The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1888-02-04
A Hired Girls Ideas.

ga good deal has been put in the
Eagle about hired girls. l have now
lived three years as maid in good
family, and 1 ought to know a little
about it. Before hired out l worked
in factory, where l made Sc week,
nearly as much as my father earned
who worked tor the Reading water de-
partment. He got SI.25 a day but
did not have steady work in winter,
and he had to stop off when it rained.
"Well, to make long story short, l
wanted better home. My younger
sisters got of age and could help moth
er do the work. got good chance
to hire out and was paid So week.
Of course, l could do all kinds of
housework, cook, wash, iron, bake,
scrub, 60 to market, anything and
everything, even to tending the heater
in the cellar. Many girls said was
foolish to be dishwasher and drudge,
but told them they were silly. l
have now been hired out 3 years, and |
find l have better clothes than l ever
had before; l have much better
room; it is warm in winter; / have
more money than ever l had before
my home is all my heart can wish;
can 60 out any night l please, but |
have no business out more than one or
two evenings week l only have one
boss, and that is the mistress no one
else gives me orders; she gives me
underclothing, house shoes, trimmings
and many little presents. On holidays
she always remembers me. l am healthy
and stout, and eat the same food as the
family gets. I could eat with the fam
lily, but 1 know my place and eat in the
kitchen. We have half grown girl
who gets her board and clothes. She
eats and sleeps with me. 1 am teach
ing her all my ways. One of these
days l may get married, and by that
time the girl will be big enough to take
my place. 1 have beau, but l do not
bring him in the house. Sometimes
we meet at my mothers or at my sis
ter's. He brings me home from church
and other places when am out. If l
were a mistress 1 would not allow any
courting in my house. My board is
worth So. 50 a week, that's a sure thing.
My wages are So week, paid to me
every Saturday. That's $3.50. Now
the clothes and presents 1 get average
81 week the year around, so that l
get $3.50 a week anyhow. l have
worked all the year; there is no factory
to stop; no strike, no repairs, no falling
off in orders. I always have work
always have good company; l learn
something every day and find l am
much more of a lady now than ever
was before. Besides l know all about
nice housekeeping which l learned
from my mistress. l have been going
to school, you might say, and in every
way 1 am much better off; far better
than any factory girl 1 know. Of
course, l know every hired girl don't
get So a week, but that is their own
fault. They must learn. If they get
81. g week they must stir about and
try to work more and better, ap~s.sa !
that way they can build themselves up,
and improve, SO that higher wages will
be paid to them. l don't sit in the
parlor because l am not allowed to and
l don't want to. That is not my place.
If have no work, I go to my room
and do my own sewing. Two weeks
ago 1 bought building lot on the out
skirts and paid for it cash. My ad-
vice to the girls is, to hire out instead
of going into store or factory. Many
more hired girls get husbands than
store girls. Young men don't want
store girls for their wives. They want
women who know how to run house.
That is, sensible men do, and any others
are no good.n