, 1874-01-18

A mother.

| To the Editor Of The Chicago Tribune:
SIR: The author OF an article in last Sun
days TRIBUNE tells us that man with o mod
erate income, soy 81 900 or 81 200 q reaS, can.
not support a fauily and pay servant such
high wages. agree with her on that point, nol
il it to be expected that Charles or augustus
who is bookkeeper in dry-goodz Or other
store, or follows como eimi'a- occupation. shall
ape the style OF his employers by having ser
wants to wait on himself and wife. II woman
] cannot afford this luxury out Of her husbands u
income, then why insist on playing the grand
madane2 It costs her $182 = year, aud sha is
forced to live Oh great deal lower figure. 1s
this servant to blame for this lamentabte folly 7
Her labor jnstlv entities her to whatever amount
she eau sell it FOR aud sometimes 1t Is cheap at
any price, when she is subjected to the caprlcea
and arrogance OF upBtart masters aud M1Btres.eH
financial affairs, Why not retreuch aud
save that Sls2, do her own WORK,
attend TO her household, aud devote her
time to her family interests; aud not
waste the precious moments in a crusade against
The servanl-girl.
But she will say: 1--WE are not all house
keepers born. It takeB time to become perfect
in the art Of housekeeping. It would take an
eteruity for some Of us TO lealn to tolerate ita
disgusting details: handling raw meat, dabbling
10 greasy dlsh-water, putting our hands to au
uncJeau door, or scrubblng solled lnen." Yet she
wants her servants to do this, and for ml4er-
uble pittance. Uaa the servant no refined feel
lngs Does the necessity Of her labor for q i've
hLood take away her repugnnnce to unpleasant
orders or filthy dish-water, Arc all her senBeH
to be absorbed in the one tle1uo OF another y
louaehoId? Ii she hut to be the scaveuger of
anothels family? Yes it is expected that sine
will do all this. and for d miserable remunera-
ton, and tina. il too much. Surely, tha laborer
is worthy Of his hire
But it is said that tho maid fares better than
the mistress. 1t $3.50 week-a most e3ort1-
tant talary-the maid has at tho eud OF the year
S1c2 for clothing, pleasure, OF to do as she
pleases with. Has she not earned it honestly 7
Il il not the just reward OF her labors7 And
got fault il found, and it ia said That the mis-
ttess should have at least au equal amount
allowed her for the same PURPOSES Of comfort aud
enjoyment. It ia also remarked that it is natural
to suppose that the mistress may have csrtain
expenses IL regard to her outer aaotlmeut
which the maid is not Obliged to copy, and which
sometimes she burlesques. It would seem from
the tone OF this that the servant must not adorn
her persGn; sLe must have no taste III the choice
OF her warurobe she must wear the badge OF
seryitude. That sue performs her various du-
ties is not sufficient; there must be some bar
rier. some distinguishing line, drawn between
n!attess aud maid. WHEN often the Inter il tho
superior OF the 1ormer both III person and mall
uels.
Now if certain house1seepers have to undergo
all this inauGerable agony and toll OF making
over, washing, aud trimming their old alpaca
dresses, remodellls their last winters bonnet,
and renovating their husbands threadbare over
coats, / will offer balm to heal their wounded
spilits. Let them have nothing more to do with
those hot1id servant-glEls; let them do their
own wolk, rs their mothers, in many cases. used
to do, and avoid Initiating the style Of theirmore
fortunate neighbors; and the time may come
when. with al Incl ease Of salary and good sense,
they may be placed In poBition to do us fuii JUS
tice. 4 SEGyANT-GIRL.
C4ICAGp, Jan. Z.