I beseech you, therefore, to make it a rule never to retail the faults of those with whom you have lived. And if you find persons questioning you, to find out matters relating to the family in which you have worked, just tell them that you do not think it is right to speak of the faults of those with whom you have lived. Do this, and every body will respect you for your sense of propriety, and feel reproved if they have tempted you, by questions, to so ungenerous and wrong a course. The only case when it would be right to tell the faults of those you have lived with, is when a person comes to you for information and advice about going to live in that place. In this case, it would be proper to let them know both the good and the evil of the situation they inquire about.
There is one frequent cause of difficulty between employers and domestics, that ought to be taken care of, when first making an agreement. Employers always wish to hire the time of domestics, instead of hiring them to do some particular parts of family work.—But some
domestics feel that they are hired to do some particular part of the work, and when this is done, that their time is their own. Now this matter ought to be understood beforehand, for all employers would prefer to hire the time, even if they have to pay more wages. It is a great inconvenience to have domestics who feel that their time is their own, except when they are doing certain jobs they agreed to do. It is much the best for the comfort of a family, to have domestics who can be called on to help whenever they are needed. Of course there must be an understanding, in such cases, that domestics shall have time enough to do their own sewing and mending, and also for meetings and visiting to a suitable extent. All these things should be talked over beforehand, and it will save much trouble.
LETTER XIV. ON ECONOMY.
Economy a duty of all. Modes of economizing.
My Friends:
It is the duty of all persons, in every station of life, to practise that economy, which saves from waste, all the bounties of Providence, and which contrives to make every thing useful last as long as possible. The rich have a right to buy more expensive, and more numerous articles, than the poor, but they have no right to waste any thing; for what they do not use themselves they should save for the comfort and enjoyment of others.
And I think, generally, persons who are well off in the world, economize much better than the poor; because they have more knowledge to aid them in the choice and use of articles. And I think that persons who go to service, often practise very little good economy.