Page:Free Opinions, Freely Expressed on Certain Phases of Modern Social Life and Conduct.djvu/238

 called "treasures" in the way of housemaids, parlourmaids and lady's-maids, but whose parents stubbornly refuse to let them enter any situation until they know something of the character of the mistress with whom they are expected to reside, and the general reputation of the house or "home" they are to enter. I could name dozens of cases where girls, on enquiry, have actually declined lucrative situations, and contented themselves with work at lower wages, rather than be known as "in service" with certain distinguished ladies. "My girl," says a farmer's wife, "is a clean, wholesome, steady lass; I'd rather keep her by me for a bit than see her mixing herself up with the fashionable folk, who are always getting into the divorce court." This may be a bitter pill of information for the "smart set" to swallow; but there is no exaggeration in the statement that the working classes have very little respect left nowadays for the ladies of the "Upper Ten," and many of the wives of honest farmers, mechanics and tradesmen would consider that they were voluntarily handing over their daughters to temptation and disgrace by allowing them to enter domestic service with certain society leaders, who, though bearing well-known names, are branded by equally well-known "easy virtue."

Does any one at this time of day recall a certain chapter in the immortal story of Bleak House, by Charles Dickens, when Mr. Rouncewell, the ironmaster, a mere tradesman in the opinion of that haughty old aristocrat, Sir Leicester Dedlock, desires to remove the pretty girl, Rosa, lady's-maid to Lady Dedlock, at once from her situation, if