The Washington herald., 1907-04-21
UNIQUE CLUB IS DESCRIBED
Swiss Women and Their Maids Com
pose Organization.
Rewards Given the Servants for
Long Service-DiDlomSs Issued
After First Five Years.
Of The washington HaaId

Correspondence Of The Washington Herald.
Berne, Switzerland, April IL am MEM
Der Of the "Gemelnnutzigefrauenvereih,
Section Perm" and it isn't half as bad as
ii looks. To a casual student of German
this word would seem TO mean something
like Ordinary, but Useful Woman Club
and while the definition is much too lit
eral. 1t is nevertheless something OF the
kind. The real translation would be No-
mans Club Devoted 10 the Interests OF
the City OF Bern. and the story Of my
becoming a member runs about as iol-
lows: In October of last year a little
article appeared in the local papers 10
the effect that the annual festival for
faithful servants would be held IN Janu-
airy, in the Servants School, and that
every Hausfrau in possession OF maid
that had served her uninterruptedly for
five years was heartily invited TO partici-
pate with her maid. who would receive a
diploma II she had served for ten years
she would get a silver brooch. and If for
twenty-five years, a silver watch tthe
Swiss are death on watches).
II the Herrsehaft. that is 10 say. the
employers. were not members Of the so
ciety the rewards would come a little
higher, but by paying the membership
fees they would be considerably reduced
Naturally the economical soul Of Ber-
uese Hausfrau revolted az the idea Of
paving more than she needed 70 for an
article, and I think the result was the
society's membership sweiled considerably
before Christmas sly rudy haired treas
ure has shared the domestic ups and
downs Of the six years ] have been here
and was borne with me as / have borne
with her through many a spirited scene.
I couldn't keep house without her. and
she couldn't do without me, so on the
appointed evening we trudged over 10 the
Ianggasse." "a quarter rather far away
from us. and proceeded 10 take part In
the merrymdkiug. I was proud Of the
feat 1 had accomplished in keeping my
cook so long.
What was my surprise. I may say dis
may. 20 learn that the most Of the nifty
or SO maids gathered there, had come 70
claim rewards FOR ten years. fifteen years,
twenty. twenty-five. thirty. and In one
instance forty years service. such an
eager, excited group as they made: ana
how many lined and worn faces among
them, I should Ike 10 pay "a tribute 10
the Swiss servant as a class. She IS faith-
ful and unpretenti0us, She does not 20
I'm for fine clothes. but sticks obstinately
10 a style that suits her station She IS
not In the habit of having followers.
her chief amusement being 70 go out OF
a sunday in her simple best, the pocket
i'm her skirt lumpily eloquent Of the enOr-
mons clean pocket handkerchief that is
an invariabIe feature Of the Sunday toilet,
and take a walk with four or FIVE other
maids II they stop at beer garden on
their way home and take glass TO re-
fresh themselves, they never take too
much and are always on hand al G, 20
get the Sunday night tea. They get M
early and work late and would be as
much ashamed of "a grain of dust as OF
moral sin. Their one real debauch Is
the monthly wash. When this rite is
being performed il is useless TO try to
interfere or modify Certain things have
TO be done in certain ways, and ii ms
a rieu a dire" The wash takes prece-
dence over. everything else and the wash
frau. a person of great Importance and
decided views, is high priestess- She has
her breakfast early, has snack al
20 O'Clock. has her dinner at noon
| another smack at 4, and her supper
at Z. The house is in an uproar
either the maid has TO be getting a
[ smack" ready, or she has 10 go down
in the garden and help hang out the
/ clothes. OF else she has 10 fly to the
rescue when sudden gusts Of rain come uI
and threaten the sacred garments, and
/ help drag them all upstairs in the attic
where there are special hanging appa-
ratus for such emergencies. Through
I ii an runs a steady stream Of talk and
pleasurable .autter of excitement.
TO get back to the servants in the Ser
wants School. There were speeches anC
songs and little comedies played by some
of the young ladies who are interested in
! the school. and then came the distribu'
( ton of the diplomas, and brooches, an6
watches. I could not see the faces, but
the backs were eloquent There was
such an air of good feeling, Of labor wei
done and appreciated, of satisfaction and
pride-it was touching. I wondered why
/ we had not ali thought of IL long time
ago IT is not a great thing in Itself per
| haps. q simple paper a little brooch. a
/ silver watch; but the significance is enor-
nous. Il is another step toward thu
/ bringing together of the empower aho
the employed. and. as such, Of infinite i'm
portance. The only thing lacking wa.
/ that no one spoke of offering US, the mis-
/ tresges. reward, but perhaps that toe
will come in time.
4 AS a rule young girl here who starts
or by being nurse with not the entire
! care Of the child, but the lighter duties
gets s. month; when she has
/ learned how TO be chambermaid as well
/ She gets 81 After while she help.
with the mending and waits on table, anc
/ then she gets IS and sometimes Sc
1 but she does not go any higher A cool
gets Sc ard S. and in cases where shs
/ does homework too she gets S. I an
i speaking of the simpler household:
/ Ike yours and mine When 1 hear thu
J ladies complain here about so and 50 whC
1 has such and such faults, 1 always try
/ to remember and rel tie some of tho
faults of the race of servants / used Il
know IN America. AS rule the lady
/ interrupts herself in her complaints with
an expression Of horror and a pious wisl
to be spared such trials, and feel thai
Il have scored another triumph for thu
worthy Swiss servant
FRAU HUGL-CAAIP.