The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1907-05-25
Hints TO Help Mistress and
HOuSGmdidS TO Agree


II the precise duties Of servants were
more clearly understood and closely ,ad-
hered to. there would be less in 1.-THE
servant question" I fancy. A woman
who has been hired to do one kind Of
work does not care 10 do other branches
unless one is sometimes willing to "fll
in" for a very short time. She should
not be expected to do this, however, nor
be considered offensive II she refuses
politely.
To expect a cook to answer the front
door is unreasonable. She Is not dressed
for 1t. and the work is wholly without
her province. Neither should she nclp
with the dining room work by giving
the maid assistance. If the two servants
are good friends and the cook does
Something for the maid for that reason
st Is matter distinctly between the
two, and the mistress should pay no
attention to II unless the cook is neg
lecting her own work
The latter's duties consist not only Of
Cooking, but keeping her part of the
house clean. Kitchen, pantries, and re-
frigerator are entirely in her hands.
and she is at fault If they are not in
proper condition. She also answers the
be required 10 do this. Whether or not
the cook or maid prepares the salads
depends somewhat upon previous agree
ments. An experienced waitress is sup
posed to know how and 10 do them, but
In this country these dishes are more
frequently looked after by the cook
. II ever there was general servant
She is that one commonly called ''sec-
ond girl" The amount of different work
mat Is expected of her is appalling, and
u is only wonder that she ever gets
through. She lays the tables, serves
meals, washes dishes, does chamber
work cleans the house, keeps the silver
an order, and is even expected TO help
with the washing and ironing. Added
20 this, II is not unusual for a mistress
TO ask the maid TO go out TO do errands.
II the latter refuses she is called i'm
pertinent"
a woman who does such a variety
of work has come rather near to sOlv-
ing the problem Of perpetual motion.
she flies from one duty to another. and
II she Is capable and gets her work out
or the way quickly she is frequently
given something more to do.
This Is one of the most thoughtless
Pnd inconsiderate things done by house
keepers. The maid was hired TO do a
certain amount Of work. II she times
II so that she just gets through, nothing
more is expected. and she gives salts
faction. If. on the other hand, she is a
good worker and finishes before the
limit of time she is almost always given
one thing more. This is wrong, for the
woman has planned and honestly
worked to have little time TO herself
ana her successful management and
own rights should be respected A
servant is human, and she wants an
occasional hour to herself. This is not
TO say, OF course, that she should be
allowed to be slovenly with the routine
work.
Unless II was agreed upon at the
time the woman was engaged. q baby's
nurse should not be expected to COM
bine the duties Of lady's maid. for in
stance II she does, there will be not
an instant when she viii not be on call
In the nursery or dressing room, and
she may very properly resent the fact.
II she engaged TO do both, however.
that is a different matter. but renember
that baby may often be neglected and
the mother be none the wiser il nurse
mas more than she can manage