MISTRESS AND MAID IN JAPAN.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXV, Issue 21, 26 January 1903, Page 3

MISTRESS AND MAID IN JAPAN.

The etiquette between mistress and maid in Japanese households is different from the etiquette of the Wes\ Apparntly there is no such thing as giving a month's notice in Japan. Wlun a servant wishes to leave a family she rarely goes to her mistrals and stages that she is dissatisfied with her position and t hat some better chance has been : flered her. This is thought to be a vtry rude way of having service. The high-minded maid will preceed very differently. A few days' leivo if absence to visit home will bi askfd and usually granted, for Japanese servants never have any settled time to take holiday. At thi end of the given time the mi&trets wid begit to wonder what has become of the girl, who has failed o return. Just when she has a shs»rp reproof ready a messenger or letter will arrive, with some good excuse, couched in most polite and humble terms. Sometimes it will be tbat she has found her6elf too weak for service, r r that work at Irm®, or the illness of some member of the family, detains her, so t'-iat she is not able to come back at prafeut. The excuse is unders'ood, and accepted as final, and anither Servant is sought for and obtained. After several weeks have, passed, vtry likely after entering a new place, the old servant will tura up some day, <xpress her thanks for all past kindness s and regret* at not returning in lime, will take her pay and her bundl s, ar.d disappeir ft ever. Even when s rvants come on trial for a few d <ys, th y of en go away nominally to fetch their beLngiigs, or m<tke arraßsements to return ; but the lady of the house does not know whether the womaa id gacisfi d or not. If the mistress, on her side, does not wish to hire the girl, sbe will not tell her bo to her face, but will send word, to prevent her from returning. lu Japan any discomfort is to ba endured rather than the slightest siissuspicion of bad manners.