West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1884-02-08
TIE Scrrnni Girl.

The current number OF the Nation has
long article on the difficulties which
American hou,ekeepers find in getting
efficient and Trustworthy service i'm the
kitchen.
There was time in this country when
il cOuli be said that honest labor of any
Kind was not only respectable i'm fact.
but was regarded and treated rs such
by people Of every social grade Forty
years ago the farmers daughters in
New England went ont rs hired "help"
| in their n"ighbors' fam lies without q
thought Of degradation. and the same
custom prevailed almost everywhere i'm
the rural portions of the Northern
States. Yankee girls who we're ambi-
tiouS to make higher wages than they
could get in the kitchen went to the
factories at Lowell and other places. and
| many mortgage on homestead
| among the hills was paid Off by the aid
OF the daughter who worked in the mill
Pror to 1910 there was 10 feeling of
caste or of social inicr;ority which kept
native born girls from working for
WAGES in factory or kitchen.
In later years came the influx of
foreign maids who took possession of
the places that were then open to the
labor of young women. They were
mostly ignorant, unframed in their
work, and not well fitted to shine in
polite society Kitchen work be came
| q" disrespectablc'- an occupation II be
| followed only till something better could
be had-and the era of poor and waste
ful housekeeping set in
With all the inducement of higb
wages and II chance TO make more
money ut homework than at almost
| anything else a woman can do, there is
| an unccasing complaint that good scrv-
ants are hard to find and hard To- keep.
Besides the event of matrimony TO
| which they al look forward rs a final
dcliverance from the hardships of
scrubbing and cooking and washing and
busting an sweeping, they are attracted
| by the factories where they can have
| more companionship and avoid being
| perpctual!y reminded of their social in
ieriority. and so away they go, knowing
well enough that the change will bring
them less money as the net result of "a
years work
It's sufficiently easy to exclaim against
the toolishness of the girls, but that does
not bring them back. The fact is that
| their mistrcsses, nincty-nine times i'm
hundred, would DO the same thing if
| their positions were reversed
Second and third-rato servant Girls
are always to be had, and there are
many most excellent ones who under
| favoring circumstances retain their sit
uatiOns for a long tine; but the con
slant tendency OF Tic better class is to
| drift away into other pursuits.
Some of the contributing causes to
| tins trouble are doubtless beyond reach,
! but If any woman who has house 10
| keep would know the most common
| reason why n really good servant i apt
| to dislike service, she has only i'm inn
! ngnatiOn to put herself in the girls
| place. The servant is the only person
! I'm the house who is expected at all
times To be polite and respectful in be-
! haylor. She must take The rcproarhcs
OF her mistress however nm ust, with
! ont talking back She must endure
! the praDk~ and waywardncss and irH-
! t1ting words of the children She must
| hear the man of the house grumblc
over his dinner without the opportunity
| oi saying word i'm explanation or self
! defense. She must leave her Washing
! or cooking to bring hOd OF coal into
! the parlOr the moment it j. called for.
| without the liberty OF suggesting that
her work D. sadly broken up by The in
/ corruption. and still be held responsible
Tor the proper performance OF her
work She is frequently subjected 10
I arbitrary and unnecessary rules about
going out and 90 unnecessary rcstric-
tion- about the time and places OF re-
cnIving her COMPANY She is. in short
not rs rule, but iu hundreds of cases
| subjected 90 the whims and caprice Of
"a woman who is careless OF the snry.
ants convenience comfort and pride.
and who is often enough the servant g
inferior in good sense and good breed
ing.
This is the side Of the case that pre-.
.cnts itself TO the kitchen Girl. and 10 is
dc that is sufficiently familiar 10
mako he service unpopular among y
great majorit ot those who arc best
qHali'icd 90 perform 10 we'll Taking
girl ne they ere good. bad and M
different TO blame docs not wholly rest
with Ihcm. The employer can hy consid-
era.c treatment make Inc servant feel
That She and her duties come within the
pale of probability and chat minister
ing 90 thc daily wants of family Isl by no
means degrading ~ any woman The
servant Girl who may not be- much nc.
customod 90 read newspapers has bad
her luil share Of rcprOach and good adj
vice; 30 may Lc worth her while for the
other party 10 the housekeeping enter.
priscs 10 consider whether m least half
the fault docs not lie AT her own door,