The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-01-15
VIENNA
Servants Are Not AL
ways Honest.
HOUSEKEEPING.
Purgatory to the American
Maids Are Respectful.

When Margaret first came to Vienna,
she said that it was housekeeper's
paradise. my new servant must bring
me all her papers, telling why she left
her last place, and her certificate of
birth, baptism, vaccination-her whole
history in outline, with testimonials
from her last employer. These I send
to the police. If she breaks dishes,
steals or lies, send them word. 1t is
my own fault if put up with bad SER
wants"
Later she owned to me, 81 did go to
the police once, but never will again.
My cook had become intolerable. I
could not catch her, but 1 knew she
stole, told lies and smashed dishes. AT
last l sent her off. She demanded an
excellent character, and appealed to the
police when I refused. The magistrate
was civil, but sustained the cook. You
| should have lodged a complaint against
her. SAID he AS you did not, she has
a right to claim a good character from
| you"
| But l like the Vienna servants. They
| have soft voices, and nice, pleasant
ways. They move about quietly, and
seldom answer back when they are
scolded (Which is pretty often). They
| always greet you with a pleasant gu
ten morgen" in the morning and "kiss
die hand" when you go out or come
| in.
Yet I should call Vienna a house
keepers purgatory. In Margaret's key
| basket, entrusted to no one else ex-
| cept Pauline or me, are the keys of
storeroom, linen closet, wine cellar, at
| tic, wardrobes. If all the living rooms
were not on one floor, she would be
utterly worn out. Every morning she
gives out the materials for the days
cooking, washing, etc, and often has
to go to the storeroom again and again
for something the cook has forgotten.
She counts the silver after it is washed
| or a fork or spoon is unaccountably
missing; writes down the orders for the
marketing; every evening adds up the
accounts Once a fortnight she makes
out a list of the wash and puts it away
| If any one is ill and there is danger of
contagion, she sends word to the po-
| lice; if a servant leaves, her papers
must be sent to them, and if friend
comes for a visit, her papers must also
be furnished to those vigilant guard
ians of the public and the emperor's
safety, says the New York Commercial
Advertiser.
| BY an unwritten social law, the mis-.
tress must delegate the marketing tC
the cook. We strongly suspect thai
coming out of her Savings from this
source is her dowry, for since her eve.
| trothal the price of every article has
risen a kautzer or two. Grocers anC
butchers give her many a good "trink
geld" in return for the custom SHE
! brings them. Peppi,, our, last cook, wa,
I too SuspiciouSly eager to warn her mis-
I tress against the other servants
| marie had emptied the decanters, An
ma had slipped pats Of butter into ne
pocket" but it was always last even
ing or ''before breakfast ooh, Peppi
tell me at the time or don't vex m'
with your stories!" cried my much
tried cousin. Peppi was suddenly takel
| i'll with chicken-pox, and was sent t.
the hospital Then the locksmith ven
tured to reveal that she had tried t
bride him to make her a duplicate key
| to the storeroom. " Not for fifty gul
| den,' told her!" So lima reigns in he
stead.
The kitchen here, as In most Vienn,
| apartments, faces the front door Ev
cry one knows that a good cook is al
/ w c1yso q SlONCl . SOuI wa
sorely tried under Peppi's regime. AL
that was asked of her was to cook, t.
market and to keep her kitchen tidy
She was an ideal cook. 1t was absurd
| to expect her to be an ideal cleaner
| Moritz protested whenever Margare
| threatened to send her off. Now, tn
kitchen floor shines with constan
scrubbing. Moritz groans over burned
soups and tough steaks.
Margaret threatened, after five or 81,
incapables had tried her soul, to do a.
many women do here and in Germany
and cook herself, but this Moritz vii
not allow. Most Germans would thinl
it an excellent arrangement. 1.-THE cool
has left is not excuse here for
'picked-up' dinner
"Gretel," said our friend Herr c.
the other day, to his pretty eldes
daughter. Il have paid enough 70
your school, for your music, drawing
sewing and cooking lessons. Now Vol
may step into the ,gitchen, for 1 shan
Keep the cook any longer" So Frau
fein c. will put on her neat aprol
over her nice gown, and prepare excel
lent soups, roasts, salads pudding
and pastries till Sister Annals turf
comes. Each will fill later housemaid'
and seamstresss place, finding time
| meanwhile, to prepare piles of sheets
pllioW Slips ana table cloths so tina
when the hoped-for bridegroom come
they may be all ready A father can
aways give his daughter a dowry. bu
he must give her a complete "settinj
out furniture, silver and household
linen, so it's well to take the "stitcl
in time"
! At Christmas it is usual to give ser
j wants months wages extra, besides
handsome present. The gentlemel
trends of the family often give then
l guden or so as "trinkgeld.''
sundays out" do not come to ser
wants very often. iThe day befor
Christmas they fast H1igidly, confes
and take the sacrament but if the,
went to mass every week they'd b
looked upon as "unco guild" They'r
more eager to go to balls than t.
church. After hard days work max
hg ilres in every room, polishing floor
brushing coats, cloaks and skirts. dust
ing, sweeping and making beds, settn,
tables and washing endless dishes. how
can they Waltz five or six hours a
| night? But If permission is refused
they go on the sly; Lima will sleep witt
| one eye open, so that she may let MAJ,
or Anna slip In "unknownst" at thre
o'clock in the morning Next tim
theyl watch for her. They can neve
get dancing enough.
/
GREEN IN CHINAWARE.