“Yes; but I shouldn’t think that was the right way for a lady to do? Why didn’t she go to the girl’s mistress, instead of sending her nurse-maid to the girl privately? I don’t think any lady would do such a thing.”
“Well! I think you are right about house servants. But on the farm, in your position, for instance, as foreman, there is some difference, is there not? Supposing some gentleman should offer you more than we do, what would you think of that?”
“That he was no gentleman. I don’t see the difference. If he wished to make any such offer, he should go to my employer and state the case, but not to me.”
“But you are not bound to stay with us. If you can better yourself, you have a perfect right to do so. You are a free man.”
“Yes, I know that; but I think there should be some honor, if there is no law, about such things; and I don’t think a gentleman acts honorably who tempts a man with offers of higher wages to leave his employer’s service. Let him go, like a man, to the proprietor of the work himself.”
“Maggie,” said we afterward, “if a lady should send one of her girls to you with an offer for more wages than I give, what would you think of it?”
“O, I’ve had that trick tried on me, ma’am! No lady would do it, and I’d not risk living with any one who would connive at such a mean thing.”
“Why, what would you have her do?”
“Come right to yer, ma’am, or advertise. Sure the papers are open to any one who chooses to advertise.”
Now, this subject appears too clear for any question of right or wrong, liberty or slavery. The same course—open and above-board—should be plain to both employer and employé. Among business men this law of honor is fully understood. The amount of wages in all employments is well defined. Custom fixes the prices for specified labor. It is those who offer beyond the accepted rates who cause most of the trouble experienced in all classes of labor.