New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1846-09-16


The girl tocraby qualified for her occupation, in the
house of another Ia far more independent than the one
she calls Mistress " and the Mistress IL much rnorc
upprehensive OF being turned array than the girl ms
shows that good and qualified heps(t like this Auer1-
cansm)-are much wanted. My suggestion. il carried
into effect In proper manner, would remedy much OF
the evil complained of Yours, &c IL
Rcmatks.
Let us commence by stating few facts:
!. Household Service is at present nearly as
much overdone as other Female avocations. Eve
ry Intelligence Office swarms daily with applicants
for places and we think not less than One Thou
sand Women willing to do Housework are at this
moment looking for places in our City. Now sup
pose Five Thousand Scamstrcsses, Book Folders
&c. were to resolve 10 seek employment IN Fam
hes; Where will they all find places and at
what wages
Q, The Am. Female Reform Society is Mt this
moment engaged in the arduous enterprise of col
lecting funds to build Home for Destitute and
virtuous Women in our City. wherein they may
stay and work until good places can be obtained
for them. This is noble charity. and we hope
will be speedily successful. We entreat H. and
all others who would do something for suffering Hu
mainly to aid it.
And now to the question Why don't Women
and Girls who cannot earn decent subsistence by
Sewing Folding, &c turn to Homework There
are different reasons in different cases Some are
too ignorant of the nature of Housework. and have
no good chance to learn others deem theu.selve.
too feeble in bodily frsme 10 lifs carr ac hc IA
house,servant must be reaty 20 &c ctacsS i7r5>2zs
have children TO care for niaay az,e has even
drunken or disabled husband or decyepIt Isse7t q;
her hands some lgeneraly those who haze s@eb
better days1 ure withheld by an insincible reyle
nance to the work itself With far tue greater
number, however the iuvincble obstacle is tie
treatment 10 raich SERVANTS usually subjected
md their Socia position an tie r0rlG eye and their
oIcR.
A young woman who earns twenty or thirty
cents day by sewing other piece work and
contrves TO exist on II in some garrett dog hole
steps into the street the equal OF every body else.
Her hours are her own; so long as she can pay her
way no one has a right to give her an insolcnt
word But a servant giri-what are her rights
What is her position Suppose she rises al FIVE
and goes directly to her work at what hour has
she u right to consider her days work donel Wha,
sort of accommodations are deemed too poor for
heri When and where may she receive a friend
Where is her Sabbath Mind that we do not say
that she receives no psa,sstoa TO go out, no indu
gences Of various kinds; we are speaking OF her
+igkts rs a servantgirl and these are scanty and
dubious enough.
That servants should quite generally be igHo-
rant and coarse under such system is inevitable
The master wrong they must endure is that OF Dot
being regarded as human beings. People and
servants are two sorts of folks, What sheer
runs the family circle of faces at the idea OF Sally
the cook or Betty the chambermaid having beau
How impossible it is thought that either should be
allowed 10 SO out two evenings III succession after
working thirteen good hours during the day! And
while the awful criminalty of Sabbath breaking is
duly enumerated where is the family so strict as to
excuse her with hall days work ON Sunday In
how many families is not Sunday as hard day Ter
servants as any in the week
-We have thrown out these suggestions in the
hope that they will be ponderei by the heads Of
families generally, and that none will take offence
at their plainness. No-sonie ,cil take offence bu,
they will be those who need these indictments 70
reflection, and who win be the better foy them. Ii
H will but consider them web, ne Will see WHY
10 many sean,stresses and other girls of eGuca,
ton and refined feelings shua and shudder st en-.
gaging in Domestic Service. They dread TO wors,
where they are constantly reminded that they are
intesiors-where they are exposed 70 continual re.
proof and fsulttinding Better is q dinner O;
herbs, etc,
we know there are many excellent masters aa1
mistresses-snsny families in which servants are
treated as human beings and neither better nor
worse for their vocation, We know there are
many who recognize and discharge the da,y OF Civ
ing instruction 10 their servants and treating then,
with uniform kindness. patience aud r,sneet.
These rarely complain OF had servants or arr
troubled with the loss Of good. There is no dan.
ger that this class VIII take what we have said
above % themselves We believe 81 Improvement
in the treatment and consequently in the character
OF Household Servants is slowly progressing. Ye,
when Yankee girls ninesenths prefer TO encounter
the stunning din the imperfect ventilation aaonos
onous labor and excessive hours of eot,orfacsory
in preference 10 dong Housewosk. be sure the lst