Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1884-02-07
The Serrant Girl.

lne current DuuDcr OF lfle NuttoH nae
n long article on the difficulties which
American housekeepers find in getting
efficient and trustworthy service in tbs
kitchen.
There was n time in this country wher
Il could be said that honest labor of any
kind was not only respectable in fact,
but was regarded and treated as such
by people of every social grade. Forty
wears ago the farmers daughters il
New England went out as hired '.heip"
in their neighbOrs' families without
Thought of degradation. and the same
custom prevailed almost everywhere in
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 a mortgage on 4 homestead
among the hills was raid of by the aid
Of the daughter who worked in the mill
Prior TO 1910 there was no feeling 81
caste or Of social inferiority which kept
native born girls from working for
wages in factory or kitchen
In later wears 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 became
a disrespectable'' occupation ID 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 high
wages and q chance N make more
money at homework than at almost
ANYTHING else a woman car do. there Is
an unceasing complaint that good serv.
ants are hard to find and hard tn keep.
Besides the event Of mafrimony 70
which hey all look forward as final
deliverance from the hsrdships of
scrubbiEg and cooking and washing and
dT sting and sweeping, they are attracted
BY the factories where they can have
more cOmpanionship and avoid heing
perpefually reminded of their social in
feri0Tity. and so away they go. knowing
well enough that the change viii bring
them less money as the net result Of q
years work,
II sufficiently easy TO exclaim against
the foolishness Of the girls, but that does
not bring them back. The fact is that
their mistresses. ninety-nine times in 4
hundred. would do the same thing if
their positions were reversed.
Second aud third-rate 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 the better class is to
drift away irtO other pursuits.
Some of the contributing causes 10
this trouble are doubtless beyond reach.
but If any woman who has a house 10
keep would know the most common
reason why really good servant is apt
TO dislike service, she has only in i'm
aginat:on to put herself in the girls
place. The servant Is the only person
in the house who is expected at al
times to be polite and respestful in be-
havior. She must take the reproaches
Of her mistress, however unjust, with.
out talking back" She mus; endure
I the pranks and waywardness and irri-
{ tating words of the children She must
hear the man of the house grlImble
over his dinner without the opportunity
Of saying word in explanation or self
/ defense. She must leave her washing
or cooking TO bring hod of coal into
| the parlOr the moment it 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
worA. She is frequently subjected 70
arbitrary aud unnecessary rules about
/ going out. and to unnecessary restnc-
l tions about the times aud places of re-
ceiving her company. She is. in shori
not a a rule. but in hundreds of cases
subjected 10 the whims and caprice OF
4 woman who i careless of the serv-
ants convenience, comfort and pride,
and who is often enough the servants
inferior in good sense and good breed.
| ing.
This is the side of the case that pre-
sents itself to the kitchen girl. and it j:
side that is sufficiently familiar to
make the service unpopular among s
great majority of those who are best
[ qualified TO perform il well. Taking
/ girls as they are-Sood. bad and IN
/ diiferent-the blame does not wholly rest
with them The employer can by cOnsid-
crate treatment make the servant feel
that she and her duties come within the
pale of ueSpectability. and that minister.
ing to the daily wants of family is BY nc
means degrading 10 any woman The
servant girl-who may not Be much &C.
customed to read newspapers--has had
her full share Of reproSch and good al.
viee; il nzy be worth her while for the
other party 10 the housekeeping enter
prises TO consider whether at least hall
The fault does not lie at her own door. =
lcfroIt Post and Ts-i5Hne.