The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1913-05-02
HOW SHE
SOLVED IT
Q, EDITH '. ROSS

III II SEFA. tN Ill
The servant question:" remarked
Mrs. T1dball to Mrs. strathmore.
Talk stout the cost Of living! It's
not to be spoken OF in the same breath
as the servant question. And the
trusts! What. do l care about their
.extortion when I can't get a servant
without paying her double what l used
to pay? And she won't stay with me
anyway!"t !.
Its the universal experience" re-
piled Mrs. Strathmore. I'm having
the same trouble"
when I found 1 couldn't use white
black servants" continued Mrs. It'd
ball. II thought I'D try yellow. So l
got a Chinese cook. who was highly
recommended by the employment
agent who sent him to me. l thought
that. coming from the Celestial king
dom far away on the other side of the
globe. where his class are very poor
and must live on mice and such things.
he would be In clover at SIS a month.
with as good food as the market af-
fords, Notwithstanding roast beef Is
worth nearly its weight In gold. But
l found that he had come owe to make
money in order that he might W back
home to feed on the expensive
diet of kittens. and nothing but his
wages 10 dollars and cents counted
with him. What do you suppose he
did when l paid him his 6rst wages?
Why, he said ! had agreed to pay him
$50 q month. and when l demurred.
although the dinner al to be pre-.
pared, he said: Belly good. I 60 to
mother place where l get $50.'"
"How provoking!" sympathized Mira.
Strathmore.
well. there wasn't any 8 to begin
back where / had started with white
help and run through the races to the
Chinese. so l must stick to the yellow.
l determined to fight 1t out on this
line IL 1t takes all summer and told
the employment agent to send me an
other Chinaman. He sent me a mild
eyed man, who looked as innocent as
a dove. though not the same color.
He went into the kitchen. cooked an
excellent dinner, asked me for q small
advance on his wages, which l was
silly enough to give him. and the next
morning, not hearing sounds below,
went downstairs and found the fire
gone out in the kitchen and not a sign
Of breakfast. My man had departed
with his advanced pay"
What a miserable creature!!" put In
the listener to the tale. of woe
II was obliged to make a fire my
self and get breakfast. Luckily I had
learned to cook before l was married
my daughter shall learn to cook II
worth a million-and ! got up a break
fast which I had paid the Chinaman te
get. i thought that It would be better
to, keep on getting 1t myself withou,
paying some one else to do 1t for me
but my husband objected. and, since
II hadn't yet got through with the vel
low peril. I called on the employment
man for another cook. He didn't say
anything. but he looked surly, and ]
knew well enough be was thinking
that I didn't=treat my servants kindly
But I smothered my anger and paid foi
another servant.
.sThis one remained with me two
days. got up excellent meals. and !
was congratulating myself that at last
4 had foundsag treasure when, on the
second day. he paralyzed me by Civ
ing me notice that he was going to
leave me.
"'For heavens sake I exclaimed,
why. do you GOT Why does every
SChinaman who ID sent me g0?.
.He hesitated. and I urged him. Fl
said:
sYou mo- pey Chinamans,
!. s.Don't ps1f The last man bad
advanced his. wages. and he left me
without even working out what had
paid him:
.sThe man shrugged his shoulders. =
I. Tell me why you think ! don't pay
my servants their. wages?' ! urged.
He went to. the kitchen table. turn
ia Il upside down, and there on the
lower side Of the boards in red chalk
were; Chinese Character.
ssHow did they come thefe?' ask
Fsd. what do thay meant
..s.You no pay. Chdnaman. He WRIT
that 10 toll other Chinamen.' was tht
Is nsht ,broke, II uponSmy stupid
shrain NJ nd amazed agChinamau Il