Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-01-03
GIFTS NOT HELD IN ESTEEM.
Experience of . Washington Society Woma,
in Pleasing Her Domestics.
s. HAD A MOST remarkable experience Il

in Pleasing Her Domestics.
s. HAD A MOST remarkable experience in
AChristmas-givins this year," saida society
woman to writer for The STAB yesterday.
''The winter being rather severe, / had made
up my mind to give to each one Of my three
female domestics-the cook, the parlor maid
and the upstairs girl-three useful gifts. For
each bought warm and serviceable dress, q
waterproof of good quality and an umbrella
1t gave me great pleasure on Christmas morn
ing to send the packages to the kitchen, with the
name of the recipient on each one, and it was
with agreeable anticipation Of thanks that
said Come i'm when few moments later
heard knock at my door.
THE parlor maid entered without saying .
word, umbrella, waterproof and dress in her
arms. The dress and waterproof she laid upon
the center table while looked on with an ex-
pectant smile, and then slammed the umbrella
down on top of both, houncing thereupon out
of the room.
This astonished me somewhat, but was al
together dumbfounded when the upstairs girl,
a moment later, came in without knocking and
Topped her umbrella, dress and waterproof OF
down upon the same table, disappearing at
once in her turn.
Il was still looking aghast, suppose, when
doorway and laid down her own gifts on top Of
the others This was too much, and as she
turned TO go found speech and said sharply:
Isabella, what does this meanY
%" Why, maam, she replied, squaring her
elbows and speaking Indignantly, we don't
care to take them things. What We expect ID
money for Christmas
:. ".Ah, indeed2' said, sartirically.
Yes, maam
Very well, Isabella I remarked. You can
CO.
Il didn't hear anything more about the mat
ter for five days, though / observed some evil
dences of sulks in the cookery the busting and
the making Of the beds. At the end of that
| time the parlor maid came TO me, looking at me
out of the tail Of her eye and chewing the corner
six years of age.
~ wanted to Ak about the Christmas pres
ents, ma am she said.
~ Christmas p5esenssS' answered, 'wha,
The presents you were goin' TO give us
ma am.
"'Ohr
"We didn't know IL you had concluded 70
give US the money instead, ma'am-'
There was a pause at that point, while abe
waited TO see II exhibited symptoms Of yield
ing, but she perceived none, and 20 she added
things
rave you, 1ndeedP responded
Yes, she said, we concluded that, though
we would rather have had the money, they vii
be useful
m sorry replied, but I'm afraid Isl
too late
-. Too late, ma'am?'
VERY much so. In fact, have given the
dresses and the waterproofs and the umbrellas
TO three nice, respectable old women, who were
ever 90 glad to get them. I'm sorry, but
they are gone
But they were our Christmas presents'
"'fes, 1t IL true that they were your Christ
mas presents admitted. But you refused
them, and 30 / had to dispose Of them In soms
way
"'And We are not to have any Christina,
presents at alp
mo, Isabella said.
'she took her departure, and have no
heard anyt thing on the subject since; but Isa
bella. the upstairs maid and the cook will very
soon receive, as quickly ~ I can supply theil
places, notice to quit. l can stand ingratitud,
IN Its ordinary phases, but it may be rubbed il
too hard"