The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1895-04-12
Talks with the Servants,

Talks with the Servants.
perhaps I'd better warn you that the
madam will be down here ut 10 o'clock.
That's her hour, and she's not often late.
She'll look to have the kitchen quite tidy
when she comes. You'll have her chair
ready there by the table, the butchers
and grocers book ready to hand, and
beside them the pen and ink. I'll tell
you how she manages. 1t saves trouble
this house that she doesn't know all
about. She's liberal and free-handed, but
she won't waste Il crumb nor throw away
a cent. Down she'll come, and sharp
look all around. I'll warrant you. If
anything is wrong Or neglected you'll not
tail to hear Of it-though quite pleasantly
II plainly. Shell talk over the days
ca, just what is to be cooked for the
next luncheon, dinner and breakfast. All
that's wanted is written down in the
books-exactly the pounds and quantities,
with the date attached. Then off she
goes: it's all done in five minutes. The
butchers boy and grocer's boy come for
the books at half past 10; at II the days
supplies are in the house. Once a week
the madam herself goes to the markets
and takes look about to see what's in
season and to be had. She calls it a
waste of time to 80 herself every day,
and she looks to you to sec that the meat
and fish and vegetables brought are good
and fresh, or YOU are not to accept them.
On Monday mornings all her bills are
Mld. The books come added I'D: the
milkman, iceman and baker leave their
accounts too. She has from each list
of their prices, which she keeps for ref
erence, and checks off the books with
them. A whole half-hour she gives to
these accounts. She can see under each
date her own order, and opposite is the
price, which should tally with her list of
prices. Then she draws checks for each
account. tells you beforehand, as we'll as
she can. just what guests are expected,
just what meals she will take away from
home, so that you may arrange your
work comfortably beforehand, and the
bulk OF the housekeeping for the week
is done. Pretty simple for both of you,
isn't it?
Soda? Why, that's the most impor-
tant thing i'll the whole Kitchen 1t Just
halves your work-only don't let it get
into the laundry; it's forbidden there.
For example, you put a lump of it among
the dishes when they are to be washed
after breakfast You'll notice, of course,
that we have provided one of those nice
paper dishpans for you that's why cups
why a dozen glasses last more than a
week-you don't bang them against zinc
or iron. With all the dishes gathered
off the kitchen table into this light dish
pan, lump of soda laid on top and the
hot-water cock turned OIL full for min
ute, just a turn or two Of the mop makes
things clean and ready for the towel
A lump, or even a pinch, of it in each
pot cuts the grease out as if by magic
and with us pot-Washing has ne terrors.
More of it goes into the water with
which the table is scrubbed, and is used
in the water for mopping the floor, wash
ing the windows. scajding the refriger-
ator. and before you go to bed at night
we always look to have you pour ii little
hot soda water down the wuste-pipe Of
the sink, for there grease is apt to clog
and grow rank, and make disease and
bad smells.
''Of course we arc enlightened in this
house. We don't want you scr,ibbing all
day and every day, so we put an oil
cloth on the floor for you, and we cover
the kitchen dinner table with more oil
cloth, and we buy it as it comes from
the shop. all scalloped and cut in shelf
widths, to. cover every one of your
shelves, lacking it neatly on, So that
shelf and floor and table washing. means
only trifle of labor for you."-Harper's
Bazaar.