Helps

I know of nothing more cnlculatfid to make oneregret that the West Roxbury nppreciation of manual labor is not universal, than a visit to the abodes of llie white poor in a Southern State. Here poverty s unmitigated, hopeless; for it s inseparably associated with tbc idea of degradation. There is no resource for the daughters of toil, except that of earning a scanty subsistance by their needle; and even in this they have to encounter qpposition from the pampered blacks, uho can of course afford to work for a much lower eompwisation. Domestic service is out of the question; labor of that sort being regarded as degrading, because it is usually performed by slnves. This stateof things places a gulf, if Í may sospeak, in regard to social intercourse between women of the higher and lower classes. Consequently it removes the latter from the sympathy of the former; for we cannot feel for su nering we do not see. How much bitterness may he bound up in the heart of her, who in the brief and infrequent interviews she nmy have with her superior, dares not speakher griefs; who ! repines day by day under a burlhen she hinks ought not to be borne!In various parts of our country we may find reason to be vexed or amused as we belonged (o the weeping or laugh ing school of philosophy, at the want o recognition of distinctions in society. - The western damsel who condescen.ds to become a 'help' till shecan earnsufficient to procure a new outfit, or pay for a winter's schooling, illustrates her idea of independence by asserting her social equality with her employers; and would rather give up a good place than bate one jot of her imagined dignity. But though anxious to prove that she 'is as good as any body else,' provided this is admitted, ie disdains no manncr of labor. She pares not the toil of her hands, when nee cpnvinced thai it dturuita tu.ii,m6 from her respectabilhy. Now she is at lis pains, not because she herself does ot liighly estimatc :he dignity of hepvo cation, but because she fears it may beundervniued in olher eyes. The southern poor woman, on the contrary, regareis her own position in the lightin whichshe imagines it nppears to ihose whoin fortune has placed above her, but whose superiority she is not willing to admit. The necessity of manual labor she esteemsthe greatest evil that couldbefall her. With a diseontented wish to imítate in appearance, at least, her more fortúnate neighbors, she carefully hides the poveriy which the western darnsel would openly acknowledge. Enter thedwellingof one of these individuals; you finxl it scmtily furnished, but tended by a bhtck servant, if the inmatesean possibly keep one. - The females will appear in a dre-ss thin and comfortless enough, belike, buting some pretensión to finery and fashion; such probably as but raocks the misery t strives to hide. Every attempt will be made to present the exterior of refinemen and lady-like elegance, the fprms' 01 weallhy lifc will be scrupulously observ ed, and 'the young ladies,' if there ar any daughters, will appear as delicate and unused to labor as if they had been brought up in the lap of indulgence.At this cold and hollow seeming, you sympatliies are naturally chilled; you kindness ia perhaps met with formality and your visit shorfened. It is harder lo respect the feeling that causes this foolisl afFectation than the intrusive freedom o the other, but it really deserves pit y, foi t adds incalculably tothesuffering of the poor. It is an undertaking worthy the efforls of femalo charity in the higher ranks of lite, to remove it. This, by judicious exertion, can be done, and far more happiness will thereby besecuredto the numerous poor than if they were lifted into aiïïuence. The proud heart can be softened, but it must be by u confinuance of good offices, by convincing these sad beings that the re is nothing necessarify humiliating in their porlion of the doom denounced on the whole human race.An instance occurs to me as I write, wbich illustrntes my remark coneerning 'the help' of the North arrd West. A friend who went from the city to seltle in the western part of New York several years since, on going to housekeeping, engnged the services of a slout damsel living with hevparentssome ten miles distan!, She arrived late at night, and was shown to her' room. The next morning she rose early, prepared breakfast, summoned her employers, and seating herself, requested them to be seafed. The gentleman of the house, somewhat startled, said that he and his wife had been accustomed to eat alono. 'Vei-y well,' replied the eool 'help ihen I will finish my breakfast first.' The master and mistress waitod for her to conclude her repast, then sat down as she had desircd ihem, fraréy knowing. whcfher ty bcgry or amused at so novel an occurrenee' When break fast was over, the girl came and requested tbnt the carriage might be ordered to convey ber home, as the place did not suit her. While the gentleman stood embarrassed at this unexpected demand, she ended by informing him she was ready to diacharge her bill for night's lodging and breakfast. Now I will venture to say, there was no intentional impertinence in all this.- The girl had sturdy r.otions of equality between herself and her employer instilled into her, proba bly f rom earliest infancy, and was determined to resist every endeavor on their part to viólate t líese first principies. It required more philosophy than she could be expected to have learned, to reconcile her to the appearance of subordinaron. And I warrant you she never dreamed of offeringnn insult in asking for her bill. The acting out of such independence is rather troublesome, but can we help admiring it in the abstract?While upon the subject I cannot forbear adding an instance that feil under my own observation, which shows in a way rather uncommon, the advantage of a proper estímate of these relations. - Mester H. was a girl of too mucli sense, and 1 may pdd, too much pride, not to perceive that was most respectable in her own place, and thus never made any attempts to elévate herself by intruding upon the rights of others. She performed her duties quietly, and with a calm conconsciousness of the important situation she occupied in the household, but declined the frequent invitations of the mistress of the mansion, an old lady who loved gossip with her tea, to take a seat at her table when she was alone.Hester did not imagine that this privilege could add to her dignity, and refused it because she feit more at home vvhen presiding at a table in the kitchen. But she gave her sympathies freely to ttre JoeyS uiiü sorruws uf lit:r cnupujyers. - She shed tears when the lady's best horse died, and grieved on her account when the fruit was killed by frost; she was pleased nt whalever pleased the mistress, and wns in no ways backward to express her satsfaction. Nay more, she laughed heartly sometimes at the jokes of the lady's lephew, who had just returned from the city, whither he went to purchase goods for his fall stock. And by her good hunored smile when she opened the door forhim after every body else had retired,the young man was courting a fair neighbor) she sliowed Mm she understood vhat he was abouf, and wished him success with all her heart. But she never vent further Ihan this quiet rnatfer-ofcourse way of identifying herself with he family. She never ventured to adiso Mrs. , unlessher advice waspreviously asked, nor to banter Mr. L. about Miss Fanny, though some others of the omestics did so. Hester was decidedly a treasure of a help.'One even ing Mr. L. carne home earlier j than usual, evidently vexed and dispirited. He valked. up slairs hastily, then carne down again, paced the parlor several times, and finally seized his hat, and hurried out. For several days his ill humor conlinued, and Hester remarked that instead of going out in the evenings according to his wont, he sat down and read the papers, orseemed lo read, for his eyes wandered unmeaningly over the pao-e.Something certainly had happened something which he could not, perhaps dared not, mentión to his aunt; perhaps a misfortune in business, which might ultimately reduce him to poverty! The failhful domestic was concerned, anc many were the acts of fcindness that showed her silent sympalhy. So ready, though unobtrusive, were her good offices, so unwearying, yet delicate, her attentions to both aunt and nephew under this itnpression, that the lady caught herself severa! times expatiating on the excellent cies of her maid, and declaring that her equal could not be found in the country.All Ihrs doiíbíless had its eñect Mr. L's. mistortune was not precisely in the way of 'business.' Miss Fanny had refused liim íbr a handsomer suitor. He was disappointed, but pride foi-bade him to show that he suflered, and v the hidden wound, as such wounds generally do, soon healed. One morning, some little time after' Mr. descended into thekitchen to fetch some hot shaving wafer, and lingered, glancinguneasily at Hester, as though he lad something on his mi'nd. 'Hester,' said he at length, suddenly, would yo jikfè to be mamed?' 'La, sir, what a quesüon! But, since 'Ou ask, I daexpect to be rnarried some me in my life, like othergirls.' ilnve you ever been engaged?' 'Oh! no, sir.' Whaf would you thinti of me for a usband V'Of yon, sir?' 'Yes - of me - but 1 see you are startled. I give you lili to-morrow for consideration. I have been disappointed, and now know of none who ivill suit me as well as yourself. Consider before you say whether you will marry me or not.' He then retreated, leaving the poor girl almost petrified. Many were the complaints of his aunt thal morning of the brenkfasf; the salt [had been put into the coflee, the fish burnt to a crisp; it was a thing unheard of for Hester to be careless! That morning, nfter the work was quiie finished, and the kitchen put in order, Hester presented herself to the lady's apartrnerit, and (midly requested her to provide herself with another 'help.' 'Why, what is the matter, Hester? - Are you not satisfied with me?' 'Oh, yes, ma'am, but - but - I am going to be married.' 'Married? I knew nothing of this! - Married - to whom?' 'Mr. L., ma'am.'Mrs. 's surprise and vexation knew no bounds, but Hester took it quietly for she really saw no reason why she should not be the choice of Mr. L. - According to her ideas, the conventional disiinctlons she had submitted to while in his aunt's house, placed no real barder between them. And who shall say she has net right? None, certainly, who saw her afterwards as Mrs. L., fulfilling the duties of wife, mother and mistress of the house-hold as quietly, and with as much dignified sobriety as she had the duties of her former station. None of thoso with whom she associated as an equal after her maniagp, even, could not discover in her ignorance or want of breeding, her good sense having led her to supply, by patiënt study and by observaron, the deficiences of her early ed y catión.Thereare few 'helps,' like ITester L., i iiiuai auKnwwienge; indeed I ahvays think of her as a worthy impersonation of the true independence of our country. - She would have shown this independence in adversity as well.asin prosperity; and perhaps its exhibition would have been less difficult had it been her lot to sink into a Iower sphere, instead of rising to a higher one. But though her sort of independence is most rare, and very unlikely to meet the revvard hers did, or to be tried by the same test, it may well be recommended to the imitation of her sisters, whether of the north or south.