Daily tobacco leaf-chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1890-1895, 1890-05-13
DUTIES OF A COMPANION
ONE OF THEM GIVES SOME OF
HER SHORT EXPERIENCE.

Gated Sister, Yet She Was Expected to
Do the Mental Work OF a servant-The
Profession Does Not Require Educated
and Refined Women.
Poverty makes strange room mates
observed one of the transient boarders at a
Business Woman's home. "At present |
share my fourth floor hall room with u
young lady who doubles her negatives and
eats with her knife. A mill girlp No; her
profession, to let her tell it, is the same as
mine-she is companion You say mon.
sense because you are novel reader and
are under the delusion that lady's com
panion must be a woman of education and
refinement. Six months ago thought Just
as you do, and SO gave up my music pupils,
thinking could get an easier berth as a
professional companion. As / play and
sing rather well and am good reader and
patient listener, was sure that was Just
the person for such place, and so put an
advertisement in the paper that brought
lady to see me the very next day.
"She wore such u handsome sealskin
sacque that was rather taken aback by
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 to keep her company as
a younger sister might do. As she couldn't
have been far from go thought she might
have said daughter, but it may be that
after my music teaching experience look
older than my years. l 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.
ately fond of music, and it was only her
weak eyes that prevented her reading all
day long Well suit one another to I,
thought |, and thereupon agreed to &c
to her, and for $125 year become hel
younger sister.
THE DUTIES OF A SISTER.
81 found her in genteel boarding house
and she greeted me good naturally enough
but her next words came like cold shower
bath You will sleep on that lounge, said
she, pointing to one in the corner of her
room; and that immense trunk you have
brought will have to go into the cellar, as
you can see for yourself there is no place
for it in here
so supposed l should have separate
sleeping apartment, said l.
"'Oh, dear, no. she replied. I am such
a poor sleeper that may want you a dozen
times during the night
"Well, that was the beginning. Before
the first day was over I 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 a pitcher; another time it was to
ask the cook not to put so 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 as it was, but still 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 sympathize with me; at least
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 waiJer who had to
bring them up, us he never received any
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, if she did call spade a
spade and a maid maid.
SHE REMAINED SIX MONTHS.
"No, my 'missis' 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 / ever saw in
her room were fashion quarterlies. She
was very much disappointed in me as a
dress altercr, having supposed that had
myself made the dress was wearing when
she first saw me-a cast off dress given me
by rich cousin. AS hairdresser suited
her BETTER and think that was the reason
she kept me as long as she did, but when
she informed me one day that | did not
pull her hair as her last girl (she 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 "A jerk,
and pretty soon afterward crossed the
room with a polka step, as much as to say. |
Don't talk TO me about your grandmas or
any other old ladies'
81 was foolish enough to hint one morn
ing that l might read the newspaper for
her if she had one Yes, sure enough, !
should like to hear the news said she.
Suppose you go down and ask Mr. T (the
landlady's husband) to lend me his paper
Wouldn't it be better to go out and buy
oneY | suggested
"'No, cannot afford to buy newspapers
she said Go down and borrow Mr.. Us
And so ! had to go and take poor Mr. |
rs newspaper away from him, for of
course his wife made him give it up and as
newspaper reading was his only way of
passing the time, felt like thief, and
took care after that to 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 a rest. parted on friendly terms
with my 'missis,' who now has q poor
cousin making her visit; but II she wishes |
to engage another professional companion,
| think I'll recommend my room mate who |
has had a much better training for the |
business than have. New York Tribune |