The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-01-22
Her Duties Are Con-
slant and Varied.
APPEARANCE.
How She Should Look and
What She Should DO.

The personal appearance of the wait
ress in the dining room requires special Fl
attention, says Maria Parloca in hernew
book, Home Economics She should :
not be too large or too old. She should
be trim in her appearance, quiet in
manner, and light of foot. Her dresses,
should be clean and well fitting; her
apron and collar spotless. s.s.5.1 ,.,
Fashion at present DEGREES that the
waitress should wear a black dress,
white. collar and cuffs, a white apron
aId a small white cap. In many we'll G
regulated households, however, the
waitress wears light print dress, a
fashion which must always recommend
ITSELF because it means freshness and q
cleanliness. The waitress should al
ways wear boots with soft soles, or slip
pers, that she may move about the
dining room noiselessly. ss
She should understand her duties so
well that it should not be necessary
to ask for anything during a meal.
If the waitress is in the habit Of dis
charging these duties carefully she will
be in proper training for more formal
occasions. The duties of the waitress
are varied. Ieea
When a meal is ready she announces
it by saying that dinner-or whatever
meal it isis served, or, if the members
of the family do not gather in the draw
ing room, previous to the meal she
sounds the gong. She has always sharp
ened the carving knifes before placing
them on the table
: Before breakfast she should air and
dust the dining room, and if there iB
an open fire she should make that,
brushing and washing the hearth. She
prepares the butter, cuts the bread and
places the breakfast on the table, If,
as in most families, she is not required
after the coffee and substantial part
| of the meal have been served, she may
| leave the dining-room to attend TO her
| other duties. If but two maids are
kept the waitress then goes up stairs
and puts the beds and sleeping rooms
to air.
When the family meal is finished the
silver knives should be gathered on
tray, the knives and silver being kept
! carefully separate. In the pantry put
the knives in pitcher of water-the
| water must not reach the handles-and>
the silver in a similar pitcher of water.
There are pitchers that come in tin
for this purpose. Place all the small
articles on the tray and carry them
into the pantry, sort the dishes, rims
ing them off under the cold water fau-
Get. Pile them each With its own kind
on one part of the table. Fill empty
milk and cream pitchers with cold wa
ter and set aside to soak.
Return to the dining room and brush
the crumbs from the table cloth Re
move the cloth and fold it, being care
ful TO lay the folds in the old creases.1
Do this as carefully as possible, not to
Wrinkle the cloth. Put away the table
cloth and napkins and dust and air
the dining room Next in the pantry
wash the dishes and as soon as the
3 milk and cream pitchers have been
washed fill them with boiling water
and let them stand until the work in
the pantry is finished.
Wipe the pantry shelves and examine
the receptacles in which bread, cake,
sugar, etc, are kept See that they are
clean and the food in good condition.
Make list of all articles needed.
Wash the tables, sink, dishpans, towels
and dishcloth and hang the latter out
to dry. Sweep the pantry floor, and
if there are any soiled places on it
wipe with a dry cloth.
Warm dishes for hot food and cold
dishes for cold food are needed at
dinner but the plates should never be
heated so hot that they are difficult
:. to handle or will mar the surface of
the table The bread for dinner is cut
thick. Bread for other meals should be
cut in thin Slices