Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-12-11
THE PASSING OF THE BUTLER.
Maids In Neat Costume Replacing Him
in Small Embellishments.

IN Smat Esfabtish ments.
From the New York Sun.
Some of the best-known people in town,
who have for years had their butler and
second man always serve at table, now
have in their places well-dressed waiting
maids, who have most admirably taken the
men places The Mattresses are all dressed
anke In black cashmere gowns. or some
times dark blue, made perfectly plain:
white collars and cuffs, a small tie at the
throat large white muslin apron, made
fun, with broad bow and ends behind, and
straps over the shoulders and on their
heads small muslin frilled cans. with black
velvet bow. 1t amounts to a sort of uni
form. They are noiselessly snod, and move
about the table in the most systematic and
charming manner. They are light OF foot
ana most attractive to the eye
Women who command the position of
hrst-clasS Mattresses must learn the pro-
tesslon, for profession it is. They have
nrSt to learn to hold themselves erect TO
move quickly and quietly and not to break.
In TACT, there are many requirements
Ior the expert waitress TO become proficient
in that before being able to hold such a
place the women must go through a long
siege of not only hard work but hard
study. There are classes here in New Work
and elsewhere where women go to acquire
good taste and knowledge in the decora-
tion OF the dinner table; not only the floral
decoration, but the proper and symmetri-
cal arrangement of the silver ware glass
and table napkins. This sort of thing has
become an art. So it is that as women are
proEerolaiiy gifted with more taste and dis
creuon In these matters than men thew
are Suppidnting them in the dining room
VI course, In many houses the gentleman
OF the house prefers a butler and men SER
wants ABOUT MIN at dinner; but when his
WINE cellar becomes suddenly depleted and
tnere are now and again quarrels bet ween
the men In the pantry or servants dining
rcCm, he will take his wife's advice and
10 away Win the men in his household en-
tfeiy. A rich man in town, who keeps up
a very sweil establishment. and whose wife
gives the best-appointed dinners mag
Unable, is quoted as saying:
nave mad my butler for five wears and
Ihe second man ore year. L know very
niue abeut the domestic arrangements in
my househoid l pay the bills and require
thdt my dinner be " ell served and my gem
my men servants. My wife and dined our
not long since, and on returning home
about IL o'clock we found the house in an
uproar. The butler and second man mad
eVldently had bottle of wine between
theNl. Ihey got to fighting IN the buffers
pantry, and the women servants in the
house were frightened to death L dis
missed both on the spot and since then
nay, nau our meals served by four of the
pest-tralned mattresses L ever saw Never
again snail L have man in the house ex-
cept 10 attend to my furnace"
VI course, the butler will never disappear
entirely. In some families he is an abso-
lutte necessity. But it is well-known fact
That men servants, for indoor service, will
soon nave to take a back seat and pretty
maids, with caps and aprons, will take
their places. Three winters ago a large
luncheon party was given uptown by the
Wlfe OF one of the most prominent men in
New forks business world, who prided
herseif upon entertaining in the most an
! proved manner. Three very pretty wait
resses, with dark blue cashmere gowns
turned-down white collars and white cuffs.
aprons and caps, waited on the table. Ii
was a luncheon of twenty of the most
fashionable women in town, and great was
their surprise when they found themselves
being waited upon by women. The change
was commented upon after lunch and the
hostess heartily congratulated on her indie
perdence- She was the first woman who
had dismissed her butler and engaged
maids in his place
The same rules which applied to the but
Ter now apply to the head waitress She
governs in her own department, and has
all the other mattresses under her control.
She is the one who takes the orders from
the lady of the house, VINO has the keys of
the wine cellar and serves the wines at
dinner.