thoroughly understand accounts. She will have to write in her books an
accurate registry of all sums paid for any and every purpose, all the
current expenses of the house, tradesmen's bills, and other extraneous
matter. As we have mentioned under the head of the Mistress (_see_ 16),
a housekeeper's accounts should be periodically balanced, and examined
by the head of the house. Nothing tends more to the satisfaction of both
employer and employed, than this arrangement. "Short reckonings make
long friends," stands good in this case, as in others.
It will be found an excellent plan to take an account of every
article which comes into the house connected with housekeeping,
and is not paid for at the time. The book containing these
entries can then be compared with the bills sent in by the
various tradesmen, so that any discrepancy can be inquired into
and set right. An intelligent housekeeper will, by this means,
too, be better able to judge of the average consumption of each
article by the household; and if that quantity be, at any time,
exceeded, the cause may be discovered and rectified, if it
proceed from waste or carelessness.