hs in a good
farmhouse makes to a girl of this kind. She soon begins to dress better,
not from her wages, for these are small enough, and may commence as low
as L4; but her mistress gives her many things, and, if she is a good
girl, buys her a dress now and then; and with the shilling or two she
asks in advance, she purchases cheap ornaments of the pedlar at the
door. Her life is low enough socially--it is almost an annual round of
working, eating, and sleeping (no one sleeps like a farm-wench); but it
is an infinite improvement upon the struggle for existence at the
cottage. She has no trouble, no thought, no care now. Her mistress may
snap occasionally, her master may grumble, and the dairymaid may snarl;
but there are no slaps on the ear, no kicks, no going to bed supperless.
In summer she goes out in the afternoon haymaking as an extra hand, but
only works a few hours, and it is really only a relaxation. She picks up
some knowledge of cooking, learns how to make herself useful in the
house, and in the course of a year or two, if moderately sharp, is
capable of rising a degree, and obtaining a better salary as a
maid-servant, having nothing to do with a dairy. The four or five pounds
with which she commences may seem a very low sum, but the state of her
domestic education at the time must be taken into consideration. She has
to learn everything. All the years spent in working in the cottage at
home have to be unlearnt--all the old habits replaced by new ones. After
the first year or so her value rises considerably; she may continue in
the house at a higher salary, or go into the town as maid-servant in a
tradesman's family. A large proportion of servant-girls thus find their
way from the country into the town. With these we have nothing further
to do--they are no longer field-farers. A few after several years learn
the art and mystery of butter and cheese, and become dairymaids; and
then, if they are clever, earn good wages--indeed, fabulous prices are
asked by them. There are not, however, so many dairymaids as formerly,
for the small dairies are getting amalgamated and made into larger ones,
and then the farmer, if he makes butter and cheese, employs a dairyman
in preference. This rise to be maid-servant, or to be dairymaid, is the
bright side of the girl's career. There are darker shades which must be
mentioned.

The overcrowding in cottages leads to what may be called an indifference
to decency. It is not that in