The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-07-11

II was at one of the large intelligence
offices in New York. Why they are call
ed .intelligence Offices has always been
a wonder to me, for, although there is
plenty of almost everything else, there is
a general lacking of even the ordinary
intelligence. The dramatis personae
were big Irish lady, high of color,
large of teeth, long of lip, big OF bone,
and dressed-well, one would not be eX-
aggerating if one said there were peck
of flowers on her hat and the product
of a ribbon factory on her frock, but
her shoes were dirty and broken, and her
hands looked as if their tips might be
in mourning for her general lack Of
knowledge. Then opposite her stood an
inoffensive lady, quietly dressed, polite
in her manner, who was being closely
and keenly eyed by this daughter OF
Erin as she demanded in loud tones,
who is the boss?" 1t was perfectly GER
tain that this applicant for position in
the kitchen would permit nobody TO
s'boss' her. She inquired, or rather
announced, at what time she would serve
dinner: she declared she would stay IN
no house where they had late dinner
ON Sunday; she assured the listening
world that she wanted her Thursday
afternoon, her every other Sunday ana
an occasional night to run out; she SAID
she knew as much about cooking as the
next one. and she probably did, for the
next one knew nothing.
This is the creature who is driving the
American woman out of her home INTO
q hotel. before whom she bends the knee
and from whom she takes every kind OF
impertinence as expressed in voice or
manner! This lady 90, who asked
butchers maet' only once week in
her own home, will six months after her
arrival in this country turn up her nose
at anything but dollhouse grapes.
At her first appearance she has shawl
over her head and is willing to run an
errand without any head covering. This
humility lasts about a month, however,
and then if pint of milk is wanted the
kitchen lady deyotes one hour to her
toilet, having the vanity to believe that
somebody on the street is looking at her.
TYRANNY OF DOMESTICS.
Do you know that it's a dreadful state
of affairs? The housekeeper takes an an
utterly unframed worker and pays her
the wages of an expert. Here is sample
OF the ability on sale. A woman who
demanded $18 month absolutely did not
know how to boil an egg! Her idea of
this simple operation was to drop the egg
out of her hand into the teakettle, per-
hitting it to break, then to ill the Kettle
with water and finally to take the egg
to the table with more of the white on
the outside than the inner side. After
one years training she still has to be
watched to see that she puts the egg IN
a spoon and lowers the spoon into the
proper egg boiler.
Then. too, after a short residence III
this land of plenty the lady from the
other side is so extravagant that you
wonder if she has any idea of the mean
ing of money. No matter how kindly
and sensibly YOU may talk to her as TO
the value of economy, she will regard
your efforts to save as nothing Du1
stinginess. That bar of soap should
wash away amid the greasy water left
in the dishpan is nothing to her; that
saucepans are allowed to burn out on the
fiery range is matter of Indifference as
far as she is concerned. He one idea Is
to get through the work in the easiest
way. to put on her finer clothes, ana 10
CAD about the streets.
Where is the fault? In the first place,
the average mistress is ignorant herseif
and so cannot command properly. In the
second place, she has not realized that
the day of ultra consideration has gone
nv and that it is time for the mistress to
demand work for the money given and
to discharge that worker who as lncapa-
BILE. The American woman wants to be
inoculated with a little more dignity.
little more sternness, and great deal
more determination. Then the lady with
the long lin will not ask her, who is the
boss?'
RULED BY DRESSMAKERS.
The power of the needle is greater than
the power of the press. But as there are
women in bondage to their servants SO
there are women entirely governed by
their dresmakers. These are the women
who make dressmakers insolent, who by
their foolish pleadings to have their
frocks made give the clever needles
woman a perfect knowledge of her power
And she is the boss. There are women
who dare not complain of a frock, women
who say, 'If find fault with this Nine.
Snip will never make me another one,
and wouldn't have that happen for the
worldw That's a weak woman. There is
always one worker who is just as good a $
the other one, and if Nine. Snip makes
a failure Nine. Tuck can make a success.
If Nine. Snip is not honest with you give
her no more work. The woods are full of
dresmakers, but the average woman for
gets this and humbles herself, while she
paws out her good money to have fig
leaf draped.
Do you suppose tailors dare to treat
mon as the fashionable modiste behaves
to her customers! The tailor is servile
i'm his desire to please the man who pays
his bills, and while / am not particularly
fond of servility, / do approve OF clvliity.
Tho ,.olafion between dresSmaker ana