THE SOCIAL NUISANCE.—WANT OF SERVANTS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 157, 17 May 1862, Page 5

THE SOCIAL NUISANCE.—WANT OF SERVANTS.

A TALE OF AND FOR THK TIMES

(By an Officer of the 700 th Romancers.)

As E know you sire an admirer, Mr. Editor, of the " Section of .the British Arm}'," as you term it, stationed here, I am sure you will not refuse that recognition of our grievances which you are so ready to accord to all. your j readers. A great deal has been said about the annoyance to which all and sundry are subjected, by the dearth of female servants, but I contend that the chief weight of the evil falls on us.- Do not suppose that I | mean to say that we are soft enough to undertake abigail duties for the fair friends at whose houses we visit. As far as I know none of us have volunteered to light tires, chop wood, or clean the faces of the little olive branches at the houses of whose papas and mamas we sometimes relieve the monotony of camp existence. But it is to the social contretemps to which we are subjected, that I refer, when I say that the scarcity of servants is specially visited on our devoted heads. As examples are more convincing than precept", perhaps you will permit me to give you one or two. ■■ ■•■ '■•" . ' ' ' ■' The other day we were lounging in the mess-room, when Fitz burst in, looking very pale, and evidently much discomposed. Fitz, you must know, is-a very nice fellow—in fact he is so much in demand, that he rather conceives his society should be purchased at a premium. " What's the matter ?" we all said. ' "Matter!" says Fitz, "I've never been so affronted in my life. And I want you to tell me what to do—" . -: ■- "Go on, let's hear what it: is," we all chornssed. ■ •'You know Scoggings," continued Fitz, " whom we often meet about town, and who is always asking U3 "to his'house ?" Yes, broke in one or two, and a devilish nice manage and pretty little wife he has. Weil, said Fitz, scarcely acquiescing, I went up there about an hour ago to pay a visit. I rung the bell as usual; there is no knocker. I had°Bcarccly, put .ivy hand to it, when the. door was opened a fewinches, and a voice, I knew it was Mrs. Scoggiugs, though I could scarcely see her iace, said, " Go away, my good man, we don't want you to-day", and slammed the door in my face." Fitz stopped and looked round for sympathy, but the. thing was so ridiculous that we all burst out laughing. ' .Fitz ! got quite pale. " Well, if this is the way you treat the honor of the corps" he began, when some one interposed. " but she could not have known it was you." " Oh, I suppose, she mistook me for you," retorted Fitz, glad to find an ohject on which to vent his wrath. .. "No, said some one, "she must have mistaken you for the red coat postman." Fitz who was father extensively got up, looked pistols at the speaker.: "I have it "said Glebe, a very knowing sort of fellow, rather given to sporting, " I'll bet a. dozen of champagne that she mistook you for the butcher boy." Fitz looked horse whips at Glebe, and I do believe; there would have been a row, if old Soothem had not interposed by saying— "Well, Fitz; you know it is better to suppose she mistook you for some one else than that she really meant to insult you." Fitz, who, I think, had been under the im-' ■pression that the fair Scoggings was a little Spris—or, as your readers would say, spooney on him—rather liked this view of the case, and on Glebe shouting out, " Well, old fellow, it's no good being savage! will you hold me a dozen of champagne ?" sulkily said hewould. At the very moment, who should be announced but Scoggings himseli. Scoggings, you must know, is a little fat fellow, and his appearance was such as to make one suppose he had been putting too much pomade on -his hair, and that the unctuous material .was streaking slowly down his face. He had evidently been running very fast, and, instead ' of speaking, he rather gasped out, " Very sorry—terrible mistake." " Mistake," growled Fitz. " Mrs. Scoggings is in a dreadful way—nothing could be more annoying;" and then, assuming a more connected form, " You must not be angry, my dear fellow. The. fact is, out of three servants we have only one left, and she was out when you called. My wife was at the window, and the baby was sleeping in-the cradle by her side, when she caught sight of the butcher (Glebe made a start of triumph), who always calls for orders every afternoon, coming up to the door. De siring that baby, who is unwell, should not be awakened by the ring, she rushed to the door, and justas you rang it, opened it, and, without looking out (she did not want the wretch to see her), said—there were no orders'. Two minutes after, came another ring, and' there wns no alternative but to open the door— when,' to her surprise,' whoni shqulcl she see but the butcher. " What do you want, again: I told you there were no orders ?" "Thank you raa'm; but I did not hear you. I've only this moment come." "You do not say 3'ou were not here two minutes ago ?" "No ma'ra; I'm only just come from next door." " With a horrible presentiment my wife looked out, and there you were,; walking away! The whole thing "was clear —the butcher had calle.l next door, instead of coming direct to the house—and you were mistaken for-the butcher." " I told you so," broke iti'Glebe. " But how did you know? we asked." " Why, because when I called at Mr. Scoggings' a day or two ago, about the same time, the servant was giving the butcher orders." "Fitz ordered in the Champagne, but has not ventured another call on the fair Scog--1 must give you another instance, because people will always have it that one case' is an j exception. Mooney of ours, a good-looking ellow like Fitz,. and more heart/ in his fmanrhr, but son ew lat inclined to be spooney nn the sex, and rather given to " mooning," had determined after receiving a general invitation from Mr. M'Wabisher, who had not long been married, to go and leave a card at his house. He knocked at the door, which after a lengthened delay was opened by a.very pretty girl, whose hair, looked rather disarranged, and whose dress though above what one might expect- in ■■ a servant was rather, untidy. Mooney . who, as I have hinted, is of a very affectionate nature, came out in a gushing style; " Js.ypur mistress at* home my. dear, but never mind I only dedesire to leave my card, I won't stay. .Will you, my sweet, give. her. this fragment of pasteboard. Good bye, my love, 3'ou are the pettiest creature I have seen this morning," and very contented with himself he sailed off muttering in rather lotitl tones, "I wonder if the mistress is aa good-looking as. the maid." ,

Two or three,days afjerw|rcls/th*erej was. a, ball. You know we're'rdfh(Sr-in^re'que9t, and rcve>ypW^T^»'fti^t^^)^^^^e~"wß'~'''''^t me niake you known WMre: 'M'Wabisher the prettieit'woDian here," says .'Bungy, lone of ■those'kind of'fellows who always talk about women,-but very'little' to theiii, and who are particularly cufuit at doing the picking, .p 'handefchieft, ' arid; 'pet'ts ! s<v»v •business., '"Delighted," says.Mooney,- and with a-little curiosity he marched'tb theordeal.1 ;; ' *'. '. . You1' kiioiv 4n the " Stranger'" how Mrs.' Halle'ris'always introduced to the Count, her husband. iSneliee]'is."-iier:eye.s onrthe ground, until'just the proper moment ■to recognise him, andi'then she gives a loud scream, and' throwing 'up-' her arms, falls flat, on her back." This was liotexactlythe case now/Mrs: MeWa-, bisher junerely smiled in a" 'most: unconcerned manner, but Mooney, when he fixed his eyes on the laughingface that topped a whole array of tulle trimming and diamonds, looked most confoundedly : non-plussed in recognising the pretty servant of the day. before. ".Delighted," stammered he; "prettiest creature I've seen" said Mrs. MW.— in a dulcet sotto voce tone,, then with' a, graceful scarcely perceptible curtsy, and arch, moiie of .her charming little mouth and dancing eyes, " I hope you find the mistress as good-looking as ihe maid." Mooney never can bear quizzing, and this was too much of a good.thing. He evaporated instantaneously, mentally-resolving not to cultivate the little M'Wabisher. Fitz is known . amongst us now as the "butcher," and Mooney as the " pretty creature."' THE NEW REGISTRATION ROLL. Some interesting facts may be gleaned from the result of the recent-supplementary registration, as set forth in the, roll, showing how far the new arrivals have availed themselves of the privilege of exercising'the franchise. We find, on analysing the new roll, that the number of new claimants for registration do not bear so great a proportion to the extent of population as might • have been expected ; and this remark' applies particularly to the miners, 'who, from some cause or other, seem .to have exhibited a considerable feeling of apathy about'the matter. At the same time, the large increase in the number of freeholders, house and leaseholder who hare claimed to vote, shows that amongst the settled population the privilege has ■ been extensively used. Some idea, also, may be formed of the'numbcrof persons who have acquired freehold and leasehold' property since last year; and the like increase in the number of householders may be seen by the number of claimants to vote under that qualification. If we compare the number of claimants upon the roll with the number of new residents .who have arrived in the Province since the gold discovery, we may "estimate the proportion of newvoters as about 10 per cent of the fresh populalation. By way of analysis, we find that in the new roll for the districts of Bruce, Hampden, and Dunedin City, there are new claimants to the extent of 1583. The estimated balance of new male adult population was at the end of February 15,669. Of this number about 10,000 may be assumed as forming the mining population, and we find that the proportion of miners, or rather residents 611 the mines, appearing "on the roll is about 81 per cent. Of the remaining 5,669, there are 769 voters, or * about one in seven. Of this number there are comprised 315 new freeholders, 107 new householders, 174 new leaseholders, and 6 claiming for business licenses. The number comprised 011 the old roll were—Bl7 freeholders, 312 householders, 74 leaseholders -in all,Jj2og_fil£ciors. The Registration Roll, after the present claims are put on it, may ,be 'estimated to contain 2,786 voters, of which number 1,202 are freeholders, 506 are householders, 248 are leaseholders, and 821 hold miners rights, and 6 hold business licenses. The greatest increase has been in the district of Bruce, the electors now being 1,821 against 664 last year. For the district of Hampden the present number is 224 against 119 last year, iind for the city of Dunedin the number of electors is 736 against 420 last year. Taking into, consideration the changes of location incident to residents- on the gold fields, and the chances that many who were registered will not vote, the mining population moy r no means is likely to have that permanent infliience in the next election that was anticipated. Still, as far as the election of Superintendent is concerned, they will exercise a larger influence than any other class of electors.