“GENTLEMEN ARE NO TROUBLE”

Dominion, Volume 18, Issue 97, 19 January 1924, Page 15

“GENTLEMEN ARE NO TROUBLE”

The report of the Houso of Committee to ’inquire into the question of domestic service reminds me that the male members of a household are rarely offenders from the point of view of the domestic worker. “Gentlemen are no trouble” is a favourite remark of housemaids, also of cooks, parlourmaids, and indeed all other women servants! For instance, I say to my housemaid one morning: “Jane, Mr. L is coming on Wednesday for a few days; I want you to, get the spare room ready.” (Arthur L —— is a cousin of my husband’s and has stayed with us before). My housemaid looks pleased. “Yes, ma’am,” she murmurs.

“Oh, Jane,” I say, “I think I’d better send a line to Mrs. Jones” (a charwoman who sometimes “ohligbs” us), “and ask her to come every day to help you and Cook.” “Oh, there’s no need J.,% that, ma’am,” says Jane, “Mr. u—c-~. is no trouble.”

Now, I know for a that Arthur leaves his room in the most hopeless confusion whenever he has finished dressing in the morning or before dinner (writes E.P. in the “Daily Mail”). Clothes are strewn all over the bed and on every chair. Drawers are left open, tables” are littered with cigarette ends, matches, stamps, letters, pencils, ties and collars. Boots and shoes are separated from their trees, and are lying all over the floor. It must take Jane at least half an hour longer to do his room than it takes her to do mine, for instance ;. and no sooner has the room been tidied than IE uecomes just as untidy again. But no matter —“Gentlemen are no trouble I”

If my husband is in bed with a cold, and has to have all his meals carried up on a tray; if ho rings five times during the morning ’for pens and paper, for a book from his smok-ing-room, for a telephone message to be” sent to his office, for an order to be given to his wine merchant, for a note»to be taken to a friend near by, all these things are no trouble! But ... if iny greatest woman friend is staving with us, and I suggest that she should stay in bed the morning after her arrival (as she is over-tired and needs a rest), I find Jane carrying up breakfast to the spare-room with an injured face. Later oh Jane comes to me and asks whether I am thinking of engaging Airs. Jones to-help in the house for a few days as “there is so much to do with a visitor staying here.” The fact is that men very rarely find fault, and on the whole I suppose leave an atmosphere of peace behind them.