Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1898-07-27
Our Hired Help.
A STORY FOUNDED on FACT.

Mother must have hired help, bu
the question arose, where to find CIR
to suit herF The colored people she
could not tolerate, at least not the class
that went into service in our neighbor-
hood, which was only an hours ride by
rail from Washington, where all the best
gills went to work. A white servant girl
was an unknown quantity in Virginia.
At last we decided to advertise, SO we
put in the following advertisement:
Wanted, & neat, strong, white woman,
to go into the country to do general
Homework in family of four adults
A good home and fair wages to the
right party"
We waited some time and then re-
ceived only one reply. After a. long
family consultation, weighing all the
pros and cons, we decided to try the
applicant for week, although she
could only give references of people in
New York, being a recent arrival and a
stranger in Washington. When she
came our first verdict was, "She will
never do" She looked like lady, born
and bred. She was slender and hand
some, and her tones and enunciations
were those of cultured woman. She
looked as if she had never done days
work in her life.
We had decided to follow the Vir-
ginia rule Of not letting the hired girl
sit at the table with us, but we just
could not help laying plate for her.
But she calmly said that she was not
used to eating with the family, and she
waited on the table so deity that our
misgiyings began to waver, and by the
time she had washed the tea things and
Strengthened up the kitchen, we began
to hope that in spite of appearances
she might be able to do some work.
But the washing! How could such a |
regal creature ever doa family wash?
She arrived Saturday evening. On
Sunday our meals were deliciously
cooked and mother had a good rest, but |
she would shake her head whenever we
asked her low she liked the new girl.
Sunday the girl asked if she might |
bring down tho soiled clothes so that |
she could start early in the morning
with tie washing. Then we commenc-
ed to see how brains could serve in the |
pace of muscle. The most soiled pieces |
she scaped and laid in tub of water.
The tablecloths and napkins she put in
water without scaping. About six
o'clock she retired to her room, leaving
US 10 wonder at the fates that had des-
tined such woman to hire out for
general Homework. Mother insisted
that there was screw loose somewhere,
but as far rs the work was concerned
she was satisfied.
Monday morning was up Defines
10 see that the new girl got started
light. When 1 got down stairs she
vas pouring little kerosene in wash
boiler of cold wafer, which she pro-
,eeded to set on the back of the stove,
md then she put in the cleanest pieces.
asked what that was for?
30, 1t loosens the dirt, makes the
lothes winter and necessitates less rub.
ing" she replied, anditnust have been
o, for by 9 o'clock the clothes were all
n the line as white as snow. STE ask
d if the dinner might be left entirely
0 her on that day, and after hesitating
moment, mother said Eyes," and the
ay being very hot, went to lie down
nth bewildered air, as though q gi-
affe, or some equally strange animal,
adj taken the direnfion IF affairs