The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1883-11-29
Household TROUBLES.

compartment of cross disposition. A
correspondent inquiries: .'What do
You consider the first and most impor-
tant requisite to good housekeeping p''t
Now. the people under consideration
might reply, not exactly, perhaps,
s'cress disposition, but if many women
could be inspired to be perfectly true
to their own consciences they would
have to reply that "being particular
was probably the chief virtue to be cul-
tivated by her who would become that
most excellent composite of virtue, the
good housekeeper.
Now, we would like to ask if spar
ticuiarness"-w are sorry that the
language does not seem to afford any
better word for the quality, If, indeed,
it properly affords this one-is truly so
e~ great q virtue? If we wish to specify
a characteristic which renders anybody
especially disagreeable, don't we say
that he or she is ':dreadfully particu-
lar ?'' And did you ever see more
uncomfortable house to visit than the
one where a servant follows the caller
with a dust-pan to brush up whatever
particles may have fallen from his
shoes, and where drop of coffee
spilled upon an immaculate table-cloth
- the mistress of the house? And how
proud such people are of the reputation
which they acquire of being 'sbeautiful
, .housekeepers, and how exasp eratingly
they boast of being particular
They seem to think that any woman
who is not constantly fiuttering and
clustering" SO to speak, about her
house is positively contemplate, al
a.
aggressive methods may average much
better. than those of the former. 49,.
Tofllustrate what is meant sslittle
story may be in point:
.s8 A lady called one day upon friend,
the mother of a large family and the
IS keeper of large and expensive house.
She belonged to family second to none
in the city where she lived, and bore
the reputation of notable housekeep-
er. Her eldest daughter, an admirable
S girIin many respects, but brought up
with the pernicious views of 'good
housekeeping" which have been allud-
ed to, had been married within a wear
or two and was settled in neighboring
city.
"You are looking WE'LL remarked
the visitor, cheerfulfy, as her hostess
entered the reception room.
-'fAm Up It's wonderi / am spes-
tered to death with my servants. /
rs-erhave managed to keep my waiter-girl
for six months in spite of her faults,
which have led to pitched battle with
her as often as once week. But see
plainly must ship her soon. / have
been cleaning closets upstairs to-day,
and she was cross enough. because /
insisted upon her going over the paint
four times. Yesterday I had to scold
her because there was dust on several
of the steps of the back staircase She
pretended to say that she had had to
run and wait so much on my Katie, who
is having little attack of malaria, that
she hadn' t had time to get around. But
/ understand it. She shirks every
chance she can get, and won't have
dirt
At this point the girl in question ap-
peared at the door.
rs the dining-room in orderp'' said
the lady, haughtily.
Eyes, ma am. F"
''Then go and do the work you didn't
do yesterday"
Tie girl said eyes, ma'am.' - and
disappeared. The manner of her mis-
h. tress had been so offensive that the
81 visitor would not have been surprised
81 to have had the grl do something. inso-
81 lent But there was nothing but patient
endurance expressed in her whole
bearing.
.stass How is your daughter enioying life
lin HI" inquired the visitor after
awhile.
80. said the mother proudly, ssshe
hoe had Il
within thirteen weeks. She hates dirt
and disorder just as do, and | see
ssheSis going to be just as particular. 2
The visitor thought of the discomfort
and unsettled condition of the poor
family of this woman with fourteen
dinerent servant girls within thirteen
weeks" and thanked her stars that she
was not member thereof She won
dered also if the mother had any idea
OF the bitterly sarcastic comment She
had made upon her daughters charac-
ter. A woman with any sense knows
that one of three things must be true of
woman who has fourteen different
servant girls within thirteen weeks and
yet can not find one to suit her. She
must not be able to Judge with any in
telligence whatever of the quality of a
person from her appearance; she must
treat her servants very badly, or she
must not be able to train a servant
properly. Perhaps she loves change;
Just to be able to say that she is so
.'partieularn that no human being
lives whocan suit her.
Now, for genuine lady of brains
and refinement to go around pro-
claiming that she .'hates Dirt. and
tsmUSt have olooa hoa5Sott
surd as for her to go about saying she
can spell. Such things 90 without saw
9 ing. And to boast of the innumerabIe
number of times a helpless servant Girl
has been made to .sgo over, paint or
of taking her up for negiecting a
regular duty when sickness imposes ex-
traordinary ones. or to mention with
pride the large number of servants one
f,all- afa11nlnx-- nnncc;t