New-York tribune., 1900-04-26
THE KITCHEN DRAMA.

The old. old topic of the housekeepers trials
in securing satisfactory help is raised again by
Il correspondent in detailed tale of Woe The
houSehold-a modest one, of that great middle
class" OF which the community at least affects
to be solieitous and proud-was deprived at a
few days notice Of the services of its servant.
and set about the tedious task OF finding her
successor. Three courses were open-advertise,
answer advertisements and apply al an agency.
All three We're tried. the last named first. A
visit WAS made TO an agency which boasted OF
the many years during which it had been In sue
cessfu operation. and which published a daily
bulletin bearing long lists of approved servants
whom ii had on hand awaiting engagements.
The required fee was paid. and then IL appeared
that instead of the score more of first class
servants who were said TO be on hand ready for
immediate service there only three or four
slatternly wrecks such never would be ad-
mitted into any selfrespecting household. And
at the end of weeks patient waiting the
agency had failed to supply single candidate
clined TO refund the money for which it had
given no return. 1t was In brief, as barefaced
a swindle as the average bunco game
Answering the advertisements Of girls who
advertise for places scarcely more salts
factory. II was a r"pulsive task for woman
of refinement TO wander about the slums climb
ing dark and dirty stairways and exploring I'M
savOry alleys. In the doing of charitable or
mission work it might have been tolerable but
as a matter of business it was most unsatis-
factory. large proportion of the advertisers
were not TO be found at ALL mistakes apparently
having been made by them in writing their ad-
dresses in the advertisements. Many of those
who were found had grossly misreDresened
some and disa Steeable labor, TO suitable servant
was obtained. Finally, resort was had TO adver-
tlsing with results which were sometimes exas-
peratlng and sometimes dlvering One who an
swered the advertisement calling for good
plain cook admitted that she could not do
cooking. Another would not accept u place
where she would not he allowed TO spend every
evening out. A third demurred because while
the kitchen IN the basement the servants
room Oh the third floor, an arrangement
which would give her too many stairs TO climb
In the end an engagement was made of young
woman who was tired of sitting for eight hours
a day at dressmakers sewing table and pre-
fcrred the greater variety Of labor entailed In
household service.
We have no idea that our correspondents ex-
perience is unique even exceptional Indeed
there is 10 suppose that II IL substan-
tlIIN unpiicatu tluliShHuS OF lines
In this and other cities II Is entirely true thai
the servant girl question Is by far tn. most
troublesome and most serious with which the
housekeeping family especially In middle
class lfe-has 10 deal. Nothing is more diff
cult than TO get II satisfactory servant who ca n
do good plain cooking. washing AMI ironing "
and who is neat and clean. honest and respect
fu Aud yet We are assured that there are
thousands of women out Of employment and
eagerly seeking II. and thousands of others
toiling for starvation wages. and n vast multi
tude golEg 10 physical and moral ruin for lack
of employment that win enable them To live
honestly and comfortably. We are told that
there hosts OF young women working In
shops and factories for 81 OF 50 q week out OF
which pittance they must board and clOthe
themselves ms best they can, and yet there are
innumerable domestic situations open to them
if they would take them In which they would
get just as high wages and in addition would
get free of cost comfortable rooms and as
good food their employers themselves. II Is
a strange drama. this or the kitchen, com