The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1886-10-30
A HOus keepers Experiment and
Some Ideas Concerning 1t.
Emily s. Bouton in Philadelphia Times.

past. 1t was an old story, one that has
been sounded over the length and
breadth of the land for the past quarter
of century, until how to prevent its
continued repetition for the coming ages
has grown into one of the social prob
lens of the day. My little neighbor
who uttered the exclamation was bright,
pretty woman, with husband whom
she adored, two children that she de-
clared to be angels, and cottage home
that was gem in its perfect appoint
ments, with a glorious setting of green,
velvety lawn, waving trees and gorgeous
blossoms. Everything seemed to have
come into her lite to make her happy,
and yet she was miserable, was losing
flesh and spirits and in imminent danger
of degenerating into fault-fnding
household drudge. Cause: Wretched
help in the kitchen.
made no reply to her done to death
outburst. Indeed, if she had not rush
ed in about that in the afternoon in such
frame of mind should have been afraid
that she had laid down her burdens and
was climbing the golden stairs. When
she appeared, speaking little more
emphatically than usual, knew she was
yet good deal alive.
'Why don't you say something2' she
asked, impatiently rocking back and
forth in the chair into which she had
thrown herself. IF there is anything
exasperating it is to have one from whom
you expect sympathy sit still and sew
on buttons, looking as serene as a May
morning, while you are just dying from
sheer fatigue. I'd like you to have to
do something once that you hated as
hate fussing with girls in the kitchen
Now, l had been inwardly chafng
for an hour over this same sewing on OF
buttons, for if there is one thing that
my woman's spirit rebels against it is
this mending and repairing business.
The tones of my voice were not so full,
therefore, of the dulcet melody of pity
as they might have been as l replied:
There is nothing | think of worth
saying. On an average, you have made
that same announcement to me seven
times week for the last two months,
and it's becoming monotonous. lfyou
would try the experiment | recommen-
ded, and it failed, then my spirit might
respond in sympathy with your woes
AS it is, suppose you will have to go
on suffering, for you can't begin at the
beginning and make servants over, as |
ever heard Of
But your plan seems so absurd. Mar
garet is bright enough, but l do not be-
lieve she will profit in the least by send
ing her to cooking school. As to fix
ing up her room in the style you suggest
that is too much. l Ipromised her mother
to look after her and l mean to do So
by taking her into my family and train
ing her to be good servant, but | do
not believe in putting extras in her head
that may make her above her place.
| made no reply.
There you are again, she burst out,
after moments silence; 4 know you
d .sapprove of me, but why can't you
say so and why won't you argue the
question.
This was refreshing, considering the
fact of almost daily conversations upon
the subject for month, in Which had
explained my position over and over
again.
.Well,' replied, 'if you really want
me to go over the ground again l will
do it, but l should think you would
know all the pros by heart by this time.
1 believe that cooking needs as many
brains to do we'll as painting-though
they may be of different fiber-and
that the training in the fundamental
principles should be as careful. The
great trouble in our homes, and what
causes perplexities such as you complain
of every day, is that we put ignorant,
unframed girls into our kitchens and
expect them to produce good work be
fore they know the rudiments OF its ac-
complishment. We do not give them
systematic teaching, as in any Other
trade or profession, in order to enable
them to work intelligently, but plunge
them at once into wilderness and ex
pect them to find their way out to oul
satisfaction. l believe in girls being
instructed in the science of cooking and
other household duties and then o.
grading their wages in proportion tc
their general intelligence and skill. Yor
have good chance to try this plan with
Margaret. There is no one to interfere
with what you may desire to do. The
girl herself is good and sensible, if moi
brilliant, and will do you faithful ser
vice, even in her present ignorance
Why not turn that ignorance into intel
ligence, and make her a valuable mem
Der of your household? The comfor
she would bring, l am sure, would more
than compensate you for the expense
and trouble. confess that | am anxious
to have the experiment tried, in orde
to prove the correctness of my theory
There is cooking class here now, whicl
makes it possible
almost thou persuadest me, she salt
as 1 paused in my speech for lack o
breath. Il will 60 home and think
over. Tomorrow morning you shal
know what is to be poor Margaret fat
whether she shall go on the even teno
of her present way and torment my LIT
out with her ineficiency, or be mad
the victim of an experiment.
True to her promise, she came in tn
next morning and announced that sh
had entered Margaret as member c
the cooking class and was looking fol
ward to season of bliss when sou
bread, doughy biscuit, burned pies AM
heavy cake should be unknown anon
the factors that make the comforts an
discomforts of life. must COME:
that | was little anxious about tn
matter. Margaret was good-naturec
but rather dull German girl, who's
mother had been a servant in the famll
of Mrs. Ames' mother, had married
lost her husband and then herself wer
the way of all living, leaving Margare
a girl of seventeen, to make her ow
x,oy in the world On her death be