The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1885-11-27
GERMAN HOME LIFE.
THE ECONOMY AND THRIFT WHICH
MAKE THE PEOPLE PROSPEROUS.
The Management OF the Mistress OF the
HOuse-German House Servants and
Their Good Habits-NO Late
HOurs-Manners.
Dresden Cor. Detroit Free Press.I

dresden Cor. Detroit Free Press
No one can have spent much time
among the Germans without having had
frequent occasions to observe and admire
the economy and thrift which kept them
comfortable at home and make them
prosperous, often wealthy, abroad These
features extend throughout the entire
economy both of public officers and do
nestle life Just so much force is applied
as is necessary to accomplish the object
desired, just so much sustentation pro
vided as will be needed; thus much al
ways, but no more
The hotels furnish but one set table
or regular meal Gaily, the table
d'hote dinner, breakfast and sup
per being ordered la carte, and at the
morning meal the waiter begs to be in
formed whether the Herr will dine at table
Il hote that day, and if not. no provision
is made for him. Just enough of every
dish is provided to satisfy the wants of
those who have signided their intention of
being present, but there is no surplus. and
if you come without notice, fresh food
must be ordered and prepared fer you
And the same rule prevails in private
families where the mistress carves from
the dishes prepared; her estimate is always
sufficient, there is always abundance for
all but no superhuity-there is no carry
ing off to the slop pail of piles of plates
filled with choice and costly viands
scarcely touched; none of that lavish.
prodigal waste which one observes at the
tables of our large hotels, when the guest
surrounds himself with barrier of dishes
resulting. principally, in the benefit OF
the scavenger.
A German girl is not thought fit to be
married until she is thorough and eff
cient housekeeper.
Good mistresses make good servants,
and the German house servants certainly
seem deserving of the highest praise. /
say "seem, for a man is not supposed or
allowed by the sex who rule in such mat
tiers to know anything about the requi-
sites or qualities which go to the making
of good domestic servant / cannot fail
to observe the amount of work they do,
and how thoroughly aud cheerfuny it is
done, how clean everything is kept and
how neat they keep themselves; at what
astontshingly early hours they commence
Work, and that they never seem to have
time for gossiping or beaux, ex-
cept on alternate Sunday after
moons, when they walk silently hand-in-
hand with a schatz (the military
generally preferred) to hall or garden
where there is "balmusick, where they
dance all night till broad daylight and
come home to go steadily to work again.
Surely it would be hard-hearted, sour,
puritanical mistress that would wish to
deny her faithful, hard working servitors
this scanty modicum of pleasure, and
would prefer keeping her at home in
back garnet reading Watts hymns and
the Shepherdess of Salisbury Plain.
domestics, but these good habits are not
confined to them, but extend through the
community. The usual hour of rising is
o'clock. Schools generally begin at Z.
Breakfast is not formal meal, where all
the family assemble around sub.
stantial dishes. but consists of
coffee and roll or two, and is taken
when it suits the convenience of the indi.
viduaL Dinner is an elaborate meal of
many courses, served usually In families
between 1 and o'clock p. m. Supper is
also hearty, substantial meal, eaten at
a later hour than our tea And all in
mates are expected to be in the house for
the night at half-past 10, at which
time the large outer doors of the lower
main entrance are closed and fastened,
and you must pay small fee to the serv-
ant who lets you in if you come later
than that hour. But operas, concerts and
theatres commence at half past 6, so it is
not difficult to comply with these rules.
even for those of gay and festive inclfna-
TONS All are expected to be in bed and
all lights out at. II. except where some
erudite professor or toiling student burns
the midnight oil, or some party of roll
licking Americans consume 1t and the
lamp of life together.
If manners consist as we used to be
taught at district school, in bowling to and
sauting our teachers and seniors, then
are these most mannerly people The
bowling and scraping and courtesying
that go on when acquaintance meet in
the street is prodigiouS And when they
pass they don't merely nod or touch the
hat as with US; it must come completely
or with a sweep of the arm and be waved
in the air withaL A man with a large
acquaintance must be right good Gus
toner to his halter. In the morning every
one in the house says, Good morning" to
every one else, the inferior in years or in
position offering the first greeting, which
is always returned
This is not only the custom in families,
but in the largest hotels and on the Ger
man Atlantic steamers, where the walters
and sailors greet the passengers with a
CHEEKY "morgen" when he first comes on
deck. On entering railway or street car
or an omnibus, the last conner always sa-
lutes those already seated and the rule is
the same in the old fashioned beer halls or
restaurants, and he is looked upon as a
snob who fails to return the salute. On
leaving the sale a-manger of hotel, after
dinner, each guest bows to the landlord,
who is always seated at the head of the
table, and who always rises ceremo niously
and bows in return. In country districts
children always uncover to their seniors.
even if they are utter strangers, and in
the mountain districts where primitive
customs prevail, the wayfarers who pass
you in the road will greet you with
~Gluck Auf, good luck.