“mending.”
“Brothers are engaged by the week; but I always recommend that the same Brother should not be retained for more than a month, as too long a service makes them—like old family servants—presume, and fancy themselves invaluable.”
“And how do you manage about characters?” I here enquired.
“I never,” she said, “consent to act as agent for any man I have not seen, or to procure a Brother for any girl I have not talked to; and I study their characters so as to know how any arrangement is likely to answer. We often have photographs of Brothers ready for engagement—in fact, those who keep their names permanently on the books usually supply us with cabinet pictures for reference, and I arrange for interviews as between mistresses and servants.”
“And what terms are generally asked by the Brothers?” I said.
“These, of course,” she replied, “depend largely on the nature of the situation, and the qualifications of the Brother. Vulgar or disagreeable girls have to pay very heavily. Families with several girls are charged more in proportion, as many men object to go where other Brothers are kept. Some men are willing to go as joint Brother to a family of girls, but this rarely works well.
“They are paid so much a week, and their theatre money if they have to escort the lady to the play (like beer money, you know). One man required his buttonhole bouquets, but I said he was clearly above his place. We do not arrange any engagements for the summer vacation, as we have found it too dangerous. I really think,” she added thoughtfully, “that the best way of explaining our methods to you would be to show some entries in our books.”
“I should be deeply interested,” I answered, stifling my eagerness, “and it would be very kind of you.”
She drew a great ledger towards her, and showed me one or two entries. The first ran as follows:
“‘A Brother, six feet high; dresses well; aristocratic manners; a good dancer, and knows all the newest steps, including the Pas de Quatre; obliging, and good-tempered; a teetotaller, and only smokes the best tobacco. Has the highest credentials from his last place. Available for “Church Parade” on Sunday, but prefers not to attend church previously, as he cannot get up so early.’”