Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1878-11-13
For the Vermont watchm
Much Ado About Nothing"

Much is said and written about the made
quate pay of those who do housework. ad-
init that it is poorly paid, but also claim
that in most instances girls are paid all they
are worth to their employer.
In my vicinity, hardly anybody pays less
than two dollars week, except for very sec.
ond-rate help If girl is strong, and capa-
ble help, she finds herself in good demand,
at good wages, for there are many families
of means, who, having been at the mercy of
the army of incapables, are willing to pay
almost any price for the sake of comfort.
There are families who will tolerate al
most anything, if girl only works cheap,
and they are the very ones who crowd and
overwork a girl but if she knows nothing
about her business, she must take such
places as she can get. Those who employ
help of that class are not usually such as
girl can learn nice housekeeping from.
The majority of country help are girls
who can neither teach, sew, or do anything
else. The home nest is getting too full, and
Mary Ann thinks she must dress better than
her father can afford, so she decides to let
herself down peg in the social scale, and
go out to do housework.
She never prepared meal in her life, but
expects to be told how, so she stands around
in everybody's way, waiting for somebody to
tell her to do something, and how to do it.
So she gets everything out of place, makes
heavy, sour biscuit, burns the meat, and pro-
duces general discomfort for a few weeks,
till the family find out they prefer no help
at all to such as she is, and so dismiss her.
She complains of having a dreadful hard
time, and thinks she ought to have three
dollars a week, when it costs so much for
clothes. Doing the largest amount of hard
work is not always earning the greatest
wages A housekeeper needs help to relieve
her of some of her cares and responsibilities,
and girl who is quick to see, and fill gap,
and, by management and a personal interest,
in the family affairs can make herself a
necessity to those she serves, is worth double
to her employers what shirky, don 't-care
sort of girl is. | know all about help, aud
know there is always room at the top for all
who care to reach it. have had girls work
for me who broke two dollars worth of dishes
every week, and never set the table without
forgetting half the articles wanted, and could
not cook potato as it should be, and wanted
two dollars. have had others who could
set a table and get a breakfast, but who
would put on my collars and cuffs and wear
my neckties before my face. This soon be-
came intolerable.
Again, have had those who would con-
stantly make errands into the paror, if
had company, and then wait upon the table
with hair dressed precisely like that of my
guests--a nuisance. | also have had girls
who took pride in their nice bread, and
pride in hanging out the whitest wash
ing in the village. They liked to have me
look into their room and closet, to see how
neat they were kept. When | opened the par
lor for afternoon | liked to see them look up,
with a sparkle in the eye, well knowing
everything was perfect and sure of approval
and if ! was sick well knew my girl would
stick to her post and not be idle. Such
girls had plenty of love in my family, and
liberal pay, with all the privileges of a
daughter, aud some of them visit me every
year to this day, although married and with
cares of their own.
Home is the best school in which to learn
home duties but if they cannot be learned
there, many other ways are open. | know
a girl who was trying to earn little teach
ing country school, or doing house-worI
at a dollar and quarter a week, because
she did not know how to do anything tha
paid more. She obtained place in cit,
hotel, where she worked three months TO
her board to learn to cook At the end o
that time came a call for a pastry cook ii
another establishment She took the plac,
at eight dollars week and board.
There ought to be places, within reach o
all, where girls can be taught to do every
thing pertaining to housekeeping. Nothing
is more necessary to the comfort of famil,
than good cooking. Every girl expects t
become a housekeeper; but what are tn
girls doing to qualify themselves for it
There is another view of it, which viii
show you the girls are not entirely TO blame
Suppose young man comes into villag
as clerk, or a mechanic. He looks abou
at the girls, wishing to know some one h
can invite to ride, or take to a dance, pei
haps. Miss Highhyer works for MILNE
at five dollars week. She pays three an
half for board. Her hands are very white
and she has handsome hats and faultles
coiffure. lie wants her, but so do other:
Miss Willing gives lessons in music in
back attic, to such pupils as cannot afford
German teacher. She will do, of course
! but she is engaged Miss Baker is pretty
educated, and dresses we'll but oh, she doe
} housework for the merchants wife. III
works for the merchant, and she works fo
his wife, but between there is gulf fixe
: which no man can pass and be respectable
Look TO it, We " lords of creation" an
remove that gulf. Don't bridge it owe
7 but fill it up-blot it out. So long as yo
I choose girls who have never washed disht
or peeled potatoes, so long they will elevat
their noses, whether aristocratic or plebiai
e if you ask them to do it. If you want goo
, housekeepers at your home, don't ignol
! them in face of all the world