The daily morning journal and courier., 1897-12-24
THE HOUSEKEEPING EXPERT.

The widening field of occupations for
 women outside the home necessarily |diminishes the time available for imper- ative home duties. The effect Is to ere ate new occupation, that of specialists
 in housekeeping, housefurnfshing, etc,
 who do for female bread winners or for invalids and bachelors the thousand and
 one services which the latter have not the time or ability to do for themselves. A correspondent of the New York Eve
 ming Post enumerates many of the forms the new upation-sometimes to
 be dignitied with the name of a profes- sion-has already taken. There is a
 class, to begin with, of supervisors of single mems apartments, and a large number of capable women are begin- ming to find the business a paying one.
 Many well-to-do young men are bach elors, and some rich widowers refuse to marry again. Their apartments need looking after, or, perhaps, to be refur- nished When put into proper condition they require expert attention occasion ally to replace what is worn out or
 broken and to make sure that the ser want performs his duties efficiently.
 The women in this business do none of the drudgery of the apartments. They
 direct the ordinary servants, and, if necessary, call in skilled servants to re- store order and perfect cleanliness. The result is that the crusty bachelor the bouncing widow and the helpless inval- i'd live in an assured paradise of com fort and good taste at the cost merely of signing an occasional check.
 It pays a female physician, lawyer,
 artist, editor or teacher, whose time is valuable, to employ these experts Mon ey is saved by committing to responsi- ble hands matters that cannot be safely trusted to irresponsible maids on men, helpers. The housekeeping expert be- ing a woman of assured position and
 character for honesty, can be called up
 on in any emergency by wealthy fani- lies to arrange for entertainments, look
 after bric-a-brac, procure suitable flow CTS, do the shopping, plan meals, receive persons who call for other than social purposes take entire charge of the fall and spring cleaning and open and close l the house when the family has occasion to come or go. Often she is a woman | who has herself once been wealthy She has perhaps a permanent clientee-is employed by limited number of friends who commit to her with confidence the
 most important or confidential matters. | The Posts correspondent cites the in stance of a housekeeping expert receiv- | ing from Europe a key with request to go to a family's residence, open a cer- | tain drawer, take jewels to be found there and place them in safe deposit
 vault. retaining the key till the writer returned. The traveller had gone away
 hurriedly and had forgot to attend to
 the matter. Another instance is cited
 of mother in California telegraphng
 to the expert to furnish the apartments
 of a son just entering college, being con fdent that all would be done with taste
 and efficiently at moderate cost.
 But 1t is not the wealthy only that
 find it desirable to avail themselves of
 the great modern principle of division
 of labor. A dressmaker is mentioned
 who, when sewing by the day in a fam lily. surprised her employer by engaging
 maid the latter was discharging.
 Why" said the employer. "I am dis
 charging her because I cannot afford to pay her $16 a month" Yes" replied the dressmaker, but have two little
 children to be looked after, and though
 I earn but $35O a day, it pays me to keep a competent person"
 In like manner women who wish leis-
 ure for literary or artistic careers find
 they make money by paying some one to mend, market, shop and attend to
 other matters of routine. The expert
 woman may invade almost any field.
 One who has studied the art of decora- ton and furnishing, for example, ac- complishes wonders in converting a shabby room into an attractive one. | On being told that twenty-five or fifty dollars only are availing for it's trans formation, she knows how. with iheX- pensive, but well-selected, materials to obtain for the sum named charming combinations of form and color, so that her services are in great demand. There | is. in short, all the difference in the world between the expert in domestic
 arts and those who have given their
 duties but cursory attention.-Ralti-
 more Sun.