overtake it, which
throws an air of haste and hurry over the whole establishment. Where the
master's time is regulated by early business or professional
engagements, this will, of course, regulate the hours of the servants;
but even where that is not the case, servants will find great personal
convenience in rising early and getting through their work in an orderly
and methodical manner. The housemaid who studies her own ease will
certainly be at her work by six o'clock in the summer, and, probably,
half-past six or seven in the winter months, having spent a reasonable
time in her own chamber in dressing. Earlier than this would, probably,
be an unnecessary waste of coals and candle in winter.

2293. The first duty of the housemaid in winter is to open the shutters
of all the lower rooms in the house, and take up the hearth-rugs of
those rooms which she is going to "do" before breakfast. In some
families, where there is only a cook and housemaid kept, and where the
drawing-rooms are large, the cook has the care of the dining-room, and
the housemaid that of the breakfast-room, library, and drawing-rooms.
After the shutters are all opened, she sweeps the breakfast-room,
sweeping the dust towards the fire-place, of course previously removing
the fonder. She should then lay a cloth (generally made of coarse
wrappering) over the carpet in front of the stove, and on this should
place her housemaid's box, containing black-lead brushes, leathers,
emery-paper, cloth, black lead, and all utensils necessary for cleaning
a grate, with the cinder-pail on the other side.

[Illustration: CARPET-BROOMS.]

2294. She now sweeps up the ashes, and deposits them in her cinder-pail,
which is a japanned tin pail, with a wire-sifter inside, and a
closely-fitting top. In this pail the cinders are sifted, and reserved
for use in the kitchen or under the copper, the ashes only being thrown
away. The cinders disposed of, she proceeds to black-lead the grate,
producing the black lead, the soft brush for laying it on, her blacking
and polishing brushes, from the box which contains her tools. This
housemaid's box should be kept well stocked. Having blackened, brushed,
and polished every part, and made all clean and bright, she now proceeds
to lay the fire. Sometimes it is very difficult to get a proper polish
to black grates, particularly if they have been neglected, and allowed
to rust at all. Brunswick black, which is an excellent varnish for
g