The morning call., 1890-04-03
MISTRESS AND MAID.
A Debate in a Women's Club on
the Subject of Service.
One Woman Thinks That There Ought to Be
Definite Arrangement Between the
Contracting Parties.

notably sweet, serene, wholesome intelli-
gence, with broad forehead and smooth.
blonde hair. She talked recently to a big
club, which includes many well-known
women, on Domestic Service" with es-
pecial reference to the "Vassar. questions"
which, as many housekeeper throughout
the country know, have been scattered
broadcast in the hope that the answers
when collated may supply reliable statistics
bearing upon the servant girl problem"
which is so iveXatious in the country be-
cause all the girls are drawn off to
the city, which is 40 trying in the
city because all the girls go into the fac
tories. which is so insoluble in the South
because there is no foreign element, and so
annoying in the North because we haven't
the negro, which drives one to despair In
the East because all the girls go West,
Which reduces one to frenzy in the West
because all the girls stay East, which
makes California purgatory because of
the Chinese.
Miss Salmon dwelt upon complaints made
by mistress and maid, and when she had
concluded q recently married woman said
~ believe that all the trouble comes from
not having. definite agreements with girls
Suppose it were to be set down on paper
just what was to be done. what should be
received for it, how many hours work a
day should be expected and what should be
the arrangement as to free time" There
was blush and quaYer at speaking
right out in meeting"
Can you set any hours when there are
children?' 1t was still small voice, and
the bride sank back in her chair.
when | was in England last summer"
said tall woman with dark hair and three
glowing roses pinned on her gown, "I
opened my eyes to see the servants. file in
for evening prayers. My hostess had a
house in London of ordinary size, her hus-
band and one child made up the family and
they did not entertain; but there was the
cook and the kitchen-maid, the I,arlor-maid
and the chamber-maid, the nursery-maid,
the butler, the second man. the coachman,
the footman and a general utility boy.
They strung along one whole side of the
room. And yet there was no washing done
IN the house, even the servants wash was
sent out, and all the bread waS had from
the bakers. The highest wage paid was
$50 year, the lowest SO. 1t all seemed
very cumbrous, but the machinery worked
beautifully"
The English have just as much trouble
as we do spoke out rosy woman in lit
tie velvet bonnet, with a bride under her
dimpling chin. i've been a good deal in
England and nearly always in such way
as to enter into the family life, and [ know
that our trials are only theirs right over
again except, indeed, that our cooks do not
get drunk so often as theirs, and just be-
cause we have fewer servants we have less
trouble in keeping peace in the family. Be-
sides the expense of feeding such retnues
Is something enormous and more than coun-
terbalances the lowness of wages or would
do so If the English, as incomes shrink
did not more and more closely follow Con-
tinental customs and put locks on the sugar.
bowls, and decree that butter Is never TO be
nSp0 the SaTVanttS hall On n dow rhan
there is bacon"
/ never felt so much drawn toward Mrs
Carlyle. said small slight woman who
has written novel, las when l read of her
tribulations with her maids"
g think the thing that is most needed"
said digniied, low-yoieed woman who has
kept house for twenty years, as better
understanding on the part of housekeepers
Of the work shey are requiring. A good
many women expect TO see everything done
at once; they haven't the least idea of how
much time TO allow for each item. Now,
when l wanted to know how long it ought
to take TO sweep and dust my room, | shut
myself in and timed myself while l did it
carefully. Then l had basis to go on in
planning schedule for another person."
Its very necessary" added another
matTOD, to know how TO do every
thing yourself; your servants respect
you so much more. l remember
once my cook asked me how l
nlouSQ " ptEpdIG Il
y GU make 1t your own way | told her,
and if l don't like it, I'll show you my
way. Then ran for my cookbook, for I
was ashamed to let her know | couldn't
answer her question:"
" Is it necessary for women to know how
to perform every task in the household"
asked woman with a smooth, white fore
head and little tremble in her voice. as il
she were afraid she were giving utter
ance to heresy. 81 think I've done
at one time or another everything
about house that needs doing.
from tending the furnace to mending
the chimney where it comes out on
the roof, but often think we ought to be
able to get things so syStematized that it
wouldn't be essential for a woman, as her
establishment grows-on her hands, to know
how herself TO manage every small detail
The employees of a business man respect
him noAe the less because he wouldn't
perhaps be complete success at running
the elevator or selling goods over the
counter or arranging an artistic window
decoration. If his business is large enough
so that lie needs to employ subordnates, he
doesn't expect to be called on to throw up
his other engagements to go on tour with
the drummer to show him how to take
orders or to instruct the woman to
whom he lets out the making of
ing machine. He exacts from each
emplOye the faithful performance of the
work assigned. Now we women, when our
babies come and we want all our time for
them and for home-making, which isn't
always the same thing as bouSeWOrking
often feel that it's less trouble to do the
drudgery ourselves than it is to stand over
hired girl. Now where's the trouble that
we cant get thing done without so much
Standlng?
Pm afraid" said sweet. serious-faced
woman, that we are not always quite
honest about recommendations, and so in
ferior girls can get places about as easily as
good ones. a lady came to me once about
cook. l said all the good l could of her.
on. I'm so glad, said the lady, she'll be a
treasure
90 But, you're not going to take her on
my recommendation?
"'Of course; you're giving her lovely
character
" But you haven't asked me her faults
What faults has she?
She drinks
"'Oh, wouldn't have her now for any
thingP
But I would. All the rest have told
you IS true, and If you are warned about her
falling you may not have any difficulty
She did take her and got three years
splendid service from her. Then the girl
got intoxicated in the house one day and
had to be removed by policeman"
sometimes L think II would be a good
thing, said woman who is Interested in
hoiAlb Ellis CluDs, IL servants would or
ganize. That tends to self-respect, l am
sure"
" know of suburb of thirty or forty
families where they do that successfully"
came voice from far corner. "The wo-
men got together and combined to fix the
prices they would pay for different classes
OF service They also agreed to take no
servant who had worked in neighboring
family and could not bring certificate Of
efficiency"
Il know Of an instance of cooperative
housekeeping, came bit of testimony with
certain triumphant ring. 'Its in Central
New York and includes rather more than a
dozen families. Each family retains its own
house, but the association hires a man to
clean windows and cut grass and dispose of
ashes and a woman to take charge of the
laundry work, ard woman. perhaps two
baked outside and a good many special
dishes are prepared, though they have not