The suburban citizen., 1902-08-16
AM EMERcENcY WOMAN.
A Gentlewoman with Sense who Intro
duces q New Vocation.

A GentIewOm with Sense Who Intro
duces a New Vocation.
"Several years ago 1 was left in a
position that necessitated my making
money" said a woman to a Chicago
Inter-Ocean reporter 81 had no spe-
cialty, no training for self-support.
was a gentlewoman with common
sense and good judgment knew a
good deal about housekeeping and its
problems, as every conscientious wom-
an who has had home of her own
does, but l was not willing to take
regular employment in domestic SER
vice. At first l tried to find place
as companion or secretary, but such
places were scarce and l hadn't the
training for them.
'In the meantime l helped several
of my acQualntances through times of
domestic storm and stress, and, though
hated 1t, allowed them to pay me-. A
wealthy woman who knew of me
through a family connection was
called to sick husband in Southern
California. She had small children
and mo one save the ordinary nurses
to leave them with. 1t occurred to her
that might be willing to take charge
of the house and family and she sent
for me in a great rush. went and
stayed for three weeks. They paid nae
royalty.
''It was while l had charge Of that
home that thought Of making emer-
gency work my profession, and the
more thought of it, the more the plan
opened out and the more possibilities
1t presented. talked the scheme over
with number Of women who could be
depended upon to give me employment
and tell others about me. They all
agreed that there was need of such
services, and that they, personally,
would be glad to know of some one
to whom they could turn in any do
mestic complication.
II put my pride in my pocket and
was willing to help with anything from
tiding a woman through sudden loss
of servants to experimenting house
cleaning or running a wedding. OF
course there are always caterers to be
found, but unless one employs the best,
pays big sum and goes in for an
elaborate affair, the caterer doesn't al
ways fill the requirement. Ordinary
entertainments need what I've heard
servants call the lady touch. A wom-
an of refinement and good breeding
knows how to do things in fashion
that is quite distinct from the ordinary
caterers methods. She understands
china and linen. too. She has a knack
with flowers She knows exactly how
to make a room all that is comfortable
for an unexpected guest
"Illness gives rise to a number of
calls for me. though I'm no trained
nurse. I'm fairly good nurse as anna
teur nurses go, but my work Is more
often outside Of the sickroom than in
it, taking charge of the house, the chill
dren, and attending to outside matters.
Very often I've taken invalids away
when there was no member of the fam.
lily who could go, and the person was
not III enough to need a trained nurse.
In the families where have obtained
a hold and where they know me well,
they have learned to depend upon me
and would rather have me at hand
than a strange professional, even if
theyShave to pay me as much or more
than they have to pay to the profess
sional.
I've helped a great many young
brides through the first domestic reefs
and shoals In most cases they have
been the daughters of families where
| have been called In, and so they have
grown used to thinking of me as help
in time OF trouble.
1T isn't very imposing profession,
is it? I'll never make a fortune at it,
and know some of my friends look
upon the work as menial. but l had
no one talent, and needed money"