New-York tribune., 1905-08-20
SERVANTS OF YORE.
Help Problem an OIden Times EUeD
More Ve.ratiOus than NO10.

That the servant problem even more vex-
atious in the early history Of this country than
it is is evidenced by the written and printed
records of those times. In the old days many
of the housemaids were indentured to their
masters" for a term of years. and this deprived
both parties of the joy of giving notice" This
indenture was sometimes found to be as incon-
venient and as unsatisfactory threa-year
lease Of a house which has proved undesirable
If a wife found she had bad servant she could
not discharge her until the contract time up
In the year 1717 John Winthrop and his wife
were IN possession Of "help'' in the shape Of a
spirited young Celt who had been indentured to
them for four years. Her "goings on would
seem to indicate that history simply repeats it
self in the conduct Of the housemaids Of the
present time. for We find Winthrop writing thus
of his domestic treasure:
"It is not convenient now to write the trouble
and plague we have had with this Irish creature
the year past Lying and unfaithfuIl; would
doe things purpose in contradiction and vex-
alton to her mistress; lye out Of the house
anights and have contrivances with fellows that
have been stealing from estate and gett
drink out of ye cellar for them: saucy and i'm
pudent. as when we have taken her TO task for
her wickedness she has gone away to complain
of cruel usage 1 can truly say we have used
this base creature with great deal Of kindness
| tress's capps and stockings. hankechers, etc,
to dresse herselfe and away without leave
among her companions I may have said some
time or other when she has been In fault thar
she was fit to live nowhere but in Virginia and
If she would not mend her ways I should send
her thither. tho am sure nobody would give
her passage thither to have her service for
twenty years. she is such high spirited, pir-
nicous jade
Robin has been away neare ten dayes
as you VIII see by the inclosed and this Great
ure knows of his going and Of his carrying out
four dozen bottles Of cyder rnethegfin and paine
wine out OF the cellar among the servants OF
the town and meat and I know not what The
bottles they broke and threw away after they
had drunk up the liquor, and they got I'D or
sheep anisht killed fat one. roasted and made
merry with IL before morning"
AL this goes to show that Madame Winthrop
and the housewives Of this day have a good
maid eager to run nights is by no means Of
a type common to our day alone for it is now
more than two hundred and fifty years since
one or the first corners to country wrote
home to England about his housenaid: 1--WE
can hardly keep her within doors after we are
door to bed with u.s.
Not even the carrying Of the Kay" OF the
door to bed by the master kept OF the
fades" from 'trapsing'' O. nights This par
tcular maid shiftlcSs that she would so
to bed at night without taking the trouble to
pluck off her clothes and her Incidence was
SO great that told that she became "'fatt
and Sogsy." Maids who would and did run all
the time In those days brought upon themselves
the Unenviable reputation Of being "1egtrapes-
that they cared little for the