Smyrna times., 1886-08-25
Housekeepers and Their Help.
"PUNCKTOOALITY."

ELIZA janet Eliza Jane can you
come up to me few moments?"
Yes, I'll be there, ma'am."
"Now, Eliza Jane, sit down, and in
as few words as possible tell me what
made the housework of the Browns so
attractive that you lived there eighteen
years, and did it so well they never
had to change in all that timer"
"PuncktoOality, ma'am; punck-
locality"
Now, Eliza Jane, don't talk non
sense, but tell me why you were so
happy at the Browns and why did your
work so well. am going to write
down what you say and send it to the
paper"
Much obliged to you, ma'am, but
my conscience won't let me say moth
ing else but puncktooality."
well, give me an example of what
you mean"
Puncktooality, ma'am. 1 thought
the poorest scholard knowed the mean
in of puncktooality, but I'll tell you
just how our missis told US. The first
morning as ever 1 saw her she said:
Eliza Jane, can you tell the time p
'Sartain, ma'am, saysI 1. Then listen.
We have breakfast at half-past 7, lunch
at 1, dinner at 6. Do you understand?
will give you list of the articles you
are to have prepared for each meal,
and want you to be puncktooal. You
can go to your kitchen now.'
Well, l went, never knowing more
than you did what puncktOoal meant,
but found out fast enough fore the
day was over. When I had dinner
ready that highland a nicer one you
needn't wish to set down to- rings
the bell, never looking at the clock at
all, and 1 heard them all come down
the minute had dropt the handle.
"'I likes that says I, when body
takes pains and has everything to ones
notion they don't wait for it to spile
before coming to it. Yes, likes that,
said l again to myself. Well, every
thing went off smooth far as I could
see, when heard 'em, as supposed,
all go upstairs-but no!
"' Eliza Jane, said Mary, the wal
tress, the mistress would like to see
you
" was that surprised, but puts on
a clean apron, thinking she was going
to say something in praise of the din
ner- but no!
"' Eliza Jane said she, did you not
tell me you could tell the time?'
Sartain, ma'am, says again.
"' Did you look at the clock when
you rang the bell?'
No, ma'am,' says 1, when dinner
was ready I rings.it and I was that
pleased to see you all come
Eliza Jane = 1 never will forget
how she said that. The dinner and
every other meal must be ready at the
hour l say-not when you get it ready
not a moment sooner or later. We
will never keep you waiting, neither
must you US, and it's your place, Eliza
Jane, to have everything in readiness al
the exact hour, and our place to come
to it so that none of your good cooking
is spoiled by waiting. Puncktooality
Eliza Jane, is the rule of this home
You must respect it. So will we, and
1 think you will find everything &C
right if that is Needed
&C. Is that the meaning of the word
puncktooality, to be on hand?' says I
that nervous was fit to drop.
Yes, on time-not minute ear
lier or later
{" makes a low curtsey and says
IN be proud to do it, ma'am,' and
walks away to my kitchen a wiser girl
"Now, ma'am, that is the reason
say puncktoOality.' 1t took US some
time to have everything just thai
prOmpt-like, but when we did you
need never wished to see happier OIL
cOntenteder set of girls. We knoweG
just what we had to do and the time
we had to do it in, so we could plar
our work occording, sure that the mis-
tress would never keep US waiting, NJ
more than after that day did we her
We all had our own places in the
house, and she would let nothing inter
fere with US or the pleasure she sale
we might take after our work was done
Yes, and we all knowed our place ant
was very happy in it.
"Well, it worked on wheels, tina
housework did, and the lie that kept i
running smooth, and made us all s,
happy and cOntented-like-my con
f science can't say nothing else-wa
puncktOOality, ma'am, puncktoOality.'
-YOnkers StdtemaR.
ELIZA JANE