New-York tribune., 1902-11-16
MALICIOUS TRICKS OF SERVANTS

MALICIOUS TRICKS or SEkN An IL
81 have heard Of hobo marks said much en-
during housekeeper recently; "of the tramp hero
rlyphics which are frequently written on the out
side Of houses and at the entrance of country
places each OF which has meaning which is per-
fectly lnintelligible and unnoticeable TO the un-
suspectrg householder. but which is as clear AS
A 3 c to the members OF the ragged fraternity
But although I have been keeping house for many
years I never knew until very lately that a GER
tain class Of servants. who might well be called
domestic tramps. on account OF constantly chahg-
ing their places, actually boycott a house where
they are not suited. by writing their opinions OF
She place and the family. and leaving the ma
ljcious little scribbles in places where the new
comers will easily find them. Every SUBURBAN
housekeeper in moderate circumstances, who Keeps
perhaps two or three servants. has experienced AT
times an incoInprehensibe period OF change. when
i+ seems as II her home was actually 'hoodooed.'
Cooks come out and leave almost Immediately.
without any apparent reason. Mattresses and
chambermaids who seemed willing and anxious to
please when engaged turn suddenly sulky, and
declare that the work is too hard for them Until
lately had had servants stay with me for years
at q time and 7 could not understand why for
couple of months ! Obliged 20 do nothing but
haunt intelligence offices ard change servants.
ppreciated fact that middle class servants arc
almost invariably nomadie. that the best Of them
sooner or later will desire "a change and give
warning. but ] had always quickly filled their
places and always believed that l had what is
led a very good place. &. easy Work regular
hours and kind treatment. This year. however.
everything seemed changed and ! was AZ my Wits
end to discover why my house had suddenly become
50 unpopular Finally ] succeeded in getting a
really good Swedish woman as cook. and after
she had been with me some time she told me the
secret. when came here. she said, 1 found
shelves in the storeroom, on the kitchen dresser.
lpstairs I'm my rOom-all saying the place was a
very hard one, and that you were not a nice lady.
These writings written by one girl. but were
signed by every who left, so ] saw there must
have been eight ten girls IA few weeks. OF
course. / thought would 20 right away. too. and
WAS ready leave when you came into the Kitchen
and looked so plea asant that thought would stay
and see for myself I had dismissed the first girl
who started all the trouble for incompetency, and
she took this way of having her revenge. The
others scared by her account left Of their OWL
accord but with malicious cOmradeship added
their names the score against me. so that my
arraignment rapidly grew in Importance with every
fresh signature, and II was a wonder that ever
got any 10 stay at all
servants Of a certain class who have gone about
among prominent people. and spiteful nature
may cause = great deal Of Inconvenience. a Ger
tain fashionable woman who is kind hearted and
generous every one had reason for dismissing
har French maid without a character. and found
10 her furprise that il very difficult to replacs
hcr After several unsuccessful quests she an
Swerrd an advertisement which seemed promising
and told the woman to call upon her. In repl!
she received postal. with the one word, ''connue'
written on the blank side Of the card. 1T gave
nle such 2 shock she said paintively. Il felt
n quite bad character