Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1890-11-22
Good cooks and good housemaids. the

very best. are to be had by the score.
Always treat them with kindness and
consideration, but never submit TO what
they term their ways Those ways
OF theirs are a source Of discomfort in
any house, and M Of two courses must
be adopted; if the servants cannot get
rid OF their ways you must get rid
OF the servants. 1t is a mistake to set
TOO much value on some special quality
ina servant. You want them good
tempered, willing, and obedient; treat
them, as | have said, with every kind
ness and consideration, give them as
much liberty as you can, and let them
have their W time when their work is
done. When you find them sullen, dis
contented, and complaining, they are
better out of the house. Ring for the
cook, please, and we Fan tell her to send
the housemaid up when we have done
with herr
Mary rang, and was answered by the
housemaid. Being told to send the cook
upstairs, she went down and told her
fellow-servant that she did not know
what the matter was, but DR.. Hyde and
misses wa looking very serious.
And what il they are?n said the
cook, Indignantly, though with inward
trepidation. II don't care; I am worth
my money anywhere"
But she did not like and could not
conquer the mysterious dread OF being
sent for" and her manner, half defiant
and half nervous, changed to one of
most respectful attention under the
calm eyes Of the grave young doctor.
You have given your mistress notice
OF your intention to leave her service"
he began; land you have done this on
several occasions, Mrs. Coombes. Is 1t
really your wish TO go?"
well, sir, and Mrs. Coombes be-
gan to study the pattern of her apron
intently mot that | have anything to
say-a kinder mistress no one could de-
sire; but then, sir, although only a cook,
have my feelings, and l do like
my kitchen TO myself. And If / am en-
gagged as cook, l do like to do the cook
Ing like Ch~ristian-not have a lot of
foreign messes dished up under my
very nose.n
but II Mr.. Barker prefers those
foreign messes,' Mrs. Coombes, and in
structs his servant to prepare them,
surely you can have no objection. Does
the man interfere with your"
"Oh no. sir, quite the contrary
Am TO understand, then, that you
interfere with himp"
Good gracious me. sirl / let him do
just what he likes. He rolls his eyes at
me If say a word; and he is so civil
and good-natured, that | have not the
heart to be angry with him. But then,
sir, it's not what I've been used to. A
cooks a cook and a kitchens a kitchen,
and like mine 10 myself"
Then / am afraid, Mrs. Coombes, we
must accept your notice" said the doc
tor, taking out his pocket-book; 80 we
viii say from this day month. Mrs.
Allenby is very sorry-so am l.. You
are an excellent servant, but yor share,
with many OF your class, the stupid idea
that the kitchen is entirely your own.
and anyone else who enters does SO on
s~ufferance. You should understand
that the kitchen is that part of the house
III which you do your work as you may
be ordered, and, so that you are not un-
duly interfered with, you have no right
to object 10 anyone who may be sent
there or permitted there by your mis-
tress. You may go, Mrs. Coombes,n
and he touched the bell. ave want the
hoasemaid now.r
Mrs. Coombes decended, c~restfallen,
but.more indignant than ever, half in
clined TO pack up her box and 60 there
and then, just to let them see how they
would get along without her.
IF it had been q real MASTER" she
told the housemaid, II would not have
stood it: but them doctors have got a
way OF speaking you can't answer. A
pretty pass things have come to, when
a respectable married cook cannot call
her kitchen her own. It's your turn
now, Martha-that bell was for you
and | hope you'll speak your mind, as l
did-at least, | meant to-" she added to
herself-"but there's no saying any
thing TO them doctors. hate doctors.
Look ut Mr.. Parker-there's a pretty
doctor for you, with his bread and milk
for breakfast and Cruel of a night,
which he said would be better than my
beer for me. l should like to see him
breading and milking and gruelling me;
and then getting a little too much every
now and then, and being i'll, as he is, l
can tell him."
Miss Martha Brown, the housemaid,
with much less to say, had more deter
mination, and perhaps more to complain
of, than Mrs. Coombes. Honestly, she
did not like the eccentric lodger;. she
did not like his man; and she objected
entirely to their outlandish way. II
once lived in a house where there was a
black woman" she told the cook; 'they
told me she vas a hare or a yah!--I
don't know which; but the first time l
saw her l nearly had a fit, and she was
like Sin-sauce here, creeping about the
kitchen and the nursery, waking and
rousing the children; ii made me sick.
1 told them If they would let me go,
they might give my wages to the hare.
I had a young man then, and I've got
the same young man now-one that
means me true and honorable, and
would marry me tomorrow il l liked,
I'm independent"
In this frame of mind Miss Brown
went upstairs, very indignant at being
sent for" and in no disposition to be
She was a nice-looking,
girl, with a pair of bright
black eyes which suggested more sauci-
ness than she aver INDUCED in. II
know my place." she had said, "and /
keep it, and l don't take no interference
from nobody!"
"Your mistress tells me you are not
with your situationY" DR..
Hyde began, feeling that he had q more |
difficult task here, and not q little amaz-
ID by the girls perfectly respectful and
yet independent bearing.
~ never said 80, SIR"
perhaps you will kindly tell me what
7ou did say?" he said, slightly at a loss,
'or in truth the girl never said SO in
II said nothing, sir, that wanted to
10 repeated in words. If l had not been
'atisted, I should have given q month
md left properly; and / do not object
Mr.. Sinsom, because his skin is not
oolnr Two haap oocoofomoI ~ L