The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1916-01-29
The FRENCH HOME
There the Servant Is Like a Men,
Der of the Family.
IMPORTANCE OF THE NURSE.
She Is the Real and Rational Ruler Of
the Turbulent Children Who, as a
General Rule. Are Spoiled by Their
Too lnduioent Parents.


Too InduIoent Parents.
The French people have not, so far.
produced spiritually servile class.
The occupation most dangerous 10 the
soul-that or personal service-has not
resulted for the people OF France In
nunkyism on the one hand and SUI
perior airs on the other.
There Is something in the poise and
motion OF French working girls, in
their fearless eyes and vibrant voices
that suggests a fluid and mobile social
structure which deepens the impress
sion OF rigldity I'm the life across the
channel and beyond the Rhine. French
people OF the more favored classes arc
never heard bemoaning the decay OF a
proper" servant class On the con
trary, If you speak 10 them OF the
striking contrast between the French
proletariat and that OF other countries
theirs SO natural and gay, the others
so humble or SO sullen or both-they
instantly expand with pride. Exact
ly!" they exclaim. ''0ur brave French
people! Just as good as monsieur, as
madame. but also no better!'
The status OF the French domestic
derives in part at least from the weight
OF responsibility under which she
serves. For her mistress is neither a
careless housekeeper nor an Indifferent
mother 1t Is precisely because the
Frenchwoman loves her children SO ar
IDENTIFY, so romantically, one might say.
and because her quick, intelligent grasp
OF material situations makes her an
excellent economist at home that she
requires and establishes In the house
hold not a common servant, not a
mothers helper" but woman OF In
telligence and character, a woman oft
en- young and untried, but with the
true ring who is or soon becomes ca
pable OF assuming direct responsibility
for the care OF the children and the
house-a woman who deserves and re-
ceiyes the consideration due to the
head OF an important department I'm
the management OF the family life
French children are VIGOROUSLY spoil
ed. The little monarchs are kept on
pedestal we'll into the age OF moral re-
sponsIbiity. Father, mother, all the
older relatives, vie with one another In
admiring and INDUCING them. With
this understanding OF the term and
scope OF the chlld's autocratlc reign,
one can afford TO laugh at turbulent
scenes in which he puts to rout every
adult I'm the house except his bonnie.
At the mere sight Of her the little des-
perado begins 10 quiet down. He is In
the presence OF the only person who
has. SO far, exercised any rational au-
thority oyer him. the person before
whom he feels the beginnings OF shame
az doing wrong.
The bonnie is the most important per
son In the family group. SO far as It's
material well being Is concerned. And
morally. spiritually. she Is true mem
Der OF the family. IL is not for nothing
that the word "bonne" means good
MS well as nurse"
IL may be that the prevailing good
relation between masters and servants
IN France has very simple cyIdana
tion-simple aud yet profound = may
be that IL springs nj hott1n the
warm affections Of the pe, rlieA
cannot live without love alli senti
ment Better than any other people
they know how TO keep uliyc the 20
nance Of friendship, Of love and even
OF that inherently bad relation. master
and slave.
The French servant who has no fam
lily ties--and often the one who has
throws her whole heart and soul into
the family life or her master and mis-
tress
She must loye-she must rye-she
must be loved And the French master
and mistress understand. Each one
idealIzes the sentiments OF the other.
In word. the romance OF the situa.
ton grips them all. French literature
IL crowded with examples or mistress
and servant whose intimacy shows no
trace OF condescenslon on the one side
or OF servilty on the othcrs.-J Fran
ces Cooke IN New Republic