The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1885-11-07
GERMAN DOMESTIC LIFE.

GERMAN DOMESTIC LIFE.
PeculIarities Of Household Work in TIE
Ksiser's Dominlons.
The domestic machinery Of the Ger
mans is much simpler than ours, and in
many respects more economical and
practical. One truth is soon made appar-
ent to the stranger; that is. that economy
is . necessity in Germany. In family
of seven there is usually but one servant.
She rises at five, makes the kitchen fire.
washes the floor. and puts her own
room in order. At six the baker comes,
then the man with milk and butter (the
Germans never put salt in their butter,
SO they buy it fresh every morning).
The children are awakened and the
maid helps them to dress, then makes
the coffee and serves it. first to the older
children. who are obliged to be off for
school at $50 in summer and seven in
winter. This done. in our family, the
maid puts my sitting-room in order,
washing the floor. busting the furniture,
and shaking the rugs. At seven we
have coffee, and by 1880 am ready to
begin my work. After the rest of the
family are served with coffee and rolls
the sleeping and other rooms are put in
order, each floor being washed or waxed,
and rugs thoroughly beaten; then the
maid goes to the market to buy the
dinner. There are no supplies in the
larder at Germany as at home. If cold
boiled ham or any cold meat is needed
for supper, the maid goes to the butcher
and buys Just enough for the meal.
A custom that struck me curiously
was that of having shops in the base,
ments of even the handsomest houses on
the most fashionable streets-butchers
bakers. shoemakers. notion stores, jew,
elers, all can be found within the radius
of block from any given point. 1t is
undoubtedly convenient for the people,
but it mars the beauty of the street very
much. My maid has gone to market, /
believe, so by this time she has returned
and is preparing the second breakfast.
which is served at eleven, and consists
of couple of eggs and slice of brown
bread, and perhaps glass of milk for
boarder. but for the children and the
rest of the family it is usually only q
slice of brown bread an inch and half
thick, with little cold meat. Occasion
ally cup of chocolate varies the mo-
notony. Then comes the dinner at two
soup. meat and vegetables and des-
sert; the latter the children only are
allowed to have on Sundays. After the
soup has been served the lady of the
house puts what she intends for the
maid in a dish, and on no account
would a servant be allowed to take
more than had been given her. The
same plan is followed with the meat
and vegetables. After the dinner dishes
are washed and the kitchen put in or
der. the maid dresses and takes the
children out for a walk in the park, re-
turning in time for five o'clock coffee,
which even the little three year-oh boy
of my landlady drank every day. 1t was
| problem to me how these children
kept their health, with coffee in the
morning and afternoon and at night.
am sure American children could not
endure it.
At eight supper is eaten; cold meats.
tea or milk or beer. and bread and
butter compose the meal. The laundry
work is always done out of the house,
30 that lessons the work of the one
maid very materially. All bread, cakes,
pies. and even buildings. are bought
ready-made, as we say of clothes. The
bread is much better than ours. because
it is always thoroughly done.
A good maid is not paid moro than
twenty dollars year, and in many
| families not more than twelve dollars
They are allowed one Sunday evening
out in two weeks, and if they should
come home later than they have
promised they do not go out again for 8
month. All disputes between mistress
and maid are settled by the police. In
one house was in quarrels were sc
frequent that one policeman, at least.
was there most of the time.
German women are much interested
in their housekeeping. They obey Their
husbands religiously, because they have
to. and are very fond of fancy work
and-gossip. They are very tenacious
of their titles. and if lady's husband
is doctor or professor, and you do moi
call her frau doctor or frau professor
you offend her mortally. told my
German teacher that l had some friends
in Berlin whom had met some years
ago in Rome. and asked how l should
address the lady. as l was going there
to dine. I thought the gentleman'a
title was justizirath, then l must call
her frau justizirath. But 1 said, he
is also heheimrath.' %, then. that is
still higher, and she must be called frau
heheimrath.' Later on in the converse
ton mentioned that he was also q
professor in the university. The look OF
way in which she said: How lucky
that you told me; You must call her frau
professor convinced me that l would
have made a serious mistake if had
used either of the first mentioned titles.
Cor. N. Y. Star.