“Now, that is hardly fair. I see the evil. I don’t say I can do anything to remedy it; that has to be a general movement. When I am in Rome, I suppose I should do as the Romans do; yet I would try to be very specific. But it would do no good. If Marta leaves me and applies for a place as first-class cook she will get it. Some few ladies will need some more corroboration than her word and my letter, testifying to general good conduct; but many will readily take her, and she will stay a month or two, if not longer, get large wages enough to make it as profitable to wait for another well-paid place if she does not readily find it. A girl recommended as clean and willing will get a place as cook if she has the hardihood to assert her ability; yet who would employ a carpenter simply for his amiability?” “Then you would have apprenticeship among servants as among artisans?” “Of course, if it could be, I would; in other countries there is practical apprenticeship without bonds, that ensures, to the painstaking employer who does her best for a girl, not losing her the moment she has learnt the first rudiments of housework, and her apprentice year would be at low wages; she would have the option of advancing her year by year, or of letting her go and taking a fresh ‘prentice’ hand.” “I pity the woman.” “So do I, yet it is just what we all do more or less without any distinct benefit. Of course no reasonable person would expect a girl to remain at the low wages when she became worth more.” “That’s just what I was thinking, Molly. You will make Marta worth a good deal more than $10 a month as wages go.” “I know it, but I shall be content to give her $12 when she can do my work with only superintendence on my part, and later on I shall expect her to ask me $14; and I shall have to decide to give it, or take some one else; yet, if she does her best till then I shall not feel ill used, things being as they are. We can’t expect a young woman like Marta to be better than her times.” “Still, this comes back to the same point; _you_ have a good deal to do.” “Yes, but what better employment can I have? We live about as comfortably as if we kept two servants, because I do much of the lighter work; I have no drudgery. Marta does that. I have very few social duties. I have plenty of time to read and do my little sewing and we live as I like to live; I should not be so happy any other way. When I have children I shall have less time, but I expect Marta will be able to go on pretty well with an hour of my time in the kitchen.” “But suppose Marta wants to leave?” “I don’t think she will. She seems to have the European horror of changing and, I think, believes herself part of the family. If I am mistaken I shall be unfortunate, but my altering my policy now would not change matters. I made up my mind to expect very little beyond hand work from one servant; that I have got.”