San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-01-28
House SERVANTS
In Paris Are
Temperamental

faTls, Jan. Zts- 11oW envy S0u
living in Paris" runs a letter from
the States received the other day by
an American lady. you can at least
set servants"
The recipient Of the letter smiled
as she looked back over her year OF
experience with household help in the
Wrench capital
First there was Jeanne, who came
from an employment agency. "The fee
$50 francs" said the agency, rs pald
bv the servant. but the rule is to col
Get il in advance from the employer,
Who is entitled to deduct it from the
wages"
When Jeanne had been there one
heavenly z,onth-she could cook-Mrs.
American was so delighted that she
couldn't hear the thought of deductlng
he so francs from the poor girl S
stipend.
Next morning, Jeanne: II regret
Fery much to give Madame her eight
lays
sWh-what, Jeanne. you're not leav-
ng?'
"Oui, madame"
"But why-what fcr-is anything
rrong?" +,
"Madame has been very good, but l
i'm not accustomed TO working in a
blaze where l am not trusted.
sWhy what an idea Whatever
Nj that into your head?"
.Wen. Madame always does the
marketing herself, and that Is because
he does not trust me.
Violation Of Custom.
Mrs. American knew better than to
nv to hold her, but she did some
linking. and some inquiring among
rer more experienced friends. Said
ne of these:
"Oh, you must never think Of do
ng the marketing yourself. In the
irst place, a cook always makes some
hing by it. It seems dishonest to us,
ut they consider themselves entitled
old custom to pad the bill by one
on in every franc, or five per cent.
then too, the tradesmen with whom
hey deal regularly pay them a little
ommission once in while. A
ronger reason is that they like the
nance to go out every morning, meet
he servants from other households
nd have half an hour of gossip while
baking their purchases. But the
trongest reason of all is that 1t Is
be custom"
So Angelique, Jeanne's successor,
as handed a sum of money every
Forming after breakfast, and presented
tadame each evening with detailed
ccount of her days expenditures, 1t
eemed to cost a good deal more than
hen Madame did the buying herself,
ut she was glad to pay it if it kept
FACE in, the kitchen.
Angelique did not seem to be as
pod q cook as Jeanne, although she
nd been recommended as the, equiva-
mt of Gordon bleu," or diploma-ed
hef. After a week or two Madame
entioned as automatically as possible
be lack of variety in the cuisine.
well, Madame must know" said
ngelique, shat one can't do any
.rious cooking without the proper
tensils. Madame has nothing, abso-
tely nothing, to cook with"
IAN right Angelique, go to the shop
I'd buy what you need"
"oh, c'est pas la peine, Madame,
don't expect to stay very long. I'm
bt used to working with foreigners.
" stay until Madame gets somebody
Sc, il Madame likes"
Wants Te Stay Lifetime
Henriette was next, jewel. After
rec days she said that Madame was
lie incest "patronne" she had ever
prked for. and If Madame would let
Pr, she would stay the rest of her
And I must say, Madame. that I
|n't often take to people. I'm gen.
ally hard to please "
Within a week, Henriette was COM
aiming about her room. Too small,
sufficient light. She had never had
room like that before. The pros
let of losing Henriette was too ter
pie TO contemplate, so Mrs. American
ter consultation with her husband,
cided to offer her an extra spare
|d-roOm, Heretofore used as a sew
room and catch-all.
Henriette lost her temDer for the
st time when this proposal was
oached TO her. She was washing
shes at the time, and didn't stop. but
~ attacked them the more viciously,
ttering and mumbling to herself,
d throwing an occasional phrase over
shoulder to Madame.
"0h. no, par exemple! That! All,
, I've been in service 81 years,
never, never has anybody suggest
to me that l sleep in the part
int. (Servants' rooms are invariably
nched, for all the tenants of an
artment house, on the top floor).
}, no, Madame wouldn't expect such
thing! And when. ] ask myself,
Puld I be chez moi?"
.Henriette really did like Madame,
her fondness was not strong enough
overcome her prejudice against
hnging her habits.