The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-03-08
THE WOMEN OF SPAIN.
Home Life and Servants Of the
People Of CASTLE.
RIGHTS OF The VET NURSE.


The ssAma'' Of the Little King wears
Disnonds and Lives Like . Queen
The Ways Of Domestics.
MADRID, Feb. 23.-[Special Correspond
ence. Perhaps your lady readers would
like to know what Spanish dorhesfics are
like, since the problem of the day is how
to get good servants. Housewives all over
the world are deeply concerned over the
question and especially in the United
States, where . good servant is daily
getting to be more rare.
Spanish domestics are in many ways un-
like those Of other countries. They are
sometimes downright bad, as everywhere
else; but there is fair, average class, who,
if not exactly saints, are at least free from
the new-fangled notions of equality, divi-
sion Of labor and similar ideas, which have
not yet had time to enter their heads.
These know that they are servants and are
content with their condition in life; yet
there is quiet dignity and pride about
them which superinduces feeling Of
kindness and makes you treat them well.
They are easily managed by gentleness
and just enough frmness to show, with
out driving them too hard, that you intend
to be obeyed. They are, however, apt to
take the bit between their teeth and get
to be presumptuous, meddlesome, argu-
mel(ative, nay. insolcnt, if any degree Of
familiarity is allowed. They are not over
truthful, generally; yet, if you come across
fair sample of a domestic, as you often
may, it is best not to show any mistrust.
Vor1 CON 1oovn uoyrr Sxrrruo and Sau.o1 naaa-
open without fear Of loss; not only will
they respect your property, but frequently
they will defend it and defend the trusting
mistress with a dog-like fidelity that is
really touching. At other times their de-
votion to the household interests is carried
too far, even to the verge Of officiousness,
especially in their dealings with shop
keepers. Then again your Spanish SER
want, when she has been long in house,
thinks and speaks of you and Your worldly
goods, and in every way acts as If she had
vested right in the same. 1t is ssour
children, !" '.our furniture" Jour cats"
''our house" and I'VE are going to travel"
and Eve intend doing this and that" etc.
A lady in want of a servant seldom APP
plies to registry Office; she tries to get
one through her friends of the tradespeo-
pie that provide for the household. When
found, the lady before engaging her goes
in person to the family where she was last
engaged, and makes inquiries as to her
honesty and the reasons why she left her
last situation.
A servant in Spain is paid by the month;
she can be sent away, or herself give warn
ing to the family at . moments notice.
The law, it is true, requires that fifteen
days notice should be given on either side;
but this practice is never enforced, as
Spanish temper is too quick to allow of
people living under the same roof
to abide together when they have once. dis
agreed.
wonder what an English or an Aneri-
can housemaid would say if she were told
that, besides doing all the housework, she
was expected to attend to the washing, the
ironing, even that of the masters shirts,
the mending and to answer the door. All
this Spanish donceliG has to look after
for IS a month which is accounted good
wages. She rises at dawn, and after serv-
ing up the early tea or chocolate, ties
large handkerchief round her carefully
combed hair and sets about the housework.
She bustles about for hours, until every
thing looks neat and tidy. She takes great
pride in making the beds, every mattress
is turned and not crease must be seen in
the counterpart.
By IL O'Clock she is ready to wait at
table; she has been on her feet since sun
rise, and only sits down at p. m to par
take of her well-earned lunch. During the
whole afternoon she either irons or sews:
and when night comes, it Is no wonder If
she has little heart for book, or II she
falls asleep on her chair, waiting until the
mistress comes home from the ball or the
theater. Then she is sent to her bed.
The Spanish donceila does her work well;
but you must not expect to find In her the
trim femme de chambrc you have In France,
with neat, white cap and ribbons It is as
much as you can do to get your Spanish
housemaid to wear white apron and do
her hair up deliberately; other detalls of
toilet she keeps for her Sunday tout"
Nothing, however, can look neater than
of two or three for their walk. They never
wear bonnets or grandly trimmed dresses,
yet they are . thousand times prettier in
their plain black jackets, dark gowns and
lace mantillas. They always put on
gloves. Often on Sunday their norios or
sweethearts, accompany them; if the girl
he never comes near the house on week
days.
In Spain it is against the rules to send a
female servant out after dark or allow her
to go to the theater, unless o member of
her family comes to fetch her. Every Sum
day and on feast days the maid must be
sent to mass to the nearest church. and
she will go to confession once or twice q
year. 1t is the duty of a mistress through
out Spain to allow her servants to follow
their religion, and they viii respect her all
the more for doing so.
The Spanish cook or cociner0 is quite the
reverse of the doncelia, for she is the LATEST
creature in creation. She does her cook
ing, goes to market every morning; and
cleans the kitchen once week, on Satur-
days. In some houses she has to do the
washing, but this is only the case in a
small family. A cook in Spain earns from
IS to SO month, according to her expert
ness. As / have said she does all the mar
keting; every morning she waits on her
mistress for money and orders and everv
evenings few know how to write-the
mistress jots down her expenditure. The
cook is queen in her kitchen, and the
rest of the domestic servants look up to
her for her victuals, as it depends on the
respect shown her whether the meals are
good or bad. When the servants dine she
deals out their portion and never thinks of
sitting down until they are all served.
Spanish servants have simple tastes. but
they must be well fed. In the morning
they each have an ounce of chocolate pre-.
pared in milk and roll of bread. At
lunch they expect dish of greens--beans,
potatoes or other vegetables-cooked after
the national fashion, and q dish of meat.
The dinner consists of plate of soup, the