Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1888-04-11
BECOMING A GoyERNESs.
A Business That In Most Cities An
rIo-Maniacs Have Spoiled.

ored little people of a big city is in
trusted should be an enviable one In
spite of some doubt to the exact degree
Of correspondence between ought and
is, was resolved upon the experiment.
made "A number Of uninteresting
visits and one. at least, worthy Of some
what detailed description. The house
was half a block off the avenue \
resident gOyerness was wanted for fOuI
children under 5 years oil and the sal
ary specified was $50 month. The
teacher was required to be under 20, a
lady and a good cOuverSationaliSt.' y
did not feel at all sure of fulfilling
the last requisite As | slowly climbed
the steps and gave the bell hesitating
pull. Like the wretch whose tooth
ache leaves him with his hand on the
IesList's door, my desire TO know some
thag "a the life OF a gOyGness had fled
before the prospect of its realization.
My knees trembled under me and my
voice stuck in my throat.
[ tried to throw of these amateurish
terrors while waiting with my feet
curled up on the rung of the great oak
settle in the open-timbered hall, up
whose winding staircase the lackey dis
appeared, carry rs my card on silver
silver, For = poses Of govern
essing only was-wIll, say Alice Dus-
tin, and Alice did her best to assume
an interested, but not too anxious, pro-
fessional aspect when she heard the
steps Of the lady coming down.
After some preliminary questions,
You are well grounded in English,
she asked.
Alice modestIy hope.I that she was.
You speak Freuch:'
Alice proposed To read French to her,
and hoped that scene confidence
might cast its prOtec~ug aegis over =
rusty accent.
You know German2'
Alice sustained the German eNamin-
ton the best she might.
~ ou can teach I.atiu:'
Alice asseuted.
Are YOU a Greek sCholar2'
Alice murmured that she under,
stood the oldest child was only :.
''Yes, but the children are to be
thoroughly educated and must be in
hands more than ordinarily competent
from the start. To lay "A proper basis
for further teaching a governess should
know much more than she - required
to use every day"
Nothing daunted, Alice agreed to be
responsible for any amount of Greek de-
sired but was obliged to say no when
she was asked il she could sing. Fur
ther inquiries explored the shadows of
her accomplishments in embroidery and
painting and dancing. The lady he
lieved in all-around education and
wanted her children instructed in nat
Ural history and the elements of geO[
ogy. She wanted the history of AlIce'S
family for a generation or two back and
she was interested in learning If Alice
was skilled in needlework and could
keep the ChildTen's wardrobe in order.
Alice learned that she would be eN-
pected TO sleep in the nursery, and that
heavy sleeping was u bar tn favor,
since the children might want some
thing in the night. She would preside
At the children's meals, and would be
confined necessarily herself TO light fare
suitable for them She would dress and
undreSs the little ones. lr with them
constantly, take them L.. their walks,
give the youngest kindergarten train
ing, be responsible for every detail of
their welfare, excepting giving them
their baths-a duty belonging 10 the
nurse-and, TO recuperate from the
strain Of such constant attendance upon
children, would be allowed a sunday
Alice decided that she was not an in
tellectual prodigy, a social paragon and
a marvel of patience aud physical
strength, and that, il she were, her
market value ought 10 be more than
half the TSObable wages of the es,ab-
lishment's cook. The lady Of the house
was a pleasant seeming person, kind and
without intention to be a hard task
mistress.
With rosy views Of n goveruess' life
somewhat dashed by this experiment, |
have since made several other aPplica-
tions with the wish 10 learn how far
my first experience was typical and how
far II was exaggerated by an individ-
ual's whim. l have not on any subse-
quent attempt, been asked To teach
Greek or even Latin. German has been
commonly required, French nearly al
ways, and there have been inquiries
IN a family of older children-fOr Ital-
ian. 1 struck one household where the
goyerness did all the family sewing, sit
ting up sometimes till the small hours
10 finish II. l heard Of several families
where the childreu's teacher was the
mothers maid and hair dressing among
her required accomplishments. | made
acquaintance with goyerneSs Just in
stalled IN q position from which her pre-
decessOr had been elected for not being
sufficiently mindful of caste lines. She
had put ON clild's rubbers. IL was
her business to adjust hats and clOaks
when her charges went TO walk, but II
was servants place 10 put on the
over shoes. If she could not he mind
rul OF her exact position in the family,
neither rising above il nor falling be-
lou ZNnE f.HaNHa Nr#sF
Eoverness in the city receives SlOO a
month wages, that few get $50, but
that the average for kindergarten
teacher is not above Slj, with board
and for teachers OF older children not
over $50, though Il respectable number
receive S25 and $50. Some give their
services for a ''hOme.n l found that Il
governess must he young and, prefer
ably, pretty. She must be able TO help
in entertaining company, if desired,
but she must be gn upper servant, some
times eating with the other servants,
often ClaShing with them and subject
10 unpleaSautueSs because of her equiv
Ocal position between kitchen and par
lOr and less we'll paid than the kitchen.
l heard many gOyeruesS speak well of
their employers and talk OF kindnesses
bestowed, but the strongest impression
which l received was that one of the
worst results Of the prevailing anglo
mania is the revolution it has produced
IN the position of the American gov
erneSs. We have reduced her to the
condition OF the English governess,
who, of ali women, is not least TO be
pitied.
WHEN Senator Hearst came up &c
the desk to be sworn in he had hi:
hands IN his pockets.