The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1897-02-13
BOY "HousEMAlps."
what Would Result from their Prcsencs
In EngIish Hnusehnlda.

Outside certain palaces in India is a
wall on which are seen imprinted in
red paint the hand-prints Of the queens
as they rode to the Suttae. Something
. not unlike this rite would be sure to
be practced by ones boy housemaid,
but in black rather than in red. Imagine
turning down ones bed 20 find two or
three fine thumbmarkS, or maybe a
whole hand, silhouetted in coaldust on
one's sheets. And then think of the
orgy which would take place when the
boy turned out" the drawing-roOm.
That mystic process is not unlikely to
diminish ones collection of china even
when practiced by a woman. Think Of
the pandemonium produced by a boy
vases destroyed and sofas oyerthrown
and, raging through the chaos Of his
own creation, his broom borne aloft
like battle AK, the boy housemaid.
The picture called up Of "the stair
rod and silver day" is not less harrow
ing. How a strong and willing boy
would "stove" in the sides OF the old
Caroline drinking cups, wrench the
ornamental rings off The punchbowl and
make the great sugar castor stand all
awry. The staiTods might come out,
but would they ever go back? But there
is no use in pursuing the matter fur
Their. We leave the boy housemaid be-
fore he attempts to lay the cloth for
dinner; nor will we endcavor to can
Nass the fate of that household which
should attempt to have a whole staff
of boy servants. Yet such houses there
must be if we are to adopt Mrs. Hayes
advice. One boy could dc for fam
lily of ten, unless, indeed, by inducing
suicide. The big families must have
a couple of boy housemaids and boy
parlormaid, and even boy 'up-and-
down girl"
But think for moment what would
come Of a servants hall of boys. Can.
ming, speaking of the meetings of the
directory, describes the frequent ink
stand hurting through the air." In
such a servants hall as that of which |
we speak it would be the chairs and |
knives and forks that would hurtle. |
Each course would be a free fight and |
legs of mutton would have to be barred |
because of the easiness with which a |
free-spirited boy could use them as a
dub No, we shall not help ourselves
by taking to boy housemaids.
There is a great deal of nonsense in
All this talk of the badness of servants.
If course there ere bad servants, just
rs there are bad miStresseS, and always
will be, but in spite of that the normal
and parlor maid are very
Efficient. They have the passions of
heir kind; but if they arc not wor-
led by impertinent suggestions as to
heir religious views, their matrimonial
Intentions and the form of headgear,
oifrurc and costume affected by them
nut of office hours they are very efficient,
We doubt, indeed, if the world can any
where produce anything more efficient
n the way of service than that rem
Tered by the capable British maid
ervant. She has her feelings and her
ights, but she is neither a thief nor
sloyen, and knows how to respect
erself and her mistress. After this are
We to decline on a boy of 16 with dirt
egrimed hands, smutty face and
)ve of mischief for its own sake found
therwise only in the ape or the jack
aw ?''-London Spectator: