The Washington herald., 1908-01-05
MADAM SPECTATORS OBSERVATIONS

Trained nurses have many amusing ex-
! IpeTiences. especially those who nurse in
private families. Recently one nurse told
Of an instance where she was called upon
TO take a place in one of the poorer dis
! tricts of the city The family was in very
reduced circumstances, and Il looked very
doubtful whether the ministering angel
would receive emolument for her profess
sional service; still. she is something of a
philosopher in her way. and undertook
the case for the experience.
| Her employers were too poor to keep
la servant. so the nurse was obliged to
undertake the mental labor about the
house but the woman seemed so grateful
that she could not find it in her heart to
grumble.
one day, during the woman's GONZALES
/ cence, one of her friends, evidently from
la more prosperous walk of life, came TO
call. The nurse admitted her into the
| sick room and then stole out so that the
! friends could talk privately When. in
her professional capacity. she considered
| that the visit had lasted quite long
| enough, she bent her footsteps TO the
sick room. Pausing outside the threshold,
she caught the words Of her patient in
! drawling accents;
! Yes, the servant problem certainly is
a trying one; but am fortunate in hav-
ing a most superior maid. Yes. the one
who showed you in"
That darkies love high-sounding titles
and long words is a well-known charac-
teristic Of the race, which the following
episode somewhat aptly illustrates:
| A colored couple. fond parents of Il
eomical-looking plckaninny. came into
town to have their newborn baby chris
tened. They wanted TO have a white"
| christening. and so Travelled many miles
| to the places where their parents white
folks" lived and sought the service Of the
young scion OF the family. who had just
been ordained TO the ministry.
''Well, Peyton and Liza. what are you
going TO name the baby?" demanded the
young minister, with all the pulpit
gravity he could summon to impress their
devoted minds George Washington"
Robert Lee" or something like that?"
Deed, now. Marse Gawge," ex-
claimed Liza. showing a mouth full Of
glistening worries. ''YOuall know weaH
doan' want nunerum ole-timey names
like dat. noways."
! Maybe you would like an adapta-
tion from the French, like Gaston-Al-
phonse, or possibly something roman
tically Spanish like Auguste Phil
| ippe"'
| Deed, deyall sound mighty KNOWN
! Marse Gawge. and were fearious dat
maybe our name moughtnt peal to yer
but neberdeless and yit an still, we
think Appendicitis a mighty pretty
| name"
The world is making tremendousi
| progress, so scientists tell US. and our
cooks are keeping up with the world.
| From a mere pittance Of a few dollars
/ given 10 an underfed maid Of all work
| the harried housekeeper of nowadays is
/ glad To go up an ascending scale OF
| prosperity and be thankful If she can
secure a maid at price most stenog-
| raphers would jump at.
| Not long ago a woman who prides
| herself upon her ability to soar above
| the sordid things of everyday life. and
| who cOngratulates herself upon her
| executive ability, went confidently forth
| TO hire a new servant. She inserted
q want ad in the paper for a General
| HOusewOFk" servant, with wages at SI2
| per. No abieet applicants for the place
| swampcd her next mornings mail
! Then she read some of the positions
wanted by reliable. Industrious, honest
&c, and sailed forth 10 make a deal
But, although she left car fare at three
different places and administered a
| solemn oath Of fidelity TO her con-
| tracts, none showed up. IN desperation
but the managers of these institutions
of domestic labor graft laughed
! hauehtily at her dream of securing a
hand maid for general housework at
| S12 a month. Nevertheless, she inter
viewed several applicants for positions,
her last hope being pinned down to a
neat looking colored girl
II doesn't do gne'al housework. nom;
I isn't strong enough for real hahd wuk
noways."
Weakened through defeat. the woman
| hastily assured the girl that she only
wanted a cook, and that the family lived
mostly on predigested breakfast lunch
/ con, and dinner foods. She even came up
10 Sl5 a month as wages. but the hand
maiden merely looked haughtily into
space
| Deed, ma'am, ah couldn't think Oh
wuking out foh no less'n twenty dollahs
a month; fifteen dollahs may be all right
fob a genial housewuk niggah. but us
| culina'y spec lists comes hight"
Any one who has even sent out we'd
ding invitations has experienced the de-
! lightful uncertainty of not knowing until
| the very last moment just how many
| guests to expect According to every rule
of etiquette, recipients Of wedding in
vitations should acknowledge them at
| once, yet many people seemingly wen
| Informed on social laws neglect this very
| important item, and thereby cause deep
anxiety and anguish i'm the minds of those
! who are preparing for the grand event.
| The invitation sent out for the recent
Root-Grant nuptials In Washington con-
tained the four letters "R. s. V. P" in
one corner. Another enterprising bride
didn't hesitate to go further. for, inside