New-York tribune., 1907-05-27
NO SERVANT PROBLEM
Connecticut House7ciUes Enjoy Do
mestic Freedom Through Poles.


In that section of the Connecticut Valley which
lies between Hartford. Conn. and Greenfield. Mass.
thing has happened which woman ever sup
posed would happen until the millennium arrived.
The servant problem has been settled. The Pur-
tans have done it. with the help of the Poles.
More than twenty thousand Poles. immigrants from
the old country have flooded that particular part
or New England in the last few years These Pol
ish girls work in the fields at home. and household
service is to them step upward. Fresh from the
feudai atmosphere of their native surroundings
they do not mind servitude and their ideas in
gard to pay are exceedingly modest They labor
cheerfully and contentedly for 81 50 or 81 week
and keep" In a few of the larger towns of
Western Massachusetts, these Polish girls have
taken to mill work. hut outside those larger towns
they stick to the kitchen and seem TO like It.
The romantic conception of the Pole is that OF a
sensitive. high spirited patriot enslaved. The
wrongs OF Poland have been eudlessly sung. and
quite truly. The romantic conception is true
so far certain classes of Poles are CONCERNED,
but a matter of fact the Polish peasant is as
stold healthy strong limbed animal walks
two feet
Sometimes this strength has its disadvantages.
Under her stoidity and phlegm the Polish girl has
certain elemental. impersoual forces which not
unlike the storms that sweep across the Russian
steppes. Sometimes she is not unlike storm her
self which is inconvenient I'm dining room. 1t is
rather disturbing to have an nCaTnate Storm IN
tent on getting the dinner out of the way in time
to attend n 'Poander' dance that night, sweep
down on the table before course is half finished
and try to change the plates. But never Is the
Polish girl consciously defiant nsubordinate
She has of the ideas of personal liberty which
make the American, French Irish girl most gen
orally discontented servant.
But the Polish girl is unquestionably Obtuse. 1t
Is hard to change any habit she has formed, and 1t
is harder to make her understand the English
language IN family where the maid had-ns
most of them have-a prediction for the frying
pan. maid and mistress used regularly to wrestle
for that implement of Indigestion each morning.
NO fry. fry Brof! BroiI,' the mistress
would reiterate. But all in vain Either the maid
| could not understand. she did not to-
Finally the mistress yielded and the family went
on eating fried hoefsteak
Another girl a Lithuanian named Lena, had
| way of loading one arm with topping pile of
dishes and then artlessy and accidentally letting
them faIl 10 the floor Her mistress used to ad-
monsh her. gently when she saw her pilnE up the
seemed to do very little good: Months afterward 1t
trying to teach her the name of some dish. and
she could not make out which one. .,-, ,o.,.
That Careful2' she asked with q puzzled look.
pointing to butterdish. That careful"' taking
up 4 coffee pot.
For a long time" said a woman who employs
a Polish maid. Il couldn't understand why when
Sjnf mnderstand ths erafve found the best
didn't want it done. Then Sophy would forget IT,
sweep. No ;o' bake. with several layers Of em;
phasis on the no Then sometimes it penetratcs
II the Polish girl is slow to learn English. 1t Is
not. however. for lack OF trying. She will always
attend night school when she can. But the school
authorities in the Connecticut Valley have an
economical way Of using up the castoH textbooks
purpose OF these books being interest the pupil
in good literature. they are triae high for the
hut in the Lithuanian forests make of
So live that when thy summons comes 10 Join
The innumerable caravan, etc.
Some plain maxims about how to build fire
hon Ee chs "A
to The point still their ignorance OF English is
not always a disadvantage. once YOU become ac-
customed 10 your maids jargon YOU can understand
her hut not so the neigHb0rs to whom she ap-
plies for higher pay. They would not have her
under any circumstances. and SO you keep your
A treasure indeed Is the Polish girl TO the com
NUTS Er ggneraly 6ar"f"ot in her haste She
gets the breakfast started. and then sits down on
the outer doorstep ana puts on her stockings II S
tre that her expedition Is due 10 the fact that tn"
nnd i've frea ,o attend a dance or a wedding. ar
does neglect her work to get away as the IrlSh
Treasure Is the Polish girl for her strength and
Willingness. though she is certainly trying some
times As when. Ike one maid in Deerhed, shr
register. Another girl accidentally SET nf" 10 ner
he'd one night. She tried 10 put the fire out with
She aled for help It was fortunate the noise that
she made awoke the family for otherwise that tire
more stupid than the girl who broke a butter dish
and carefully Joining the fragments, put thclA on
the table with the butter in them hoping tht ldhily
would think that they broke the dlsn cutting 'he
butter -,-. 49,. ,,.,,.,.
girl IS "A treasure. say the Coruecucut housewl
How long she viii remain v inE and content no
one can tell. but for the present she Is so. She
is loyal to her people, too. unscltSh ana SAVING.
MANY a poor servant girl sends $oD yearly to her
parents in Poland, out of her small wages; And not
a few OF these girls actually buying those litte
abandoned farms that hesDriukle New England.