Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-10-11
Dividing Work Between
Mistress and Maid
BY ELIZABETH LEE.

Many a young housekteper who can
afford to start with one maid only and
she, as often as not with no more eX-
| pericnce than her mistress, is puzzled
| over the division of labor in the home
that is, if she thinks over the matter at
all
Some newly married women regard the
| installment of help in the kitchen as a
relief on their part from all responsibility
| in household affairs. while. as a matter
| of fact, much greater attention to detail
| is necessary when help is kept than when
the mistress does the work herself.
1t is best to arrange for the breakfast
over night and to see that all the neces-
sary articles for the meal are on hand.
If not then something else can be sub
| stituted. But if this is left till morning
| the average domestic is apt to wait until
the family is ready to be served before
! she announces her predicament. Every
housekeeper i9 apt to run out or to be
| short of something at times, and in this
case there must be a change or perhaps
| makeshift. The only thing is not to
wait until too late. 1t is the duty of
every wife to send her husband away
/ with a substantial breakfast properly,
not hurriedly. prepared.
Of course, homes differ great deal. SO
that only general principles can be laid
down. but the first thing in the morning
the maid will tend or make fires. AS the
case may be, put on water to boil, and
while the breakfast is under way will
tidy the dining room if necessary and lay
the table. The mistress should be in the
kitchen fifteen minutes ahead of the
meal to see everything that is wanted Isl
upon the table. and perhaps to make the
coffee or prepare any particular dish she
fears to trust the maid with. Everything
should be in readiness to serve. 1t is
both annoying and a waste of time to
have the maid coming in and out of the
room. Her time can be better employed
in the bedrooms. She will strip the beds
and put the clothing to air. pick up soiled
linen and straighten generally She may
be able to give the daily dust sweep
to the stairs, supposing the home Is a
house and not an apartment. By the
way. some one once said home was not
home unless it had stairs and a back
door. In that case an apartment cannot
be called home, can it?
After breakfast the maid removes the
dishes to the kachen and the mistress
is expected to pick up around the rooms,
though / suppose ii is more human to
look through the morning paper first.
When the breakfast dishes are washed
ard put away and the kitchen tidied the
meals for the day are considered. Pantry
and iceboX are inspected and all orders
for renewal of groceries, etc, are jOtted
down by the mistress.
Next both mistress and maid will assist
in making the bed of the former the
cleaning being left TO the maid.
The marketing comes next, and while
the mistress is. doing this the maid will
attend to the days routine-washing
ironing, sweeping. the case may be,
and in the preparation of light lunch.
If it is Il busy day the mistress should
serve and remove the dishes from this
meal. be willing to dust. trim lamps and
attend to all necessary light household
duties.
The afternoons are hers to spend in
shopping. recreation or any way she
pleases, but she should be at home at
least an hour before dinner is served.
This will give her ample time to see the
progress Of the preparations for dinner.
also to change her dress and give her
home an air of rest and coi.lfort by the
time the master of the house arrives.
rush and hurry around the evening
meal is most distracting.
When only one maid is kept ii is eX-
pected the members of the family shall
wait upon themselves once the food is
placed upon the table and the dishes
passed once. The maid then can be dish
ing up the next course. So each thing
be served hot. She will, of course.
remove the dishes after each course and
help generally.
The mistress leaves the dining room
with her husband and only enters the
kitchen again the last thing at night to
arrange next mornings breakfast.