The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1905-04-07
AMERICAN LADIES' MAIDS.

real lady's maid. | mean clever,
bright, refined girl, trained for the
work and competent IN nre profes-
sion. In France it is different.
There young women are brought up
from babyhood to fill just such posi-
lions. They do not account it dis
grace to be lady's maid; it is with
them an ambition.
"The trouble with the American
girl who must work is that she hates
and disdains her work. She does not
love 1t and make an art OF 1t. Sne
is so anxious to be what she calls a
lady herself that She quite overlooks
the advantages she might acquire by
the profession of lady's maid. She
would rather go into shop and slave
from to G, be bullied by floor
walker and insulted by great lot
of women who are not ladies than to
wait upon any one woman. she
would rather drudge in factory for
half the money than to travel over
Europe in comfort, with all her ex-
penses paid and $25 a month in good
cold cash. l once had an American
lady's maid who was clever enough,
but so officious and disdainful that
my brother used to call her Ouch
ess in Disgust never hired an
other.
"As a matter of fact, the lady's
maid has great many advantages
over the girl who works in shop.
She. has, first of all, much better
wages if she understands her bust
ness. She has a good comfortable
home, and the privilege Of constant
association with refined and intelli-
gent people, from whom she can learn
all those graces of gentility which
such girl may not have had the op-
portunity to acquire in her home, and
certainly would not acquire in the
hurly-burly of a city shop.
ri know Of one lady's maid who
speaks French, has studied music
and other arts and bears herself
with the gentle dignity Of a woman
of the upper classes. This little girl
had absolutely no advantages to start
with except cleverness, common
sense, and ambition. She has trav-
cled all over Europe, has been to
Egypt and Japan, has visited, in the
company of her employer, all the best
theaters and heard all the great sing
ers. She has lived comfortably, and
yet has been able to save her money
and possesses quite snug sum in
bank. From her different employers
and in the exercise of her profession
she has learned the art Of dressing
and Of making herself lovely to look
upon. She scarcely knew how to read
when, at 16, she got her first position;
but she soon learned this, and. from
having to read to her mistress, she
las become mistress herelf to the
best English literature. She was SO
dainty, so respectful. SO anxious to
please and to learn that each of her
employers considered her gem and
took an interest in helping her along.
Some day she will be more than a
lady's maid, and she will certainly
know how to fill her position. If
she had spent her life in factory
she would still be ignorant, uncouth
and undeveloped.
young women should receive thor
ough training. So many things are
required Of a young person in this
capacity that to enter the profession
unframed and unskilled means a
slow upward climb. First of all, the
do Homework, and to keep room in
perfect order. She should be sailed
in handling her needle and able to
mend daintily torn laces and broken
gloves, to sew on hooks and eyes and
buttons and to polish and clean slip
pers. She should be something of a
masseuse and should take a few les
sons In the art of manipulating the
muscles Of the face and body. She
should know how to smooth out
wrinkles and to dust on powder and
put on rouge so that 1t will not show
Every lady's maid should be a good
hairdresser. A few months spent as
an apprentice in a hairdressing and
manicuring establishment is an abso-
lutte necessity to the girl who would
be perfect in her art. She should I'M
derstand how to shop. for she must
often buy ribbons and gloves for her
employer. II she is a good reader
she can double her salary. for lady's
maid who can be companion and
can read to one intelligibly is con-
sidered a jewel.
''If one is not naturally anxious to
please: willing and obliging. she had
better not attempt to become a lady's
maid; though, for the matter of that,
she viii succeed in no business or
profession without these qualities.
Last. but not least. lady's maid
should know how to dress. not fash
ionably, but neatly. She should keep
her figure trim and wear a black
gown and white apron with the air
of duchess. Her finger nails, hair.
and feet should always be very dainty.