The time of my arrival coincided with the departure of the last "girl", and the leave-taking between mistress and maid was anything but cordial. Mrs. Downton then led me into the kitchen, and, pointing to a paper fastened to the door, said, "Here are my rules for the work of each day", and showed me my room, comfortable save for the lack of a chair or anti place to put my things, except a few nails on the door, and told me to prepare supper as soon as I had taken off my hat and jacket.

This was eaten at seven o'clock in the dining-room, and, in my capacity as lady-help, I sat at the table with the husband and wife and the "man ", a depressed youth who never opened his lips. As Mr. Downton, kind and pleasant from first to last, was conversationally inclined, I forgot my inferior position, and chatted away during the meal ...

I cleared away after supper, and during the washing up Mrs. Down ton looked into the kitchen and asked very stiffly whether I would care to sit with them in the drawing-room. I politely declined this honour ...
Next morning I was in the kitchen by half-past five to start preparing the breakfast. To my relief the stove behaved well, and I lit it with no trouble (here, as in many parts of Canada, only wood was used), and set about cooking porridge and bacon,making toast and laying the table. All was ready by half-past six, and the family assembled ...

When breakfast was cleared away, I started on my daily round of sweeping. Carpets had to be cleaned with one implement, the linoleum and matting had a special broom, and the rooms with only bare boards another. Then all the skirting had to be wiped around with a dry cloth, and it was in vain that I begged leave to use a damp one, as the dust merely flitted from one place to settle in another. After this operation I was told to do the bedrooms, and wizen they were finished it was time to peel potatoes for dinner and supper, and to begin preparing the substantial midday meal.

That over, and the washing up accomplished, I made a cake and blancmange for supper, and, as it was now four o'clock, I was allowed my freedom for an hour and a half. A good part of this precious time was occupied with my toilet (it was very cursory in the mornings), and then I rested as I had a "crick" in my back. A friend was expected for supper that evening, so we had soup, fish, meat, and sweets, and I had to change the plates, bring in the dishes, and wash up the fish plates to do duty for the pudding course as the crockery ran short.