SERVANTS IN AMERICA.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1661, 13 September 1887, Page 2

SERVANTS IN AMERICA.

(From a correspondent to the " Qaeen.") The way to manage servants m America ia becoming a serious question among families dependent on them If the lady has (he good fortune to secure a good tempered, though perhaps not a thoroughly competent cook, she not infrequently goes to the trouble of teaching her: As a rule, when she becomes versed m the mysteries of roast meats, soups, vegetables, and pastries, ahe will s»y, with an ezasperat. Ing curtaey, when her month la up, »If you please, ma'am, I'll be leaving the day j ' and away she goes to air her recently acquired knowledge of cookery m some neighboring kitchen, while her unsuapeoling las ructor m the culinary art must seek for a snbstituta or employ a caterer, Instead of the mistress managing the servant, it is the servant who manages the mistress, m the majority of cases. A lady who hid spent the summer m the country, leaving a trusted servant m charge of the establishment, found, on her return, that a new le^lme had been established m her absence. New fazes appeared to her an every turn— in the laundry, the chambers, m the kitchen. Her inquiry of the meaning of it all elicited the following from the trusted servant ahe had piuned her faith to for so many years— -" If you please, ma'am, it won't do to be interfering, I've just got the green 'uns settled m, and they don't stand more nor one mistress, so you'd better stay m the parlor, where a foin lady's place is, and I'll come to yez if I wolnts anything ; " and with a eartiey she Bhut the door m no gentle manner, and retired to the kitchen, leaving the lady too much astonished to speak. Another lady who kept threa servants was obliged to answer the doorbell herself, After her visitor had departed she went m quest of them. Two had gone out without permission, and the third was atapified with liqaor on a lounge In the basement. In a suburban village the female servants one and all change their attire about two o'clock m the afternoon and walk out. The side walks are lined with them as they trudge away to the river side, or to a grove at a little distance., where they Bpend the remaining time till five o'olock, discussing the peculiarities of their various mistresies or the incidents that have occurred m their several families. Not a servant remains at home to attend the door or answer a summons, and from two o'olock till five the mistress, her guests, and her family, must wait upon themselves —if they require anything— as best they may . And this ' servant rule ' has existed for several years here. Not a lady dare expostulate or interfere with the afternoon amusement of her servants m any way. In this thing they are united. As one | servant expressed herself, ' If my mistress glta sassy, and raises a row about my afternoons out, I shall leave ; and we are like a flock of sheep going over a wall, if one goes, all go. ' No doubt the mistress realises and accepts the situation, for the servants, dressed In their finest, continue to take iheir afternoon airing. Mrs John Sherwood, the pleasing American writer, calls it 'foolish Republican pride ' which keeps our American girls from accepting the good salaries and healthy employment of the kitchen, and leads them to accept positions m shops and factories where they can earn bat a pittance, with which to board and clothe themselves. A girl, without friends or means of support, was asked by a lady to whom she applied for relief why she did not take a position as chambermaid or waitress m Home nice family. 'Oh I' she replied, ( it is so degrading that I can't think of taking a servant's position. My acquaintances would never notice or speak to me If I were to do that.' That is the feeling that the majority of American girls have regarding domestic employment. They do not yet understand that honest employment can never degrade one who has a good character and reputation to start with and keeps it untarnished.