Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-07-22
AN UBIQUITOUS TAX.
A Keen System of Robbery Between ser
want and Tradesman

want and Tfadesman-
written for the Dspatch)
uousekeepers In the large eastern cities
Of Boston. philadelphia, and New York
are holding Indignation meetings over n
new imposition laid upon them by the'r
servants. Domestics are demanding that
unrighteous household tax known ~ hhs-
land as the servants commission.
In Great Britain the cook. putier' anu
coachman do the shopping for the kltchsh,
dining room, and stable. ana rom tn ,,
tradosman they exact a commission or
every purchase This the tradesnan never
refuses, for he forces the commission OUT
OF the housekeepers pocket ny chargihs
her Just a few cents more on every pouhu'
pint, and yard. -. ,oo
ago the British matron bowed humoly 10
the yoke, and nowadays when one iiirta :.
cook in London one If expected TO haSsle
more carefully over the question OF COM
mission than wages, since coninIssion
means nearly a doubling Of her salary
Hitherto In this country hOusekeepers
have done their own marketing OF KEPT a
book with grocer and butcher. and knew
! what market prices were. Just oil late
the cook has been Directing; she wants
TO market herself. and the weekly DIS
have grown investigation proves that the
cook has been growing rich oil the extra
prices the 'radesmen tack on meat. 'ese-
, ia bles aud dry groceries. and II the gro
Ger refuses TO charge Few cents extra
on sugar, coffee, etc, ana give those extra
cents 10 the cook she simply withdra"s
her custom and seeks q more amenabie
grocer -
or course. 1t is all wrong. and house
keepers are quite right 10 protest at
once vet Ike the custom OF tipping,
though it goes against the grain or the
economical or poor in purse, lew OF US
dare 10 refuse. ,
1t is in Paris. the most eeonomeia,i
shTewd city OF tradespsopie IN the MOIlu,
that commission giving Is most openly
rampant, with Americans tho chosen we,
Tins one pays ones French cook ana
laundress let Va say, az a month. flrst
she demands the right 10 market, ana u
she exacted no commission ones market
bills ought 10 be very small but the
truth of the matter Is they are very little
less than market bills at home. and the
same thrifty work goes on among SER
wants IN London.
GIVE TIPS.
over and above the commission. Paris
ian tradesmen of the petty type give tips
by adding a little to the bills OF the
rich and powerful. French modi5tes and
milliners make open independent o,ds 10
the ladies' maids OF rich American Visitors
Mrs Blank. from New York. buys u
couple of gowns from Worth half a
dozen hats % Virot or Ribot. underwear
or Felice, and has her hair done couple
OF times by Martial. Her maid attendS
her on these occasions. AND when worth
sends home the gowns his messenger
leaves at the hotel an envelope address,1!
to Mrs. Blanks maid. and "special
marked on IL. Within is check Tor 30
francs, which the maid quietly pockets
and recognizes that her duty Is y au-
| mire Mrs. Blank whenever the Worth
gown is donned. 10 praise It's wearing
qualities, etc. 80 cleverly that next sea-
SON an order will be given the famous
house. -,
From Ribot's comes in a separate box
I q charming hat or bonnet for Mrs;
/ Hanks maid, or a request that tho maid
! will step i'm at the shop and select hat;
/ Fellce sends a charming nishtdress anu
| the hairdresser offers 10 accommodate the
maid free Of charge at any time. Ihese
/ astute dealers in precious feminine hnery
must have found that this generosity
on their part pays. or they wouil no.
shower such charming gltts on the iuchy
maids OF rich patronesses
In TO date none of the New YORK mod-
/ Estes or mlliners have initiated TINS Gus.
/ tom, and the average dressmaker. snhar
/ or simple. In New YORK or any iarg5
! American city is more agreeable ara
! fair-nlnded person 10 deal with than her
English sister. The London dressmaker
; In the slang Of hsr own town. may pe
/ not falsely called "a ripper" She charges
( rather more than one pays In New OK
and she shops for every detali oi .ne
! gown from hsr sam les. She Simply
/ won't make up ones own goods and the
/ result is the gown costs a good deal more
( than II ought. 1t is only. after all. the
mems clothes and those ready mace
J things one buys I'm London that cost less
/ than gowns in America, for the passion
for gaining a few pence through coinInis-
sion has encouraged the English dress
maker 10 the above detailed and impossi-
bic enormities.