Evening star., 1937-01-03
Moooziss Section

she is also to spend most Of her hours
OF leisure.
According to modern usage. a maids
uniform as well as her aprons, and
collars and cuffs are furnished by her
employer. For morning. in perfectly
appointed house. she wears a cotton
dress, either white or colored. and a
big apron with bib. And although
long sleeves are conventionally correct,
those of elbow length are 50 much
more practical that it is unreasonable
to object to them. As a matter of fact,
neat elbow sleeves look better than
rumpled long ones. pulled down. to
wait on table as we'll as 60 to the
door!
1t is my personal opinion that in a
simple house it is also in good taste -
because suitable - that her uniform
for afternoon and evening have three
quarter sleeves with cuffs below the
elbow. On the other hand, in a house
where there is cook and the waitress
neither works at the range nor does
cleaning work. afternoon uniforms
should have long sleeves. Where the
family is very small and the maids
schedule permits her finishing all
heavy work before serving the mid
day meal, she changes for this meal
into her afternoon dress.
This dress is usually of alpaca or
crepe de chine or artificial silk, with
a small thin apron. and cuffs and
collar. In the average house where it
is not practical that she dress at such
an early hour. it is necessary that she
wait on table in her morning clothes.
And now to say something about
the heart of the whole domestic prob
lem: The personal adjustment be-
tween the lady Of the house and the
one - or many - whom she employs.
think we all have certain neighbors
whose houses suggest the smoothness,
the tranquility. and the beauty of a
sun-dappled mountain brook. And We
can also name others who live in a
storm center of perpetual upheaval.
We know, too. that wealth is not the
important factor.
Selma at the Joneses and the whole
staff of the Oldnames not only like
their jobs but plainly like their en-
ployers. while the procession Of cooks
goes increasingly on at the Flashpans.
Selma's position is by no means an
easy one, and yet she has three times
put off her wedding because she can
not quite bring herself to leave the
Jones family. At the Oldnames, though
the relationship between employers
and employees is almost as impersonal
as that between the privates and the
officers in a regiment. the spirit of
contentment is much the same.
If we attempt to analyze the spirit
pervading these and all other houses
like them, l think it will be found in
the understanding and fairness that is.
shown on both sides. Proper pride
on the part Of every high-minded
employee, whether in Office or factory
or domestic service, exacts of herself
that she give fair value for wages re-
ceived. On the other side. the obliga-
ton of the lady of the house is OBJ
viously intensified since each of her
employees lives, for however many
months or years it may be, under con-
ditions which are happy or miserable,
developing or blighting. according to
the character and personality that she
and the other members of her family
instinotively show.
If she is human in her understand
ing; If she is fair in what she exacts;
If she is just in her point of view, and
if. being herself kind and equitable,
she naturally believes that those who
serve her have the same traits - the
chances are very, very small that
housekeeping difficulties" will ever
be hers!
Copyright. 1897. by Emily Post .