The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-06-04
WOMAN s v ORLD

In the household committed 10 luxury
these days, says the New York Sun, there
.r,p up constantly new needs and callings
IN be filed by the proper aspirants- The
trained nurse, the amanuensis, the kim
d4reartner private mantua maker and
evening gown designer, and the maid skill
.d I'M the science of beauty-making and in
5tyidual comfort. all separately and TO-
s,.fher. are grated onto the ordinary do
nestle retinue, and now comes the per
souai substitute" to further smooth the
wsy and relieve the mistress of the least
,utle of compleXity that might possibly
cloud her horizon. The personal substitute
is another and different order of being
from the secretary or companion. AS
nearly as possible. she answers to the mis-
trass' second self, as it were, and dele
gated duties" are her special field. I'm
like her compeers lower in rank, her SER
vices come high, and, unlike them she
must be the sort of persons that could not
by any chance be overlooked or ignored,
unless she herself gave the key to that
altitude.
If there is a lawyer or a man of business
10 be seen about some bothersome matter
the personal substitute sees him, and the
mistress rests easy, knowing that the right
thing was said 20 him in the right way and
at the right time. If it is an lat home"
day and the mistress if fatigued or in a
mood for a siesta, or to be left free and
undismrbed, the personal substitute sees
even the intimates who call, pours tea and
presldes with the same ease and grace
lhat her chief might have done. She can
entertain, she has tact and adapta ability
and the sense not to rub people the wrong
way. or TO talk metaphysics or on dry-as-
dust subjects to people interested in mere
surface matters and fashionable data.
That's an awfully clever woman you've
got Shes as good fun you are" is
sand afterward of this deputy hostess, and
the employer agrees heartily and compi-
ments the Judgment and saVoir-faire of
nsr chief of staff.
She takes all the worry off my Shout
ders, no matter in what line il crops up"
is the testimony. The other day there was
difficult letter to be composed. L didn't
know what l wanted 10 say nfyseIf, ard l
had made one dash at it and got Disguised.
Mrs. S. rose 10 the occasion like a daisy
or born Interpreter, and SEM off some
ung that filled the requirements all
round. Now the secretary, that nice look
ms girl / had last year, couldn't be gin TO
do anything like that, although she was
We, educated. She'd write out Two or three
pans-taking drafts or samples for my in
spectlon, stiff-stilted, letter-wrlter sound
iug things, not a bit like me, and that
wouldn't answer at all. had just as much
responsibility about my correspondence all
The time as though she wasn't here. Now
this woman takes hold of things just as l
would, from my END as it were, and me
getting along famously Any body sick, she
gees aud they take it as a personal comph-
ment she went to an out-of-toWn wedding
Tor me the other day, got the present and
ali without my botherlns, and she put me
Oh to The sprightliest answer to a witty
note got not long ago, and can do such
ready graceful things in emergency. Ac-
ceptauce, coincidence, it's all one with her.
She coufers with my millner as well as I
can attends to geltingfall the new things
for the country and altogether outclasses
anybody ] ever had about me-
The successful substitute of this sort is
not young! neither, for that matter, is
she old, but at that in-between age when
d woman has fullest grip of her mental
and physical powers and has come to
realization of the benefits of common
sense. She is essentially woman of the
world; the type described as disciplined"
that is, schooled in things not learned
IN books but acquired first hand from So
cial Intercourse. The substitute who rem
ders efficient service is schooled in res
raint, for instance, and the self-poise that
is made up of equal parts of innate breed
ing and correct self-VaGation. If she is
surprised she does not show it. If she has
emotions and sympathetic ieanings she
conceals the evidences. In short, she prac-
ices repose and outward cheerfulness of
manner, without which no society leader
could be a success, nor any domestic wo-
man be comfortable to live with for very
long The substitute need not be as highly
educated in the sense of scholarly attain
ment as the governess or the copyist and
translator or general helper in literary
matters, but she has a gamut of accom-
plshments included in no category and she
sells for a good price the tact and social
uanOply that make the normal woman of
the word "a pleasant person TO encounter
and to have about The successful personal
substitute gets abundant credit and rec
ignition where she fives. No member of the
household, even the senior and venerable,
would dream of asking her 10 read aloud
hours at a time, as the ordinary compan-
ION is called on to do, and she would not
be solicited to apply cologne water to the
brow in midnight hours should the mis-
Uess be overnervous of to fetch cushions,
wash the poodle, or rub rheumatic Shout
dtrs as the trained nurse would be. Her
position is recognized as unique and far
above the ordinary in personal service, and
She sets adequate consideration, even at
'huon, by sheer right of personality,
rather than exertion. The housekeeper rec
ognlzes her, the facle ladys maid accom-
pushed in her own line, is eager to win
her good opinion. and the master of the
lamiiy looks upon her as one of Them
selVes--a godsend and benefaclion in the
way Of warding off disagreeables, and IN
venting pleasant ways of averting avgk-
"aidnesses and giving good common Sc nse
advice ana assistance.
Ia social life strange things often hap
pen that are best forgotten, or at least
'snufed says the New York Tribune
most curious and unpleasant experi-
t.ee occurred 10 me not long ago" said a
western woman who has recently cone TO
1--WE in New York, land as it concerns
society woman who is so well kno an that
'o' story of a stranger would pro bly, be