Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1901-08-27

honest servants in the house, who
were to be depended on for continu-
/, Gus service, or for at least period of
1 several years that might be reckoned
as continuous. the same as bust
/ ness man could count on the con-
tinuous service in his employ of
competent bookkeeper or clerk who
was necessary to the welfare of the
/ business, but no more SO than a
competent servant In continuous
service Ia necessary to the welfare
of the home.
'The trouble is" one woman after
another would say, Gin the girls
themselves. They do not have any
ambitions as class. They do not
wish to be taught. They resent adj
vice. They are ungrateful for nearly
all favors. They do not thank any
ton. We are tired of constant efforts
made to solve an unsolvable problem
with the material that must be used"
Still, in spite of all discourage
ments, Barbara bravely determined
| to go on, and her next effort was di-
rected toward the girls who had ex-
| pressed willingness to go into serv-
| ice in the home instead of the store
and factory.
She managed to call all these to-
gether Saturday evening at her own
home and with her mother helping her
she made pleasant evening, serving
some light refreshments and enter
tanning the girls with music and pic
lures.
There were eight of them in all.
Two of them had had little expert
ence at house service. None of them,
Barbara found on questioning, was
really competent to manage the af-s
fairs of a household. Two were
American girls who had lived on
farms, and had come into Crawford
to accept small places at Bondman's.
Their experiences there had not been
pleasant, and they were ready to try
something that promised at least a
temporary financial relief.
Barbara gave little impromptu
talk before the girls went home, and
ended by asking the girls TO ask ques-
tons or talk over in q general way the
prospects of housekeeping service as
she had described it to them.
do you think. Miss Clark, from your
own experience, that the hired girls
loss of social standing is the one great
obstacle to the settlement of the ques-
ton of service?" one of the American
girls asked. She was bright-loohng
girl, evidently lover of fine-looking
dresses, and, as Barbara discovered,
with habits of extravaganza far be-
yond her little means to crafty.
Barbara hesitated a moment before
she answered.
eyes, l think perhaps that is the
most serious factor in the problem.
don't consider it unanswerable.
believe that Christian housekeepers
and Christian servants can find an an
swer that will satisfy them both"
81 think the irregular hours are the
, hardest part of the homework" said
, one of the girls. an honest-faced Ger
, man, somewhat older than the others.
; 81 worked two years for a family in the
} west, and some days I did not get
; through my work until nine and even
ten o'clock at night. One reason l
7 have Liked the store is because the
hours of labor have been regular. ]
: know just exactly how long i have to
: work. But cannot earn enough where
l now am. saved over one hundred
> aud fifty dollars one year when was
. out working at four dollars week."
Its the dirty work that don't like, %
:. spoke up understanding girl whom
Barbara had found in the bundle de-
partment at Bondman's. Barbara
did not know just what it was that
! had drawn this girl to her; but some
thing had done it, and there was some
thing very attractive about Barbara to
the girl, and she had expressed GER
!. tain readiness to learn the work of a
. servant so as to be competent.
THAT never troubled me any," said
+, the neatest girl of all. MY trouble
4 was caused by not knowing how to do
the work satisfactorily. found 1 did
not know how to plan for the meals
and cook them properly. One of my
e friends, who was in the next house
was splendid cook and manager. 1t
4 was large family, but she seemed to
!, throw the work off easily, because she
knew how to plan it right"
That's it'll" Barbara spoke eagerly
"Is it any wonder that SO many women
n complain at the troubles they have
with servants when SO many of them
have no experience, and yet claim as
l high wages as if they had? A book.
!. keeper would not expect to get and
retain place in business firm if he
d did not understand the business OF
r keeping books; yet the housekeepers
e tell me that girls are continually com
v ing into their houses, claiming to be
! competent for the work when in real.
ity they do not know anything aboutit
: 1t is necessary for, the girls to put
:. themselves in the places of the house
e keepers and ask: What should have 6
right to expect from girl who came
: into my house as servant?"
: There's another thing hear other
n girls complain about" said one of the
Q older of the company. "They say thai
/ in most families the scale of wages
s paid to servants never changes
e They say they never get any more &
e week after years of working thar
: they got when they begun. Iknow one
y girl who has been with one family five
o years. The first year she had two dol
9 lars and seventy-fve cents. The third
:. year they increased her wages t.
e three and half for fear Of losing her
| = L. = 4.