West-Jersey pioneer., 1873-08-22
DOMESTIC HELP.

The subject of domestic help is one
of great interest to almost every one
in both city and country. Good help
is becoming scarce, and almost impos
sible to secure. When a person seri-
ously inquiries of a friend where help
is likely to be found, the question is
regarded as a joke, and is generally
greeted with smile and despairing
gesture, significant of the fact that
they also are without the desired OBJ
ject. In large cities, when families are
without sufficient amount of help,
they are sometimes obliged to resort
to the intelligence offices, but the ser
wants to be secured at such places, are
generally of a very inferior class. A
lady, whose number of servants is in
sufficient to do the necessary household
duties, visits an intelligence office, where
she finds dozen or more persons de-
string situations. She finds there is
not much choice, but from the number
seated in the room for inspection, Sc
lection is made. Although not salts
fed, she concludes to make the trial,
hoping that appearances may prove
deceptive. The agents of the estab-
ishment, in hope of securing the fee
for obtaining situation, willingly re-
commends the person as being good at
general housework" The subject of
wages is satisfactorily arranged, and
in consequence of the recommendation
the girl is engaged When she arrives
at the home of the lady, before enter
ing upon her duties, she makes num-
Der of inquiries, in very impertinent
manner, in reference to the number of
children, the amount of company they
entertain; whether they have cook,
chambermaid, child's nurse; whether
the washing is done at home, &C., and
coolly gives the information what af-
ternoons and evenings she wants to
herself. After the questions are an
swered to er satisfaction, the lady of
the house, in turn, desires some infor-
nation, somewhat to the surprise of
the girl, to which she condescends to
reply. In answer to the inquiry wheth-
er she would be willing to assist the
chambermaid, she responds that she
has never been accustomed to that
kind of work, and doesn't want to do
it, neither is she willing to help with
the washing and ironing, as it is such
hard work that she could not endure it;
as for baking and cooking, she has no
knowledge concerning that department
of housework. Not succeeding in as
certaining what department of work
can be assigned her, the lady decides
to give her trial. After few weeks
she discovers that the sugar, tea, cof-
fse and other groceries are consumed |
much more rapidly than before she
came; about the same time, small ar
ticles of wearing apparel are unac-
countably missing. Suspicious are
aroused, and the movements of the new
girl are closely watched, when to the
ladys surprise, she is discovered to be
in the habit of visiting a pawn-broker,
where are found various articles, some
Of them quite valuable, which were at
first supposed to have been mislaid or
lost. 1t is also ascertained that some
of the girls friends, in the city, are
supplied with variety of groceries
which she has succeeded in purloining.
Her singular manner leads to the be-
lief that she is not temperate; bottles
are found among her possessions, and
a visit to the cellar reveals the fact
that choice stock of valuable liquors,
which for years past had been kept
securely locked, had been discovered,
and by means of false keys had fallen
into her possession, and been almost
consumed. Of course, she is soon
and returns to the intelli-
gence office, where she again has an
opportunity for duping other parties
Families residing in cities, are obliged
to depend almost entirely upon Irish
girls and colored help, who generally
prove to be incompetent and unrelia-
BILE. They generally stay but short
time at one place, it being something
to retain servant for period
Of three months, to the inconvenience
and annoyance of those who would
gladly retain them in their service, if
they gave anything like satisfaction.
But in general, there is no desire to
Keep them, as most of them are not
only incompetent, but insist on having
10 much time to themselves, visiting
dances and Ethiopian concerts, remain
ing out, nearly all night, and returning
utterly untitled for labor the next day.
There is the same cry for help in the
smaller cities and rural districts
Among farmers, particularly, there is
great difficulty in obtaining house help.
There being no places of amusement
10 frequent, and SO little company, in
addition to the fact that the work on
D farm is far more laborious, demand
ng more hours labor, that girls are
,ot willing to go into the country.
Farmers wives are therefore compelled
10 work far beyond their strength, rising
ut an early hour in the morning, and