ement is, perhaps, scarcely
necessary in the summer-time, when there are no grates to clean every
morning; but in the dark days of winter it is only kind and thoughtful
to lighten a servant-of-all-work's duties as much as possible.

[Illustration: BLACKING-BRUSH BOX.]

2343. She will now carry the urn into the dining-room, where her
mistress will make the tea or coffee, and sometimes will boil the eggs,
to insure them being done to her liking. In the mean time the servant
cooks, if required, the bacon, kidneys, fish, &c.;--if cold meat is to
be served, she must always send it to table on a clean dish, and nicely
garnished with tufts of parsley, if this is obtainable.

2344. After she has had her own breakfast, and whilst the family are
finishing theirs, she should go upstairs into the bedrooms, open all the
windows, strip the clothes off the beds, and leave them to air whilst
she is clearing away the breakfast things. She should then take up the
crumbs in a dustpan from under the table, put the chairs in their
places, and sweep up the hearth.

2345. The breakfast things washed up, the kitchen should be tidied, so
that it may be neat when her mistress comes in to give the orders for
the day: after receiving these orders, the servant should go upstairs
again, with a jug of boiling water, the slop-pail, and two cloths. After
emptying the slops, and scalding the vessels with the boiling water, and
wiping them thoroughly dry, she should wipe the top of the wash-table
and arrange it all in order. She then proceeds to make the beds, in
which occupation she is generally assisted by the mistress, or, if she
have any daughters, by one of them. Before commencing to make the bed,
the servant should put on a large bed-apron, kept for this purpose only,
which should be made very wide, to button round the waist and meet
behind, while it should be made as long as the dress. By adopting this
plan, the blacks and dirt on servants' dresses (which at all times it is
impossible to help) will not rub off on to the bed-clothes, mattresses,
and bed furniture. When the beds are made, the rooms should be dusted,
the stairs lightly swept down, hall furniture, closets, &c., dusted. The
lady of the house, where there is but one servant kept, frequently takes
charge of the drawing-room herself, that is to say, dusting it; the
servant sweeping, cleaning windows, looking-glasses, grates, and rough
work of that sort. If there are many ornaments and