The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1888-09-07
THE SERVANT QUESTION.

II reading of the trials Of housekeepers
and the inef1ciency of servants, l feel
prompted to say a few words in defence of
this class. My experience has been that,
if a servant is well treated, the mistress
will be well served. Never let her feel de-
graded because she waits upon you and
does your work. Let her understand that
you sympathize with her in all her Joys
and sorrows. | am not troubled to get
good help, and am very dependent upon
my one servant.
Our Kittie has lived with us for two
years, and she will return to US at the end
Of our vacation, when we return to our
city home. She has had another place
during the two months of our absence,
and l felt a little afraid that these new
people might persuade her to remain with
them. But on my way from the Indian
Territory to New York l saw her for a
counted the days till she should return to
me.
"Why do you like our place best?"
"You trust me; you never watch me;
you treat me like a friend"
Is there not a good deal expressed in
that sentence?
l never hurry her. / praise her cooking
if she does well. Ipermit her to do the
work in her own way, when her way is
right. The rooms are always well swept
and busted; the meals are on the table at
the appointed time, and are well cooked;
the ironing is brought upstairs at a precise
time every Wednesday, and is well done.
If the grocer's bill (she orders the grocer
ies) is larger than l expected. we talk over
the items. She often suggests where a re-
trenchment can be made, and the next bill
is smaller. My large mail comes each
day. Sometimes there is a queer or bright
letter that Kittie would enjoy, and l hand
it TO her.
"Read this, Kittie. and tell me what you
think of it.u
She generally has bright thoughts con-
nected with the subject, and expresses
them in an interesting manner.
There are three of US in the family.
Sometimes l a to hear a little good
music, or attend a lecture, and the daugh-
tiers do not want to so. Then l say;
"Kittie, You must be my escort to-
night"
She never refuses, and enjoys these lit
tie outings. Then she dresses herself so
neatly that | am never ashamed of her;
and when my friends greet me and ask,
SIS this your daughter" I reply, s'No,
she is our homekeeper, who makes us all
comfortable, F" and then mention her name.
We pay her fourteen dollars per month,
and hand her the ~well-earned wages every
Saturday evening. Many of these dollars
60 TO her widowed mother, and she knows
that | approve of her flial devotion. She
has a nicely-furnished, comfortable room,
with all the dainty little inexpensive
things that girls love so well. This room is
warmed in winter the same as my
room, and is nearly as pleasant.
If kittie is i'll, she is cared for as kindly
as are my own daughters. She knows
that we appreciate her, and never mention
her faults to others. Therefore she is con-
tented, and serves us well.
They tell me that the great want of the
age is well-trained servants. l think that
well trained mistresses are wanted. The
girls would do much better if treated with
more consideration. / do no wish a girl
to feel humbled because she waits upon
me; | want she should regard it as a priv
ilege, and then she can respect herself and
respect her position in the family.-lsarah
IT. Perkins, in Woman's Journal.