The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-12-12
TRAIL OF THE DISHCLOTH.
Servant Problem in the Country
Grows Steadily Worse.

New York Tribune.
There seems to be no place in America"
said woman yesterday, where the Amerf-
can matron can fee away and be at rest.
The trail of the dishcloth is over II all.
went the other day to visit some friends
I'm the country. They live in a famous
old historic house in the heart OF the
In the family since the revolution. The
station is named after them; they are the
only great people Of the place; a book dis
latest books on their hall table every fort
night; they are people who have resources
of pleasure within themselves; they can
there are neither social rivalries to weary
nor social problems to make afraid. 1t
would seem that here, If anywhere. there
But l found them living under the pail
of great. an overshadowing fear. The
fear is that Mary may leave them. Mary
is a colored girl who has been In the
family these many years The day l ar
rived Mary did not wait table. Some
days she did and some days she didn't
found that the family never knew when
they sat down to table whether Mary was
going to wait or not. Nobody spoke to
her about 1t. No one ever gave her orders
No. No one zee. ever ask asked her to do anything
them. Her rule was gentle one, but the
hand Of steel was beneath the velvet
she left the women looked forward to moth
ing but doing the entire work of that great
house themselves. They had money to hire
second girl. but no second girl would
go there. They had worn out their hearts
and their soles on the stones of New
York looking for girl who would go five
hours from New York. They could not find
one who would go five minutes. Consequent
ly the entire policy of their lives is shaped
by Mary. If they wish to have guests
they consult Mary. If they wish to go
South for the winter they consult Mary.
II they wish to keep cow they consult
Mary. Mary decides. And they thank
their lucky stars that they have Mary
to decide.
lone would think that there might be
farmers daughters round about, but there
are no farmers left-at least, no American
farmers. There are not even Irish farmers
any more The Mohawk valley is now
| included in the abandoned farm region.
| them Is worked. On two OF them the
houses have been boarded up for years
| On the home farm there are some exceed
ingly rich fields down in the river bottom.
| These are rented to Slavs who raise truck
gardens to supply the nearby factory town
All through that section of the valley those
/ farmhouses are occupied by Poles, when
| they are occupied at ALL The Poles are the
only people who will take the land at ALL
and they keep toe pig in the parIor along
with the rest OF the family.
My friend has had interstate expert
ence with the servant question. When her
| father died all his property was in Iowa
| land, and her bread and butter comes from
| an Iowa farm. She goes TO this farm for
| six weeks every spring. She could make
So year more from il III she would live
| there all the year round. This she SAYS
| should would be willing TO do for the sake
| OF the money il she could get a girl But
! in Iowa she has not even a Mary She can
| get absolutely no one. III she lives there
| IL means simply life. with the dishcloth in
| hand. and she says she will not do IT. Her
| brother has beautiful farm In Iowa and
| has built beautiful house. But his wife
| is slave 10 that house. She has never
| had a servant since she went there TO live.
| and her life Is spent in the kitchen There
| Is an Ex-Governor OF the State living near
| them, and. although monev is nc object
with him. his wife has to live In the sama