The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-05-31
With Eagle
DUTIES OF A COMPANION
ONE OF THEM GIVES SOME OF
HER SHORT EXPERIENCE.

ONE OF F7EM OiNCO OOWE SF
HER SHORT EXPERIENCE.
Called a Sister, Yet She Was Expected to
Do the Mental Work of a Servant-The
Profession Does Not Require Educated
and RefiDed Women.
Poverty makes strange room mates"
observed one of the transient boarders at a
Business Woman's home. at present
share ray fourth floor hall room with a
y6ung lady who doubles her negatives and
eats with her kyIifa. A mill girl? No; her
profession, to let heT tell it, is the same as
mine-she is companion You say non
sense because you are a novel reader and
are under the delusion that a lady's COM
panion must be a woman Of education and
refinement. Six months ago I thought just
Rs you do, and so gave up my music pupils,
thinking I could get az easier berth as a
professional companion. As l play and
sing rather well and am a good reader and
patient listener, 1 was sure that l Twas just
the person for such place, and so put an
advertisement in the paper that brought a
lady to see me the very next day.
She wore such a handsome sealskin
4
the salary she offered, but when | asked
what my duties would be she replied that
there would be no duties at all, as she
merely wished me 10 keep her company as
a younger sister might DO. As she couldn't
have been far from 90 l thought she might
have said a daughter, but it may be that
after my music teaching experience look
older than nay years. had nerved myself
for washing the poodle and caring for the
canary bird, but when | mentioned this she
relieved me by saying that she kept no pets
of any kind. She told me that although
she did not play herself she was passion
ateIy fond Of music. and it was only her
weak eyes that prevented her reading all
dav long Wen suit one another TO a IT,
thought J, and thereupon ! agreed to go
to her. and for Sl2j a year become her
younger sister.
TIE DUTIES OF a SISTER.
az found her in q genteel boarding house,
and she greeted me good natUrcdiy Oh,
but her next words came like a cold shower
bath. You VIII sleep on that lounge, said
she, pointing 10 one in the corner Of her
room; and taGt immense trunk you have
brought viii have to 20 into the cellar, as
you can sec for yourself there IS no place
for it in here
~ supposed I should have separate
sleeping APARTMENT said /
"'Oh, dear. no., shereplied. L am such
a Door sleeper that may want you d dozen
times during the night
We'll, that was the beginning. Before
the first day was over / found that this
elder sister Of mine expected me to do all
her mending; to alter her dresses; to wash
her handkerchiefs and any articles small
enough to be washed in the hand basin, to
blacken her boots, to crimp her hair and to
run on errands. You would hardly believe
me if | were to mention the number of
times she sent me down into the kitchen
that first day. One time it was to make
her some wine jelly, another time it was to
borrow pitcher; another time it was to
ask the cook not to put 50 much salt in the
soup as she had done the day before.
"Of course ! didn't dare to give any such
message, because the cook scOwled at me
enough Us II was but still l had to go
through the motion of taking it. ! was
afraid the landlady would complain Of my
wearing out her staircase carpet, but she |
seemed to syInyathize with me; at least I /
overheard her remark to her daughter that /
Mrs. Us maid was kept busy We /
had our meals in Mrs. Us room, which |
was great cross to the waiter who had to |
bring them up, IS he never received any |
fees for this extra service. Mrs. Y sug-
gested that might relieve him Of it, but |
fortunately the landlady refused to listen |
to such a proposal, saying that taking sick |
peoples meals to their rooms was part OF !
the work he had been hired to do. liked /
that landlady, Il she did call a spade
spade and a maid a maid.
SIZE REMAINED SIX MONTHS
''No, my nissis' was not an invalid; she |
was only too stout and indolent to be will |
ing to get into dining room clothes every |
day. She was excessively fond of dress, |
though, and the only books I ever saw in /
her room were fashion ouRrterlies. She
was very much disappointed in me rs a
dress aiUerer, having supposed that had /
myself made the dress I was wearing when !
she first saw ma cast of dress given me |
by a rich cousin. As q hairdresser l suited /
her better, and I think that was the reason |
she kept me as long as she did, but when |
she informed me one day that l did not !
pull her hair as her last girl tshe did not
say her last younger sister had done, [
offended her by replying that | used to do
my grandma's hair and | supposed it was
then had learned TO be gentle She didn't
say anything, but she gave her head jerk. /
and pretty soon atterward crossed the
room with polka step, as much as to say. /
Don't talk TO me about your grandmas or /
any other old ladies'
II was foolish enough to hint one morn /
ing that l might read the newspaper for 1
her If she had one. Yes, sure enough, l /
should hike 10 hear the news said she. /
Suppose you 60 down and ask Mr.. T (ths /
landlady's husband to lend me his paper !
Wouldn't it be better to so out and buy /
oneP suggested
No, cannot afford to buy newspapers,' |
shesaid GO down and borrow Mr.. Is /
And SO I had TO go and take poor Mr. /
rs newspaper away from him, for of .
course his wife made him give It up, and IS .
newspaper reading was his only way Of .
passing the time, felt like chief, and .
took caro- after that 10 have the newsboy .
furnish me with paper OF my own
Well, that kind Of life lasted six months /
and then l concluded I'd come here and |
take rest. ! parted on friendly terms /
with my missis,' who now has a poor
cousin making her a visit: but i she wishes /
TO engage another professional! companion,
/ think pl recommend my room mate, VINO I
has had a much better training for tbs /
business than have. New York Tribune.