The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1893-02-28

It was no more possible to choose the
house servants from Il mass % "ioid
hands" i'll an al captandum manner than
il would be To make the same selection
from among d company Of road members.
A girl who might be IN excellent seam
stress would often prove al extremely
Door houSemaid OF It treasure III the
dairy turnout Il torment III the preserving
room.
The Lady at the "EiiG House rs Nurse, Ply
Scian and ApOthecRry.
The close familiarity with her slaves
from infancy enabled the mistress to
judge more accurately than IL modern
housewife; thus she could adapt the per-
son to the occupation with great nicely.
This was less remarkable, rs its first little
clothes were usually prepared cit.fer I'M
der her direction or by her. Sne visited
the mother during the period Of her III
ness and. ii the case promised 10 be
serious, she personally assumed the
duties of nurse. When the mother was
well enough to return to her work IN
the field the little one became Il, still
greater charge upon the lady up at the
big house" Most plantations haG a sort
of crcche established where some trust
worthy old ncgrcsS watched over the
Young children i'll the absence Of their
eve Of the mistress was necessary 10 the
Guardianship Of her interests ana theirs.
In the diseases Of infancy which attack
Ell the little ones she must be AT once
nurse and medical adviser, for on the
river places, and sill more so further
back in the country, it was often I'M
uo4SihIe to get the aid Of a doctor i'll time
10 he of much service.
There were, indeed. occasions when
medical assistance could not be procured
for love or money sometimes INC
wafer was up and the physician coihd
NOT mass through the swamp, and some
fines. as WAS the case in cholera cpl
dcmic. the physicians could not ieaE'
tho minority OF their patients III lht
towns.
Alone the master and mistress fought
1hn disease as best they could, golne
their rounds day and night for more tral
a month. and playing the triple parts OF
nurse. physician and apothecaly uni!
,hnv themselves succumbed 30 the peSll
l.nca The rubbing. which formed par'
of the treatment, had to he done uhdci
1ueir personal superintendent, anu IN,
dn1tbWatch with the tWlichlh2 coIl'Se ltl
MISC to their share, as the negroes M1i'
TOO frightened ito stay win ueau lolNS
that move. A., .a,1o min
r.o,s' WAS Obliged to put by All 'no'iSii
nj the danger to her beauty anu 90 !t"
man service 10 the stricken negroes, ~
thnuci, she might have children 81 NJ,
own. She scarlet fever must not allriIii
her when it appeared in the quarter hoi
measles. which is as fatal 10 me he7l'
rs IN the soldier on his campaign
To qualify themselves for these duteS
eoIlthrrn women studied the approve"
,nadjc,I works. ana have for generations
nroudlv maintained their rule III inc SlcN
room which even now they are fel'ic''li, !,
H. obdicate in favor OF the trained h'rSc
of our new civilization
The priestess at Tho Plantation
The fight for the lives OF her Si'iNeS
yro, not the greed Of property nor 'si'
mere professional instinct of nurse
Hrr affections We're enlisted; she was
IN. nriastess who carried the consoid Aoh
nf religion 10 the dying, con1orted tii'
bcrpoypd. and instructed the ignorant.
Though there were negroes ana "iS'
white. preachers often on the plantations
vet that part of her duty could not Vt
relocated to either OF these. 1t may Dc
that to many tired and malaria-rlduei
woman those long Sunday hours III