“You see； I brought my own property and servants into the connection； when I married St。 Clare； and I am legally entitled to manage them my own way。 St。 Clare had his fortune and his servants； and I’m well enough content he should manage them his way； but St。 Clare will be interfering。 He has wild； extravagant notions about things； particularly about the treatment of servants。 He really does act as if he set his servants before me； and before himself； too； for he lets them make him all sorts of trouble； and never lifts a finger。 Now； about some things； St。 Clare is really frightful—he frightens me—good…natured as he looks； in general。 Now； he has set down his foot that； come what will； there shall not be a blow struck in this house； except what he or I strike； and he does it in a way that I really dare not cross him。 Well； you may see what that leads to； for St。 Clare wouldn’t raise his hand； if every one of them walked over him； and I—you see how cruel it would be to require me to make the exertion。 Now； you know these servants are nothing but grown…up children。”
“I don’t know anything about it； and I thank the Lord that I don’t！” said Miss Ophelia； shortly。
“Well； but you will have to know something； and know it to your cost； if you stay here。 You don’t know what a provoking； stupid； careless； unreasonable； childish； ungrateful set of wretches they are。”
Marie seemed wonderfully supported； always； when she got upon this topic； and she now opened her eyes； and seemed quite to forget her languor。
“You don’t know； and you can’t； the daily； hourly trials that beset a housekeeper from them； everywhere and every way。 But it’s no use to complain to St。 Clare。 He talks the strangest stuff。 He says we have made them what they are； and ought to bear with them。 He says their faults are all owing to us； and that it would be cruel to make the fault and punish it too。 He says we shouldn’t do any better； in their place； just as if one could reason from them to us； you know。”
“Don’t you believe that the Lord made them of one blood with us？” said Miss Ophelia； shortly。
“No； indeed not I！ A pretty story； truly！ They are a degraded race。”
“Don’t you think they’ve got immortal souls？” said Miss Ophelia； with increasing indignation。
“O； well；” said Marie； yawning； “that； of course—nobody doubts that。 But as to putting them on any sort of equality with us； you know； as if we could be compared； why； it’s impossible！ Now； St。 Clare really has talked to me as if keeping Mammy from her husband was like keeping me from mine。 There’s no comparing in this way。 Mammy couldn’t have the feelings that I should。 It’s a different thing altogether；—of course； it is；—and yet St。 Clare pretends not to see it。 And just as if Mammy could love her little dirty babies as I love Eva！ Yet St。 Clare once really and soberly tried to persuade me that it was my duty； with my weak health； and all I suffer； to let Mammy go back； and take somebody else in her place。 That was a little too much even for me to bear。 I don’t often show my feelings； I make it a principle to endure everything in silence； it’s a wife’s hard lot； and I bear it。 But I did break out； that time； so that he has never alluded to the subject since。 But I know by his looks； and little things that he says； that he thinks so as much as ever； and it’s so trying； so provoking！”
Miss Ophelia looked very much as if she was afraid she should say something； but she rattled away with her needles in a way that had volumes of meaning in it； if Marie could only have understood it。
“So； you just see；” she continued； “what you’ve got to manage。 A household without any rule； where servants have it all their own way； do what they please； and have what they please； except so far as I； with my feeble health； have kept up government。 I keep my cowhide about； and sometimes I do lay it on； but the exertion is always too much for me。 If St。 Clare would only have this thing done as others do—”
“And how’s that？”
“Why； send them to the calaboose； or some of the other places to be flogged。 That’s the only way。 If I wasn’t such a poor； feeble piece； I believe I should manage with twice the energy that St。 Clare does。”
“And how does St。 Clare contrive to manage？” said Miss Ophelia。 “You say he never strikes a blow。”
“Well； men have a more commanding way； you know； it is easier for them； besides； if you ever looked full in his eye； it’s peculiar；—that eye；—and if he speaks decidedly； there’s a kind of flash。 I’m afraid of it； myself； and the servants know they must mind。 I couldn’t do as much by a regular storm and scolding as St。 Clare can by one turn of his eye； if once he is in earnest。 O； there’s no trouble about St。 Clare； that’s the reason he’s no more feeling for me。 But you’ll find； when you come to manage； that there’s no getting along without severity；—they are so bad； so deceitful； so lazy”。
“The old tune；” said St。 Clare； sauntering in。 “What an awful acomount these wicked creatures will have to settle； at last； especially for being lazy！ You see； cousin；” said he； as he stretched himself at full length on a lounge opposite to Marie； “it’s wholly inexcusable in them； in the light of the example that Marie and I set them；—this laziness。”
“Come； now； St。 Clare； you are too bad！” said Marie。
“Am I； now？ Why； I thought I was talking good； quite remarkably for me。 I try to enforce your remarks； Marie； always。”
“You know you meant no such thing； St。 Clare；” said Marie。
“O； I must have been mistaken； then。 Thank you； my dear； for setting me right。”
“You do really try to be provoking；” said Marie。
“O； come； Marie； the day is growing warm； and I have just had a long quarrel with Dolph； which has fatigued me excessively； so； pray be agreeable； now； and let a fellow repose in the light of your smile。”
“What’s the matter about Dolph？” said Marie。 “That fellow’s impudence has been growing to a point that is perfectly intolerable to me。 I only wish I had the undisputed management of him a while。 I’d bring him down！”
“What you say； my dear； is marked with your usual acuteness and good sense；” said St。 Clare。 “As to Dolph； the case is this： that he has so long been engaged in imitating my graces and perfections； that he has； at last； really mistaken himself for his master； and I have been obliged to give him a little insight into his mistake。”
“How？” said Marie。
“Why； I was obliged to let him understand explicitly that I preferred to keep some of my clothes for my own personal wearing； also； I put his magnificence upon an allowance of cologne…water； and actually was so cruel as to restrict him to one dozen of my cambric handkerchiefs。 Dolph was particularly huffy about it； and I had to talk to him like a father； to bring him round。”
“O！ St。 Clare； when will you learn how to treat your servants？ It’s abominable； the way you indulge them！” said Marie。
“Why； after all； what’s the harm of the poor dog’s wanting to be like his master； and if I haven’t brought him up any better than to find his chief good in cologne and cambric handkerchiefs； why shouldn’t I give them to him？”
“And why haven’t you brou