New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-01-05
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
GAIL HAMILTON ON WOMAN.

WOMAN'S WORTH AND WORTHLESSNES9. BY GAIL
HAMILTON. 12inO PIP. 2yl Harper q Brothers.
The Iliad of woes that spring out of the Flap
pointed domestic service in American housekeeping
is rehearsed with certain epic force in the com
mencement Of this intrepid volume. If tho author
has attempted to relate ver1table history, her ex-
perience has indeed been highly disastrous, but it
will doubtless find counterpart in the never-ond-
ing distresses of many perplexed family both in
town and country Her first adventure in the way of
housekeeping was under the auspices Of |" o sweet,
gentle, Innocent widow, just out of the House of
Correction" who had taken vow that she would
never drink again. and who was received into tho
family in a gusb Of beneyolence. She dealt with
close hand, not only abstaining from drink herself,
but resolved to prevent others from eatlng,-the
whole house soon wore gaunt look-even the cat
Inoaned in her sleepand in order to save the family
from starvation the gentle pretty widow had to go.
Next came Miss Giberts career, to whom wages
were not much an object situation in piOus
family She stirring energetic creature. what
is sometimes called active Christian, turning out
to mis- ht meetings through mud and miro with fierce
momentum; hut her piety proved of so high a flavor
"a to become intOlerable to her employers. The
happy NoTah then appears upon the stage or more
properly in the kitchen with every accomplishment
but that Of cOoking,-a fine, re1-cheeked, brawny
armed damsel sllky, with shoulder for every
wheel and a blunder for every occasion. but nscrU
table in all her ways Rusty, the imperturbable,
then stepped into her shoes, little neglected waf
who came in tatters, and took every fate with an
angelic serenity that had tho effect stupid
fly. This innocent maiden was formed for literature
and society waiting at table with mouth open and
ears erect reading novels and magazines with the
avidty Of famine, and washing floors to merry
mental tune that set the soapsuds i'll lively dance
up tho mop-boaTd.
When at last the snlcring became intOerable,
recourse was had 20 advertisements. The sanguine
housekeepers cherished the vision Of some faithful
and friendly Scotch, German, or English girl, such
servant a. one often meets in stories of English
country life; but the ideal woman never appeared
in tho advertising columns. Each morning. as they
opened the daily paper hope sprang eternal in the
human breast, but only TO spring back again. There
was no lack Of women. middle-aged women, widows
OF twenty five twenty thirty, young widows
ladies Of refinement, ladies' Of culture ladies who
wanted q situation in q small family, to
whom good home was more object than high
wages,-.but thoy all ended with the fatal words
wldower preferred Now rs neither of these
young householders was widower, nor could DO
made one in any legal way. there no remedy.
Nothing could be done in a market when the demard
for widowers WAS always SO brisk. The preference
for this class OF humanity however, Gail Hamilton
finds not quite unreasonable. "A man is o great
deal easier for housekeeper to get with than a
woman. He has not eyes for every crumb on the
carpet, every roll of lint under the stove, every
layer of dust behind the sofa. every stain on the
spoons, every waste in the pantry. Ho never knows
how far cup of sugsr will 90, OF how much twelve
and half cents will buy. II he is only fed and
staIcbed in general way, I've never suspects any
thing is the matter
Finally the unhappy pair resolved TO 90 into the
ktchent Themselves and set up cooking on their own
account But this was no more successful than the
rest The attempt to run the machine was dead
failure. All their chemistry and mathematics proved
fallacious. Rye mullins were TRANSMITTED into
wretcbed dsbs of rye asty-pudding. "Withered
old orones without. molten lava within Drop
cakes, which were household world in their clan.
proved no less treacherous coming forth as fat,
rough and heavy Jumps cracked in every direction,
and ridged, and hard. 1t was like eating raw corn
In fat despair the lucless adventures at length
called the great Professor Blot to the rescue They
caught al him with the gasp and grasp Of the
drowning. But all in vain. His directions TO pour
white vino chicken were copied with terrible
earpestrees-mnshrooms were chopped up with
every other dish-aDd bsy-leaf and parsley were
deftly distrbnted among less savory materials-but
the scent of swcet herbs was without effect, and
light seemed to have fallen on every receipt.
From the perplexitiss Of the kitchen to the evils
Of society, the transition Is natural The condition
OF woman In our present civilization is the subject of
the remainder Of tho voume, aud is discussed in
prevailing spirit of moderation and tgood sense
though not without occasional intervals of feminine
vehemencc and aspenty to mark the identity of the
writer II Is impossible she sptly remarks Tor any
woman TO make her life what II should be while en-
slayed to tho work OF the household. This rule ad-
roits Of no eIceptisn The machinery Of the family
IL 40 coInnliraled that nna 4nman cannot hAYa the