The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-12-16
DUTIES OF A LADY's MAID.
What Society Women Require al
Their Hands-Their Communication

What Society Women REQUIRE at
Their Hands-Their Compensation.
Neso York Letter il. Net1 Orleans Picayrne.
The duties of a lady's maid, says one OF
them, are almost constant, if seldom heavy
One may have leisure for half day OF
scarcely get breathing spell of ten min.
utes in twenty-four hours There is not a
great deal of variation. | get up at z
O'Clock in the morning. and am through my
bath and toilet in time for breakfast at s
o'clock. Immediately afterward | take a
pot of chocolate and the morning papers to
my mistress, and while she drinks the choco-
late l read from the papers aloud. Her
mail is brought up at O'Clock and mani
cure her hands while she reads it. Then 1
prepare her bath, and afterward arrange
her hair and dress her for her 10 o'clock
breakfast.
While the chambermaid is doing up her
room l arrange her toilet brushes and
boxes and get out her afternoon dress.
have my dinner at noon. If my mistress
feels like mapping after luncheon | read
her to sleep. If she goes shopping usually
accompany her. At 8 dress her for her
afternoon drive, and at for dinner | have
supper at z. and the evening is generally
my own, but | go to bed early when my
mistress is out, because when she comes
home have to undress her, brush out her
hair, give her cup Of hot bouillon and
read her to sleep. Brushing, mendng and
making over her dresses, attending to her
laces and looking after her linen take up
most of my spare time. Sunday afternoon
| always have to myself, and altogether |
am very we'll satisfied. Ladies who require
the attendance of maids have to treat them
with a certain degree of consideration in
order to keep them.
Once lived with a woman who would
not open her eyes in the morning until had
bathed them with rose water, and who COM
PEELED me to brush her teeth for her.
found out that before her marriage she did
all the homework for her father and family
of several children, and the discovery so
irritated me that l soon conjured up pre-
text for leaving her.
The ladys maid in most households ranks
with the housekeeper and butler and is not
required to eat in the kitchen. Her aver
age pay is S25 month, but if she fulflls all
requirements the vesy wealthy often give
her $50, or even more. If she is a capable
dressmaker aud milliner it is positive
economy to retain her at high wages.
English maids who have lived with the
aristocracy are the first choice with New
York women at present. They are able to
give points. All the Vanderbilts have
maids who have lived in the families of
English noblemen, and as much may be
said with slight limitations of the Astors.
Lorrillards and other families. Mrs. William
W aldorf Astor's personal attendant for
merry waited upon the Queen OF Italy, and
Mrs. w. K. Vanderbilt has one who served
with Lady Churchill.
Recently a lady's maid was discharged
because she was mistaken for her mistress
when the two were out together. Another
was sent flying because she accidentally
pulled her mistress hair while brushing it.
A third discharged herself because her
mistress insisted that she should administer
hypodermic injection Of morphine every
night,