New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-05-24
SERVANTS AND THE SERVED
SOME PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS BY A
THOUGHTFUL ENGLISHwOMAN.

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HELP AS CLASS AND ASS INprv1DUALs-rHr
FAsrIDrous MISTRESS AND UNRULY MAID
In The Contemporary Review for April Is an
exceedingly practical article on Servants and
Served" by Mrs. II. r. Hawes of England COM
posed two days before her death She dictated II
70 her husband, being then too weak to hold a
pen out eager to finish any work she had on
hand.
In our intercourse with servants said Mrs
Hawes. we shall find them very human no doubt,
But after all. with the opportunities within their
reach the wonder Is they seldom make a worse
use OF them.
The poor little "slavey" may put her fingers In
the treacle-so does Tommy II you don't stop him.
Mary Jane may want TO go out with her young
man at an nconvenent time. and cheek mis-
tress II she Is refused-so may a dainty daughter.
Cook may forget order. or fail in omnscience
or foresght-so do you Are not all human
No doubt servants occasionally peculate. abstract,
take toll So does the confidential clerk. the family
trustee. the loving husband wife. son. who pri-
vately pawns your jewelry. II he stops short
OF changing your diamonds for paste No doubt
servants will take liberties II you let them; 50
will others. But think, II we want to brand a
class. the servant class. with their general worth
and their ilial kindness. would come out no worse
than their smart young misses and masters
perhaps better, considering their temptations.
and rarely the rates. unless they marry
unwisely. They habitualiy do more for their old
parents and their poor relations than many aver
age and daughters dream OF doing. Thay
not more Indifferent to kindness. not more
trouble and worry than any other class Of people
And In illness. In old age-aye, and In Infancy
who does more for than the kind-hearted nurse
or confidential valet or maid? We sometimes
think them ungrateful, but more often than not
II 10 the mistress. not the servant. who Is un-
grateful. although 1t must be generally admitted
that in the better class at least, mistresses are
usually kind and indulgent up TO their lights
They seldom in-treat. underpay or underfeed their
servants They only abuse them and this more
often behind their backs.
In treating In detail the employers treatment Oh
servants and the servants treatment OF their EN-
ployers Mrs. Haweis said:
AS to servants rooms and their general comfort lss
can only lay down n. s ss mSsc In the
phere OF a servants and ladys or gen,,elhn ma
there he aed Sey smell about the
bedroom 1t comes from variety OF causes hoh ~
linen not changed frequently enough, uncleaniy ma
its water left standing-ths modern covered STOP pan
IL often TO blame Ii will conceal LOT nousS ~
minutes: but out OF sight out Of mind The lady
is fastidous the servant often Is not Negec, 70
ne Of food in cupboards coarse pomatum. foul
harbrushes etc.all these talnt the ar OF 1oo M
wavs ,ussine about in the servants bedroom, but
she is responsible for the sanitation OF the wnoe
house She has right 10 insist upon resuIatiSUi
which shall insure cleanliness and protect health
and a domciliary visit occasionally Is not only eA-
pedlent but a household duty.
AS TO the luxury 10 be granted 10 Servants no
rule can be laid down. Servants are oddly indlt.
ferent TO what we call luxury. Few can have ana
few seem TO for, a room TO themselves Ihey
are much accustomed even TO sleep two IN PEG
they moderately apathetio about ven.iiavloi;;
and seldom think OF opening the window, never Oh
sleeping with 1t open. There are httle dens. cup
boards cellars in some small Mayfair houses,
which servants will be willing and anxious 20 pu.
or real Abroad II is notorious that servants VIII
take contentedly a shakedown under the stalrs OF
out on landing, or inside cupboard wnere mere
is hardly room TO swing cat; ana tnoug inost Ins
lish servants are particular Ii Is wonderful the
treatment and accommodation, or want OF IT,, they
will tolerate II they secure a GOOD family a
stylish mistress, fine company LAVISH 1000 ana II
must be added. the prospect OF tips. we must re-
member that in most cases at home they have not
been accustomed to be housed In luxury, ana tnat
from childhood upward privacy has been thing
can secure a place after their taste as regards
wages and style they will forego many Things
which people in different station OF life consider
indispensable to comfort
are TO be allowed TO pursue the fine arts. The an
swer is very simple II Is impossible even were II
desirable. to prevent any one pursuing me me
arts SO long servants do their contract WORK
the less we Interfere with their private pursuits
and pleasures the better but when u Is urged that
q piano an easel n bicycle should be placed az
their disposal. 1t must at once be adinitteu tnat
such treatment is not only unnecessary but un-
wise II servants ride bicycles out or doors they
have a perfect right TO do So II you object to ser
wants who do. you need not engage them FOR
indeed the day may when the tables are
turned and instead OF the servant demanding the
use OF a bicycle. the master may refuse 10 engage
a valet or a groom who does not happen to possess