New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-07-02
CHINESE SERVANTS ~ CALIFORNIA.
THEY ARE INVALUABLE IN THE HOUSEHOLD
MANY EMPLOYED AS FRUIrPICKERS.

THEY ARE INVALUABLE IN THE HOUSEHOLD
MANY EMPLOYED AS FRUIrPIcKERs.
A California woman in speaking of the Chinese as
household servants universally employed In the cities
OF California. said: "They the most faithful and
efficient help employed, although they command saia
rcS ranging from So that being the lowest amount
s35 month, and then refuse 10 do the fan;'F
laundry. But. barring this fact. they are in every
respect preferable any other class OF servants,
Chimes" accomplishing more work than two other
people together. They excellent cooks, do the
chamberwork, and act as walters With the ease OF
Dclmonico waiter and withal noseless that
Is hardly conscious of their presence In the house,
Most of the Chinese who act as private servants in
California have held similar positions In their own
country, and are therefore, not as Ignorant OF the
requirements of a many of the green girls
who lmmiprae to America for that purpose. Al
though the mode OF housekeeping and cooking Is vast
IS different here from what the Chnaman has been
accustomed TO- stIll they obscrvant and Initiative,
and readily So into and practise whatever they are
told rarely having be instructed In the same thing
twice. The Chinese most amusing as servants.
and lon, the california people have employed
them IN their houses, they still lind f'ini OF amuse-
ment I'm their daily life. This tells how one
day her servant Jim was preparing chicken for GIN
ner. and before cooking 1t had entirely shnDed II.
His mistress told him that chicken never skinned
in fact. that very good part OF 1t. This I'M
how the skin of anything WAS good TO eat. Never.
theeSs If his mistress said So that settled II In his
mind 50. long after, watermelon was served ana
going into the Kitchen LATER the mistress observed
Jim eating all the rnd. In fact most OF the entire
rnd Of the melon had disappeared. why. Jim!' she
exclaimed. what are You doing Do you want 10
XIII your,clfl' Jim replied. ." Msie chicken skin
good, so good nellie skin"
one afternoon Il man drove to the door to take the
dg Ter al the n drive ana Jim, Is bis
invarahle custom whenever the young woman left
the house, ran % The drawingr0om WINDOW ana
peeped through the blinds TO see her depart Just 40
the couple seated IN the carriage, she dropped
her handkerchief. and. OF course he got out picked
IL up. and handed 1t TO This too much foS
Jim to stand and he through the house trying 10
find his MISTRESS that he might tell her what he had
seen When he found her he said :" My glacious that
Miss Allie so iding with is big fool Miss Allie
dOp her handkerchief, and he get out and get II fol
her Mclean girl belly lazy
The Chlnamcn believe firmly In the presence Of Q
personal devil. and In continual fear that they
will encounter IN dark room, in the hall. OF
on the stairs Not long ago Jim went up TO tire
fourth story the house, and opened the door OF
unused room that somewhat darhened. and tue
frs thing he was stove that had been placed
there for the summer months, aud to the China.
man the devil assumes all manner Of forms jim
thought that he had surely encountered him this time
he ran screaming ont of the rOOm and did not wait
To Walk down lne Dut sllu all Tie way dOWn
the various bau>rades into the lower hall, where
the terrified family were awaiting him. oh, misie.
he said. when he could speak, the deb In DARK
loom, ! just got light down on my knees and said,
%. dcbil excuse for coming In here The Chinese
arrant towards, and can be frightened into any
thing but the betrayal Of each other That they VIII
never do. As servants they are tracable and real
ly afecti0nate. On almost all the ranches they are
employed as pckers They drink little while at work.
even in the waImest weather, and then only quench
their thirst with cold unsweetened tea, which they
carry In jugs.
Far down in Southern California Of the picker
employed "A sort OF low half-brred Mexicans, but
they are vicious and most unreliable. and there have
cen instances when they have became munous and
tried To attack the planter and his family In thcii
house. that pistols and shOgunS became Necessary
for safety, and a goOdy number of the Mexicans
shot down. NEGROES pickcrs are likewise unrela.
bic. for they will only work just so long. and then
dis ppcar AT the most critical tiue probably when In
view OF coming wind storm the trays OF fruit have
To BE- hastily placed under cover for safety. They
ire also woully lazy. the excessive heat OF Southeru
which sometimes rates az lO5 or 10. de-
gees being conducive that dis position. The China
man. however. as picker, l. faithful, cheerful, en-
turing and most inoiensiye and obedicnt