Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1901-09-27

Don't YOU think the first thing we
need TO do is to settle on some really
simple plan by which We can reach all
the girls and let them know what we
propose TO do?"
you never can do it," Mrs. Ward
spoke with some emphasis. at has
been tried before by Mrs. Rice and one
or two others. The fact is, she girls do
not care to meet together for any such
purpose"
Mrs. Ward is right and wrong
both" Mrs. Vane said. I'm not going
10 discourage you, but YOU have set out
on as hard task as ever "A lady under
took. The very people YOU want to
help are the very ones who don't want
you bothering around"
Then perhaps we had better start
with the housekeepers first" replied
Barbara, feeling conscious Of the big
ness and badness OF the dragon as
never before. IF you and Mrs. Ward
and three or four more could"
But we have no plan" Mrs. Ward
spoke up rather quickly. You will
simply find that the women of Craw-
ford face the question without any
ideas about it. We all agree that with
rare exceptions the help we generally
get il incompetent and unsatisfactory
and not to be depended on for any
length of time. And that's about all
we're agreed upon
Mrs. Naue looked sharply at Bar
hara and then at lllda.
"!li.da, She said, sharply but at the
same time not unltindly, tell us what
You think. What's the matter with all
YOU girls? What's the reason you
aren't an full-groWn angels like Us
houSekecpers? '
Barbara could not help smiling, al
though she had been sitting SO far
with u growing feeling of discourage
ment. As for llilda, She had evidently
been long enough with Mrs Nauc To
be used 20 her queer ways. and was
not disturbed 10y her ecceutricities.
She shuilled her feet uueasily on the
Carpet, and dug the point of a very
bright red parasol into a corner of
rug.
~ don't know. Mrs. Nane," she final
~ said. slowly. Il have no complaint
to make
"No. but l have. Now you know.
Uilda. YOU didn't half do your work
right this morning; and, if | hadn't
come out into the kitchen, the pud-
ding Mr. Nane likes would have been
burned to a crisp. Wouldn't it?"
Yes, ma'am," Hilda answered, her
face rivaling in color her parasol.
And yet you had the clock there
before you as plain as day. What were
you thinking OFF,
II can't always be thinking Of
pudding!" Hilda replied, with more
spirit than Barbara had yet seen in
her.
There. my child" Mrs. Vane said,
gently, without particle Of inpa-
~ence or i'll nature, Il don't blame YOU
much. | have let puddiugs burn. my
self, when l was a bride beginning
housekeeping for Mr.. Nane. We must
make allowances for human nature
that can't always be thinking Of pud-
dings."
at the same time" said Mrs. Ward.
with trace of imTatieuce in her tone.
somebody must think of buildings
while they are baking We can't bee
eXcusing human nature all the time
for carelessuess and lack 81 attention
to the details Of service. / think one
great cause of all the trouble we meet
in the whole problem is the lack Of re-
spOnsibiEty our servants take upon
themselves. Out Of q dozen girls that
have been in my house within the last
three years, not more than two or
three could be trusted 10 wash my
dishes properly. What can woman
do when after repeated Instructions
and admonitions her girls persist in
using dirty dishwater and putting
things away on the shelves only half
wiped? We cant always he excusing
them on account Of human nature.
II may sound absurd, but have gone
90 bed downright sick many a time
because my girl would persist in put
ting dirty dishes back into the pam
try And poor Mrs. Ward hcaycd a
sigh as she looked at Mrs. Nane, who
sat erect and sharp-eyed before her.
That's it," she said. sharply. Re
sponsibility! That's the word. But
how get responsibility into a class of
people who have no common bond of
sympathy or duty? No esprit de
corps? The responsibility must grow
out of a sense Of dignity that belongs
10 the service. AS long as the service
is regarded by those who perform it
as mental and degrading, the only
thing we can expect is shiftlessncss
and all lack Of responsibility"
Responsibility generally goes with
sense OF ownership" suggested Bar
bara. But l don't see how anything
like ownership can be grated upon
servant girls work. Now ! wouldn't
dare leave dishes dirty, because of my
mothers training, no matter whose
dishes they We're. But j can easily see
it is not very strange for girl to
slight any work in which she does not
feel any ownership"
There's another thing" Mrs Vane
said. I've told Mrs. Ward so several
times. She has always had a good deal