When the shifting life of such a great city and the mobile character of modern wage-earners, especially in domestic and personal service, are considered, and when it is remembered that the Negro population because of unusual need of adjustment to city life feels particularly this unstable current of influence, this showing of lengthy service for occupations which have weak tenures of service in all countries can be interpreted in no other way than favorable for the reputation of Negro domestic help. The table, next following, gives the detailed length of service for the cases covered by the 902 testimonials: TABLE XIX. SHOWING LENGTH OF SERVICE FOR 902 WAGE-EARNERS IN SELECTED OCCUPATIONS OF PERSONAL AND DOMESTIC SERVICE, NEW YORK CITY, 1906-1909. -------------------------+-------------+-------------+--------------- | Male. | Female. | Total. +-----+-------+-----+-------+-----+--------- | No. |Percent| No. |Percent| No. |Percent -------------------------+-----+-------+-----+-------+-----+--------- Under 3 months | 19 | 19 | 149 | 18.6 | 168 | 18.6 From 3 to 5 months | 11 | 12 | 171 | 21.3 | 182 | 20.2 From 6 to 11 months | 24 | 24 | 193 | 24.1 | 217 | 24.1 1 yr. to 1 yr. 11 mos | 17 | 17 | 134 | 16.7 | 151 | 16.7 2 yrs. to 2 yrs. 11 mos | 11 | 11 | 42 | 5.2 | 53 | 5.9 3 yrs. and over | 14 | 14 | 72 | 9.0 | 86 | 9.5 Not stated | 4 | 4 | 41 | 5.1 | 45 | 5.0 -------------------------+-----+-------+-----+-------+-----+--------- Total | 100 | 100.0 | 802 | 100.0 | 902 | 100.0 -------------------------+-----+-------+-----+-------+-----+--------- The above favorable conclusion, seemingly biased and against the current opinion, is further borne out by the other replies as to whether the employee had been capable, sober or temperate, and honest.