Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1900-02-07
AMERICAN HousEkEEpERs.
Their Merits and Shortcomings From
Foreign Point Of View.

Foreign Point Of View.
III sod want 70 know WHY SIC nave
10 rrst class professional houseeeepers
this country. volunteered the im-
porter Of an English specimen. lit is
,ecause the American woman IS too
proud and far too independent to allow
nn employee to manage her home. That
S also the reason why we with the
best ordered, most luxurious homes I'm
the world. suffer from criminally
wasteful domestic management and the
worst service OF any highly civilized
people. In France or England. where
lalf as much money is spent where
here is twice the work for the servants
40 do and q third Of the oonveniences
here put at their disposal. the FASH
i1nable country or city house is con-
lucted with noiseiess regularity that
rs the American visitor with nothing
hort Of amazement In houses where
he incomes are by no means large "a
sorps of finished servants viii be
onnd that only miilionaires over here
cen afford.
Just so long as the American WON
.n Is head Of o modest household she
the most all around capable house
.eeper in the world: she can face stif-
err odds and rout them more utterly
han any French or English woman
living. We are the only women I'm the
81 0rld who, when deserted at critical
moment. can cook a meal and vet sit
az the head of the table. while that
same meal is being served, i'm a fetch
.ns trock carrying on a conversation as
though nothing had happened 1t is a
charming faculty, but when she is
put al the head Of a corps Of twenty
servants and q great country house her
system fails.
"A big. fashionable household is Just
Ike q big ship. it's got to have a cap
ain to direct its course and an en-
aineer TO run the machinery, and in the
oreign countries they realize and pro-
be for this In France il is usually
% maitre d'hotel who shoulders the do
nestle burden. He has worked up in
the service and his word is law 70 the
ervants. He hires and dismisses them.
lans their work. sees that it IS done
md he guarantees to keep the men and
naids well fed on a stated allowance.
The mistress gives him "a fixed sum
/ every month and on this he caters for
! Gle servants table that Is by no means
, fuppiied from the larder that feeds the
] family. Every servant IS entitled to
I tie scraps he or she leaves and has his
I oi her own plate, knf e, fork, spoon,
See, and when a meal Is over these are
washed and Set away by their owners
n their special oupboards. Scraps are
an important item TO the ihrifty
rench domestic.
In England there Is a woman who
! does This, and every handsome English
B house is buSt with special house
, E7epers quarters, a sitting room and
, bedroom. Some American houses are
aCw being provided wi. these spo lal
NO rooms.
My housekeeper is Of the tyli al
/ sort. She is about forty, plump. pleas
ing and 2 settled widow who entered
ervice at sixteen as a scu lery m id
and has worked up. She is addresse
ly the household as Mrs. Brown. ant
very afternoon her tea is served n h-i
/ itting room at Z o'clock by maid
She drinks tea and eats her dinner
alone, later. wearing a plain black sin
own. a muslin wreath cap and e small
lawn apron. Every servant in tn
house, with the exception of the butler
a Under her direct control. and for m
God OF evil that every servant dee
ahe is responsible.
"She accepts my directions with
humility no decayed gentlewcmai
would show. and with a respectfulnes
no confidential lady's maid ever feels
She gets $50 a month and an alowanr
for paying the servants wages snl
catering to their table, and she i. 4
Who sees that no waste goes on in m.
house"