Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-06-29
TOLD BY 4 LADY'S MAID.
STORY OF THE LIFE AND DUTIES THAT
FALL TO HER LOT
Few American Girls Want the Position
French Girls Have Almost Mo-
nopoly-They Are Discreet.

eACIteu, well ana Dduly dressed men anC
women who surge up and down the gang
planks and decks of the outgoing ocear
steamers are few simply gowned, we'll
hammered women, who quietly bid fare
well to their friends, do not join in the
wild hurrah and waving as the ship swings
from her pier, yet stand on the main deck
Just behind the wealthiest and most prom.
inent people, and are off for long, varied
trip abroad. They will visit Paris and
London, put up at the first hotels, and
perhaps pay flying visits to the German
spas in company with our wealthiest coun-
trywomen. They are, in fact, ladies'
maids, servants, if you will, and in nearly
every case of any other nationality but
American. Glow is this p | asked sew
eral young women of quiet social standing,
who gain livelihood by working in the
box and candy factories. 1t would seem
that for such position, where the work is
light, wages good and travelling expenses
paid, there would be innumerable appli.
cants.
That is well enough" they replied,
''but one is obliged to wear a cap and
apron and be constantly at another's beck
and call, so we prefer factory life and free
DOM" Ny independent young friend, how
grossly you deceive yourself. The term
liberty IS often mistakenly applied, and
neat livery is not always the insignia of
vulgar servitude For instance, let us see
just what the maid will say for herself and
sound her opinions on the subject. \ little
brown-eyed Frenchwoman, who had lived
many years in the United States, was
proud and delighted to give her ideas on
the question in detail
Il had been taught the profession Of
hair-dressing when quite girl. but decided
| wanted to come to America, SO secured a
place with an American woman as maid
and kept it for FIVE years. Some people
think it an easy occupation, and rather
contemplate on that account, but let
thoroughly experienced woman try and
see how signally she will fail Those
thousand little personal wants must be re-
membered and all satisfied with degree
of deft skill that only comes by practice.
One must be at least clever hairdresser.
sew neatly and rapidly, have taste in the
arrangement of costumes, and at times
she will be called upon to both
read and write for her mis-
tress. She is busy from one day to an
other with merely mending lace, LAYING
fine darns in silk stockings, catching up or
letting out seams, as my lady's plump pro-
portions wax and wane, putting toilets
| away in linen, and bringing out others
with the innUmerable accessories of loves,
fan, slippers, wrap, etc Then there is one
talent l think indispensable, and if not
natural, should by all means be cultivated
that Is the gift Of good temper. Be
chatty if you like; it will interest the
lady as she is having her hair brisklv
| brushed and her nails manicured. but
there are times when ones good humor
viii be awfully strained it is so in every
! profession, and ours Is not an exception.
| But the question of mistress and maid has
| been so frequently and carefully discussed
in fiction, and either the one or the other
| held in a disagreeable light, that it is a
! pleasure to refute all this false testimony.
As | tell you, lived FIVE years with Mrs.
l., and although there were ups and
downs, my life was pleasant and comforta-
bic. The house being that Of a rich woman,
| shared in It's luXuries and could hold
myself bit above even the butler. Nv
room on the top floor was carpeted, cur
tanned and warmed by gas stove, and
much Of the day I spent working for NY
self | lived on the choicest fare, was
given many Of my clothes, and so managed
to save nearly every cent of my wages.
$50 a month. WhenI married Henri and
! came to live over our candy shop, | added
Il
! am still kindly regarded BIZ Mrs. L.. who
! gave me pretty wedding gift, and ever
since has ordered her ices, bonbons and
| cakes from our shop. Yes, | met other
/ ladies' maids in the dreSsing-rooms at large
/ balls and receptions and We Frenchwomen
were naturally friendly. WewouId criti-
else the ladies' gowns, and must say, did
deal Of honest gossip. You know how
! great q temptation it Is to rake over the
Goals Of other folks, social, domestic and
financial failures and successes. But we
are very clannish, and do battle for our
| employers when any outsider begins even
! to cast disparaging glances. You would be
/ surprised at the discreet silence Of many
of these maids, for with a born propensity
to gossip, they will hold many family Sc
crets that time and again have been
/ carelesslv discussed before them. Would
| any maid take upon herself the task of
; publishing her memoirs or adventures, as
Mr.. Jeems Yellowplush once did, I war
rant she could unfold as interesting tale
No, the English maids distrust us
as hippant, sly Frenchers. and we
, have no confidence in their ability,
/ for, indeed, they are clumsy and have
/ no taste. There were any number OF
[ them brought over or hired by Anglo.
maniacs, and for while it was the proper
thing TO have an English maid but the
/ first fever Of this fashion soon wore off, and
the French maid took her old place as
"puggy's5' nurse and madam's adviser in
matters of dress. Now, for my part,
should think American girls of thrift and
/ judgment would do far better in this bust.
ness than the unsatisfactory pegging away
at factory work. With the fine opportuni.
ties to save her salary, she viii at the end
OF two or three years have accumulated
enough money to be independent and sci
up for herself in a small way. There are
many Of the leading modistes, millineri
and hairdressers in London, New York
and Paris who got their early training a.
maids and now are at the head of pros
! bGIptt0 ilpttSts. AHSu the position Oh uldlU
and mistress are reversed, and 1t is otter
Madam So and So who drives up II
her brougham, and requests an audience O
| her ex-bonne to plead longer time on the
milliner's bill, that has grown out of al
proportion TO her income 1t is seldom
that leave is not readily granted, and, i
tricks Of the trade may be revealed, tn,
loss is shifted on some more conscientiou,
patroness.
There was movement made by a New
York woman a short time ago to hire what
she called a cooperative maitland gooc
idea il is, too. Some young woman, clever
with her needle, mil ht easily take it VI
and earn her ivira without the opprobrf
Gus title of servant. There are many
hard-working women in this town who ar,
journalists and teachers of arts, living il
bOarding-houses and flats. who can neye,