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

'Terhaps 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 srocer's book ready to hand, and
beside them the pen and ink. I'll tell
you how she manages. 1t saves trouble
an round, and not one penny goes out of
this house that she doesn't know all
about. She's liberal and frec-handed but
she won't waste a crumb nor throw away
cent. Down she'll come, and il sharp
look all around, Ill warrant you. If
anything is wrong or neglected you'll not
fail to hear Of it-.though quite pleasantly
If plainly. She'll talk over the days
meals, what's in the house, what's need
ed, just what is to be cooked for the
next luncheon, dinner and breakfast. All
that's wanted is written down in the
Enthusiastically 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 Il look about to see what's in
season and to be had. She calls it a
waste of time to go herself every day,
and she looks to YOU to sec that the meat
and fish and vegetables brought are good
ana fresh, or you are not to accept them.
On Monday mornings all her bills are
paid. The books come added up; the
milkman, iceman and baker leave their
accounts too. She has from each a list
OF their prices, which she keeps for ref
crence, 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
,,,.S<.n v,-I,s e,1, 4,1l. I.
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,
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 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-thats why cups
keep their handles in this kitchen, and
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, Il lump of soda laid on top and the
hot-water cock turned on full for a 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 us if by magic.
and with us potwashing has no 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 waste-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 scrubbing 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 trite of labor for you."-Harper's
Bazaar.