Upsidonia

istocrats of Culbut, then through a more spacious suburb of large and small villas, where he said those of a decent degree of poverty resided. The tram-line had borne us c

a great variety of flowering shrubs and trees. This charming garden seemed a suitable setting for the long two-storied white-painted house, with its deep eaves, old-fashioned bow windows, and creeper-grown verandah. A giant magnolia, delicat

ses despise, and prefer to coop themselves u

e. "Oh, you don't understa

front door, which stood hospitably open, affording a glimpse beyond

er and a footman in livery[9] appeared, who relieved us of the parcels we carried a

erry," said my friend to the butl

t do you have to observe strict

ge us unless we undertook to give them plenty of

that she was delighted to see me, and to hear that I was ready to take them as I found them. I was also introduced to Miss Miriam Perry, whom I took to at once, as she was exceptionally pretty, and had a very frank and pleasing way wit

us all, except my married daugh

even come to like Mr. Perry himself in time, for he showed to better advantage

study the conditions of wealth from the inside. He has even bought a great ma

was being educated at a day school, I learnt afterwards, where many of his companions were the sons of

t was possibly for his benefit that Edward said: "We keep one or two barely furnished attics for people like yourself who come t

est slope of lawn and a well-wooded landscape beyond. There was a big bed in it, a well-furnished writing-table

ard. "Lord Arthur will show you the bathroom, and wher

ook at the footman, who seemed to

familiarly: "Then you're one of us, eh? Why do you want to rig yourself out in this sort of kit! W

said. "I am studying social conditions, a

can see all you want of the rich by taking service w

g myself comfortable

nd comfortable when your bo

ikely to be s

e them in that unblushing way. If you want a life of comfort because you like it, why don't you say so? Yo

" I said. "Have you g

would other rich people, and we often have to do ourselves a good deal better than we want to in the servants' hall, simply because we can't foist all the best food on to them and see that they get through it themselves. We're really hel

t of you are of good famil

od lot on the whole. Still, domestic service isn't what it used to be. It is so crowded as a profession that it's difficult to get a place where there's enough work to do. The women are better off, because they can go out as generals. But for men it is getting more and more difficult, owi

aid. "Quite c

t you've never learnt how to treat servants," he said. "If you weren't a gentlema