The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1892-05-21
MISTRESS AND MAID.

duldah' Expresses Her Views on q
Much-Discussed Question.
After nine years service in many
kitchens, l often feel as if a few words
from ''the hired girls" standpoint might
be of service to both mistress and maid.
In the first place, both should remember
there is need for mutual forbearance. The
girl who desires to be successful should
know that to be faithful to her mistress,
whether present or absent, is Qualifica-
ton that VIII balance many natural de-
tects and make her services always III de-
mand. she may then be proud 10 have
the honor that once fell 10 my own lot Of
having a former mistress say: II will
take this trip to California with my hus-
band If You viii come and keep house for
my TWO children while / am gone. Other
wise / shall stay at home, for | know no
one else whom can trust"
Remember not to leave your mistress
in the lurch' on account OF some real or
tancied grievance. How we'll l remcm-
Der entering strange kitchen where the
washing was in various stages OF pro-
gress, dinner partly cooked, as the girl
had LETT at once because another was com
ing soon to take her place
Don't gossip. If you are an American
girl working in a country village many
people Will ask you questions about the
in. YOU have no more right to use such
knowledge as comes to you than you
would have to smuggle away bits OF gold
or silver TO use al your earliest oppor-
tunity.
Don't rise up in righteous indignation
If you are duly informed that YOU are
expected TO eat alone. DON'T imagine she
thinks you are not good enough to eat
with her and so of course you won'twork
for her. Perhaps sometime you will I'M
derStand the other side as | do now. I
am married and have a house Of nv own.
should be very 10th always to have a
third party present at our meals, even
our nearest relatives, for we often have
private matters III regard to business
plans for the future. etc, that are not
ready as Yet to be thought of by others.
II extra company comes don't sulll; very
likely IL is as great an Inconvenience, pos
sibly more, to your mistress than ii can
be Tor you, who have only to follow ont
few hurried directions. a pleasant, cheer
ful coCntenance and tone of voice is worth
& great deal TO the household you are in.
! GU may be sure Of a welcome whenever
you return TO former place of service If
you cultivate this practice, and YOU vii!
have the satisfaction of seeing the weary
look disappear from the face OF your mis-
tress, and even the children regard your
coming as a joyful event.
woman. with a woman's longings and
perpleXItles. She may have been obliged
10 take up this work, as in my own case.
because 1t was the one thing at hand Do
not let her go aStray at night because she
IS so lonely. Talk with her long enough
to make her feel you are still a friend.
Give her a chance 10 read those maoa-
zines that lie with uncut pages upon
your table or show her how TO do that
dainty bit OF crocheting that her nimbIe
fingers VIII be So quick 20 follow. Don't
expect her to leave hes work at any time
to look after the children or something
else that can wait awhile. 1t is fact
that l was once commanded to leave the
bread dough on the moldinp board and
sit down TO hold a child while its mother
was doing something unimportant. Do
You wonder this woman was continually
changing girls? / actually pitied her be-
fore / worked there and l never tried so
hard to please or was so roundiy scolded
as at this place. suppose that really
her nervous system was shattered, as she
had four small children, and her strength
was not equal to the daily demands,
But was l TO blame for that? | believe
my disposition would have been utterly
ruined had l stayed there six months,
and yet the very next place l went /
stayed two years and only left to get mar
ried.
/
! experience, is to be considerate. 1t first
| when new girl comes don't confuse her
| with q multitude of directions, but. after
/ telling her what you desire to have done.
/ il she has had previous experience shut
! the kitchen door and leave her to work
t out her problem in her own way. If the
result is ali right and she is neat You'll be
/ better served than If you insist on your
/ own cherished method OF work. You
are teaching, unconsciously, perhaps. les
sons that Will be repeated in some other
/ home possibly after you have laid down
/ the burden OF life forever. What nobler
! monument could you desire than the
sanctified memory that still fingers with
me of a sweet-tempered mistress. careful
| and considerate in all her relations with
! the hired girl' as well as her own loved
ones, but who long since sank peace
ully to sleep. HULDAH.
I According to the Paris Gd1,lOis the
number of people in France who died OF
| hunger during the year 1891 was 81. 900:
| the number OF persons who went mad in