The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1913-03-05
HOW SHE
SOLVED 1T
By EDITH V. ROSS

THE servant question: remarked
irs. Tidball to Mrs. Strathmore
Talk about the cost of living! It's
not to be spoken of in the same breath
as the servant question. And the
trusts! What do 1 care about their
extortion when l can't get a servant
without paying her double what used
to pay? And she won't stay with me
anyway
Its the universal experience" re-
piled Mrs. Strathmore. Pm having
the same trouble"
when | found l couldn't use white
or black servants" continued Mrs. It'd
ball, Il thought I'd try yellow. So l
got Chinese cook, who was highly
recommended by the employment
agent who sent. him to me. | 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 $25 a month,
with as good food as the market af-
lords, Notwithstanding roast beef is
worth nearly its weight in gold. But
found that he had come over to make
money in order that he might go back
nome to feed on the more EXPENSIVE
diet of kittens, and nothing but his
wages in dollars and cents counted
with him. What do you suppose he
did when l paid him his first wages /?
Why, he said l had agreed to pay him
$50 a month, and when l demurred.
although the dinner was to be pre-
pared, he said: Belly good | go to
mother place where l get $780,"
How provokingw sympathized Mrs.
Strathmore.
We'll, there wasn't any use to begin
back where | had started with white
help and run through the races to the
Ch1nese, so | must stick to the yellow.
L determined to fight it out on this
line if 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
dove, though not the same color.
He went into the kitchen, cooked an
excellent dinner, asked me for a 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 miserable creaturer' put in
the listener to the tale of Woe
II was obliged to make a fire nv
self and get breakfast. Luckily | had
learned to cook before l was married.
my daughter shall learn to cook if
worth a million-and l got up a break
fast which had paid the Chinaman TO
get. l thought that it would be better
to keep on getting it myself without
paying some one else to do it for me,
but my husband objected, and, since
hadn't yet got through with the vel
low peril, l called on the employment
man for another cook. He didn't say
anything, but he looked surly, and /
knew we'll enough he was thinking
that l didn't treat my servants kindly
But / Smothered my anger and paid for
another servant.
This one remained with me two
days, got up excellent meals, and l
was congratulating myself that at last
second day, he paralyzed me by Civ
ing me notice that he was going to
leave me-
For heavens sake 1 exclaimed,
why do you go? Why does every
Chinaman who is sent me go?
He hesitated, and urged him. Fl
nally he said:
You no pay Chinaman.'
Don't pay? The last man | had
advanced his wages, and he left me
without even working out what | had
paid him.
1.-THE man shrugged his shoulders.
Tell me why you think don't pay
my servants their wages?' urged.
He went to the kitchen table, turn
ed 1t upside down, and there on the
lower side of the boards in red chalk
were Chinese characters.
1" How did they come there? I ask
ed. What do they meanT
You no pay Chinaman. He write
that to tell other Chinamen,' was the
reply.
"A light broke in upon my stupid
brain. l had engaged Chinaman to
work for me, thinking the Chinese in
nocent of the ways of western sery-
ants, and. behold, he had gone far be-
yond them in shrewdness! He had de-
manded more than had agreed to pay
and. when l refused him, not only left
me with the dinner uncooked, but left
behind him a false statement.
Translate it. said.
This lady belly bad. She no pay
wages
After arguing with the man a long
while induced him to remain with me
on condition that 1 pay daily, but he
was satisfied that the swindling was
on the other side and preferred to get
his wages at the end of the month.
But when he was advised by friend
that he could get more at another place