Democratic messenger., 1888-03-17
THE FRENCH NURSE.

Her Career as Queen of the Household
a E~coInisc'i an.i tsp~"siv" Industry.
Tier first care Is To provide for her own
infant, which she farms out TO some nc.
quaintancc similarly situated. and who,
for u small compensation. undertakes the
care and nourishmcnt Of two, or even
three. babies at the saline time. by dcx.
teronsly supplemental: her maternal foUd
supply with potatoes. bouillon and cows
or goats milk, this brcvct mother man
ages to feed her duplicate or triplicate
charge; hut ordinarily the little ones have
hard time Of IL. II they live IL is only
TO inherit = life of toll and privation.
II they die. what matter, And they de
die In such numbers that statistics show
TINT Of the farmcd out children Of France
less than 30 per cent. live To reach the age
Of 5 years.
Thus cmancipatcd from he. own
trouble. the n,irsc enters upon her career
ms queen If the household. She apprc-
ciatcs the Importance of her role aud is
not slow in compelling the entire family
20 recognize 1t. Her wages are not emily
nearly double these IL the cook or cham
bcrmnid, but she IL precious and must bc
ten,lerly nourshcd and cared for. She
can eat only the choicest food. She must
have her regular sleep and net he agiiatei
by scolding or fault finding: otherwise
the effect might bc disastrous to the baby.
She must have abundance OF fresh air,
and nothing Is so exactly TO her mind as
gossiping with other nurses ind their
military friends under the trees in the
park or public promenade on pleasant
afternoons.
She Is the one servant in the establish
ment who cannot be discharged for any
mistlcmeanor and replaced by n suhSti-
tutc, and she makes the utmost profit ont
of this circumstance. Her ccaciions are
specific and conceded by custom 30 old as
to have almost the force OF law. When
the baby Is christencd she Is entitled! TO
liberal present of money; when II cuts its
first tooth she expects another: when 10
walks :lonc or artculatcs its first wur,l
the event must be celebrated by n sub
stantial gift 10 the nurse, who has dc
velopcd these manifestations. II she bc
thoroughly competent and knows her
trade well, she has come into service in
her slabbicst clothes, so that madam.
who cannot bear TO have her infant cx-
hibitcd in tho arms OF u slattcrn. has had
20 supply the divinity Of the nursery with
prcscntAblc wardrobe.
II is thus that the nursing Of children
III FRANCE has become not only rccp..-
nizcd industry, hut so expensive wi,lsl
and So troublesome as to laya serious cnl-
bargo upon the reproductive capacity of
the people. In that country, where labor
Is cheap and opportunities for acquiring.
wealth comparatively few. the kcynut" Of
all domestic life. especially in the PROV
iaccs and among the labo,ing classes
everywhere. Is economy. While people in
easy circumstances dcprccaic large fam
lilies ot children by reason Of the restrain.
and trouble they entail, the peasant and
operative classes dread the advent of n
on account OF the expense which it
involve.
love children" say many II these
oplc," but how can We niror,l So
luxury"
are the elements Of the vital
in France. against which MI the
machinery now helm: invented.
md talked about in Paris can
= very limited influence. The
'rc too deep To bc reached by
ties. hobby horses ur bath
'clphia Times.