Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1900-11-03
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, JObSOn'S Seaside PrOtege /
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MAHRs. JoBsoN.n saia ME-. johnson

III RS. JOBSON." said Mr.. ,Jobson
lvI to Mrs. Jobson on the hotel
porch down at the seaside on the
evening before they returned to
Washington, two weeks ago, II wish
you would be good enough to let me
have your views on the subject of
colored servants. based upon the
tumultuous experiences you have had
with the several scores of them that
have been in our employ during mar
ried life in Washington"
Alarm, of course, was instantly de-
picted in Mrs Jobson's countenance.
why" said she, you know that
we have never had any trouble with
Josephine during the two years that
she has been with us. and 1 am sure
no one could ask for better girl
than she"
Couldn't they?" cut in Mr.. job
son. Is he began to file his nails
and to look ominously amiable. "And
the sugar trust couldn't ask for any
better consumer than that same Jo-
.sephine, could it? And the tea and po-
tatoes and coffee and dressed-meat
combinations haven't had a pretty
swell snap OF it through the patron
age of the .Jobson family, due to the
operations of that same Josephine,
since she's been with us. have they?
And haven't been feeding more than
:219 residents of Bloodfields and other
sections of the capital city given over
to the occupation Of"
Josephine Is a good, honest girl
interrupted Mrs. Jobson, stanchly,
"and II have occasionally given her
few little leftover"
This is al completely beside the
mark" said Mr.. Jobson, grandilo-
quently. The real point is that
am going to experiment with q white
servant. and the white servant is
going to be no less person than the
amiable, If homely, middle-aged. Hi
bernian woman Nora. who is the
chief hustler around this hotel.
Il asked Nora this morning if she
could cook and she told me that she
could. 4 did not suggest the idea
that i INTENDED to offer her employ
1nent with us in Washington, but I
shall expect you to put the proposi-
ton before her during the evening.
III she accepts, as 4 have no doubt
IN the morning. 1t may be that we
shall have to give her wages a trifle
higher than pay to Josephine, but
she has all the earmarks of a high
grade woman-of-all-work. and I'm GO
Ing to see if I can't get hold eff a
servant who will occasionally pay a
little attention to me when I make
humble requests around the house, in
stead of treating me as If / were a
horsehair sofa of the period of 1884
stored in the attic as your beloved
Josephine does"
Mrs. Jobson looked the picture of
CONSERVATION during this speech.
But l have been watching Nora"
she finally contrived 30 say, ~and I
have noticed that when she sweeps
she bestows all of the sweepings un-
der the bureau of our room, and"
"Pure Imagination" broke in Mr..
Jobson, in his judicial tone. ''Nora
Is jewel of tidiness."
But, worse of ALL" pursued Mrs.
Jobson, looking more and more
alarmed. IT am sure she drinks. She
happend to come near me the other
morning making up the room and her
breath smelt SO strongly Of LIQUOR
that"
Mrs. Jobson." cut in Mr.. Jobson.
Il fully understand that it is one of
the privileges of your sex, of what
ever station. to endeavor to under
mine each other. This same Nora has
commended herself to me, a close oh.
server, during my stay at this hotel
as a modest, respectable, middle-ared
Irish serving woman, and it Is my
desire to engage such servant in
place OF the no-account Senegambian
at present in our employ. You WIN
be good enough to make terms with
Nora this evening, and If she Is will
ing to accompany us to Washineton