A FINAL WORD

Just as the book was going to press I received this letter—

"I must tell you how thankful I have been for your labour-saving ideas. My cook left to make munitions; my housemaid's fancy led her to become the driver of a tradesman's cart; the parlourmaid remained, and still remains, bless her! I have had to rely on what temporary help I could obtain, for cooks so far turn a deaf ear to my entreaties. Had it not been for our gas fires, circulator, and cooker, our washing-rooms and our lift, Heaven knows what would have become of us.

"As it is we really have managed extraordinarily well. Most people's houses are too full of things which no one wants. Most people eat too much and serve the food with unnecessary elaboration, and vast numbers of women spend their lives fussing over trifles and making unnecessary work for vast numbers of other women.

"Will it be different after the war?

"Let us hope so."

The greatest Labour-Saving apparatus we possess is the Brain; it has not been worn out by too much use.

This statement appears on the first page of this book, and again on the last.

It bears repetition.

PLATE XLVI

AN ELECTRIC RADIATOR

(The Dowsing R. H. Co.)