The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1895-10-19
HOUSEWORK IN THE CITY.

housework in the city, l will
II relate an experience of mine.
had been teaching some three
years and had given up my school to be
married, and as we had to postpone our
wedding and did not like to ask for my
school again, | resolved to put in practice
long-cherished plan and get situation in
the city. l saw an advertisement in the
Sunday paper paper for "a girl for general
Homework, in family, "a week" Early
Monday morning presented myself at the
given number and found-an intelligence
office! Iproduced the lad" however, and
was told to wait. 81 lady was expected in
soon," etc. l waited, and was several
times told to talk with this lady," but
without results, as didn dare try large
family. After about an hour the attendant
guessed the lady wasn't coming" and
gave me card with instructions to call at
certain house. | was promptly engaged
without references and after getting my
trunk, went to work
This was doctors family, and as his
office was in the house, the place was ex
ceptional in that respect otherwise, so far
as have been able to learn, it was better
than the average. had room to myself
use OF the bath, and free access to the maya
zines and papers. l had my "friends' in
the dining-room. My first difficulty might
have been overcome with use and strength
Everything was so far from everything
else! My room was four long flights from
the kitchen, and the journey up the dark
basement stairs and through the long hall to
the front door counted miles in day, be-
fore the second girl returned from the
beach.
In any other work you can make an
agreement as to hours and duties 4 house
servant is expected chrcrlully to per-
form anything extra that may he rr-
quvcd of her. My agreement, whica /
tried to have very plain, was that | was to
take charge OF the kitchen and do the cook
ing and laundry work, keep the front steps
clean and have alternate Thursday and
Sunday afternoons. Tne lady, whom I
will call Mrs. Smith. had decided to care
for the two little girls herself ana 50 get on
without the nursemaid. What she did
was to require the second girl, Bridget to
care for them, and had to answer the he'll
and telephone, while Bridget took the
children out, generally twice a day no
easy thing with my other work, especially
during Office hours.
Twas told, moreover, that the work would
be very easy. Dr. Smith had four white shirts
eight to ten collars and three pairs of cuff
per week. There were the starched skirts
and dresses for the children, and several
changes for Mrs. Smith. had washed and
ironed at home, but never at set tubs, low,
only three feet from tie large range, and
then got Il o'clock dinner besides.
didn' call it easy Ms. Smith did not
plan the work at all she. was not house
keeper. But she did order the meals nevct
with any iIic Cnce to the extra work to he
done. No pie or cake was ever cooked
there, SO every meal had 10 be prepare,
entire ~ fresh, and no cold meat was used
ON SUNDAY. When | was found to he in
telligcnt enough, the mar citing was added
to my duties thought | had plenty to
do in the mouse, So bought souc apples to
bake, at ~ cents per peck; and Mis-. Smith
attended to most of 1t herself thereafter.
Nov Mrs Liycrmo.r thinks country
girl has chance to look about her white
doing housework IN the city. Did /:
Thursday afternoon once in two weeks
only. All the doors had spring locks, and
we had no Keys; this to insure our staying
in SO that one might be sent out at any
time without any danger Of Mrs. Smith
having to answer the bell, which her hus
band never allowed her to 60. silly,
think. | supposed that if did my work
well some consideration would be granted
my Yankee spirit the more so as they
were glad to get an American girl.
| will relate three incidents which
require no comment. | was directed by
the speaking tube to leave my washing and
scrub the steps, because coal dust from q
neighbours had blown On them after
washed them in the morning. | did it,
Mrs. Smith saw me kiss one of her daugh.
tiers { | am fond of children and told me moi
to kiss her mouth because she taught her il
was coarse to do so. One Sunday when
was sick and Bridget was out, | had man.
aged to get dinner, and when | thought il
was all served | went down to rest on the
old lounge in the kitchen, thinking as they
knew ! was sick, they wouldn't call me
until dessert time. But | climbed the
stairs in answer to the bell to be told tc
pass the butter, which was on the table in
reach, to DR.. Smith. put it on the salyel
and passed it, but | accepted an offer of q
school that week, and the following one
found me once more graphing with the
problem of how to make the young Amcri-
can wish to learn what the honorable
school board declares he shall know.-Susan
Nipper.
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