New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-07-10
TRAITS OF FRENCH SERVANTS
Letter in Kate Fields Washington.

Letter in Kate Fields Washington.
servants in France much more human than those
acn,ss the Channel. They more independent TOO,
at least in outward seeming. They are capaDie OK
- answering back" likewise OF ytndictveness. A
French lawyer told that the testimony Of former
domestic considered more or less worthless ana
always taken with many grains OF allowance;
know of n certain Partisan lady who had the I'M
happy thought 90 below stairs on her return itvi
opera or ball. with the object of secret lnspect,on
the result that madames beautiful dresses were spoiled,
in consequence OF the doors and door"ays peine ~
geniousy creased. The story told me by the wiie
OF of the men servants As 70 ,ne cnracra
all tales were rue-M essalna and Nero's mamma were
comparatively pangons OF virtue -. ,os, rrs,cn
But Il Is TO be remembered that the pest frenSn
servants do not take service with foreigners from the
simple fact that they have small chance OF securing
women think the English very bad houskeepers They
do not take into consideration that the Ehgsn ngs
h@ ssd Sa fsS ends iRS dop S' "
luncheon or dinner and the of the house feels at
warning Wages in France are lower than in Eng.
land the tips given are small the guests Few 10
family. As II would he in England nor do the French
take small army Of domestics with them when they
80 French s Woman gets twice the work out Of her
servants that an English woman does, and me %orS
n,, 0G bdn Win that most dissgreeabie Of meals
English or american breaasdS say no H ro4 Ut
Coffee and roll are all monsieur ana me cnila aa
demand LEI US say that ths mod ~ re cp s,ya ,or
the making of The coree her entire morning for the
ARRANGING and preparing OF her srcCNd ."
luncheon ard Tho dinner. Madame goes about in-I
grieve to say-a "pagnoir.' and nsructS her stahii
or II but one or two servants kept she dusts All
ornaments and having set the machinery IN WORKING
order leaves II work by Itself. once dressed Tor
the day she does not descend from her dals OF ande
dame We often hear French servants accused 81
dishonesty. did not. however find them thievlSh.
II they do steal yOu may be sure that they Will axe
something worth taking. There Is good deal OF
esprit de corps about them. They have small Interests
81 their own, and not goSsips. II Is uuwise IN
France 10 d. your marketing your cook viii 90
,t better than You. She gets certain percentase
from the market women, but She buys things cheaper
than you oan: therefore you are not really out OF
pocket. and saved trouble.
Of late years drink has been greatly the increase
In France and many good servant Is spoiled thereby
Coachmen and foOtmeI are frequently imported from
II gland and receive high wages. Al. other wages
may be placed somewhat lower than In England out
YOU viii get better cook AZ hundred dollars year
In France than you could anywhere In Great buAlh
The French hOusenaid does not work as hard as the
English housemad does. In the first place the "frot
cur" CONES every week, every two weeks, 10 pohsn
the floors and stairs In the next. she does not nave
baths In each room u i'll. empty and Keep clean, rs
French friends do not deem morning tub ao>o
lutry necessary.
TIE duties OF houSekeeper. butler and cook are aoous
the In England, arr those OF the ladys mad