interrupted sweetly but firmly. Alexandra, however, resumed the
recital of the duties of one maid.

"'She will not be expected to assume the care of young children,'"
she read, "nor to sleep in the room with them. She will not be
expected to act as chaperone or escort at night. She--'"

"It DOESN'T say that, Sandy!"

"Oh, yes, it does! And, listen! 'NOTE. Employers are respectfully
requested to maintain as formal an attitude as possible toward the
maid. Any intimacy, or exchange of confidences, is especially to be
avoided'"--Alexandra broke off to laugh, and her mother laughed with
her, but indignantly.

"Insulting!" she said lightly. "Does anyone suppose for an instant
that this is a serious experiment?"

"Come, that doesn't sound very ridiculous to me," her husband said.
"Plenty of women do become confidential with their maids, don't
they?"

"Dear me, how much you do know about women!" Alexandra said, kissing
the top of her father's head. "Aren't you the bad old man!"

"No; but one might hope that an institution of this kind would put
the American servant in her place," Mrs. Salisbury said seriously,
"instead of flattering her and spoiling her beyond all reason. I
take my maid's receipt for salary in advance; I show her the
bathroom and the library--that's the idea, is it? Why, she might be