Page:Live and Let Live.djvu/120

 for something better, no doubt. If I live another year, those upper rooms shall be made comfortable!"

The tiresome domestic perplexities, even poor Lucy's illness, might have been avoided by proper qualifications and due attention on the part of Mrs. Ardley. There was not in her case, nor do we believe there often is any want of indulgence or liberality to be complained of. We hope we shall not be accused of imputing all the blame to the mistress, because it is our ungracious task to illustrate her shortcomings. We know that the general low character of domestics and their perfect independence involves the mistress of a family in much inevitable perplexity. But the fault is not all the domestic's. We believe the difficulty would be materially lessened if young women were educated for their household duties, and if they carried into their relation to their domestics the right spirit; if they regarded them as their "unfortunate friends," whom it was their religious duty to instruct, to enlighten, to improve, to make better and happier. It has been well said, that, when domestic economy was perfected, there would be no need of political economy. We would venture further, and say, that when our family communities are perfectly organized the Millennium will have come. Will it sooner?