Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1905-02-08
Why g.
Keep Servants

ton of her apparel he would assume
that she was vain. When he married
me he took especial pains to discover
whether / was popular with my own
sex. II wouldn't give a fig for WON
an whom women don't like" he said
In telling me of his precaution after
we were married and in doing so paid
me the compliment to say that In my
case the report was favorable.
didn't consider II a compliment, for my
very best woman friend had never
been popular with women simply be-
cause they didn't understand her.
We lived In town on the Pacific
coast where the only servants to be
had were Chinese. We went to house
keeping as soon as we were married,
and hired cook named Charlie Lee.
| Charlie agreed to give me months
notice before leaving, but some one Of
fered him 81 month more than was
paying him, and without either giving
me the stipulated notice or the privi-
lege even of raising his wages be left
me the day before l was to have
friends in for dinner. More than this,
he demanded wages for two weeks
when he had only been with me eight
days. paid him for one week and
told him to go, and 60 quickly, and
never show his face in my house again.
When John came home and l told
him what had happened / saw by the
wrinkle In his forehead that he consid-
cred me in some way to blame, but he
said nothing. I secured another China
man as cook, but was astOnished when
he told me at the end Of the first week
that he would stay with me no longer.
Are you sure" asked John, that
you have said or done nothing to ruffle
him."
"I'm sure I've neither said nor done
anything that should ,ruffic him."
John turned to the evening paper
that he had brought home with him,
and | knew he considered there was
something wrong with me or l would
not have lost two servants within q
month. The third Chinaman stayed
with me just two days, when he disap-
peared without having the impudence
to ask for pay, though year afterward
l missed an article of bric-a-brac that
was ample compensation for his pay.
John had RETAINED from speaking his
mind on the servant question till this
third cook eft me. Then we had our
first spat
you must admit. my dear" he said,
that there is some reason for the de-
parture Of all your servants
"YOu mean that l don't treat them
kindly"
mot that, but perhaps your manner
may be trifle dictatorial."
Il should have supposed" l retort-
Cd, that you would have inquired be-
fore marrying me whether my manner
to servants was sufficiently deferential.
You. misunderstood me. Our man.
ner is something for which we are
not responsible being born to it. can
readily understand how these simple
Chinese. exiles from their homes, may
have sensitiveness to kindness that
heard no more. for went out Of the
room, and fear shut the door after
me trife harder than was necessary.
determined that l would find out
what was preventing my keeping a
servant II / had to send to the Flowery |
Kingdom for a native detective. went |
to friend. told her the circumstances |
and asked her advice.
These Chinese are very clannish,"
she said. What one does they all do"
"But how do they all know enough |
to do the same thing? Those l have
had surely were not acquainted"
Il have had one of them for years."
she said. I'll ask him II he can ex-
plain"
Chang Wing. her servant. was called |
in and the case put to him. He said he |
would go TO see me the next day after |
his work was finished He came, as he
agreed. anC walked straight into the
kitchen. where he commenced to exam
Inc the furniture and cooking utensils.
Then he looked into every crevice and
corner. 1t struck me that he was search
Ing for evidence of the presence Of mice
In the house. for had heard Of the
Chinese appreciation OF this delicacy,
and informed him that there were none
and wouldn't have them on my prem
ises on any account. He paid no at
tention to the information. keeping on
with his ransacking. He looked on the
bottoms OF the chairs and the pots and
kettles, turned up the oilcloth on the
floor. removed every article in the kit
chen closet and examined It as we'll as
the walls and the shelves. Finally lie
took down the clock and looked at its
back. Then | knew from the celestial
look on his face that he had found
what he had been searching for.
what Is it?" asked eagerly.
He pointed to some Chinese charac-
ters chalked OH the back of the clock
and translated them:
VERY bad woman. Doesn't pay the
wages
Charlie Lee. my first cook. was the
only one of the lot | had had any diff
ference with about money. and Of
course 1t was he who had passed the
word to his successors.
When John came home that evening
told him that thought | had discov-
cred the cause of my trouble with
cooks. II wounded poor Charlie Lees
feelings" ] admitted. John looked
pleased that lie should have been right
IN his diagnosis of the case. Then I
took him into the kitchen. showed him
the inscripti@ md translated it.
John has never since interfered with
any suggestion as to my natural uu'
illness to manage servants.
ANNIE f. NICHOLS.
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