The Washington herald., 1907-07-21

London, kept the keys Of the wine cellar
and was trusted implicitly by his mis-
tress, turned the servants hall into
carousal. and her maid wore her gowns,
hats. and shoes. Never speak to me Of
liberty. equality. fraternity" said this
woman 70 a friend. who was sympathiz-
Ing with her on the necessity Of sending
her people back Give NE the laws and
rules that obtain on the other side which
are impartial TO both mistress and serv-
ant, keeping both strictly TO their con-
tracts; and there must be q contract be-
ween employer and employed over there.
No demand for advance Of wages before
a servant has worked a month is possi-
BILE: no picking up and leaving # he is
/ dissatisfied, nor can "a mistress discharge
1 "a servant unless for very grave cause
II she does, she must pay for the whole
period FOR which she engaged him. My
hair has grown gray with the trouble
/ have had IN New York with servants
No; give me Europe for comfortable
Hfe."
And that is why so many people live
/ abroad, because they are relieved Of the
annoyances Of housekeeping suffered
here. where the man and maid below
stairs look forward to becoming master
+ and mistress later on, and do not take
( their work seriously. Il is not. however
T The Arbiter's intention TO write a homuy
+ on the servant question. which monopo-
I Lies the attention Of most housewives At
I the present moment. and is gravely dis
Cussed as well by serious students Of So
ciology. but to mention some OF the rather
extraordinary questions sent 70 him. a
young woman for instance. asks II she
should introduce her young gentlemen
( friends 20 her mother. Such a query 10
come from any one IN Washington. which
I is rightly supposed to be one Of the most
F cultivated centers in the world is 10 be
wondered at This being ashamed OF
/ ones parents and wanting - relegate
mamma TO the background is peculiar to
. this part OF the world. and. heaven be
praised 20 only a small class. but the
class is made Up OF every circle. whose
. daughters, thiniy ven5ered with social
. knowledge. but understanding nothing Of
what constitutes good manners, for an
/ epEemeraI success in society VIII make
any sacrifice to obtain H. II is bitter 70
proclaim it, save that il may meet the
F eye of some benighted child. but last win
+ ter one OF The popular girls in the social
swim JelephOned a friend and asked her
kindly 90 invite mamma to dinner on a
/ certain date. when she herself would en-
F tertain a real lord" Mamma went TO
/ na 4
{ real lord, who was very much embar-
+ Tassed at mammals absence, and teIt fl
: as a decided slight 90 him-s0 great a per-
+ sonage-that she should absent herself
when he was invited 10 her house. For a
girl % be counted good form-this is
/ strong language. but il is meant-he-
mother should always be considered and
/ honored.
Apropos Of this Mrs. Burchard. the
/ mother Of Mrs. Mason, the wife Of the
( American consul general at Paris, is
called to mind. She is a venerable figure.
/ charming and dignided. and is placed by
/ her daughter. fguratyeIy speaking, on a
throne To her all the callers at the home
/ of the consul general are expected 10 pay
/ homage, and she is the first consideration
( I'm that household Il is beautiful. this
J reverence of daughter for mother. and an
example 60 all Daisy Bfillers who futtel
/ through Europe Not that this is an ex-
/ ceptional case in America; most happily
it is not, but there cannot be too many
such.
Another question about which there IS q
wide difference of opinion IS, Which arm
shall a gentleman give the lady whom he
! IS escorung? IN fact, it has been a much
mooted subject, unsettled, as so many OF
our social questions are, since we have
no fixed social laws Mrs. Dahlgren.
whose Etiquette of Social Life in Wash
/ ingtOn' is still a standard, maintains
that the host offers his left arm to the
/ lady he Is escorung. while Mrs. H. o.
/ Ward, which was the pseudonym of the
late Mrs Bloomfield Moore, OF Philadel-
phia, than whom there was a no more
( cultured person, and who was the author
of several books OF etiquette. insists that
"a gentleman offers his right arm in con-
ducting. ladies. whether on the street or
in the house" For this divergence from
other authorities she offers most sensible
1 reasons. by SO doing. she says. the
right hand of the lady is left free Ia
hold her parasol, or, II in the house. ia
use her fan, attached to her chatelaine
/ and 10 ( Iard her train from being
stepped upon" So there is a choice
either Lex arm or right arm, as one
elects. The other questions can be treat
ed as usual
Question Is It obligatory for a gentleman 10 TAXI
OF his hat in an elevator when the place is 81
crowded thar he hardly raise his hand to IN
head, CLERK.
Answer: in business places it is surely
an affectation 70 remove ones hat in a
crowded elevator. but it seems courteous
to do so in a hotel, where the lifts rarely
carry up more than two or three people
at time. In Europe it is never done.
Question I don't like your saying liz a rece-.
letter. that it is good form for men to appear il
hannels at dinner. even at the country clubs an
hostess. frequent dinner giver. and want Z,
soc my table looking smart in August as Il
Gees in J,Buary. Why should people be lax becaus,
Il is hotl Won't you think again about this Gnc
sag that you have changed your mind! c. G. e.
Answer: 1t is not a question Of chang
ing my mind. but OF fact Men do not
| wear evening clothes at the country