Needless to say that American "helps" vie with their mistresses in display of toilette. Everyone knows that. Their diamonds are false, of course; but there are so many rhinestones worn by ladies who are not "helps" (even to their husbands), that it is difficult to distinguish the wife of a millionaire from her kitchenmaid by their diamonds.
Here are two advertisements which I extract from an Indianapolis newspaper:
"Situation as dishwasher required by a lady.—Apply Sentinel Office."
"A lady (white) undertakes washing at home."—(Address follows.)
Democracy can no further go.
"I take care never to part on bad terms with my servants when they leave me." This was said to me one day by a clever Boston lady, who, to my thinking, lacks sufficient admiration for the democratic institutions of America.
I guessed that she intended a covert satire on the greatest Republic in the world.
"Why?" I demanded.
"Because, when one of those girls leaves me, it is quite within the range of possibility that she will marry some Western ranchman; and one day, when her husband becomes a Senator, she may be useful to me at Washington."