The Hazlehurst signal. (Hazlehurst, Miss.) 1883-1885, 1884-02-07
The Servant Girl.

The current number o. the Nation has
long article on the difficulties which
American housckccpcrs find in getting
efficient and Trustworthy service in the
kitchen.
There was time in this country when
il coull be- said that honest labor of any
kind wa, not only respectable in fact,
but was regarded and treated u such
by people Of every social grade. Forty
years ago the farmers daughters in
New England wen, ont rs hired ''hclp"
in their neighbor,' families without 4
thought OF degradation. and the same
custom prevailed almost everywhere in
the rural portions Of the Northern
States. Yankee girls who were ambi-
tiuus TO make higher wage than they
could get in the kitchen went 10 the
factories at Lowell and other places, and
many mortgage on n homestead
among the hills was paid off by the aid
of the daughter who worked in the mill.
Prior 10 1910 there was no feeling of
caste or of social inicriority which kept
native born girls from working for
wa -cs in factory or kitchen.
I'm 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 we'll fitted 10 shine in
polite society. Kitchen work became
Observation-Disclosures occupation ID be
followed only till something better could
be had land the era of poor and waste
full housekeeping set in.
With all the induccmcnt of high
wages and chance 10 make more
money nj homework than nj almost
ANYTHING else n woman can do, there j.
an unccasing complaint that good scrv-
ants are hard to find and hard 10 keep.
Besides the event OF matrimony 10
which they all look forward rs final
delivcrancc from the hardships Of
scrubbing and cooking and washing and
busting and sweeping, they are attracted
by the factories where they can have
more companionship and avoid bcing
pcrpetually reminded of their social in
feriority. and so away they 20, knowing
well enough that the change will bring
them less money rs the net result OF n
years work.
II is sufficiently easy 10 eyclaim against
the foolishncss Of the girls, but that does
not bring them back. The fact is that
their mistrcsscs, nincty-nnc times in n
hundred, would do the same thing If
their positions were reversed.
Second and thirl-ratc servant girls
arc always to be had. and there are
many most excellent ones who under
favoring circumstances retain their sit
uatons for long tine; but the con-
slant tendency of the better class is To
drift away into other pursuits.
Some of the contributing causes TO
this trouble are doubtless beyond reach,
but IL any woman who has house TO
keen would know tho most common
reason why really good servant 1, apt
TO dislike service, she has only in i'm
ag.natlon to put herself in tho girls
place. The servant is the only person
In the house who is expected ut all
times to be polite and respectful in be-
havior. She must take the rcproachcs
of her mistress, however unjust, with
out "talking back" She must endure
the pranks and waywardncss and irri-
tatinc words of the children. She must
hear the man of the house grumble
over his dinner without the opportunity
of sayinga word in explanation or self
defense. She must leave her washing
or cooking to bring n hod of coal into
the parlor the moment 1t Is called for,
without the liberty OF suggesting that
her work Is sadly broken up by the in
terruption, and still be held responsible
for the proper performance Of her
work. She Is frequently subjected to
arbitrary and unnecessary rules about
going out. and to unnecessary restric-
lions about the times and places OF re-
ceiving her company. She is. in short
mot as a rule. but In hundreds OF cases
subjected to the whims and caprice of
n woman who Is careless OF the serv-
ants convenience, comfort and pride.
and who is often enough tho servants
inferior in good sense and good breed
ing. ...
sents itself 10 the Kitchen girl. and 1t Is
a side that Is sufficiently familiar to
make the service unpopular among a
great majority OF those who arc best
Qualified to perform it well: Taking
girls as thcy are-good, bad and in-
Sincreut-thc blame does not wholly rest
with them. The employer can by consid,
crate treatment mako tho servant reel
that she and her duties come within the
pale of responsibility. and that minister
ing to the daily wants Of a family Is BY no
means degrading to any woman. The
servant girl-who may not DO much &C:
customed to read newspapers--has had
her full share of reproach and good cd.
wise; II may be worth her while for the
other party to the housekeeping enter.
prises TO consider whether at least half
Inc fault does not lie Ut her own door,
Detroit Post and Tribune,