The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1910-08-09
The REAL TRUTH ABOUT THE LIFE OF A H0USEMAII
Ann Adams Tells About Her Experience as Second
Girl in a Fashionable Residence-Busy From $50
a. m. to 900 p. m.-Caring for the Poodle-Woman's
Club Ideals VS.. Club Woman s Practice.

ence. and disgrace to the house.
hold. The mistress said so. And
they were not what might be called
a bowling success.
There was war over those butter
balls. My mistress hobby was
trimmings. She cared little for
fundamentals, but she would have
finger bowls and candelabra every
night for dinner. 1t was the same
way with the butter balls, and she
bewailed my incapacity in this re-
spect, while it never entered her
head to find out whether or not
Kept my dish mops and tea towels
sweet smelling and free from
germs.
So l spent all my spare time
even when l was supposed to be en-
tertaining callers - sriously pad
ding littl squares of creamery but
| ter.
l had applied for the situation
! without reference. Mrs.
spent half hour trying to impress
upon me the fact that she never
employed held who could not show
references. but she engaged me be-
cause-well, it was this way:
Il am sure you will look a per.
feet duck in a uniform! My last
maid was so homely that my hus-
band said it kept him awake
nights! You know how to smile
when you open the door? It's quite
the latest thing to have a maid
smile-not too much-but just
little" My mistress-tobe waxed
enthusiastic. "You have no objec-
ton to wearing caps?"
1t made no difference to me
whether or not l had fly-away
piece of lawn pinned on my head
I'VE really have very little to do
and the work is not hard. You
will take care of all the rooms in
the house except the kitchen, and
| shall expect you to dust the
floors along with the furniture
every day. There are only 16
rooms, and the woodwork is all
white enamel, and l simply cannot
tolerate finger marks. OF course,
there will be the beds and the
bathrooms. l have three children,
and they are perfect little cherubs,"
she concluded as the head of a
child whose nature might have
been termed more impish than
cherubic appeared at the door. :
AND the poodle!
"Loo-Loo," continued the lady, is
a darling angel just know you
will o1nrn hnrf Che hos To
for a walk every day-and it will
be nice little run for you, too"
Loo-LoO was the poodle-the an
gel poodle. | took her walking,
looking like a duck" in my uni
form as l escorted the bow-wow
that that impersonated heavenly
being
Mrs. did not really see
enough of her children to know
whether they were cherubs or
imps. They were left entirely to
the care of the governess. But let
angel Loo-Loo" get indigestion
from stuffing herself with oatmeal
and rich cream until her four legs
stuck out like toothpicks in a po-
tato, and her mistress would run
for hot water bottle and tuck her
up in her silklined basket bed
She ended the interview by tell
ing me that she was sure l would
like the place.
Il simply devote myself tol
making my servants happy" she
make the lives about one pleasant,
said. 81 think it is so beautiful to
don't you? We all try to help each
other here. My husband says that
I simply exhaust myself planning
the work"
But had not been in the kitchen
10 minutes until the cook, good |
faced. middle-aged woman, told me
differently
You will run up and down stairs |
to wait on the missus SO times a |
day, said she. Besides serving
the meals, caring for all the silver,
glass and china. answering all tele1 |
phone and door bells. there will be
enough daily cleaning to keep two
women busy"
She was right.
Five breakfasts were served in |
five different rooms every morn |
ing, two luncheons at noon, and |
three dinners at night. My mis- !
tress possessed very creditable |