The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-03-18
LOT's "RAW-MA7ERfAL" SERVANT.
He and His Wife Instruct a Recent 1mpor-
tation and Learn Things Themselves.

VINO iuN1SPS MS patrons 10 guy uilmprVNeo piop
cry and grow up with ii has been making an
experiment in domestic economy along this same
line, and al present he is dubious about it's re
suit Mr.. lot, as he may be called, lives In a
suburban town where servants are at a premium,
and he advised his wife 10 try raw material
This business OF paying $50 a month for a
cook who wastes your coal, stands In with your
butcher and supplies her relatives with sugar
and coffee at your expense Is nonsense said
Mr. Lot Just 90 down to the Barge Office and
get the imported article, You may find a diamond
in the rough. II you do, polish her, teach her
your way, and advance her wages. Gratitude
will bind her to you"
That sounds well, said Mrs Lot, but your
imported article isn'tlikely TO understand English.
and she wont know the meaning Of gratitude"
I'VE will teach her English, my dear" said Mr..
Lot, "and We can then make sure that she picks
up no slang"
Mr. Lot went down and picked her out She
was about 25 years old The Interpreter told
him that she was a Dane, and that she was anN-
ious 10 do Homework. She had formerly been
employed behind a plough or some such farm
utensil.
Danes are unusually quick at languages
said Mr. lot TO Ids wife, "and Mary, asI am going
10 CdIl ntf, VIII v n k'Ou phIu " peas
ure to see her mind expand under the genial in.
fuences Of a suburban home. Hook forward with
plea sure 10 teaching her English. She doesn't
know q word Of il now. You show her about the
homework by signs, and in q day or two will
begin teaching her. English told the inter
vance her wages as fast as her services warranted. "
Mrs Lot put In q weeks hard work with Mary.
showing her by signs how her work was, TO 30
done. Mays mOonlike face never varied In
exnression She always looked blank.
"She has the unemotional placid disposition
which is 50 essential for h~ousew0rk, SAID lot
proudly, when his wife suggested that Mary was
stupid a nervous housewife makes double
the work. Now If the roof fell in 1t would not
jar Mary" u,,,., ,,r,n - ,,,n 81, ~.
muss until | had told her" said Mrs; Lot
Lot gave Mary her frst lesson in English on
Sunday morning As she appeared he said:
Mary looked nj him blankly by. repeating
that phrase all the forenoon he taught Mary to say
Morn NJ" Then Lot worked oil the afternoon
teaching May TO say Good evening" and Mary
you see. my dear, that after Mary has picked
up a few words she will advance rapidly. | am
going to enjoy teaching her
During the week that followed Mary used her
new English at every chance. She said "Morn'n :,
when the Lots came down TO breakfast. She said
Morn )" when Mrs, Lot asked for more coffee,
and, In fact, it was her only response to any com
msnd up to noon, and then she changed 1t to
Ever n.
NOW, my uPdT, Sdnu lflt W lhS WIG WI uWS
following Sunday, Il am going TO increase Mays
When Mary had finished her work Lot went
into the kitchen. and, pointing IL the stove, said:
Stove, Mary, siove--stoVe stove.
"MOm'n', said Mary.
Stove This here, stove. Mary. stove. Say
II, stove
Mary looked at Lot with as blank a face as If
she had been the doorkcep'r at lodge meeting
where Lot IVES tying the wrong password,
Stove, stove, stove, said lot
tArVA' m "A n" GAI ATV.
NO; stove, Mary. Say stove"
Mays face never changed.
"Morn'n.".
Dammit said Lot.
m said Mary, promptly. and Lot was
Stove, Mary; say stove"
Dammit, morn n, replied Mary, placidly.
This shows" snid Lot 10 his wife, how careful
We must be in what we say before Mary. think
tina, she will make an excellent servant when we
Tor Mary 10 say. | will Try on this clock"
Mays wondering eyes followed Lots finger
until II rested on the clock.
Clock. Mary, ~Clock-cloc-k, clock. You
know, clock; strike the hours, ding, ding, ding
Ding ding, dammit" said Mary, and there was
q look q slmos, human Intelligence as she said T.
Clock, clock, clock, clock. Whew! but that Is
a thirsty word to say Clock. Mary, clock;
Ding ding, said Mary, and, as II tired of the
lesson, she went upstairs 10 sleep until lunch,
Perhaps, Mrs.L Lot, you think that this II funny
said Lot. Mary is but a child Of Nature, and her
mind is receptive. In q month she will under
stand everything that We say to her.
Mary came to Mrs, Lot two nights later and
surprised her: ,.
Can go out, even M
When did you learn that, Mary
Can 90 out, dammit" asked Mary.
Yes, go" said Mrs. Lot, and You needn' t come
back il you don't want 70
But Mary did come back. When callers asked
for Mrs Iot Mary would r1ply sometimes, Morn'n',"
nit" Mrs. Lot pen oil IT her leisure ume wut
ing notes Of apology 10 her friends, md telling
momds' Mrs Nc NIlis,cr, With whom Mis- Lot
was on very formal calling terms, came to cal on
Wednesday aft moon. and Mrs, Lot, hearing
some one talking downstairs, indiscreetly called
out;
Mary, is that some one for me-"
"Morn-n" replied Mary. Warm bah bee hot
stuff. and before Mrs; Lott could run dow nstairs
such slang Mrs. l.o, asked her husband.
Did Mrs, McAIlIster have her seolskin coat
on asked Lot
Il family remember using some such slang
myself a week ago when you came in with your
sealskin coat on. Mary WAS in tho hall 1t
Is very objectionable slang and my only excuse
is that II was taken from n negro song that was
running IN my head
"Rubbcr' was one ofthem She evidently had heord
the small boys use 1t, and thought that IT was
N" conventional form Of greeting She addressed
Mrs. Perky ON that Indy stlrst visit " IN "Mom'n'
rubber" and the iuionaton on rubber implied
thai She directed II OF her Ordinary words such
as stove and clock Mary could not learn. She
worked well. however. and Lot said that perhaps
I was Just as well that she couldn't speak Eng
lsh That would prevent her gusSipinE with
the neichbors' cooks After her frst month =
wages had been paid 10 her Mary wrot" a letter
Ia New York Two days later another Daae
who looked very much lihr Mary camr Ia call ON
her AMI asked Tor Mrs. lot
Merry. she want NOR v0gr, she said.
WHO are YOU askcl Mrs Lot
MARY. my friend. She mo talk English. She
wrote me tu COON ont an ash more wage for her
She say slc leave eel she don't get She can't
say, say for her Twelve dollar uT She go"
RMhh.L snlL MnLy. who had hern llsienlng