The Jennings daily record., 1902-06-30
THE GERMAN TAG FRAU.
eERLiN's SOLUTION or THE SER.
g. WANT GIRL. Problem.

3 TO Various D<partnn ents of tho ID Domes-
= tic Economy hnd Fake whole Bnrdsn
From the Mistress Shoulders.
Hook. the Berlin housewife! She
has solved the eternal feminine prob
lem of the servant girl. The solution
is so very simple that the only marvel
about it is that no ingenious Yankee
matron has stumbled upon it long ago.
When the good haus frau wants to
shake off the tyranny of one woman
she employs several; that is. she re-
sorts to the tag frau, an assistant called
in by the hour. The German tag frau
differs from the English charwoman
and the American days worker in
that she is a specialist. instead of be-
ing an all-around house worker. able
to turn her hand from cooking to scrub
bing. she processes but one branch of
domestic knowledge. and claims to un-
dersrand that thoroughly. SO that the
heart of her mistress may trust in her
and be happy.
She is either cook, a charlbermaid.
laundress. Il n"ergartner, a nurse
maid, a mender and darner. or even
companion, but never by any chance
does she combine any two of these
useful occupations.
In a household conducted along these
advanced lines the cook is the first
morning visitor. She takes In the
milk and rolls. makes the coffee and
whatever else enters into the compo-
sition of the simple German breakfast
places it upon the table OF serves it
in the sleeping rooms of the family, as
preferred, and then departs TO do the
same Office for half dozen other es-
Establishments.
When she has finished her rounds she
goes back to her starting point to make
preparations for dinner. She looks
over the 1arder. holds consultation
with madam as to what will be re-
quired, and probably goes to market.
This is very desirable perquisite. and
generally granted the cook. in any
household of any pretension. it being
considered extremely poor form for
the lady of the house TO do anything
so plebeian and only the extremely
strong minded Will risk the odium it
may bring. .-..>-s=.g, s'@s;G;E: - -
The cook then. returning with her
weil-filled basket, sets the soup pot on
vegetables and prepares the dessert,
If it is to be eaten cold. BY the time
she has taken care of all her clients,
she returns to finish and serve dinner
after which she is seen no more till the
evening meal
II it has been SO stipulated she will
wash up dishes and put the kitchen
in order. but as u general thing her
time. at about twenty cents day, is
considered too valua BILE to be employed
in this manner. and young maedchen.
who receives about 81 per month. fol-
lows in her wake and does the scullery
work. The visiting chambermaid can
take more families under her charge.
and. therefore. is well satisfied with
twelve cents a day from each. For this
she dusts floors and beats rugs. while
the beds are airing: tides up the cham
bers and living rooms neatly. brushes
the wraps and dresses of the ladies and
blacks the masters boots.
The cleaner" takes care Of the win
dows. the outside steps and front door.
and makes weekly calls TO see that the
brass and tinware of the kitchen are
kept up to traditional brilliancy
Mendirg days arc the times when
a quiet little woman. armed with every
thing in the way of needles, thimbles,
shears and SO forth. takes possession
of the family hosiery aud linen. Miss
Ing buttons are replaced. gaping holes
are neatly patched and much domestic
discord is averted for the munificent
sum of fifteen cents. dinner and
cup of coffee, served With cake in the
afternoon.
The visiting governess is always
called the Fraulein Miss. She may be
a haired matron with grand
children of her own. but the title is
applied as Unfortunately as that of
maid" to our female servants of all
work. The fraulein calls at the house
and puts her pupils through course of
calisthenics or physical culture. Some
times she administers massage and
supervises the toilets of her pupils.
She then takes them abroad to the
parks or the zoo. Object lessons ia
botany, zoology. history and geography
are given in the course Of these ram
bles.
As the frauiein must necessarily be
Il woman of culture and refinement,
one cannot expect her services for i
trivial sum. especially as she must
have received her diploma for kinder
garten work, music and history. There
fore. no one need aspire 20 frauleins
attentions who cannot pay nine cents
per hour.
This ''piecework" system of house
Keeping seems to WORK TO the salts
faction of mistress and maid equally.