I was busy one morning writing necessary letters, when James--who was then seventeen, and the under-footman--came to the drawing room and wished to speak to me.

When he had wasted a good deal of my time in describing his unwillingness to disturb me, and the years his father had lived in my father's service, I said, 'James, I have important letters to write, and very little time to spare.

If you have any complaint to make, will you kindly put it as shortly as you can ?' 'I'm sure, my lady, I have no wish to complain,' was James's reply; and thereon his complaints poured forth in a continuous stream.

I took out my watch (unseen by James, for I never insult people), and gave him five minutes for his grievances.

He got on pretty fast with them.