(p. v) TO MY READERS.
MY DEAR GIRLS,
EVERY rule in this book is necessary to a girl entering a gentleman's family. Some of the things I shall tell you will be known to many of you, and some will seem new and strange; but all are equally important, if you wish to be well-behaved and agreeable servants. If you neglect to observe the rules I shall teach you, you will always be awkward, and fit only for common places and low wages; but if you learn and practise them, you will be able to rise higher as your domestic knowledge and abilities improve. Many a thoroughly good servant is kept all her life in inferior places, solely by the want of good manners; and many a servant of small abilities is advanced to a better position merely on account of her good breeding. Do not think because some of these directions seem strange to you, that you will be noticed and looked at for observing them. All good servants do the things which I advise you to do, and all ladies are accustomed to see them done. You are much more likely to be watched and wondered at for neglecting these rules, than for obeying them.

Chapter One OF THE VOICE AND SPEAKING.
NEVER LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD BY THE LADIES AND GENTLEMEN OF THE HOUSE EXCEPT
WHEN NECESSARY, AND THEN AS LITTLE AS POSSIBLE.
(p. 11) This piece of advice cannot be too well remembered. It is needed by almost all young girls on their first entering service, and great is the annoyance thus caused to their employers. Every girl who wishes to live in a gentleman's family must learn, sooner or later, to keep guard over her tongue, and it is best to begin at once, before her neglect has called upon her the reproofs of the family... (p. 12) In order that you, my readers, may the better understand how to follow out this rule, I will give you a few more particular directions about your voice and speaking, which will help you in those cases where you will, without caution, be most likely to forget yourself. In reading these directions you must remember that they should guide your conduct towards any grown-up lady or gentleman who may be in the house, although for the sake of shortness, I shall generally name only your mistress.
Many young girls who are fond of talking will make a common message an excuse for a long conversation. I had a nursemaid once who did this, and if I tell you how she did it, you will perhaps see how tiresome it must have been....
I asked her once how her sick father was; she answered, "I got a letter from mother to-day, ma'am, and she says, it is hard to write while she has so much to do; but father slept a little, and she took the pen just to tell me his eyes
looked a little brighter, and he had taken a little of his favourite dish,—that's stewed beef, ma'am, — and so she thought at the time that he must be better; (p. 13) and before she sealed the letter, Mr. Turner,—that's the doctor, ma'am, that comes from the club that father pays weekly—he came in, and said father was much better, thank you, ma'am." It was very natural for Mary to like to talk of her sick father; yet when she had been with me a few months longer she would not have occupied me so long, because I asked her a simple question. She would have remembered, that however interesting it was to her to know that her father liked stewed beef, or that Mr. Turner was the club doctor, and to dwell on all other particulars that concerned her parents whom she loved, yet, I was not the person to whom she had a right to relate all these things unasked, and would have answered simply, "Thank you, ma'am, I have heard from my mother today, and father is much better."...

(p. 32) Chapter Two: TITLES OF RESPECT.
NEVER SPEAK TO A LADY OR GENTLEMAN WITHOUT SAYING, "SIR," "MA'AM," OR "MISS," AS THE CASE MAY BE.
I have had several servants who had not been in place before, and in every instance have had much trouble in making them observe this rule. Every young person will say " Sir" or " Ma'am" occasionally; but few do it always, till taught to do so in a regular place. Some, on my telling them several times of this omission, have said, as an excuse, that it seemed awkward to say "Ma'am" so often; but this is quite a mistake. It sounds very awkward to leave it out; and, what is worse, it sounds, and will always be thought, very ill-bred and disrespectful.... Now, if you feel doubtful of the necessity of saying " Ma'am" and "Sir" so often, listen to the first good servant, or the first tradesman you hear talking with a lady or gentleman, and you will see I am right.

(p. 36) In some houses, the lady will like you to say "Sir " or "Miss" to the children; but in others this is not done. Most ladies allow the servants to call the children "Dear," or by their names, in speaking to them. I think, if you are not directed what to do in this respect, you will be safe in saying " Sir" or " Miss" to those who are old or well-behaved enough to treat you civilly, as the grown-up ladies and gentlemen do, and "Dear" to those who romp and play with you like children. Whatever you may call the children, in speaking to them, always speak OF them as "Master John," " Miss Julia," and so on; except to the other children, to whom you may say "John," "Julia," etc. Even should the lady or gentleman say to you, "Tell John to come in," you should still answer, "Master John is in, sir." Of course, a mere infant will be called "Baby;" but, however young this "Baby" may be when another comes to take the name, the elder baby must be called "Miss" or "Master," when spoken about.

In some houses, the servants call the lady and gentleman of the house "My master" and "My mistress" and in others, "Mr. Smith" and "Mrs. Smith," or by whatever may be the surname. I would advise you in this matter to follow the custom of the house you are in. (p. 37) You are most likely to be in families where the first mode of speaking is adopted; but whichever title you may give your master and mistress, in speaking of them, be sure you never address them by a surname; as in, "Thank you, Mr. Smith." This would sound very rude. The simple "Sir" and "Ma'am"—of which we have before spoken—is always the right word to use in speaking TO a lady or gentleman. ... The servant who remembers to address thus civilly and respectfully those put above her, will be almost sure to gain courtesy and respect in return. In good houses, where such rules are scrupulously observed by the servants, the ladies and gentlemen seldom command, but almost always ask a servant to do a thing, and thank her for anything done. A civil "Shall I do it, ma'am?" will gain for answer, "If you please, Mary;" while in common houses, where servants are allowed to neglect the courtesies of their station, they are roughly ordered, and seldom addressed by name: the rude "Shall I get it ?" is answered by "To be sure," and the service done received without a word of recognition. The higher your place is, the more courtesy you will meet with from your employers; but, as is only fair, the more courtesy will be required also from you. I am, therefore, advising you only to do that which will bring its own return to you—to give that which will be exactly paid back to you.

(p. 40) Chapter Three: STANDING AND MOVING.
ALWAYS MOVE GENTLY.
You must never run up and down stairs, unless, perhaps, you can trip down very lightly; but no one can run up lightly enough. However lightly you may go down, it should never be fast enough to make it difficult to stop, or to make it possible for you to knock against anyone at a corner. Your step should never be heard, either on the stairs or elsewhere. Never rush in haste to the letter-box, or go anywhere, or for any purpose at more than a gentle pace. I do not mean that you may not move quickly, but it should always be as gently as a lady would move, if she were observed. (p. 41) I say "if she were observed," because a lady has a right in her own house, to run upstairs, or to a letter-box, sing across the hall, call to her husband upstairs, and do many other she would not do in the house of another lady, or with strangers round her. You should remember that, as long as you are in service, you are always in the house of another, and have strangers round you, and should not think, therefore, that because your mistress chooses to let her voice or step be heard, you are at liberty to do the same.