THE RARE "GENERAL."

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 739, 11 February 1910, Page 6

THE RARE "GENERAL."

A SUCCESSFUL LURE." AN OTTER YND SOME' REPLIES.

' ""N.B.—This, is lit.'sarkastic'," was the .- Suppressed.postcript..to,an advertisement j - quoted, in '; The, : Dominion- :; on ; . Wednesday, •■' which;;offered : uriustiai:.attractions: to'- a' ; "good -,;■'■ general;". . -The advertisement, ;': which', appeared;;: originally in. another ■ ipu'rnal; i.wns -.; as - foilowsV-.-"Wanted;' ; ; a j gooi -.gerioral.; /-No" cooking, or' washing; , everj' u afternoori :in the week'.off./.'Sundays k ihcludedi'private 'sittingrpornV dirio: with, .-, ifanuly j.:.'use'/.'p'lMb.';--!-good.-: wages."?'..':.:.Wo |- : suggested .on -Wednesday that,if this an- . riouncementi/wasvanything.rbut sarcasm, • there (should :b.e''a: happy home somewhere '•■ for. a'.de'riiestiq; assistant.. Wo: learn-that '■' sarcasm :is the explanatipri.' ,- No;philan- ;' thropist isi.reallyl- anxious to .throw open his -home-to: a domestic .'.'assistant"-of. :: .whom;no. more will be required than-that ' 'she::shaH ; :mako.::herself:,:very:':comfortable and.happy,; : and rqceive ,her, salary.' ;;,.,. ','-,The-geritlqmah ! :-\vho.published- this .advertisement,.it.appears,-: so. in a-kind ; of tumorous despair." He wished ;to know ' if ,'auy '"generals" werestill -extant' and so .threw out the most tempting Jure he . :dpuld: devise te; attract; members of this : shy,; fast : vanishing.: :race. .;■;'■ He ;.had -ad- , vertised.- for ';"generflls'.';-: in the -ordinary ■ .he "informed- :' .ttve,-'iand;;Vscarcely',';':iTeceived^^^ plyv'.'; Once, indeed,": :ho :'.-\almost: .cap- . ;ttrfii:..'.;a -v. p'me':'' , -'>,TKe''/'ißirl.v; was sat-' ■ isfied- ,:with'•".'"'.'the" : ;: proposed -~'.'terms, 1 : which, "were'generousjfshe:-. appeared: to , approve. ?, her .expected; mistress,, she.had -agreed .to' her:,prescribed; duties and.day. off.'vwheh.: an ''obstacle pre-., sented : '.itself;V V: , '.'And -what. afternoons, would yoii- expect .to have :off yourself ?". ,the':maid 'iriquired:.,;.;Negotiations, were.' ~ abruptly-broken.-off. :. .;,,:>'.:■.;.',.;/.• .'! ';■- .!:The;disapppinted- r advertiser •■ resolved to. see if, any- terms .'would: tempt'; reluctant. "generals . into' the, open.: In ai.certain paper;he made.a desperate;offer of "good . wages,"''in return,: for;rib : work .and; all play.: No fewer'.'than . "generals" approached the trap;' his previous .experir, ence' : :had' not' .'taught' him', to, expect,so;' many, ready for. emplpyment in the;whole , of-'.Wellington province. ":..Nbt-.all:'of r .the.!n ' fell" into' 'tho'tTaD.-'.'Ori'e'ori-two'perceived the:sarcasm,'vor' joke,'- arid replied"accbrdirigly." : The %eat:>ma'ipfity"' ; feilliedi.to : :the';advertisement'^4nitß;'serion's}y ) ':':mPst'. of vthem-:-: appearing ',to' : " see-; nothing.;-that, altogether natural and'to.-beiex-, pected'iri "its. 1 terms..'.. The-.replies'were - handed over, to representative; | -by.'ithe:advertiser. .■■:,;'■* ' . •'. . ';: 'fl aril, at 'present-in: place," ivro'te.fafortunate applicant:who. r sent..tes : . : ; ..tiihoriials' with:her application.:.'.ln crise, : .it'Vriiight..seem,odd,,that..one:'SP, blissfully. .situated.should.'leave : ; her 'present place', ;of,service.:she 'explained-ihat .she,:would--'like ,a :,change";frbiri.the proyiricial towri which'-holds -her present -domestic"•para-; ;. |.'dise; ! '-.''As l l am-wantirig'-a r situation'sim-'-'ilar to :the.:orie ; ybu;advert!se,Vl'would;be ' .'glad if;you?;wpuld-kindly.-;make an-ap-'poiritment,"Estates;a:;second" candidate. vAnother/applicant, who. quite :ser- J iously;'giving'.. particular's '.of- her.^present arid-past.■salanes..aid;.'suggesting,;a > suit- •; able time 'for ■ 'an: Jinterview;;; referred'; in 1 ;l;er/c epistle ;to • "your - t unusual.', adyertise-, ' merit, ■■■ which .offers so many advantages." '] The precise-;total'of:th6-salaryi-however,-.' waslstill with;her a.;question.tof,'import-. '.< ince. i ; Her-:letter was-accompanied'.by .- 'testimonials; .'Other .candidates:for: the; I .position, wrote briefiy;tha't'. ; they'; were will- .] .'ing'.-. to: icome- ."if /you.-' are v'already, j suited."; '"'I;- should' /like. :,they situation, ' oris 'appiicarit .confessed^'; "I -am, 21 years ■ : '6f-.age and ' ing''you: will 'permit'' ine- Van-'■ .interview.'"' J ; 'A'nether letter,was r verbally; : "a's follows:—: Happy Home (the disguise'of-advertiser). .£ :''ln'.ans.;to : your;:ad;-:r , -;wish. to ..apply; for 1 same';if little :girl/ l age : ,'iye:;-,would'..;-.be' £ no 'obieotipn.■, : I..am" :,iyido\y, .age 31,, can c Aij': all ; duiiess -arid'-'airi'. 'clean t ,'ilridicompetent, aud'hav©''goodpreference' t 'ari'di'experience'.v'J'lf .ybii'' would-;care-for ? .interview, :,I:':can''■give'iyouy.fur.tlier .par-; £ ticuUrs?" r, :;;;; ;: : 'v;.' -v';'•:•'• ' '

''■pnly two girlsi';who'replied- to' the ad-; vertisement quite undoubtedly:Tegarded:it ,as-.a! -joke.' -.Thtfifirst -r'eplibd -in 'kind ■as follows:—"Would ,/-advertiser■■•■'. (''Happy Home")'send address and particulars ..quirementsv.tovMiss--.Beatrice vS,il,lie,': ; ,at above ''address'.-';' '■ Miss ■"SillteV'is , ' : 2i' ; :y'e'ars ibid';'; refined.'rarid of-,a,'gocd.: ! family, ; 'ia' .splendid housekeeper;'.eaergetic; ecpriomic, l thorough ".knowledge!; of ,: all .'•'dpmestic ;a ; 'veryAgoodJ iieedlewomaii,; can .'play,-and;has a' good soprano .voice, 'oul-tivated.'i'';;ls-at home-eithfcr'-in''kitchen ]or,- drawing-room,, member.; 6fi : .Church;of f-England, .'well,known. tb. uiany of, the leadi lrigi families;: heTe, ■; and should--.'advertiser ,'re-ceive'.'her application favourably; ''does' ;'ndt: ; anticipate.'- any difficulty: in giving ;'ea : -. ;tiie.'.'6atisfaction. -'.':'■:';• ■'v" ; ' : -- : .-'-'-i';- "V;'..'..: : ' ;<Was' this other applicant•■• "serious' or jesting 'when: she! .wrote; as,' fbllpws. :—"T6 /Happy answer, to' your advertisement, .-I'venture to"suggest that.-'Lmay :be' : .able : to : .fill the .position required.. I am'.'not a musician, ; so will, not,want a piano', having "ho" friends: I; ; \rtll not require ;a'' 'sitting-room. .1. have 'a "boy,' nitur'ally.'but ttiVkitcheirwill suit him. l:';am' not aniious;.to;-dine;in;.the'.: diningroom;i.if i'get enough';;to; edt'';-ia";'.;the iitohen,';^lr-ani : '^B6MJoo^ng";a3id'.-jolly,--and.'.that-.'.niay'.'make'.up'; for a'lbtV 'I.am ? uite;able-to: do'all;kirids of'.house-work.' 'wp'uld"! want ten ai -week ■ ais .wages'."?.!■.'■ 'l-A;- : i",-; • .-■-' -. ; ' :■■;■'■' " .''Bridget i : ef .\The;,.. : Way-.B,ack,". wrote under her.reply':'"Skit^"'. ivv';,;f ■'■■'{•':<:'■',■