Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-11-07
WOMANS DULL LIFE IN INDIA
SERVANT PROBLEM PERPLEX-
ING IN THAT FAR LAND.
Plenty Of Work to Keep the House
hold neutrality-suspicious. Social
Duties-Tiffin and "Chits."
From London NJ. A. r.

From London NJ. A. p.
Many an English girl goes out to India
to marry or to keep house for father or
brother, imagining that she is going to
lead q life of dolce far niente, free from
all the minor worries and anxieties Of the
average English lady's life at home. Dis
illusionment quickly comes, and comes.
Just when the Mem-Sahib is feeling more
than a little homesick and altogether
helpless Some girls never recover from
the shock, and detest India to the end,
but the majority after a passing tear or
two, settle down to face the peculiar and
very real burdens OF life as a Mem-Sahib.
1t is difficult to convince the untraveled
Englishwoman that her Anglo-Indian SIS
ters existence Is not one of unalloyed
delight and ease. Whenever / hint at
this much, I am met with the retort, "Oh,
but you have crowds of servants. and no
domestic worries of that kind out there"
Ny listener seems to think that that ar
gument is irrefutable; there is no "serv-
ant problem in India, therefore, you
must be happy. Wei. in the old days this
may have been SO; but the modern serv-
ant is not as a rule the treasure" that
his forerunners are said to have been,
That feeling of independence, and that
jill is good her mistress, which
makes housekeeping at home so difficu.t,
is pervading India, and while the Mem
Sahih has many servants-from twelve
to twenty in an average househoId-their
number merely adds TO her domestic
cares.
Household Management
Sometimes she may be lucky enough to
get a major -domo of the old type, who
the Mem-Sahib of many irksome duties;
hrf no ic oil
and the modern butler. as he is called
In Bombay, or bearer. as he STYLED
in the north. is as rule incapable of
assuming authority. still less of under
standing the meaning of the word respon-
sibility. The Mem Sahib. then. has to see
"long, long Indian day of the song is
barely long enough for her IL she is to
keep the dish upright and the domestic
machinery in good working order.
Six O'Clock in the morning finds her TAX
Ing that riding or walking exercise which
is her physical and. indeed. general SAL
walton. After breakfast her tour of wea-
rsome duty begins in earnest. | say
wearisome because the climate makes al
most any work burdensome and exhaust
ing to a degree. But she cannot escape
the domestic treadmill. While she was
out for exercise the servants were sup
posed TO have done" the house. but as
a rule the process has been all suppo-
sition, and in the end she has to stand
over the delinquents and see them do the
work they have carefully shirked. This
pantOmime is repeated every day. sup
pose it is the climate.
Entertainment of Guests.
BY noon the Mem-Sahib must be ready
TO receive visitors. Il to being the usual
calling hours in India. Visitors may be
something OF a trial, especially when. for
example. a new regiment has arrived at
the station and you find your drawing
room invaded by half a dozen very pink
and-white and very nervous subaIterns.
whose names YOU don't know and can't
catch. and who are more or less obviously
sacrificing themselves on the altar of
reginental and social duty Anyway by
2 pm. the Mem-Sahib is usually quite
ready for tiffin. after which II she is
wise, she will take siesta. The siesta,
| however, is liable TO interruption es-
pecially " she be weak -mnded.
| The atrocious custom OF ''chits" (notes
or messages sent by hand) is the great
enemy Of the Mem Sahib's well-earned
and most necessary afternoon rest. Some
people seem to have little else to do than
to worry other people with unnecessary
notes which they dash off the least
provocation. You are just sinking into a
delicious slumber when a chit" arrives
! from Mrs. JOnes-Can you tell her the