The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1839-11-20
From ths Nep York Star
A CHAPTER ON SERVANTS.

However much our attention may DO directed 10
matters OF State TO business, money and exchanges,
we cannot wholly abstract Il from domestic economy
and internal affairs How common IL is, when The
husband, relieved from the pressure OF business,
comes homes TO enjoy his dinner with his family, TO
hear his wife say !" My dear, have you put the adj
versement in The Star, for cook, or waiter, or
chanbermaidl" eve like 10 hear The advertise
menl>--they are meal, drink and lodgings 10 The
poor newspspers-w paid for.) There Is revo-
luton going ON In relation 10 servants Of small
importance 10 the lillle kingdom OF the kitchen,
though may not reach the congress Of nations, or
be acted upon by the five great continental powers.
great importation OF the article is In progress from
all countries in Europe but principally from old Ire
land aud, although there are many helpless helps
arriving from the Emerald Isle, IL Is but sheer JUS
tce 10 say that there are many kind creatures among
them, who are faithful and trustworthy. But the
importation Is now made business, and The parties
always consult their friends 10 this country and take
lesson In the mode Of application and the manner
oil obtaining comfortable settlements. So that all sur
prise vanishes at the stranger knowing much
about the modns 0peraHdi, when the instruction re-
ceived is also known, Up Broadway there is an in
telligence Office crowded with female applicants for
places who are seated on long benches, waiting anx-
ously for an applicant. l want a cook" said
lady. That's jist the place want" said a rudy
colored lass, freshly landed "Wel my good girl,
have you ever lived out cook r. o. no, ma'am--
never lived out at all; but sure can larn, and
have the best OF karacter, and can boil pa,ys with
any one at will take long while to instruct YOU
" Six dollars month, now-and You may give me
more, you know, as i get on.
Their instructions seems TO be for all TO demand
six dollars per month, no matter whether qualified or
not; and then TO increase IN demand as their ser
vices are found useful This appears 10 be the mi
niulun price demanded by all and here is the
into which all strangers led, by ignorant or ra-
pacious friends, A good girl, who knows nothing,
and requires instruction in every hing, wishes
comfortable home, should be happy foi that insirnc
ton and that home To accept dollars per mouth,
and al ow increase OF wages TO be contingent on
Improvement an good behavior; their situations
would then be permanent and their allowance safi-
cent; but, unfortunately, they come TO this country
under the impression that money is rs plenty as
backbcrries; and where many in the old world do
not receive ten dollars per amman, here they think
ten dollars per month not out of the way 10 allow for
a good servant. Many In arrears for passage
money and clothes and they think they can earn the
wages of an experienced servant when merely enter
ing their noyiciaie. Il depends upon housekeepers
to make the distinctions and If they employ those
who have no experience, TO give them but moderate
wages until they learn TO be useful
A second class of these applicants for places, are
your experienced cookshose who really know their
business, and build highly their professional know.
ledge and importance. They are kind OF nobility
among the pot hooks and hangers, ard are determin
ed TO know all about place before they drive up Ia
| a hack, with trunk and band5ox. We saw such a
one lalely-midde aged--good complexion--portly
in person, with coqulico ribbons in her bonnet, cape
and shawl on, She was in the parlor, surveying
every thing with an inquisve eye and an air OF con-
tidence, waiting for the entrance OF the mistress
" You want a cook, ma am, as see by the newspa-
pers." 81 do, Have you lived out long in that ca
pacity 7" Q, yes, ma'am-l call myself pr blessed
cook, and wants no instructions" Indeed. You
have, dare say, good character from your last
place Z" Very good -here they are--you can in
quire OF the lady herself, you know Lived eighteen
months in one place, and ten months in another"
every well. Pray, what was the cause Of your
leaving your last place 7" "Couldnt agree with the
chambermaid maam-she was always intrudng
upon me- So lett" : What wages do you expect :"
+" | gets eight dollars month, ma'am with the ashes
and Soap-iat" The lady having paused in her in
quries, the coos commenced her cross EXAMINATIONS
/" Do you keep waiter, ma'am ~ "Certainly."
Only one Z" Only one" Why, likes liule
help occasionally, and would like Two. Do you keep
carriage na'am 2" 81 No, | do not" II am sorry
for it, / have always lived with gentry that kept
their carriages-,he coachman, now and then, was
useful to me. hope you dimes al one on Sundays,
for go 10 church in the afternoons" ~ prefer
your going to mass in the morning before breakfast"
I'm always used 10 have the most part of Sunday
myself, maam, and cant give il up suppose you
doesn't come down in the kitchen to season the vii
tails and dab about as some ladies' do 1t perplexeS me.
am always used 10 responsibilities and can do bet
ter alone" make il practice always TO be in my
kitchen, and see dinner prepared-the finishing
leave 10 The cook" You have no objection to my
brother and few friends coming TO spend the even
ing with me, once or twice a week, and my going
out once or twice week to see them ~ /" have
great oblections-it is not my custom" long pause
~ don't think the place will answer, ma 'am." So
dropping demi-curSey, she swept out of the room
see clearly madam that she will not hire you for
her mistress" - lis even so, sir. After We have
gone through our inquiries, the lady of the kitchen
| is 10 be satisfied" E.
This is the kind Of dependence under which most
of our housekeepers labour. Ladies should take
their daughters with them into the kitchen, and ia
milarize them with all the details. Let them study
| Ude below, as they read the Ladies' Book above
learn practically the mysteries of the culinary art
understand how to " bake, boil and stew" make pud
dings, pies custards and jelies; and, then if the
| cook is imposlor, is insolent or what is worse
tom House. that her services are no longer requir
ed" Such admonitions, frequently repeated, will
| improve the fraternity.
Another class deserves passing noiice-a real
good cook--a quiet good woman---one who seldom
spoilS dish isever al her posl--and who is willing,
but al the same time extravaganza waSelul, and
utterly indifferent to her interest, that twenty dol
lars per month will not cover the of her employ
ment. i had just such one Accustomed TO rise
with the lark, and be in my Office when the hands
arrived, always breakfast alone. My cook was al
ways ready; and as Basil Hall would say "Such
breakfast never in all my travels met with" Tea
and coffee fresh boiled eggs, and plenty of them,
butlered toast and milk toast, mackere and ancho-
vieS, and in the season, buckweat cakes swimming
in Mediterranean Of fresh Goshen butter. The
least possible Of all eaters, used 10 survey these
bounlifu preparations with some misgivings 10
their economy, and once limited to my wife the boun-
tiful goodness of the cook--women understand these
things better than avery kind of her" said she,
"but you rise from her untasted preparations
that she doesn't pop into your seat and finish the
breakfast which in truth, she prepares for herself
not you" Here was an end OF the delusion.
THE Political AND Fiscal CONDITION OF INDIANA.
It will be recollec,ed that this great Wing State