The foreigners
that immigration now brings us, from countries where great class
distinctions exist, find it natural to "serve." With the increase
in education and consequent self-respect, the difficulty of getting
efficient and contented servants will increase with us. It has
already become a great social problem in England. The trouble lies
beneath the surface. If a superior class accept service at all, it
is with the intention of quickly getting money enough to do
something better. With them service is merely the means to an end.
A first step on the ladder!
Bad masters are the cause of so much suffering, that to protect
themselves, the great brother-hood of servants have imagined a
system of keeping run of "places," and giving them a "character"
which an aspirant can find out with little trouble. This
organization is so complete, and so well carried out, that a
household where the lady has a "temper," where the food is poor, or
which breaks up often, can rarely get a first-class domestic. The
"place" has been boycotted, a good servant will sooner remain idle
than enter it. If circumstances are too much for him and he
accepts the situation, it is with his eyes open, knowing infinitely
more about his new employers and their failings than they dream of,
or than they could possibly find out about him.
One thing never can be sufficiently impressed on people, viz.
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