Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1889-10-22
Three Southern Servants.

Reading recent letter in the Herald re.
minded ne of some of my experiences With
the household servants of Virginia Before
l went there one of my friends coDgratu-
lated me on my change Of residence telling
me should fnd Virginia the housekeeper' Is
paradise, where the cooks and their waya
were perfection. was charmed with the
prospect and thought that l should at last
| find place where fried chicken and hot
| biscuit could be supplied at moments no.
tice. But, uas this dream has never been
realized. Instead Of the Aunt Dnah of my
Imagination, with her spotless apron and
gay baudana, pert mulatto girl-gowned
| in imta ion of her former mistress, her hair
| or top of her head, adorned with pink bow
and an unlimited bsDg-gi eeted me. She
did not look promising, bat as she had been
| engaged by friend and already held pos
session of the kitchen concluded to- try her.
| as lt was tea time ! asked Der il she could
MAKE biscuit. She drawled out, "yes um,
if had some soda" provided the soda,
and the result was indeed soda biscuit.
However consoed myself with the
thought that she would learn, but all my
efforts to teach her came to Daught, for as
she had attended school the winter before
and "had larnin," she considered cooking
very much beneath her. l struggled
| through the month, and then we parted
With mutual pleasure.
Then I started in search of cook and
after riding from one extreme of the county
I to the other found the cabin to which l
had been directed. What forlorn place it
was. The windows we're innocent of glass,
aud as / looked ct them, the problem OF
what becomes of our dishclotbs and tea
towels was solved, for rags of every kind
and description were sticking out of that
sash indeed, they would have snamed
Joseph's coat so brilliant wac their coloring.
As We road up to the house we were greeted
| by six or seven small darkies, in various
stages between dress and undress. When we
questioned them about 8 girl to do cooking,
they promptly vanished. After We had
| waited for some time, woman appeared in
the doorway, telling US that her name was
Martha, and that she might go to Service
place." if she could be suited. She did not
seem to be anxious for situation, and was
the most stold, Indifferent looking indi
vidual have ever seen.
When l asked if she could cook she said
that che "had made light bread once or
twice, but reckoned that the yeast wasn't
GOUu, Cbu5o ~ ulhd LIZ hOWs ALi0 " GO
disccuraping, but as was really in need of
servant / thought would question her
about housework. She assured me that she
could make beds, il would stand on tother
al le and fix the pillows" Then | asked
her what she could &c and she said that at her
last home she done tote water and grind the
ice cream" Now these accomplishments
! were about as useful to me hs reindeer milk
| ing would BE- in New York, for our cisterD
! ia at ne door and we had no ice that sum-
mer in Virginia Utterly disgusted we rode
off Then Snd there we gave up our hunt
| for COOK, believing that all things come to
those who stBnd and wait.
| thought that my patience was 10 be re-
warded, when middle aged woman walked
| into the kitchen one morning a week or two
later and asked for situation. She was as
black as midnight and the picture of neat.
ness she walked in quick, decided way
that was rs promising as it was unusual.
She told me that she had no children, no
husband, in fact she seemed to be entirely
alone and like Topsy had just 'growed up.'
resigned the kitchen 10 her, glad 10 fold
nv weary hands, and went into the house
rejoicing. For several days she did re-
markably vel but a. the end of the week
| I discovered strange dsrky lurking about
the house asked VINO he was and Aunt
| Mat told me that it was Abram, her con in.
Jaw.
But you said you had no children"
"Law honey, neider has. My daughter
done died, but Abram certainly does love
him OLD mother nightly"
This statement never bad occasion to
doubt, for his visits were frequent aud long.
could not object, then, to Abrams board.
| Amt Mot mos poonccifu
so l left her mistress OF the situation, but
when found my kitchen gradually filling
with grandchildren and my approach to the
stove cut offI did enter protest, when
Aunt Mat at once said she "reck oned she
WoulGn'e do for Yankee folks" l was will
ing TO accept her resignation. for though I
did my best to keep things locked up
found NY supply of tea, coffee and sugar
disappearing with startling rapidity, and
when l objected to this wholesale borrowing
was told that ''it was poor cook that
| couldn't get eatin's for her own folks off,
white folks table"
MY loss did not stop here, for after her
departure found that all my handkerchiefs
and the basque Of my fall gown had gone
with her, and I should not wonder ii that
waist would grace the form of one OF the
grandchildren" at the next "big meetin'."
Aunt Mat having proved failure I gave up
all nope OF ever finding my ideal cook, and
even II had been so fortunate my bliss
would have been of short duration, for the
southern negroes are restless. and when thew
take notion 10 go, go they will. unless of.
fered an extra half dollar, and this AN em
ployer is often compelled to do as thew are
apt to take advantage of houselull of com :.
pany or the illness of some member of the
family to bring the mistress to their terms
If the increase of wages is not offered you
will in all probability fud yourself without
! q carra Mt u the hansa Srhar rou oax,ao dasx-u