The San Francisco call., 1904-02-29
Mistress and Maid.
BY VIRGINIA VAN DE WATER.
lCopyright. 1904. By Joseph 3. Dowles.


sible tyrant. one who viii exact the
pound Of flesh, and, if the owner
thereof be not on her guard, will in
sist upon = few extra ounces thrown in
for good measure. The mistress sees
iE the suspicious girl a person who
viii, Il the chance be offered her. turn
against her employer, Will do the
smallest amount Of work possible for
the highest wages she can demand,
break china, smash glass, shut her
eyes to dirt IN the corners and ac-
cept the first opportunity that offers
itself to leave her present place and
get one that promises fewer duties
and larger pay.
The system is all wrong, and it
grows worse. The hatred of the
housewife for the maid-of-all-wor
the suspicious attitude Of said maid
toward her nominal mistress, increase
with each passing year.
The evil is so great that the only
remedy lies in each household doing
by itself the best that lies within its
power to change the current. Were
each housewife in the land to strive
to better matters, the change would
soon be apparent
It is fact that by appealing to the
best in human nature-be that nature
American, Irish, German or Scandi-
navian-ve elicit the best from our
fellow creatures. Let the mistress,
then, try to believe in the good inten-
tons of her servant. or if she cannot
really believe in them, let her pretend
to do 80. Her attitude of mind will,
unconsciously TO herself, make itself
felt upon her hireling. Let her take
it for granted that the new girl
means to stay, is honest. trustworthy
and anxious 10 please, and let her talk
TO her az if all these things We're fore
gone conclusions. She may show by
gentle manner and kindly considera-
ton that she appreciates that NOrah
or Gretchen is a sister woman, not a
machine. II the washing or ironing
happens to be heavy, let her suggest
simple dessert of fruit instead of the
pudding that had been planned. And
il the maids heavy eyes and forced
smiles show that she is not well, let
the mistress for a brief moment put
herself in the place of her hireling,
and think what she would want done
for her under similar circumstances.
She will then suggest that some of the
work that can be deferred be laid
aside until the following day, or offer
10 give a hand in making the beds or
Susting the rooms.
But" declares the systematic house
wife. 4 do not hire a servant ana then
do my own work."
No. my. dear madam, but neither did
you hire your maid of all work to be
sick nurse, but were you i'll it would be
she who would cook your meals, carry
up your tray and take care of you un-
less you were so i'll as to need the ser
vices Of a trained attendant. Bear
this in mind, and show the maid that
you do bear it in mind.
It Is more difficult matter to get the
average servant 10 look at the matter
from this standpoint. She has not been
educated to regarding things from both
sides. 1t is the custom of her cult 90
meet and in conclave assembled to
compare the faults, follies and failings
Of their employers. And when they do
commend an employer for kind treat
ment ii is, as rule, only to make the
lot Of another servant look darker by
contrast with the bright one depicted.
oh me dear" exclaims Bridget
upon entering Norah's kitchen at $50
in the evening and finding her still
washing dishes. And is this the hour
that a poor hard working girl is kept
up to wash the dinner things? There
are no such doin's in my kitchen,
tell We, Ny lady knows that I aint
made or iron. and she knows, too, that
I would not put up with such an i'm
position"
The fact that Norsh's mistress has
helped her all day with the work. that
she is herself the victim. of unexpected
company, that she regrets as much as
Norah that the unavoidable detention
at the Office of the master of the house
has made dinner later than usual. does
not deter the suddenly enlightened girl
from feeling herself a martyr, and the
seed Of hate and distrust is quick to
bear fruit in an offensive manner and
a sulky style of speech. She does not
pause 10 take into consideration that,
while she may just now be doing extra
work, she also receives daily extra
kindness which were not agreed upon
in the contract for her hire.
There are just two rules that make
the relations of mistress and maid toll
cradle or pleasant. One is that every
thing be put on a pure business basis
an arrangement, We may remark, that
the maid would be the hrst to resent.
If she is willing to give only what she
is paid Cor. she must be willing that
no margin be allowed her and that she
be expected to live up to her part Of
the contract, fulfilling every duty as
well as any servant possibly could, ex-
pectiug no allowances or indulgences
and receiving just the times off," etc.
for which she bargains. Only that, and
no more. She would soon weary of the
bargain.
The other rule, and the better one, is
that a little practical Christianity be
brought into the relationship, that the
maid do AL she can, cheerfully and
willingly, and that the mistress treat
her in the same spirit, giving her little
pleasures when it is within her power