The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1913-05-09
New Phase Of the
Servant Question
By U 3. CUMMINGS

By LOUISE 3. CUMMINGS
Two convicts sat together In u prison
yard summing themselves and smoking
their pipes. Other prisoners were either
Iounging about or taking exercise walk
ing to and fro, while the guards kept
an eye out for all to make sure that
they were not getting together In one
or more groups. The two men smoking
together, though they had no acquaint-
ance. opened conversation in the usual
way.
"What are you here for?" asked one.
1.-THE servant question"
"What's the servant question got to
do with yer bein' within walls?"
"Oh, it's a long story; but, SEEM
we've nothing better to do, I don't
mind tellin' it to YOU"
"Go on" +,
give always made It a rule to work
through servants. ! a get ad-
vantages by takin' 'em in to a deal
than in any other way. They make
It dead easy for a Teller. The easiest
job l ever got was this way. l was
walkin' along a street in a suburban
town, where the houses wasn't too
near together, lookin' for a job. when
I come to q decent lookin' house-not
too fine, for In the finest they have
safes: nor too poor l0okin. for in them
kind they don't have nothin' to put in
safes; but the middle kind, where they
have good things. but not so valuable
that they keep 'em out O. the way-as
I was sayin, l come to a house Of the
middle kind and. goin' around to the
back door. knocked and asked the
maid If there was any old clothes In
the house they didn't want. I was out
Of a job and would be glad of any
thing l could get.
"She looked at me, and, says she:
You don't want any old clothes. You're
lookin' for a job, but not the ordinary
kind Of a job-one with more profit in
It than doin'- odd Jobs at 20 cents an
hour.
"She looked at me kind Of KNOWN
and l twigged right off. 4 wouldn't
mind a pard,' I says, and she asked
me what l meant and l says halves
That's fair she says. When do you
want to begin work?' Il always work
at night I says. when other people Is
sleepin'.'
well. ] made a deal with her right
of. and ! was to do the job the next
night. The maid was goin' to have
friends to dinner then. and she was
always expected to put away the sill
YER. the best bein' brought on on swell
occasions. took to that idee and
pulled out 4 flyer to bind the bargain.
After takin' my instructions how to git
in and what to do next i goes away.
1.-THE next night about II o'clock I
went to the house. and they was jist
putin. out the lights. A cop went by
slingin' his night stick. so ! waited till
he'd put a block or two between me
and him: then I went into the back
yard and sat down In a dark place for
half IN hour. givin' 'em time to get to
sleep. The maid had left n stepladder
outside. cause 1t vas a basement
house, and~I was to git in at a hack
kitchen winder on the main floor.
II put off the job till I felt that all
that was goin' to sleep had gone there:
then I puts the stepladder agin the
wall and goes up to the winder. 1t
went up as slick as II 1t had been
grensed. and. feelin'. I found the maid
had soaped 1t. This made me feel sure
she wasn't trickin' me and was doin'
everything to help me on. I got down
to the floor inside and follered the di-
rection she'd given me. passin' from
the dinin' room into the pantry, where
the maid said she was goin' to leave
the silver. tei4in' her mistress the next
mornln' shed forgot to take 1t to her
room. where she kept 1t nights. SO she
wouldn't have to. waken any one by
gittin' It in the mornin'.
II got into the pantry all right and
was feelin' for the swag when an
electric went up. and there stood a cop
Mt each Of the pantry doors. They had
me cooped up. and was covered by
both of 'em Mt the same time.
"4t-was NIL up with me. of course.
They clapped the bracelets on. me and
took me out into the hall. All the
lights was turned up, and downstairs
I saw the gentleman Of the house COM
in. with the maid behind him. only
they all was dressed in their regular
clothes. ] was all broke up by seem
the maid. dressed like a lady.
".Well,. said the gentleman to his
wife. this dom your own homework
Ii a savin' IN, more ways than III
isn't It mydear? There's q thousand
dollars worth OF property. held OF to
by yonr befn' maid md cook and all
the other servants, and I'll put half Of
iit Into q brooch for you Then, turn
In to, thefcops. he said to 'em: "A year
ago.2when weIwas spendin' a thousand
dollars q year for servants, we lost
5000 more In one night. Luckily my
wife likes homework. isn't literary.
don't write papers for woman's clubs
and issa profitable woman to have In
the house.
..Then he list takes her in his arms,