The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-07-21
THIS MORNINGS GOSSIP

Special Correspondence From Summer
Piazzas.
1t was Elizabeth of German garden
fame who said the natives considered her
eccentric because she had been seen in
garden with a book Just what the
natives in the North Carolina mountains
think of the city folk who are idling
away the summer days is not definitely
known. but 1t is evident that the ways
ment to the mountain women. Most Of
the women of the hill country are ignor-
ant of the things that to other people
seem the bare necessaries and women who
come from the cities are looked upon as
extravagant If they indulge in any kind
of luxury. They are In the mind of the
mountain women. perfect houriss who
breakfast at II o'clock and spend hours
with nothing more pressing than looking
at the clouds. The simplest costume is
considered en- grande toilette, and the
mountain women regard a change of cos
tume-that is. appearing In a different
dress-twice a day as the acme of ex-
travagance, but what could be expected
of an houri with nothing to do but read
books In a garden?
Women who come for any length of
time for a stay in these mountains bring
their own servants and are not depend
ent upon the women who want to cook,
but who know very little about it, Many
of these mountain women who pretend
that they want work are insulted If you
put them to doing anything more than
gazing with fond admiration at your
clothes A woman who employs several
servants here. having a large country
house, wanted a white girl to do some
extra work and engaged young, strong
and energetic looking girl. Imagine the
state of things when the girl objected
to doing the most trivial things about
a house, and when the woman directed
her about some duties in the bed cham
bers upstairs she replied that she was
not hired to go upstairs.
We'll" said the woman. you can go
thing l tell you to do
The girl was so taken by surprise that
she relented and with a few more les
sons in discipline she has developed into
an obedent and trustworthy servant. 1t
is this tendency to despise domestic serv-
Ice that is the greatest drawback to en-
ploying mountain women. They have the
mistaken idea that the upper so-called
classes look down upon them and wish
to tta.,, 70 oil L. ind Of ms
work They are constantly on the look
out for occasions when they can assert
themselves, and this attitude causes
friction among the other servants. The
mountain women have to be taught ev-
erything and the teaching is tedious
process. Still a GLASS they seem will
ing to learn, rather anxious to obsorb all
that they can by contact and by observa-
ton. But they come to you with well
defined Ideas of their own of what their
duties should be. and this is difficult to
educate out of them. 1t is no easy mat
ter to establish the relations at once and
to adjust servants of a different color.
One peculiar thing, and one quite irrecon-
cilable Is the absence of that racial
pride among the people In the mountain
country. Their affiliation with the ne
gro race seems born of ignorance. and
they are without that race prejudice that
is at once safeguard and Chinese wall.
They work in perfect harmony with ne
gro women, and the latter as part Of
their natures are apt to impose upon
the poor, ignorant women from the hill
country, so unframed, so utterly unpreju-
diced. Unless you regulate this matter
yourself the white girls In your employ
will not hesitate to sit at the same table
with the negroes, and many of these girls
are being taught the Importance of racial
pride and distinction by women who en-
ploy them and who at the same time are
not willing for them to be Inundated
by such equality. 1t is also lesson for
the black people, who in their tendency
to ride over the poor whites can be
checked in a way that is most telling
and that makes the whites more self
respecting. A. *. w.