The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-09-21
serrant Girls as a Study.

Servant Girls as a Study.
Grave and dignifed London editors find
il necessary to lay down important questions
of state at this iuncture to very seriously
discuss the latest freak Of the servant girl,
! because she has raised question that has
been invested with importance by the pecu-
liar decision of a court of law which may
tend to establish pernicious precedent.
Quite heated general newspaper discus
sion has grown out Of an incident based
upon the conduct of one Mary Chapel,
who was engaged as housemaid by certain
Mr.. Kennedy at stipend of 81 a week. By
her own admission the damsel ''emphat-
icallv refused" to wear a cap at the expira-
ton Of the ninth day. and was consequently
dismissed. When she brought suit in a
county court for her wages Mr.. Kennedy
pleaded that she had broken her contract by
disobeyiag lawful orders. But the presid-
ing Justice overruled the plea and held
that in the absence OF any express stipula
ton with regard to wearing a cap the order
was not lawful, aud judgment with costs
must accordingly be awarded to the plant
if
pom this decision the London papers
have taken sides somewhat according to
political faith. Tory papers strongly OPP
pose it, while the radical prints all except
Truth uphold il. And the New York Sun
takes up an obscure position on this side OF
the water and boots at the "aristocratic
feelings" of the tories while it jeers at the
manifest discontinue OF Laoouchere. But
not one Of them all has apparently noticed
or touched upon tbs real point at issue.
Lachrymose and ponderous lamentations
auent the iconoclastic destruction OF
cherished institutions are no more pertinent
to the case than are the discursive generals
ties concerning civil liberty aud relative
social status that are 50 glibly recited for
the other side. 1t is plain and very clear
question of law and justice.
Under all civilized governments the fact
is universally recognized that "a mans
house is his CASTLE" so to speak. Therein
he may by right do q, he pleases with his
own and establish such rules and usages as
NAV. without conflict with the law, best
suit himself. Every one VINO may come TO
live within his house is very naturally as
sumed to be subject to the usages prevailing
there in the absence of a specific agreement
to the contrary. Else no rule could be
maintained.
How long would soldier, policeman or
a car conductor be retained after he refused
to wear uniform or obey any regulation of
the service! Certainly not long Yet a
servant is on precisely the same legal foot
ing, with Only the difference of a more
humble station and being employed by an
individual instead of the state or a corpora
ton, and with the additional sustaining
precedent of an established general custom.
II they may decide what raiment shall be
furnished them they may also with equal
right prescribe what diet they prefer. There
could be scarcely limit to the consequent
encroachments and exactions.
1t is a pretty well established and gem
orally accepted principle of law that when
one enters any employment he shall be re-
quired to conform TO the rules of the service
in which he engages. and any willful infrac-
ton of such rules may properly be consid-
cred to that extent a violation of law for
which he may be held responsible.
While there is no reason why he should
enter any employment that is distastef III to
him nor remain there after he finds it OBJ
jectionable, there is every reason in law
and equity why he should conform to the
established rules so long as he does remain.
Servant girls are under no obligation to
work in houses where the rules are repug
nant to their personal tastes and opinions.
But while they continue TO work there they
are undeniably under obligation to obey
those rules.
Whatever may be said of the petty snob-
bishness of the girl in the London case there
was certainly no question of aesthetics or
sentiment involved. 1t is a simple question
of a mans right to enforce his established
rules in mis- own house.