The San Francisco call., 1906-06-06
PEOPLE And Things
BY LOUISE WELLER.

won't you please say. few words
to the mistress as well as to the grip
That is the way refugee in Black
Diamond. Contra Costa" concludes her
letter to me. This brave girl. who has
..never before had to earn her living" is
willing to take the work that is offered.
domestic service" She has "helped'
her mother and knows all about gen.
era1 housework. She is strong and
healthy and capable. She has tried
one place and remained there but three
days. "The lady misrepresented
things"
Little girl refugee" the only reason
I did not say "a few words to the mis-
tress as we'll as to the girl before was
because had forgotten. / was so wor-
ried and anxious about girls who need
ed work that I bent all my energies
and all my thoughts in that direction
Thank you for reminding me.
And now Madam Mistress. let's have
cozy little talk. I am not going TO
give you advice for you have "kepe
house" for a long time and know al
much and probably more than do On
/ ly in the stress of your manifold duties
you forgot. This is simply to remind
you.
/ L don't know how it is, but almost
every mistress hopes to find in her
maid a unison of all the qualities and
all the virtues. She expects her to be
splendid cook, a fine laundress and
\ good manager She expects her to
be quick. neat. and. of course. clean
She wants her to sweep and to dust
and to wait on table. and she conhdenS-
f! ly hopes that she will do all this grace
fully and willingly.
/ If she could, madam. she would be
more than a general houseworker.
She'd be paragon. Any woman who
can do so many different things and do
them all equally we'll. any woman who
is neat and clean and quick and cheer
full in the face of much and diversified
work. is a superior woman. Superior
women do not go into domestic SER
vice. They are found in more Iucra-
tive branches OF employment. They
stand pre-eminent in some special
branch of work. They are the stars
of the working world. The women in
domestic service is the average woman
If she does average work. you must
not expect any more of her.
4
A perfect understanding should exist
between the mistress and the maid.
My Slack Diamond correspondent
speaks of misrepresentation. Il would
scarcely have used so harsh word.
But would urge that Madam and Girl
make truthful and definite statements.
There would be less fear on each side
then of being imposed upon. Let girl
who is about to enter your employ
understand exactly all that is expected
/ of her. Tell her what you require the
amount of work you Will want her to
do. Let her know how many times a
week she may go out and what day
or part of a day she can have of"
When you have made these arrange
ments do not alter them With help"
as with children. you must stand by
your word. To break your word is to
forfeit the respect of those you employ.
Have some little consideration for
your girl on her day of" Don't
/ heap work on her when you know she
is hurrying to get out Help her a
little. Kindly consideration was never
thrown away upon a girl 1t yields q
thousandfold.
Pay the girls wages promptly. In
many homes girls are compelled TO wait
week or sometimes more for their
wages after they have fallen due.
Nearly every girl is paid by the month
Thirty days is a long time TO wait for
the monetary return for services rem
dered. especially when that return is
in the majority of cases less than 81
per day.
Try to make everything as con-
venient as possible for the girl You
cannot expect good work from a work.
man unless you furnish him with good
tools. No more can YOU expect your
girl to be neat and quick and clean if
your stove is old. your pots battered.
your carpets worn and conveniences out
of date. Always treat your help in a
civil way. A Thank YOU and Please"
Will work more with ri girl than raise
In wages. Show appreciation for
faithful work. Praise her successes.
If she has cooked a particularly nice
dinner, tell her about it. Never find
fault with her IN the presence of
strangers Nothing IS so humiHatins
to girl. and there is nothing that I
know OF that she resorts more
Put yourself in her place Remember
she is a woman and heir to the preju-
dices. peculiarities. weaknesses and ills
of woman.
See that she has a.niee. clean room.
with window in it and a comfortable
bed.
And. above all. do not deny her her
blessed night to see her friends. have
I