SIR,--I find that George, the young man I employ as house-boy, has
become friendly with one of your maids, and I shall he glad if you
will co-operate with me so far as is possible in trying to prevent
their meeting, as I do not think it desirable that there should be
further communication between our households than is, unfortunately,
necessary.
I should not have troubled to write to you had it not been that George
strongly resented my interference with his private affairs when
I remonstrated with him just now on the matter. Servants are so
deplorably independent in these times, and men as useful as George are
so difficult to obtain, that I do not care to open the subject with
him again.
The maid of yours in question is the one who goes out on Wednesday
evenings. As that is also George's evening out, perhaps you could
arrange to let this particular maid go out on another evening instead.
Faithfully yours,
FREDERICK PETHERTON.
"What confounded sauce!" I said, and replied formally as follows:--
DEAR MR. PETHERTON,--It must, I am sure, be most alarming to you to
find that servants of ours are hobnobbing and perhaps discussing our
affairs. Unfortunately to make the alteration you suggest would throw
the whole of our domestic staff out. I know the maid to whom you
refer; she is our parlour-maid, and you are right in describing her
as "this particular maid." She is most particular. It is true that men
are hard to obtain for domestic employment, even ineligibles (and I
am sure yours is that), but maids are, if anything, more difficult to
find. My wife had no end of trouble in procuring this parlour-maid,
and she is a treasure whom we do not wish to lose.
I have been aware for some time that she is engaged in the pleasurable
occupation of what is known as keeping company with your factotum, but
thought it wise not to interfere.
It is still in the air, as one might say, that you are engaged in
experimental chemical work for the Government, and I should have
thought, and hoped, that this would occupy your mind to the exclusion
of such trivial affairs as servants' love-making.
Yours sincerely,
HENRY J. FORDYCE.