The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1902-11-08

Nav" replied 'Delgado," IoftiIy;
I'VE amt givin' no big dinner to-day;
we is dinin' out, and then we is goin'
to the opera"
They is too giving a big dinner"
said Mrs. Ritter. soto voice. to a by
stander. Il seen it in the society notes,
but she's mad because didn't give her
lagniappe yesterday
Lagniappe is the something over and
above the amount purchased { a ban
ana or orange, little bag OF cakes, or
a handful of pecans) which clinches the
bargain, and which every colored per-
son claims as her due. AS pennies are
not commonly current in New Orleans,
the small shopkeepers have substituted
& copper or brass coin, called a. ''quar-
tie" whose value is 1-2 cents and
whose function is merely that of a
check which Vouches for the fact that
the merchant owes that amount. You
pay a nickle for yeast cake; the grocer
gives you quartiS-<which proves that
you have taken only half of what is
due you, and when you return this coin
you receive the remainder of your pur
something extra as lagniappe.
One is constantly met with the state
ment that wages In the South are very
low; but southern housekeepers would,
as a rule, gladly pay more if, by so do
ing, they could reduce the number or
servants employed. A cook, who is
paid from SIS to 500 per month, will do
nothing outside of the kitchen unless 1t
has been expressly stipulated before
hand; the upstairs housemaid, receiv
ing from $12 to SIS, expects to have no
duties below stairs: the houseboy, paid
from SIS to $50 will do the downstairs
work and sweep the galleries (varan-
das) and banquettes; while one wash
woman irons the plain clothes, another
the shirts, and so on. The wages may
seem low. but. for the amount of work
done, they compare favorably with
those in the North-and then, there are
the perquisites! Some brave women. in
engaging servants, venture boldly to
ask: do you carry basket" but
the majority succumb to the difficulties
Of the situation and try to protect
themselves by being watchful. and, as
far as possible, keeping everything I'M
der lock and key.
A little girl visiting in the North, said
to her mother: why is it We never
have anything left to eat in our house
after the servants have gone home at
night?" That ''going home at night is
full of temptation to the poor ignorant
souls who love to entertain their friends
and, while practicing the virtues OF
hospitality, display their skill in cook
ing. Every evening after dinner
streams of colred women are seen on
rying home their n1istresses' market
baskets heavy with provisions, and if a
daring housekeeper ventures TO ASK
any questions, the reply Is invariably
to this effect: IT takes home my din
ner because I likes to set down and
rest little bit, and slip off my shoes
before eats. doesn't never eat much,
nohow, but like to enjoy my little bit
of dinner when I gets home"
A servant having left her place Ito
rest" was living in apparent comfort,
but without visible means Of support.
When questioned as to what Juliette
was doing to maintain herself, Sylvie,
her successor in the kitchen, said:
shes only just resting: Ophelia's
working"
But" I asked 'can that child earn
enough to support her mother?"
"She pays the rent with her wages, I"
sylvie answered. land she saves food
to take home at night"
"Why!'' I persisted (being. at that
time, densely ignorant). 'how can the
poor child save her food? She wont
have strength to work If she does11' t
eat"
Sylvie shot a sly, laughing look at
me before she replied: she eats; she
don't go hungry; she's jest materially
saving
|, Some housekeepers were once talking
over their perplexities. when one said:
why are you surprised at my keeping
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