ill-room. There may also be the dessert to arrange, ice-creams
to make; and all these employments call for no ordinary degree of care,
taste, and attention.

The still-room was formerly much more in vogue than at present;
for in days of "auld lang syne," the still was in constant
requisition for the supply of sweet-flavoured waters for the
purposes of cookery, scents and aromatic substances used in the
preparation of the toilet, and cordials in cases of accidents
and illness. There are some establishments, however, in which
distillation is still carried on, and in these, the still-room
maid has her old duties to perform. In a general way, however,
this domestic is immediately concerned with the housekeeper. For
the latter she lights the fire, dusts her room, prepares the
breakfast-table, and waits at the different meals taken in the
housekeeper's room (_see_ 58). A still-room maid may learn a
very great deal of useful knowledge from her intimate connection
with the housekeeper, and if she be active and intelligent, may
soon fit herself for a better position in the household.

60. IN THE EVENING, the housekeeper will often busy herself with the
necessary preparations for the next day's duties. Numberless small, but
still important arrangements, will have to be made, so that everything
may move smoothly. At times, perhaps, attention will have to be paid to
the breaking of lump-sugar, the stoning of raisins, the washing,
cleansing, and drying of currants, &c. The evening, too, is the best
time for setting right her account of the expenditure, and duly writing
a statement of moneys received and paid, and also for making memoranda
of any articles she may require for her storeroom or other departments.

Periodically, at some convenient time,--for instance, quarterly
or half-yearly, it is a good plan for the housekeeper to make an
inventory of everything she has under her care, and compare this
with the lists of a former period; she will then be able to
furnish a statement, if necessary, of the articles which, on
account of time, breakage, loss, or other causes, it has been
necessary to replace or replenish.

61. IN CONCLUDING THESE REMARKS on the duties of the housekeeper, we
will briefly refer to the very great responsibility which attaches to
her position. Like "Caesar's wife," she should be "above suspicion," and
her honesty and sob