The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-12-07
A DIFFICULT PLACE TO FILL.

Yet a Good Home Is Open to a Refined
Woman Who Can Swallow Her Pride.
| Ihave recently been visiting in family
of means, whose household machinery
grinds noiselessly under the operations OF
a well trained corps Of servants, yet there
is niche in that household waiting TO be
| filled by the right person. who never pre-
sents herself. The dear old grandmother
is feeble and deaf and sees but dimly, yet
quite able to minister to herself except In
case of sickness.
As companion for her, confined as she
is much Of the time to her own room, Is the
place that some homeless one could fill. 1t
does not seem hard to adjust this matter
easily, nor would it be if the English sys-
tenn Of upper servants prevailed in this
country. But it is a serious thing to take
into an American family a person or this
sort, FOR servant does not exactly ill the
desired place, though she may be an ex-
cellent waiting woman.
Some one only of gentle manners and OF
thoughtful ways, with good judgment and
understanding, and with a sweet, clear
voice in reading as we'll as speaking, would
fill the need required. And such a some
one who does not expect TO take her meals
with the family is hard to find. Confessed
that she may be in all respects quite as agree
able table companion as the ordinary Wis
itor, still it does not argue that it is feel.
ing Of pride which wishes TO exclude her
from these daily gatherings together of the
family circle.
Ii is no little matter TO think Of day in
and day out, year ia and year out, for who
shall say how long, to bring an outsider
to form one Of the family party. In
many a family, as in this one, this
thing alone prevents a home accom-
panied by very light duties being offer
ed TO the needy. We are glad to have a
visitor with Is for q month. it may be;
that outside presence only brightens the
festivities at table We submit for the
semi-annual two weeks 10 the presence Of
the family seamstTo>s. but il is very Ur-
gent case when We are willing to take a
stranger into our very midst for time indef-
mite
More than this, persons who would ad-
mira5ly meet tlcsa Qualifications are
usually found among nurses, and for the
few attentions and gentle miniStrations
that in less busy day and generation
daughters and granddaughter found time
to attend TO themselves the wages Of
nurses are much more than even rich fam
lilies would wish to pay. Fifteen dollars
week is n sum most people are unwilling
to expend, except for absolute value re-
ceived; moreover, the dictatorial position
assumed by the average nurse is an clement
undesired in such position as am speak
ing of.
Look at it from another point. It is
useless TO dpnv tli..t tax. problem of dOmeS-
tic service in America has not been demon
strated TO any ones satisfaction. If the
right person were found for such a posi-
ton, who, calmly and considerably judg
ing of the difficulties that lie in the path of
all who must earn their own living, pro-
posed to take her meals apart from the
family. what a revolution there would be
in the kitchen. The cook would leave, the
laundress would decline to do servants
washing, and the waitress would very sulk-
lily carry meals TO the poor nondescript
up stairs.
What feasible plan is left' To FIJI such
positions (which ought 10 he the refuge of
the poor and homeless 'whO have seen bet
ter days'0 with the best 1rvant care can
find, or for that poor and homeless one to
make it understood that she expects TO take
her meals with the other dOmesticS. There
is no other solution to this matter, and
there are hundreds Of good and lovely
homes awaiting those whose good sense
can bring them to this view of the case
Theresa Dean in Chicago Herald