, 1874-01-25
TIE SERVANT QUESTION.


personal use.
THE SERVANT QUESTION.
70 the Editor Of The Chicago Tribune:
Sir: II Won are not already weary Of the con-
rroyersy u,>ou servants, l will say little aaJ,
suggestive.
In tho first place.
WHAT CONSTITUTES LADY:
Is it wealth3 4 person may have diamonds,
sapphires, rubies, and many precious stone5;
ehe may have vessels in traffic with tho indies,
and own a gold-uline in California. yet be 60
coarse in her nature: SO ignorant, SO devoid OF
the better feelings, and generally disagree
able, Is to be ignored in polite society.
Is it scholarship? Not alone.
Ii it fine clothes Bsocade5, royal velvet. and
creau-colorcd lace cannot make lady, though
tley will show one to advantage.
Indeed. so subtle lro the qualities which COM
bine to form lady, that it is difficult to put
them into words; but I will essay to describe
her as one who By paturo is sensitive, delicate n
her tastes who has some culture, and an innate
love Of the good and beautiful, with duo con-
siJaratiop for the rights Of others. OF every
station.
SUCH HAPPY CONDENSATION
OF requisites lends glow to the countenance,
Buayity to the manner. aud q charm to the con-
vcraatiou, that give the possessor the signet Of
ladyship WHICH nono will gainsay her.
To almost every refined Indy the details OF
housekeeping arc quite repugnant; IL which
case. if she has the means, she gets some one to
attend to them for her; if she has not: she does
them herself. Then, although none the less
Indy,
SIZE DOES NOT IMPROVE,
as she would were her time occupied differently,
and consequently (ns VIC must either progress or
rocrosrade) her thoughts and mauners fade Tor
W2,ls of Furnishing.
But painting BY Raphael still proclaimed the
master, though faded and dim.
On the other hand, aa per ono OF last Sundays
letters, It'd true enough that some donest!cs
are moro lalylike than their employer. What
matters it !? If she - puts on airs III her turned
alpaca, they may laugh in their sleeves if Sue
does not, there is no remark to be made about
it; thing may be mist fortune, but It CAL OILY
be absurd when it fa1s shoEt Of its prcteaslons.
If'the two parties cannot live hapEliv together,
each has the sa1no privilege Of breaking tho
compact. cannot see but what I'll equal nun1-
Der OF liberties a-o granted to madam
and maid in this country. Those maids WHO do
not tlilk NO lad better CROSS the water, and try
seryitude anywhere in the Old World.
WHAT CONSTITUTES i SERVANT:
As understand, it is one WHO serves or ad-
ministers to the wants Of others; one Who has
chosen certain class Of work to do, which she
considers herself capable of doing, or in which
she intends to qualify herself.
She selects her OWL position, as lawyer or
physician selects his profession, or me-
chanlc his trade She takes it without COM
p11sion, and with promeditation. In return for
her services, abe Becclvcs q stipulated sum
agreed upon. If she be i novice ur = botcAcF,
tie sum should be small; if akillful aud ex-
pericncod, greater in proportion; but don't
mako tho mistake Of expecting 80 slrl to work
for 50, nor expect tho lnttcr to ill tho place OF
the former.
If sucl work as cooking and washing dishes.
clea1-starchiug, keeping the house tidy. or pre-
siding over tho nursery, is distasteful to
woman, she should get an employment more
agreeable. At tho present dag,
ALL FIELDS OF LABOR
ara opep to hef she is not compelled to accept
u position beneath her qualifications because. as
in oldeu lays sho il excluded from higher Ones
II she takes the pluce OF house:caid, it is her
duty 10 siyo tho best of her attention and tilno
to supplying the demands mlde upon her; to
reflec: that she is not only paid for doing her
work. but for doing it in satisfactory and cheer
full manner,-thu6 adding her 1n!to to tile tom1ly
unity. What kind OF atmosphere would that be
where all the members OF tho household should
COMPLAIN Of their du.ies, end that fa.o had cast
too heavy burden upon tho1n, and each should
try to shirk it of on the shoulders Of some one
else? There would be constant chickering's and
dissens;ons. Heaven spare me- from ever form
ing one Of that circle!
good servant, upon entering a family, imme-
diatey gives taci consent to tie authority OF the
head Of the family, aud
YIELDS ouEDlESCE ACColDINGLy.
There must be order in every household, .
| recognized head, end recognized form OF GOV
er,:nlanl, as there il in Church aud State; elae
| how can it thrive? Notwithstanding, u lady
| should look upon her servants less as subjects
to be commanded .han a8 members OF her family
! IN whom ehe feels personal interest aud desire
| for their welfare. Feeling thus, she Till not
only command their respect and regard, bu. also
| their best services.
| If a servant be faithful to hor duties, and
respectful in her department.. she will be treat
| ed kindly, md oftentimes with affection for no
| line which marks one station from another Is SO
broad but that friendship may bridge it with
| links, nor il it SO smau that 1t ia necessary to
| lose s16h1 Of it.
| There have been
| SOCIAL GRADES
| as far back as To lavo autheaslc history why
! should wo expect to abolish them to-day :
I 1t Is true that our young country has gone
| through tho different stages OF civilization
| aud cui.iv in two centuries which the Old
| World has been cycles OF years in attaining, and
! consequently We may expect to outs:rin her IN
| the new social era which is already dawnins
| upon US. We are forming standard Of excel
| leuce not decided By hereditary right, nor up
held alone by wealth, in which Mind shal ASSERT
| 1f6 power anu Clllul l.S tll4t " AoOl3ikJ
| .nn which, wealth will be called INTO requisi-
ton, and thus become q moa1l5 instead Ut an
! end.
Meantime, let us look to it TINT We do not
| endeavor, by
OUTWARD APPLIANCES,
to beguile others into tho belief that our cir
curastances are bcstcr than they are and lct
US take more solid comfort AZ we 60 along
with constant aud earnest desire OF high and
| low to improve the mind aud condition as rap"
| ia hatf and
| stead Of seeming to be. l.. e. Il.
! CHICAGO Jan. 2l, 1874
| Admits EAio a1tstnEes