er　pleasure　before　'er　religion。　　Yo