Is an unjust inequality in this respect, extending throughout our whole country. But the evil is so wide-spread and so permanently established, that it is difficult to propose an adequate remedy. The subject, however, is worthy the attention of every philanthropist, being connected as it is with the welfare of a large and meritorious, yet often friendless, class of our female population. "I have known," says a late writer, "a widow, left with. four or five children to provide for, unable to leave home because her helpless babes demand her at- | tention, compelled to earn a scanty subsistence, by making coarse shirts at twelve and a half cents a piece, or by taking in washing, for which she was paid by some wealthy persons twelve and a half cents per dozen!" And work is often furnished to a poor woman at these rates under the plea of charity!-she is a widow, and needs this assistance from the wealthy! Such assistance charity spurns from the catalogue of her deeds! These specimens of benevolence, witnessed as they are in almost every community, are enough to call up a blush for the name of humanity! To take advantage of the necessities of an indigent woman, and wring from her the greatest possible amount of labor for the very smallest conceivable compen→ sation, is to exhibit a littleness of heart and meanness of disposition, utterly repugnant to every honorable mind. Thus to seize upon an opportunity which is most peculiarly favorable for the exercise of generosity and benevolence, to indulge in cruel and heartless extortion, is dishonorable and wicked in the extreme! The wages of domestics are graded at the lowest extreme of female compensation. In general they receive less for the seven days' weary toil of the week, than a laboring man obtains for the occupa tion of a single day. This disparity is too great, and is one of the chief causes of the difficulty in obtaining the services of capable females. As already remarked, the small mite, received for the wearisome labor of "housework," causes multitudes of young women to seek other employments, where the compensation is more liberal. Policy dictates that to secure faithful and efficient domestics, they should be paid good wages. And they should be paid promptly too. After toiling hard for so small a pittance, it is extremely ungenerous to put them off from time to time, and compel them to ask and importune for their just dues. The first debt paid should be to the domestic. And this should be done freely and cheerfully, without upbraiding or fault-finding. Never strive to induce domestics to leave the families of others, to enter your own employment. There is a rule of honor in this respect to be observed among friends and neighbors, which should never be violated, and which none but the small and selfish ever will violate. The following wise maxims are from Mr. Carey's "Rules for Masters and Mistresses," and are worthy of being inscribed on the walls of every family mansion. "I. The first cardinal rule, the dictate of common sense, reason, and religion, is, to treat domestics as you would wish to be treated yourselves, were you domestics. I am persuaded that the adoption of this single rule would remove one half of the current complaints against domestics. "II. Be deaf, and blind, and dumb to small faults. This is a rule too frequently disregarded even by masters and mistresses otherwise excellent and amiable. There is no error in family management that more frequently occasions the loss of good domestics, or produces more discomfort in the intercourse between the heads of families and their domestics. "III. Do not exact too severe service of your domestics as little as possible out of the ordinary tour of duty. "IV. When they perform any service beyond their proper line of duty, they ought to have some douceur. "V. Oblige your children, if you have any, to treat domestics with uniform civility. Never al.ow them to order or command domestics, particuarly in an imperious tone, which ought not to be tolerated for a moment. One master and one mistress are enough in a family. "VI. Do not attempt to confine your domes tics too much to the house. Let them have rea sonable and stated times of absence. "VII. When you are hiring domestics, be explicit in stating what you expect them to perform, taking so wide a range as to embrace whatever ought to be required on the one hand, or performed on the other. "VIII. When you have good domestics, cherish them as the apple of your eye. They are invaluable. "IX. When your domestics do ther duty to your satisfaction, give them their meed of praise. It will encourage them to continue that course CHAPTER VI. RELIGIOUS SENTIMENTS. "Nor are our pow'rs to perish immature; Shall flourish fair, and put forth all their bloom." I SHOULD Consider these essays entirely incom plete, were I to omit a particular reference to the subject of religion. It is not my intention to dis cuss doctrinal points, or to urge sectarian views upon the attention of the reader. This would be to turn aside from the path I have marked out for my direction in this work. To make some general observations, and submit a few suggestions on certain important points, in which, I trust, Christians of all sects coincide, is my only object in this and the two succeeding chapters. That the religion of the Gospel is vitally con nected with man's happiness in every condition of life, is an assertion which few will be disposed to question. There are none who cannot be made better and happier, by submitting themselves to its gentle and purifying influences-there are none |