New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-07-24
SOME WAYS OF THE WORLD.
HOW FAMILIES NAY BE DISTRESSED BY
SERVANTS ECCENTRICITlES.
THE ELABORATE REQUIREMENTS OF MODERN
LIVING NECEsNrATE THE PROVISION OF

THE ELABORATE REQUIREMENTS OF MODERN
LIVING NECEssIrATE THE PROVISION OF
HELP TO WALTON OTHER EMPLOYEES.
peonle who inveil,h against the unsatisfactory
American servant and depore the conditions
which to prevent our having experienced
and tried retainers. may at least be thankful for
one OF the advantages of the constantly changing
households. If has not the comfort. one Is AT
least spared the infection Of faithful old family
servants Certainly those who are victimzed with
one or more of these treasures do not desire 10
have their blessings OF this kind multiplied An
ignorant retainer who has the best interests of the
family at heart may be invaluable. but he or she
is usually trying. and as time goes on is apt 10
become intolerabe.
Then the question. always a difficult one
10 nscicntious and tender-hearted. of how TO
decently gettid Of them. To pension them off
means a drain on ones resources that many cannot
afford. while to retain them in the household is
equally impossible To dismiss old servant
simply because her day OF usefulness Is over
seems brutal. so the problem Of how 10 provide
for her without mourning much discomfort Tor
ones self remains unanswered.
There is a silver lining to every cloud however.
so when ungrateful domestcs depart and leave one
in the lurch. just after We had got them into our
ways" one may at least take comfort in rejecting
that no particular consideration is owing TO them.
and that there is no danger Of their growing gray
in ones service.
.Trop de zele' is an inconvenient quality in
servant and is apt be more troublesome than
lack Of energy in doing their work. The wel-mean-
ing maid or who tries TO anticipate her or his
mistress's wishes. and Of course does just what
she did not want TO have done, is peculiarly trying
One never knows in what extraordinary and un-
pleasant zay this ardor will break out, the indis-
eliminate cleanings inaugurated after which moth
ing can be found for weeks the unnecessary in
formation given. the orders twisted, etc, all
done with the intent, but in the most blundcr-
n1V I'M riaTt o.
caused by overzealous servant
An artistic woman, who had an insuperable OBJ
lection TO vanished furniture, and whose bees
waxed chairs and tables were the JOY OF her heart
engaged butler on the strong recommendation OF
a friend as THE most invaluable man, my dear"
"iust the kind don't you know. that goes ahead
and does everything wthou: your having TO tell
him" Praise which alas. for poor Mrs. S! was
fully earned. for the man, thinking to do her
a service vanished all Of her beautiful Chippcn-
dale and Sheraton with a sticky mixture Of his
own decoction the receipt for which he proudly
told her had been taught him by furniture dealer
..Shure and I always study the interests OF tho
family works for said new Biddy. just
engaged by the newly married young mistress OF
pretty little apartment; ana so she ulo 10 d most
inconvenien: extent.
1.-The trodb.c with Biddy." said her master. rs
that she has too much mind she ought to have
been a director hospital committees. a super
visor OF school boards. commissioner on street
most pronounced description. and since fate has
condemned he. to be domestic. her energies
must have ar outlet she feels vocation for
managing us , J., =, 49,.
me on he rack 20 what she will do next what
do you think was her last performanee? Last
night when the BIS were dining with us. she
filed the soup Plates so tha' hTrn va che one r.
Mr.. b., whom she helped last; She stood for a
moment VIXEN she discovered her mistake. In
tragic thought. with her hand TO her forehead
Then darling 10 my side. she whipped up the pIate
which she had given me ana carried II TO Mr.. H..
who, OF course. the whole performance and
must have surmised the reason. but he had the
good manners 10 accept the plate OF soup and TO
eat II without apparently noticing that mine had
been taken away. wish her great mind. as you
call IT, had calculated the number OF soup plates
needed in the FIRST place. that she had simply
left me out without all that ridiculous perform
ance."
CHANGE IN DOMESTIC SERVICE.
II is not many years since In households Of
we'll TODD people the housemaid helped the butler
with his silver and the care OF the drawing room
floor and the man BACKED the boots and did the
small amount O.: valetlng required by his master.
such brushing clothes. etc. 1t Is typical of the