Holiday Tribulations.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 934, 24 January 1890, Page 4

Holiday Tribulations.

1 Oh, these holidays !’ sighs many a house, wife, ‘how they do imeiLre with the domestic routine. We have quite as much cause of complaint as have our husbands over the iut rft-ronce with their business.’ To many a househo <1 the Christmas holidays proved anything bub a blessing, and many a moan was made by troubled- mothe s who hardly knew how they should get through with the work without the. ht-lp of Mary the maid, that young person, in common with

a number of other ‘ j'onng ladies,’ having elected to take a month or >ix weeks holiday at Christmas, the very busiest time in a family. There was no question of con venience or inconvenience so far as the mistress was concerned. The maid simply t die the matter in her own hands and calmly avowed her intention of going, If her employer chose to wait for her return, well and good ; if not, it made no difference. And then the anxious housemother seeks fresh help, knowing full well that thi3 is just the very worst time of year to get it • for if girls arc out- of situations they will assuredly rerqain out until the fostive season is over. ’Tis true advertisements bring forth replies, but what are they ?—incompetent, inexperienced applicants who are prep ired to make their own terms and take advantage of the exigencies of the position. Jmt such a mis fortune befel a friend of my own lately, and it may amuse you to hear of her difficulties, for though doubtless you had sorpe f your own, there is always a pertain amount of pleasure derivable from hearing of the troubles of other folks, at east a famous wit

so says. Well, ipy friend being burdened with many cares felt compelled, in her fear of getting no servant, to rqgage tho first applicant, «ho was all smile-, and though she had no written iefeivooos, the very best character could lie obtained from a latp employer, The bargain concluded q.nd the lad,- (i 1 was at oapp, for was not 3, girl cum ng soon V tjh * did umqp soon, sooulp than vtas expected. Tu legs than >us hour hack she oftine with tit > airy announcement. ! Oh ! sine j I ivm here l*va engage i with Mrs down the stre.-t.’ N > reply could he made to this piece of effrontery, By-and bye No, 2 appeared upon the scene with a passable character from the mistress

whom ohe had loft because the family was twice as large sb my friend’s. The maid agreed to commence her duties on tho morrow. Punctually she arrived and was shown her bedroom, with which she was kind enough to express satisfaction. Down to her domain she was ushered, and the various conveniences pointed out with pride. After surveying everything around she quietly said, ’Very nice, but I’m no: going to stay ; the house L too big.’ In vain did the mistress protean that the family wan so small and That there was really less work in large rooms than in small ones. Fifteen minutes from her entry she had quitted the house, too afraid of wort to risk a trial. Once more did the advertisement appear, and it fetched a wild looking young woman with extremely mobile features, or in plainer words St Vitus dance apparently. By this timo my poor friend was almost worn out, and ready to take anybody likely to do at least some of the rough work, so regardless of consequences the young person was engaged t\o come the following morning. Imagine her despair when the hour arrived but not the persony whop however,uput in an hppeararice later on, but only to tay exasperatingly that she ‘ couldn’t come for a wee whilie.’ Another period of slaving on, then a fourth engagement was made, and this timo successfully so far as residence and partial help -goes: Now in each of these cases the girls demanded the highest current wages and they were conceded; with any amount of liberty ; yet these tricks were played and fchete was' no redress’. If my • friend' •' had hfter engagement changed her mihd a week’s wages would have been demanded and tightly So; but no matter what iacont Venience and vexation are caused by Pom fulfilled agreements, 'delays,' and expense df re-advertising,' the’ employer must bear it all, and -have* no satisfaction Whatever. I wonder would it’not be-practicable to kava certain' rules’by which servants should be bound as well as employers , and punishment indictable on g s rls who break their engagements. How to 'get at them is The difficulty, which, however, might be surrqounted by co-operation. In these days of unions, why should there not bp a mistresses’ league? There no

doubt we are in a measure at the mercy of our servants ; we arc tho dependents, not they. What a contrast domestic service in Ireland presents. Hero is a bona tide advertisement printed in the Freeman’s Journal, Dublin : ‘ Wanted, humble country woman to do housework, two in family ; must be sober and strictly houest ; all found and wage.-, £1 a year.’ Observe the rate of wage and note the necessity of humility. No doubt there were found women willing to enter that situation, far more willing than to emigrate to a colony that would afford wages that would mean liches to such poor unsophisticated si-uls. I wish that more good respectable, hardworking women understood what a chance there is for them in a colonial kitchen.

Thera are any number of capable young women trying to earn bread in some overstocked fi dd of so-ca led * genteel ’ labour who would bo mu :h happier if they would relingnish fal-e pride and seek a home in a family where by faithful • ervice and pleasant onanerj, they might soon win a lirm footing aa a humble friend; loved and respected. ■ he experieno a above related are far from unique. Some of ray readers could in all probability cap the story with a atill more interesting one ; while of this 1 am Mire, there art; fovv mistresses in she district who have been spayed tlie tyqmeij and vexations consequent upon a change of domestics. I fancy that the increasing friction -and multiplying difficulties must lead to some small revolution in our mode of living, or style of our residences. Bat we will talk of this 1 another rime—it is too mighty a subject for the present. Elise.