ENGLISH DOMESTIC SERVANTS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 5832, 24 February 1906, Page 11

ENGLISH DOMESTIC SERVANTS.

Only girls of a low order of intelligence (says Madaino Sarah tlrund, m the "Daily Duroiiicle”; can be expected to submit to ilie galling bondage which is imposed upon them in domestic service, badics cent to think that tho flesh and blood of iho young workers upon whom tho whole oiulort of their lives depends is of a dif-

-rent nature from their own. ''Only a servant” and "good enough for a scrant” aro by no means obsolete phrases; md llto girl who has cheerfully toiled, often beyond her strength, the livelong ;ay has to sleep lit night on a lumpy aaltress, not over-clean, amid surroundings anything but calculated to refresh iter. "The dear, delightful dog” downlairs, "the darling.” "mummy’s own act.” is very difierentiy lodged. An intelligent foreman, superintending tho renal of furniture from ono house to another remarked when he came to the servants' bedrooms: “This lady keeps her eorvants. I’ll ho bound.” When asked why ho thought so, he replied: "Because of tho pretty furniture ami the nice, ■lean, comfortable beds. I go all over ho country for my firm, removing furniture. and often in the very hc-t houses Iho discomfort of tho servants’ rooms is a disgrace.” I have talked to numbers of intelligent, nice-minded women about their experiences in service, and have heard many pathetic stories of what they itad to sutler from the want of consideration, the heirtless selfishness, tho injustice, and -von the frauds of the Indies they had to erve. But what cutises tho most general, resentment is tho sacrifice of their libtty, the state of imprisonment which hey alone of all respectable working women aro kept. Um- elderly cook, who had faithfully served in tho family of a country gentlematt for many years, complained bitterly Mtal. she had always to go. like a child, 'o aelj leave of her mistress, and give a reason if sho wanted to go ont for half u hour; and rather than Kit (Ter tho repeated humiliation, she stayed indoors. would have been belter for Iter eut•dovers. as well as for herself, if it had -ecu an understood thing that she should go out as often its possible to recruit in the fresh air after tho bent; anti fatgtic of iter duties, for eventually she broke down; but even this consideration tid not occur to them. They were people who thoroughly understood and expatiat'd much on tho value of fresh air as a restorative, but; they seem to havethought (hat only their own idleness itad -. right, to it, or should have presumed to require it. A young girl, sister o? ono of my maids, came from her first place to slay with ue, nn utter wreck. She hail only icon four months in tho place, but clttrng that time sho had never once been illotvcd to go out. Ladies, sitting in their iishioncd scats in church, when they hear the prayer for tho desolate and oppressed. would do well to think of all the lonely littlo maids in the land, fresh from .ome. pining for their mothers; anxious to give satisfaction,” but filled with apprehension by the harshness visited upon item for tho slightest mistake; seldom-, f ever, ont in the sunshine, or allowed any playtime; often left alone in their ..nson for hours, frightened and deprossj;l; but for the most part uncomplaining, patient and brave, doing their duty to the best of their ability, ami the utmost of their power. In tho matter of having ono manner for tho rich and another for (ho poor mistresses of households aro perhaps the greatest sinners. A lady-who is all smiles and affability to her friends is often habitually rude to her servants. "Wc don’t want to bo deared,” a respectable housekeeper once said; “wo only ask for reasonable politeness. But we’re shouted at for nothing at all. abused like pickpockets for the most trifling mistake, and get no credit for it when wo are doing our best. A mistress who is ladylike all over tho house as well as in the drawingroom doesn’t generally havo anything to complain of.” Servants certainly take on the character of tho household in which they find themselves, and "give back as good ns they got,” both in tho literal and ironical sense of tho phrase. AVo hear constantly from ladies about tbo trouble they have to get servants, and tho trouble they have to keep them when they do get them. The present condition ot domestic, sot vice matte this inevitable. and if there is no change for tho bettor, matters must go from bad to worse, until only the lowest and least intelligent girls will accept the position.. Mistresses themselves are lowering tho standard every day by requiring obedience ot their servants instead of a sense of duly. Obedience induces servility and incompetence; a sense of duly develops tho intelligence and self-respect ol the worker, and results in a proper appreciation of her responsibilities. Domestic service should bo considered ; tine of the highest callings for women workers, as it certainly is one of the most important; and until it is so considered, and tho attitude of "only a sfrvaat” stamped out. tho host class of women workers will not go into service. Jf wc would have capable women in our homes, wo must give them conditions which it trill bo worth their while to accept, and see that the respect accorded to them is in proportion to tho importance of their duties, and tho extent ot their responsibilities in tho various positions of trust which they aro called upon to till.