You must keep them right down to it, or they soon get good for nothing." "My mother's system is very different," Fanny said--"and we have no trouble." The young ladies then commenced examining the prints, after which, Fanny asked to be excused a moment.

In a little while she returned with a small waiter of refreshments.

Helen did not remark upon this, and Fanny made no allusion to the fact of not having called a servant from the kitchen to do what she could so easily do herself.
A book next engaged their attention, and occupied them until dinner time.

At the stable, a tidy domestic waited with cheerful alacrity, so different from the sulky, slow attendance, at home.
"Some water, Rachael, if you please." Or, "Rachael, step down and, bring up some hot potatoes." Or--"Here, Rachael," with a pleasant smile, "you have forgotten the salt spoons," were forms of addressing a waiter upon the table so different from what Helen had ever heard, that she listened to them with utter amazement.

And she was no less surprised to see with what cheerful alacrity every direction, or rather request, was obeyed.
After they all rose from the table, and had retired to the parlor, a pleasant conversation took place, in which no allusions whatever were made to the dreadful annoyance of servants, an almost unvarying subject of discourse at Mr.Armitage's, after the conclusion of nearly every badly cooked, illy served meal .-- A discourse too often overheard by some one of the domestics and retailed in the kitchen, to breed confirmed ill-will, and a spirit of opposition towards the principal members of the family.
Nearly half an hour had passed from the time they had risen from the table, when a younger sister of Fanny's, who was going out to a little afternoon party, asked if Rachael might not be called up from the kitchen to get something for her.
"No, my dear, not until she has finished her dinner," was the mild reply of Mrs.Milnor.
"But it won't take her over a minute, mother, and I am in a hurry." "I can't help it, my dear.