This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1878 edition. Excerpt: ...in calculations--Bribery on the part of trades-people--From whose pocket the bribe is taken--Course to be adopted when bribes are offered--Have no dealings with those who offer bribes--Consideration to be shown to tradespeople, and how--Hardships suffered by dressmakers, etc.--Pressure unadvisable even for mourning--Timely notice saves hurry and pressure--Gossip about the family to be avoided--Gossip about those in a higher position than ourselves too general in England--Gossip generally originates with servants. N the course of your service, you will have a good deal to do with your lady's tradespeople. At first, you will be employed to convey orders to them, which will be good practice in the art of carrying messages. You will also have some easy shopping to do; to match ribbons, and buy sewing-silks, tapes, linings for gowns, and such things, in which it is not easy to make mistakes. Begin carefully and well, that you may become qualified for the more important shopping that will be a part of your duty hereafter. Have a neat bonnet and shawl or cloak ready to be put on quickly when you are sent out. Make sure what sort of things you are to get, --whether the sewing-silk is to be coarse or fine; what breadth the tape is to be; how much a yard you may give for the ribbon; and so on. If your employer should think you rather particular about your orders, she will soon find that this is better than bringing home articles which cannot be used. If you are troubled with a bad memory, you will make a list of what you have to buy, and carry a pencil, that you may set down at the moment what you pay for each, if they are trifles too small to be put into a bill. The most satisfactory way, however, is to have a bill made out to bring home with you....