The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-02-01

mand. She was continually being ANNOYED
by nrst one servant and then another re-
Iuslng TO perform certain duties in order to
| shift them Off upon the shoulders of other
servants: At length affairs reached such
Climax that it was almost impossible TO
OBTAIN any attention. When the state of
AFFAIRS became apparent to the general he
called the domestics together and with
military precision apportioned to each his
separate duties, demanding unquestioning
obedience in all respects upon pain
of their instant dismissal. After
this the work was tremendously
accomplished and complaints were no
longer heard" Mrs. Sherman added: II
think that an overstrained spirit of indie
| pendence Is an American fault and quickly
! influences those who dwell for a while
among us As an example of this recall
Ihe time OF our home life at Mansfield, o.
lhere were many Germans living there,
| most OF whom came over to act as servants.
and very good ones they made, but the
second generation invariably reaped the
! marrying weil-to-do tradesmen, would
enjoy homes of their own. / re-
member one family of Germans.
! nine in number, each of whom upon
coming to the country obtained employ
ment in resident families. and by careful
management laid by sufficient TO purchase
large brick house, after which they lived
together in domestic comfort, and nothing
would induce one of their children to ac-
cept q servants position. Unless some
effort is made before long TO destroy this
false idea of independence, every mistress
VIII have to be her own maid and every
householder his own servant.
MRS. cuLLoM's STORY OF MRS. PRESIDENT
HAYES.
Mrs. Cullom, wife of the Illinois senator,
/ found at her handsome Massachusetts
hut
turned from the West A soft-voiced,
neat-looking white maid opened the door
and ushered me up into the large square
parlor on the second floor. Mrs. Cullom
replied to my question concerning her ex-
perience with servants, that she had
brought her cook and housemaid with
her from Illinois, as she was sur
prised to find that of those who
hired out as professional mattresses
very few knew even how to set
table properly. "With the exception of
my coachman, colored man" she said,"I
prefer Irish domestics. or rather those of
irish descent. Though have had little
or no experience with coiored servants in
the house as a general thing understand
that the men of the colored race make
much more reliable servants than the
women. One of the most original arrange
ments within my experience was the case
OF Mrs. President Hayes. 1t was during
visit paid us some years since by the ex-
president and his wife that | learned
to my surprise that Mr.. Hayes
valet also performed the duties of
maid to his wife, that is, he personally
superintendent their sleeping apartments
and with his own hands each morning
laid out his mistress clean linen and ar
ranged the adornments of her toilet |
never could understand this fancy on Mrs.
Hayes part; still with her it seemed the
most natural thing in the world and GER
tainly the valet was the most conscientious
and efficient in Nthe performance OF his
rather unusual role
asked Mrs. Culom what she thought
would be the most effectual means of
bringing about a reform in the education
of our servants, and she said: ''By all
means let us organize training school in
every city, and train the poor children in
all the domestic duties of everyday life,
laying firm foundation of practical
knowledge in all those important branches
which will enable them to gain an honest
livelihood"
GOOD IDEAS FROM MRS. SENATOR VANCE.
Mrs. Senator Vance, of North Carolina,
has had many years experience Of house
keeping in our midst and by her educa-
ton in a luxurious Southern home is capa-
BILE of a just estimation of the servant
question. 'What has been your expert
ence with servants since you came to
Washington City," asked.
ITO tell the TRUTH she answered, II
have been exceptionally fortunate, having
brought my cook with me from the South
many years ago, and with her husband as
waiter, l have never enjoyed greater COM
fort in housekeeping, notwithstanding the
fact that the man was divinity student
and spent most of the morning ut college,
He conscientiously performed every duty
before leaving each day, and proved an ac-
complished waiter Ny greatest trouble
has always been with my coachman. 1t
seems to me from personal experience
that as race colored coachmen make it a
business of getting drunk every night;
doubtless from the constant exposure of
their life they are more susceptible to
temptation of that kind. Something
ought certainly to be done to reform this
habit, but the question is .What2
There is fine field for missionary work in
this respect could an interest be aroused
among charitable people in our midst.
Another secret of securing good service is
TO be strict in our management and never
to perform duty that has been wilfully
neglected by domestic. One of the very
best housekeepers, as well as the most re-
spected mistress l ever knew, was Ken
lucky woman, who told me that the true
secret of her success with good
servants was that she never over
looked the smallest neglect of duty,
but never forgot that they were
human beings and required little indui-
gences and some time for leisure after the
regular work of the day was performed.
In this way she retained their affection az
well as their respect, and the machinery
of the household moved on oiled wheels.
! most sincerely indorse the proposal for
the organization of training school for
young colored girls in the District
SERVANTS.
One of the most practical managers in
our midst is Mrs. Morton, wife of the vice
president / am told that she employs
some eighteen or twenty servants. in
GLIDING housemaid, ladies' maid. cooks,
laundresses, sub-laundresses, coachmen,
footman and housekeeper. Seventeen of
those, all white, were brought on with
them from the North last winter and
so systematic is the household that there
is never any clashing of duties, or COM
plant of each other. Mrs. Morton, not
withstanding ali her social obligations,
regularly oversees the arrangement for
each day and holds morning interview
first with the cook and afterwards each
employe in turn. In this way there is no
hitch, and the usual conflicting worries of
housekeeping are avoided.
A CHAT WITH MRS. SENATOR STEWART
Mrs. Stewart, the wife of the Nevada
statesman, who has but recently returned
from Nevada and leased furnished house
on G street, in the old West end, tells me
that her patience has been exhausted with
Tho coptiuuous discard among her maid