The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-03-27
KEEP SMILING GOOD
MOTTO IN MEXICO
So Declares Engshman Who Presents Some Facts About
Revolution Ridden Republic and Its Homes
Servants Beligerant.

and wreathed smiles" a system or
communication is established. a
friend of mine has a capital. Chl-
no." who for a long time could "his
say II do know" This was his re
ply 20 everything that was SAID 10
him.
I IL was necessary to discover from
the way In which he said ii whether
he understood or not one day ms
mistress gave him long Instructors
rs to getting his master up very early
the next morning and giving him his
breakfast so that he might catch a
train at dawn. When she had finish
led the Chinaman said: Good night.
lady" That was all. But he carried
out her instructions exactly.
Woman servants are called "cri-
adas" and wear their hair down, eth
err in tails or falling loose round their
shoulders. They can be framed mo
clever cooks, neat mattresses and
careful hous maids bait 1t is not often
that they ire so trained Much pa
tience is needed. 1t is useless - eX-
pect too much Of them. If they are
scoided or worried they simply Leave
without warning. They must be al
lowed to do their work in more or less
their own way Certain nands nave
TO be checked.
suppose nearly all cooks use their
fingers to test the temperature Of the
soup. Mexican servants practice eE-
en- more unpleasant tricks until they
are taken in hand They are some
times inclined 10 piffer. more from
curiosity | believe, than from thleV-
ing propensity. but it IS libel TO
call them dishonest. as many people
in Mexico do. They have odd ideas
which may make them appear dis
honest when they are not SO.
For instance, woman who washes
for an acquaintance OF mine in Mex
leo City told him one day she was
her and said goodby. a little later
he discovered that his linen press
was short of several shirts, pillow
cases. etc. He also missed sheets.
Naturally, he concluded that the
waherwoman had stolen them.
Three months later she called at his
office and said that she had left the
missing articles at his rooms ana
would he please pay her for them 2
She had taken them to Tolue (.
washed them and Kept them until she
had an opportunity TO bring them
back. Time meant nothing TO her.
Besides he had SO many
That is the kind of mentality one
is frequently up against In Mexico
IL Is useless 10 argue. II IL worse
than useless TO be angry. for the
poor Mexican is simply hewildered.
The only thing to do is to see the
humor OF ii and smile. Smile when
you are told OF some valuable piece
Of china that lat dawn found itself
broken Smile, although You ls1ow
for certain that the coffee and sugar
are supplied regularly 10 your 'cri-
ada 81 relations Even when you are
sued for defamation of character
by servant whom you have had
convicted by the courts of theft
tthis actually happened). smile.
AT the same time. however. look
for negro servants. AS cooks, they are
far better than Cinnamon. and they
keep a house cleaner than Mexicans
ever VIII. They are faithful and you
do not have TO wonder always what
they are thinking about, for they have
not the duplex Asiatic mind. They
have to be paid more, "Criadas' sell
dom earn more than 1920 year and
sometimes as little as $50. But the
change will be worth ehe money
London Mail