The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1912-06-11

our kindling wood. and it keeps our
yards clean. Indeed. Il living IS
much cheaper and better I han we
had II at home
The Servant Question.
I asked as 10 servants. n the lady
replied:
The servants here are mostly ia
maican negroes. | Keep but one girl
and pay her SIS gold. a month. She
has Thursday afternoon off. but h
must come back home to get dinner,
and she must also stay at home to get
dinner Sunday. Ny girl is an excel
lent cook. and she is cheaper than or
binary. The highest officials have
more servants. and the engineer COM
missioners have about the same kind
of an establishment that such men
would have in the States. They have
their cooks. buffers and chamber
maids. A good Q gets about 20. a
butler SIS and a chanbermaid SIS.
AS to the washing and ironing, that
is often done in the house by the
cook when one has bat two girls and
sometimes by Jamaican negreSses,
who come in and wash and iron for
d dollar a dav. We can also send
our clothes to the government laun-
OYN Ii I1Idl ,oSlS iloI1.
the work is Well done. Another trou-
Bile is the machines cut off the but
tons"
What are your hours for meals ?"
They vary in different houses. The
ordinary meals are three; the first
breakfast is coffee and rolls. This is
served all the way from 5 until 8,
according to the working hours of the
| man. The next meal is a substantial
breakfast. served about II or II, and
then there is a dinner at from 5 to 7.
Most all Of the ladies have afternoon
tea at 3 or 4 o'clock. The usual call
ing hours are from 4 until Z. and
nearly every one is in bed by 10.
Where the Clothes Come From.
One of the troubles of the woman
of the isthmus is to get new clothing.
There are practically no dressmakers
among the Panamanians. n nearly
everything has to De made at home
and sent down. The government
stores have some ready-made things
but these are mostly for men. and
the women must either make their
own clothes or order them from the
States. / know some ladies who dc
this through the professional shop
pers. They send in their measure
ments and he W and Other
things are supplied on approval. The
woman who doe the shopping in tn,
United States gets 10 per cent on al
that she buys, but this commission
comes out Of the merchant.
AS to wash dresses, many Of then
are mad here in the homes. Some
Of the Canal Zone women do sew
ing. n there are a few Jamaica
sewing girls. and one or two native
dressmakers in Panama and Colon
Linen are especially cheap. as Pana
ma h rcrpc = ofjoonv M HufU 11nn,
them, and the same is true Of tn
beautiful grass cloths known as Can
ton linens, which are shipped her
from China and sole by the Chinese
Silks Of all kinds are cheap, and es
pecially silk stockings, shirt waist
and skirts.
I am told that the cost Of a WON
ans clothing is much cheaper a
Panama than at home. and this 70
the reason that h has to provide 70
; only one season. The people wea
: summer clothes the year round, an
: they have no use for tailormade suits
4 furS nor costly garments OF wool.
AS to hats, there is I believe on
> French milliner, but most Of the fan
cy hats come in from the States. TIL
most popular everyday hat is the Pa
, mama or jippi-1appi: pronounce
AZ No"A ~ - I'D 1SAa vi q" OLA
I shipped in from Ecuador. One ca
get a very fair one for SO or 81, where
| as a broad-brimmed Panama, beau
= tifully woven. will cost So, $40 or 81
| and more. All Of these hats ar
d trimmed to suit the taste of the veal
. er. and often by the wearers then
= selves.
AS a rule, the women Of the Istl
y mus dress well. The most of thel
o have clothes which fit, and the
know how to wear them. They hay
@ good wardrobes. and at a ball at til
,, Tivoli Hotel you will see as many fir
dresses and it seems to me more fir
looking women than at a Whit
II House reception. We lave here tt
20 wives and daughters of many arm
officers, and the employees Of II
government here are the best paid
their kind in the world and they a
20 dress in good taste.
.s AmuSementS. Dances and Masquerat
o