The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1885-07-16
Domestic Life in Germany.


Domestic Life in Germany.
From Girls Letter in the New York Chris
tan Advocate.
The domestic machinery Of the Ger
mans Is much more simple than ours,
and in many respects more economical
and practical. One truth is soon made
apparent to a stranger, and that is
that economy is necessity in Germa-
ny. In family OF seven there is usu-
ally but one servant. She rises at 5,
makes the kitchen fire, washes the floor,
and puts her own room in order At
8 the baker comes, then the man with
milk and butter, the Germans never
put salt in their ter, so they buy
it fresh every morningl The chill
dren are awakened, and the maid
helps them to dress, then makes
the coffee and serves it, first to the
other children, who are obliged to be
off for school at Aalf-r.st & ia summer
and Z in winter This done, in our
family, the maid puts my tting-room
in order, washing the floor, busting the
furniture and shaking the rugs. At Z
W. have coffee and by half-past l am
ready to begin my work. After the
rest OF the family are served with cot
fec and rolls, the sleeping and other
rooms are put III order, each floor
being washed or waxed and rugs
thoroughly beaten; then the maid goes
to market to buy the dinner. There
are no supplies in the harder in Ger
many as at home. II cold boiled ham
or any other cold meat is needed for
supper, the maid goes to- The butcher
and buys just enough for the meal,
A custom that struck ne curiously
was that OF having shops IN the base
mcnts of even the AaA,sSameSt houses
on the most fashionable streets
butchers, bakers, shoemakers, notion
stores, jewelers., all who can be found
within a radius of a block from any
given point. 1t is, undoubtedly, con-
venient for people. hat it mars the
beauty OF the streets 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 II, and consists OF eou4
pie OF eggs and slice of brown bread an
inch and a half thick, with a little cold
meat. Occasionally a cup OF chocolate
varies the monotony. Then comes the
dinner at 2-soup, meat, and vegeta-
bles, and dessert; the latter the chill
dren 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 nQaccount
would a servant be allowed ia take
more than had been given her The
samo plan is followed with the meat
and veget ables. After the dinner
dishes are washed, and thekitchen nut
in order, the maid dresses and takes
the children out for a walk in the park,
returning in time for 5 o'clock coffee,
WHICH even the little three years-old
boy Of my land-lady drank every day,
1t was q problem to me how these
children kept their health With coffee
in the morning and afternoon and
at night. anu sure American children
could not endure it.
At 8 supper is eaten; cold meats,
tea, or milk, or beer, and bread and
butter, compose themeal, The laundry
work is always done out of the house,
so that lessons the work of the one
maid very materially. All bread,
cakes, pies, and even puddings, arc
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 more than
$50 year, and in many families only
$12. They are allowed one Sunday
evening out in two weeks, and if they
should come home later than they have
promised they do not 60 out again for
a month: All disputes between mis-
tress and maid are Settl ted by the police.
In one house ! was in, the quarrels
were SO frequent that one policeman,
at least, was there the most of the
time.
German women are much interested
in their housekeeping; they obey their
husbands religiously, because they be-
lieve they have to, and are very fond
of fancy work, and gossip! They are
very tenacious of their titles, and if
a lady's husband is a doctor or
professor, and you do not call
her Frau Doctor or Frau Profess
or, you offend her mortally. I told
my German teacher that had some
friends in Berlin whom had met some
years ago in Rome, and asked how l
should address the lady as was going
there to time. I thought the gentle
mans title was Jestizirath, then I
must call her Frau Jestizirath."
"But," l said, che is also Geheimer-
ath." 80, then, that is still higher,
and she must be called Frau Geheime-
rath." Later on in the conversation
l mentioned that he was a lso professor
in the university. The look 81 amaze
ment and surprise got, and the way
in which she said, allow lucky that
you told me; you must call her Frau
Professor" convinced me that would
have made serious mistake if had
used either ofthe first mentioned nj titles.