The brushing the carpet, and removing and rubbing the furniture, are not in general required to be done more than once a week; but as every day cleaning the grate, making the bed, wiping everything on the washhand-stand, and dusting everything in the room, are necessary, most of this work will have to be done in the early part of the forenoon, for probably before one chamber even is finished, the housemaid will be rung for to take away the breakfast-things. The urn is the first thing to be removed, then the plates, put one above another, the cups and saucers, knives, forks, and every other article collected together with the least possible noise, should be carried away on a large tray, taking care not to put more on at one time than it can safely hold, for it is painful to see the way in which some servants load the breakfast-tray so as to clear the table of everything at once, decidedly indicating that they would rather risk the wholebeing broken, than have the trouble of returning to the room a second time. On removing the cloth, any crumbs which may have fallen on the carpet, should be swept into the dust-pan with a small brush, kept in a corner of the room for that purpose; the carpet should never on any account be touched with the hearth-brush; a most slovenly practice, and all from a miserable saving of trouble, for if no second brush be kept in the room for this purpose, the time which it will take the housemaid to fetch her own carpet-brush, will be short compared to that which she must bestow on brushing the carpet again and again with tea-leaves, to get rid of the dust and soil which it has contracted during a week of improper management. It is not cleaning a room once a week, and giving to it little time and trouble, that will give it a clean, fresh appearance; it is attention in doing a little daily, and in doing that little in a proper manner. A carpet had better not be brushed at all, than touched with a dirty brush, and the chintz covers are less injured even by the dust lying upon them, than by having it rubbed off with a soiled duster, which may have been used the moment before in rubbing the furniture, or in wiping the fire-irons. The crumbs having been swept away, fresh coalshould be put on the fire, and the hearth-brush used in sweeping in the hearth before the maid leaves the room.
Having shaken the breakfast cloth, folded it in exactly the same folds as it had at first, and put it into the napkin press, she will next proceed to have her own breakfast, and that being finished, she will put away the tea-leaves into a jar kept for that purpose, and having put aside the bread, butter, milk, &c., which may remain, into their proper places, she will carefully wash the plates, cups, saucers, &c., &c., in a large wooden bowl, and with warm water—the vessel for washing either china or crystal should always be of wood, as it is much less liable to chip the articles, and the water used should be warm, but by no means at boiling heat, or accidents are sure to happen, particularly in winter, when there is frost in the air, as glass or china are then more easily cracked: many a beautiful crystal butter-dish has been cracked by being hastily plunged into hot water, and even a far less degree of heat will crack either crystal or china, if warm water is poured upon it, while standing on any cold surface. The warm water is required for the butter-dish; crystal in general should always be washed in cold water, as glass is made to look much clearer by being washed in cold water.So if any glasses have been used the night before, let them now be washed in cold water, and well rubbed up with a glass cloth, till they look quite clear. The tea-spoons, cups, saucers, and milk-jug, come next to be washed in warm water, and lastly, the silver forks, plates, and butter-dish; by this arrangement the articles not greasy will not be dimmed by those that are; the knives should be put aside in a knife-box, to be taken away by the person who is to clean them, and the tray, after being washed over, and well rubbed up, should be placed in the butler’s pantry, with its face to the wall, and each tea-cup hung up on a nail, with the saucers ranged below on shelves for the purpose; every article should be put in its place, that all may be out of the way of breakage, and ready when again wanted; it is scarcely necessary to add that the linen cloths, used for drying the cups, glasses, &c., should be perfectly clean.
The work still to be done above stairs should next be attended to and completed, and the chamber candlesticks brought down to be cleaned, and the lamps for the sitting rooms to be trimmed and filled with fresh oil: this should be done in a tidy manner, the drawer for the ends of candles should be lined with coarse brown paper, which will require to be frequentlychanged, and a large sheet of brown paper spread on a small table for the lamps and candlesticks to stand upon. It is a dirty practice to clean the candlesticks on the kitchen dresser (as is sometimes done), for even if the paper be spread beneath them, particles of tallow may be left on the dresser, which are not perceived, and may be mixed with the food preparing for dinner; it is also an exceedingly bad practice to place the candlesticks on the upper bar of the kitchen-grate to melt the tallow; a most disagreeable smell is raised in the house by the tallow dropping into the fire, and the japan of the candlestick is often injured by the heat. The knife kept for scraping the candles should be wiped with a bit of paper each time it is used, and put back instantly into the candle-drawer, and the oil-can also wiped. Great care should be taken in cleaning the lamp: if all the passages are not quite clear, so that the air can pass through, it cannot burn well. There is now a small instrument sold with the lamps which is of great assistance in freeing them from the coagulated oil and dust, and renders the necessity of washing them less frequent; when they do require to be washed, it must be done with boiling water and soda mixed in it, then all the parts rinsed quite clean in a second water, also very hot, and thelamp put down before the fire for some hours before it is filled with oil, so that all the parts inside may be perfectly dry; if there is the least remains of the soda or of water in the lamp, it will burn dim. Attention also is required in filling it quite full; a lamp often, after some hours, begins to burn quite dim for want of sufficient oil, yet the servant declares it cannot be for this reason, as she filled it completely. An air-bubble often rises in pouring in the oil, which gives the appearance of its being full, and deceives them—they must wait for a moment till this subsides, and then continue gently to pour in the oil till it is quite full. It is not necessary to pour out any oil which may remain from the night before; it is only required to fill it up; and if in winter, the lamp should be put down near a fire for some time before it is brought into the room, as the oil congeals in cold weather, which also prevents its burning bright. Pay particular attention in cutting the wick quite smooth all round with a pair of lamp-scissors: if it is ragged or cut uneven, the light is flickering and uncertain—the wick should be very little raised when the lamp is first lighted, and turned higher up a few minutes after, and by slow degrees; if it is raised high at first, besides the risk of cracking not only the chimney of the lamp, but the shadeitself by a sudden flame; it never burns so bright again when turned down, as when slowly raised to the proper height. The chimney should each day be cleaned and made bright as a mirror—if smoked or dirty, the light can never be clear; the shade should be washed once a week with soap and water, and during the day it is well to have the lamp covered over with a paper cap, or a towel put over it, as the dust flying into the works makes it difficult to clean. It is not easy to convince servants that attending to those little things which they may think trifles, saves a great deal of time in the end. If much dust is allowed to fly in from day to day, washing with soda and boiling water will not be sufficient, the works of the lamp will require to be boiled before it can be made perfectly clean.
When candles are required in the sitting-rooms, in addition to the lamp, let the candlesticks be properly cleaned, and fresh candles set in them, and the shorter pieces made use of for the bed-rooms; where wax-candles are not used, see that the snuffers for the different candlesticks are completely emptied and carefully wiped, and that there is a pair of snuffers for each bed-room candlestick, as well as for each sitting-room. The lights being thus prepared for night, and the work in the different rooms finished, if it is notsweeping-day, the housemaid will still have some time for needlework before laying the cloth for dinner. Before sitting down to work, she will of course wash her face and hands, change her working-dress for a gown with long sleeves, a white apron instead of a coloured one, and a tidy modest-looking bobbin-net cap, coming close to the face, and tied with a ribbon of some quiet colour; nothing is more unbecoming in her station, than a flying out cap hanging on the back of the head, with gaudy soiled ribbons streaming down in all directions. The style of dress adopted by servants of late years is much to be regretted; it is a loss of their money, of their time, and above all, of their respectability; a maid-servant can never be too scrupulously clean and quiet in her dress.
A few more observations on this subject may be added in another place. In sitting down to work, she will take care to be within hearing of the drawing-room bell, and the knocker of the street door. By proper regulation there will always be some part of each day for needlework, and in the country, where less sweeping and dusting is required, a great deal may be done in this way. It is a pleasant sight to see a young girl neatly and quietly dressed, busily plying her needle, her tidy work-basket beside her wellstocked with cotton-reels, rolls of worsted, tapes, needles, pins, scissors, and thimble. It will probably be her business to mend the bed and table-linen, to watch over the state of the carpets, table-covers, &c., and repair them when necessary; a slit or tear in the carpet, even of an attic, is sure to give a bad impression of the housemaid. The bed-linen should be carefully looked over each time before going to the wash, and the slightest fracture or slit repaired; and instead of allowing the middle of the sheet to wear into holes, while the sides are quite good, as soon as the sheet begins to wear, the breadths should be unripped, and the sides turned into the middle and joined again. Care should also be taken that the buttons or strings for each pillow-slip are complete; it is most desirable that the housemaid should be a good darner of table-cloths, and also of stockings, for where there is no ladies’-maid the darning of the ladies’ stockings will be part of her work; and even where there is, the charge of the gentleman’s stockings generally falls to her care; but anxiety to get on with her work must not lead her to forget when the time for laying the cloth for dinner shall have arrived. Having previously rung a bell precisely half-an-hour before dinner, as a signal for the family to dress, which bell should be punctual as the clock itself, and havingat the same time added fresh coal to the fire, swept the hearth, and placed the plate-warmer before the fire, she should enter the dining-room to lay the cloth a quarter of an hour before the dinner-hour strikes. To enable her to be ready in this time, however, all must have been prepared before sitting down to work; the clean knives and forks put into the tray, the mustard and vinegar replenished, the tops of the cruets carefully wiped, and the salt-cellars filled. To avoid as much as possible having to open and shut the door often when laying the cloth, collect as many of the articles necessary as you can bring in at one time in a large tray, glasses, tumblers, spoons, knife-tray, bread-basket, and beer and water jugs. All being prepared, see that the stand for placing your tray in while you bring in the glasses, &c., is placed in a convenient corner of the room, and that the basket for carrying the plates and the trays for the knives and forks which have been used, are placed near the sideboard, but not in the way to prevent passing easily. Having brought everything into the room which is necessary, shut the door, and having laid the cloth perfectly straight on the table, place a plate for each person, with a napkin neatly folded upon it, and on the right side of the plate, place a knife and spoon, and on the left a silver fork.The soup-plates should be placed before the person who is to help the soup, and a carving-knife and fork, and a gravy-spoon, put at the top and bottom of the table. Place a salt-cellar at each corner of the table, lay a couple of spoons on each side of it, and a crystal caraffe filled with clear spring-water; see that those caraffes, and the tumblers and glasses (which should be placed all round the table for each person) are perfectly clear and bright: a clean glass-cloth should be brought into the room to wipe off any dimness which a finger may have caused. When the different articles on the table are perfectly bright-looking, and the dishes neatly sent up, the plainest dinner has a look of comfort, and even elegance about it. A knife, fork, or spoon, which has not been properly cleaned, cannot be taken into the hand without being discovered, and leaving a disagreeable impression; a visitor may not have the courage to send it away, but the comfort of his dinner is destroyed. Having cut some slices of bread rather thick, cut each slice into four, and with a fork, put a piece all round for each person, leaving the loaf in the room in case more may be required; when more is called for, hand some additional pieces in the bread-basket. Place a chair for each person.
The sideboard should next be laid out with asupply of knives, silver forks, spoons, tumblers, glasses, and silver-waiters. As considerable taste may be shown in the arrangement of those articles, it may be well to take a lesson of laying out a sideboard from the first butler, or experienced man-servant, who may chance to be in waiting on any of the dinner-guests at your master’s table. All should be done without noise or bustle, and with a quick hand and light foot; jingling the glasses, making a clashing noise in lifting the knives, knocking the chairs against the legs of the table, and moving about with a heavy foot, (and often with the addition of creaking shoes,) are extremely disagreeable to whoever may be in the room at the moment, and even should no one be present, the servant should accustom herself to do all these with the least possible noise, that the habit of doing things quietly may be acquired; activity is a first-rate quality in a waiter at table, but then it must be quiet activity.
All being prepared, the first dish should be placed on the table as the appointed hour strikes; the cook having brought the dishes as far as the dining-room door, carry in the top and bottom dishes separately, as they are generally large; the side dishes may be brought in at once on the dinner tray, which being placed upon the stand,the dishes can easily be removed to the table. All being neatly arranged, the top and bottom dishes exactly opposite to each other, and the side dishes perfectly straight, and at equal distances from the top and bottom, announce to the family in the drawing-room, that the dinner is on the table. Standing back while they pass through the door, which you have thrown open for them, and having followed the last member of the family down stairs, remain standing behind the chair of your master till grace is said, then remove the covers unless there is soup, in which case the covers should remain on the other dishes while the soup is being served; be careful to go to the left hand of the persons you are serving, when placing any thing before them, or handing them anything; those to be first served are any lady visitors who may be present, the elder ladies first, then the younger, the lady of the house and her daughters, and lastly the gentlemen. In handing round the soup-plates, remove the flat plates put at first on the table; and in the first leisure moment place them on the plate-warmer before the fire; let each soup-plate be taken away the moment it is empty, having another warm plate in your hand to replace it. The covers on the other dishes should now be removed. In handing round the soup-plates at first, be carefulnot to spill the soup by placing them hastily before any one; and in changing them for others, make no clatter of plates; attend in going round the table, not to push against any chair, or touch any one as you pass, and take particular care that no one’s dress should be injured by spilling gravy or melted butter upon it; in handing the sauce-boats, lower them as near as you can to the left side of the plate, the person requiring sauce can then help himself with the right hand, without any danger of spilling it. If there are any side dishes of meat, such as cutlets, patties, &c., they should be handed round first, while the joint is being carved. The spoons on each side of the salt cellars now come into use in helping the side dishes. Beware of offering a side dish to any one till you have first placed a spoon in it. As soon as each person has been helped to meat, carry round the vegetable-dishes, then offer melted-butter, pickles, &c., &c., as may be required. Have your eye constantly on the table, taking in by a glance all that is necessary for you to do. Those that have been eating cutlets, will require their plates to be changed before being helped to the joint; and those that have commenced with the joint, will now be ready to be helped a second time, and to have another plate given for the second helping.When waiting at table there should be no gazing out of the windows, or amusing one’s self with one’s own thoughts; neither should the conversation going on at table be attended to: this is difficult, but if one accustoms one’s self from the first to watch the numerous wants of the party, and not their words, there will be sufficient employment fully to engross the servant. Vegetables will require to be taken round a second time, and more bread to one, and beer or water to another; in short, there is scarcely a moment in which there will not be something required, and if the servant is attentive and quick-sighted, she will not find that she is standing idle at one moment, and that in the next more of the party will require to be served than she can attend to; if there is a leisure moment, she can employ herself by stirring the fire (if in winter), and if this is not necessary, let her remain in quiet readiness, with her eye upon the table, and her ear open to the first request for her services. As each finishes with the first course, let her place a plate of smaller size generally used for tart or pudding before him, with a silver fork and spoon: in some families the spoon is not approved of, it is thought that even custard should be eaten with a silver fork; but the practice (or rather the attempt) is more refined than agreeable or convenient.As soon as the last person has finished eating, ring the bell for the tart and pudding; and having gone round the table with a knife-tray, in which you should put the carving knife and fork and gravy spoons from the different dishes, carry away all that is on the table, and bring in the tart and pudding. As soon as each person has finished with the second course, place a cheese-plate and small knife before them, and when the tart and pudding have been carried out into the hall (having rung for the cook to carry them down into the kitchen), clear the table-cloth with a spoon of the broken pieces of bread, before setting down the cheese. Have fresh pieces of bread cut in the bread-basket to be handed to each person the moment they have been helped to cheese. Stand behind your master’s chair while he is cutting the cheese, that you may be ready to carry it instantly round: a good waiter will manage to offer the bread immediately after the cheese, or even at the same moment; but this is too little attended to; bread has often to be cut after it is called for, and sometimes there is no bread in the room, and before more can be brought in, the cheese has been eaten alone, and the waiter considered a very intolerable person. The cheese being carried away, any pieces of bread remaining should beremoved with a silver fork, the table-cloth folded over at each side, doubled up, and taken out of the room; the table wiped with a nice cloth, and the wine decanters set before the master of the house—having previously, before removing them from the sideboard, wiped them gently with a glass cloth, without shaking the wine. Put a couple of wine glasses to each person—they are generally of two sizes; the dessert-plates should next be set round to each person with a napkin neatly folded upon the plate, with a finger-glass half filled with water, and a small dessert knife and fork upon it. In winter, bring a jug of warm water into the room, and pour a little into each finger-glass, before placing it on the table. Let the fruit be neatly arranged in the dishes, higher in the middle than at the sides, but no dish so full as to endanger any falling over when helped; neither at dinner nor dessert should the dishes be full. Place the larger kinds of fruit, such as apples, pears, grapes, or oranges at top and bottom, the smaller fruits and sweetmeats at the sides. Place a crystal jug of clear water, with a tumbler on each side of it in the middle of the table, and pounded sugar at top and bottom, which to look well, should be in cut crystal glasses. If cream is required for strawberries or raspberries, that also should be served in crystal. Glance your eye over the table to see that all thedishes are standing straight, and exactly opposite to each other, and all being properly arranged; leave the room, shutting the door behind you.
Having removed everything from the hall, you will next shake and fold the table-cloth, lay it in the napkin press, and carry the plates into the scullery to be washed by the cook. It will then be time to proceed to the drawing-room to put it in order, before the return of the family. You will smooth the sofa, shake up the pillows, dust the table, and arrange any books or newspapers (that may be scattered about) neatly upon it; but beware of removing any book (which some one member of the family may have been reading), and stuffing it into an odd corner, or even carefully replacing it in the book-case; common sense should regulate in such matters, and common sense should tell you, that it is most disagreeable to have to hunt all over the room for a book, in which one is interested, and which had been left on the table half an hour before. Having closed the curtains, put fresh coals on the fire, and swept the hearth, it will now be time to sit down to your own dinner with the rest of the servants (unless the servants’ dinner has been at an earlier hour): as soon as you have finished, carry away the dessert things from the dining-room, and having washed the dessert plates, and the spoons, silver forks, tumblers,and glasses, place all in order in the butler’s pantry, and before you leave it, arrange the cups and saucers in the tea-tray, so that if the family is small, and you have not a great many articles to wash, you can again sit down to work till within a quarter of an hour of the time for tea, when it will be necessary to get the butter and cream in readiness, and to toast the bread or cake for tea. Be sure to remember also to put the heater for the urn into the kitchen fire in such time that it may be completely red-hot before putting it into the urn. Be careful also that the water in the tea-kettle boils before it is poured into it; the finest tea which can be used becomes tasteless and bad, if the water in the urn does not boil, and in some families this happens day after day; the servant is either obstinate or careless, and contents herself with assuring you, either that it does boil or has boiled. No such excuses should be listened to; the most effectual cure in such cases is to send the urn from the table each time that the rising of the steam does not prove the water to be at boiling heat.
While the family are at tea, the slops should be emptied in the bed-rooms; the ewers and bottles filled up with fresh water, and the beds folded down. If in summer, the windows aregenerally left open, and shut before the housemaid retires to bed; and if in winter, the fire should be lighted, taking care to shut the door and open a little bit of the window before setting fire to the paper in the grate, and to return again in a little time to shut the window, and add more coals to the fire, as more particularly mentioned already.
Where there is no lady’s-maid, the housemaid will also be required to lay out the combs and brushes on the toilet, to stretch out the curl-papers, or cut fresh ones; to lay out the nightcap, neatly smoothed, and to unfold the nightclothes, and hang them over a screen. Where there is a lady’s-maid, the frills and nightcap are generally ironed; but where the housemaid has much to do, there is not time for this. Once a week or fortnight, the hair-brushes will require to be washed; they never should be plunged into warm water, as it warps the back of the brush, and destroys the polish, or discolours the ivory, and softens the hair; a little soda should be mixed in warmish water, and the surface of the brush moved swiftly up and down in it, taking care not to wet the back at all. The soda will sufficiently clean it, and preserve the colour of the hair, if too much soda is not used; if too strong it will burn the hair, or turn it yellow;the brush should be left to dry for some time in the same position, with the face turned down, that the water may run out. When brushes are left to dry with the face up, the water lodges in all the holes pierced for the hair, and discolours the back. Be careful never to wash the tortoise-shell combs, it makes them brittle and apt to crack over; they should be cleaned with a comb-brush, and rubbed with the palm of the hand to keep up the polish. The cover of the toilet pincushion should be regularly changed, as soon as it gets soiled; though the washing is generally given out, yet there are small articles to be washed from time to time in all families where things are well attended to, such as the tidies, for the backs of sofas and chairs, the pincushion covers, and where there is no lady’s-maid, and the family is small, the housemaid may be also required to do up the lady’s muslins.
It is the greatest advantage to all housemaids to be able to get up fine linen, and to have a knowledge of clear starching: besides making a servant doubly useful to her mistress, it may be the means at any time when out of a situation, of her gaining a respectable maintenance. One who gets up muslins and laces in a superior manner, is sure to find employment, and it may also lead to her filling one day, the superior situationof lady’s-maid. Her excellence in this department, is not only valuable as adding to the elegant appearance of her mistress, but is productive of great saving in expense. A fine worked collar, with expensive lace, may be torn or frayed, the very first time it is done up, by improper management, and it is seldom that fine muslins or lace have the elegant appearance they should have, or last the proper time, from ignorance, or the want of due attention in getting them up. Nothing spoils the appearance of dress more than torn lace, battered and stiff, and fine muslin with the starch clouded upon it or frayed and ironed awry. It will require considerable practice to attain perfection in this department, and the best way to learn is to see others do it: still a few instructions may be useful.
Muslin or lace should never be rubbed in washing. Take white soap, in proportion to the muslins you have to wash, shave it down, and boil it with soft water till it dissolves. When cold, it should be as thick as jelly; mix a part of this jelly with soft tepid water, so as to be strong of the soap; let the muslins lie in this for a night, then add boiling water; move them up and down in the water, repeatedly squeezing them through the hands, so as to wash them, butdo not rub them. Having steeped them well in soap and water before, makes rubbing quite unnecessary; tie them loosely up in a pillow-case, and with soft water, and the rest of the boiled soap, boil them for a couple of hours; if in the country, they should be laid out on the grass to bleach (without the soap being washed out), and watered when necessary, so as to keep them moist. If in town, where no bleaching on the grass can be procured, put them into a washing-tub, and having poured boiling water over them, leave them in the back court in the air for the rest of the day, and during the night in the water; this has a great effect in whitening them; in either case, after being bleached, rinse them twice through cold water, to clear them completely from the soap, and hang them up to dry before being starched. A piece of lace, or any small article can be very well bleached by being put outside the window in the sun, in a crystal bottle of water, having been previously washed, and the soap left in it.
It is a frequent practice not to boil the starch, but to mix it with boiling water, to hang up the muslins or laces the moment they have been put through the starch, and squeezed out, and when dry, and as hard as a piece of board, then they water them down (as it is called), leaving onespot dry, and the rest wet, so that to stretch them out for ironing, without tearing them, is almost impossible. This mode of proceeding may account for the melancholy frequency of torn lace, and the dull heavy appearance of beautiful worked collars, looking as if they had been partially rubbed over with flour and water. To give them that light transparent look which adds so much to their beauty, the treatment must be very different; the starch should be mixed in a little cold soft water, and bruised down with the back of a spoon till quite smooth: more water should be added, till it resembles thin milk, then boiled in a glazed-stone pipkin, till it becomes clear and thick, so as to jelly when cold. The muslins and laces should be put through the starch, while it is still warm; squeezed out first in the hand, then gently in a clean smooth cloth, so as to get as much as possible of the starch out without fraying them in any way. The cloth must not be twisted round in the slightest degree, but gently pressed between the hands, putting but a few of the articles in at one time; each article should then be taken separately, held lightly by the two ends with the forefinger and thumb of each hand, and beaten between the palms of both hands for a few minutes; next shaken out and drawn, so that each thread in themuslin is perfectly straight, and the shape of the collar is carefully preserved. If after holding it up between you and the light, you find that in some parts it is not sufficiently clear, then a little drawing up and down on those spots will be necessary, so as to free every thread from the starch. It should then be folded up in a damp cloth, and each article put beside it, as soon as it has gone through the same process, so that the whole may have a slight degree of dampness when ironed. When it is not convenient to do up muslins the moment they are starched, it answers well after they have been squeezed in the cloth, to fold up each article, and to leave them wrapped up together in a cloth for some hours, or a night, to clear themselves. When this is done, they generally require only to be drawn a little, and folded up for ironing; but where great clearness is to be obtained, the stiffer the starch, and the more they are beaten, the better.
In getting up fine things well much also depends on the ironing. The ironing-blanket should be thick, so that the work on the collars, &c., &c., should have a raised look after being ironed; where the blanket is thin the hard surface of the table flattens the work, and injures the appearance. The ironing-blanket should be covered with a piece of thin, smooth, long-cloth,kept for the purpose, and washed each time it is used. In spreading out the collar, or whatever you are about to iron, see that it lies perfectly even, and that each thread is straight up and down; also that the iron has been carefully cleaned, first rubbed on a piece of old carpet, and then wiped with a cloth; and also that it is not too hot. Singing is a common fault with the inexperienced, and it is a very bad one; for, even when it is not to such a degree as to burn, which may easily happen with a very thin muslin, still it leaves a yellow shade, which not only destroys the appearance at the time, but is very difficult to get rid of. A little practice in handling the irons will soon accustom one to the degree of heat necessary, and till that is the case, an old pocket-handkerchief, or some such thing, should be at hand to try each iron upon before you venture to iron anything of consequence. Do not pass your iron frequently over the same place if you wish the muslin to retain the stiffness, and also you should hang the article on a screen before the fire the moment it is ironed; it becomes soft if folded up with the slightest dampness upon it. Lace which, to look well, should not be stiff, is improved and cleared by being put through cold water as soon as it has been starched; it should then besqueezed out held by each hand, very slightly beaten between the palms of the hands, and gently drawn out; in drawing out the edge the nails must never touch it; it should all be done by the ball of the thumb and forefinger, and ironed once or twice over to take out the stiffening. When lace is sewed to a muslin collar, and washed with it, as the collar requires to be stiffer than the lace, it will be necessary, after putting it through the starch, and clearing it by beating and drawing it, to gather the lace together in the hand, and dip it into cold water, so as to take out a good deal of the starch (taking care not to wet the collar); but this is only necessary where the lace is put on with very little fulness, or quite plain; where it is put on full enough to be set up in small pipes with the French irons, or rather, curling tongs (as they may be called), it is not necessary to extract any portion of the starch; the lace is the better for being stiff, and, if rather damp when set up in these small pipes, they will retain a regular and tidy appearance as long as the collar can be worn.
These small French irons are to be got of different sizes, and answer remarkably well for nightcap-borders, or frills of any kind. When making use of them you should be near a stoveor fire, where they can be frequently heated, for, as they cannot be used when very hot, for fear of singing the lace, they require to be constantly heated, and must be wiped with a cloth each time before being used.
The care of the silver plate will also be part of the housemaid’s occupation in a family where no footman is kept. Every day, what is in daily use will require to be washed perfectly free from grease, in boiling water, then rinsed through cold water, wiped with a clean linen cloth, and rubbed up with soft chamois leather; very little daily rubbing will be required if, once every week, the different articles are washed with a sponge in pretty strong soap lye, well rinsed in warm water, and rubbed up with the chamois leather; it is the rubbing well that gives polish and brightness, and where plate is cleaned regularly once a week with soap, it has a beautiful pale bright silvery look, very different from that dark lustre which plate, cleaned with rouge, presents. Quicksilver is generally mixed with those plate-powders sold in the shops, and the high lustre which it gives at first is soon effaced, and gives place to a dark, tarnished appearance; besides, if plate-powder of this nature is frequently used, the article becomes so brittle that a silver spoon or fork may be broken by a fall on a stonefloor. Once in the three months it may be well to clean all the plate thoroughly by washing it first with soap-lye and hot water, and then rubbing it, either with the finest sifted whiting and spirits of wine, or strong spirits, or with prepared hartshorn and spirits of wine, and, when quite dry, polishing briskly with the soft chamois leather, and also with the palm of the hand—the longer plate is rubbed the brighter it will look. The rouge sold by silversmiths is generally composed of prepared hartshorn mixed with quicksilver, and coloured with a little rose-pink, and an extravagant price is demanded for it: but in many houses, where the plate has been remarked for having a particularly beautiful appearance, it has been ascertained, that washing with soap lye, and polishing with chamois leather and the palm of the hand, had done all, and that only twice during the year had the plate been cleaned with plate-powder; prepared hartshorn, with only so much rouge as to give it a pale pinkish appearance, were then used.
It is painful to see the way in which, sometimes, the silver spoons, forks, &c., are scratched by coarse dry whiting being used. Where the finest whiting and spirits of wine cannot conveniently be made use of, it is well, at the time of the general cleaning of plate, after the soaphas been used, to boil whiting in water, then dip the different articles into this mixture, and, when the whiting has dried upon them, polish them with the chamois leather. A soft brush will also be required in cleaning plate, to brush the whiting well out of the carved places.
Plated articles should be cleaned in the same way, and rouge had better be avoided altogether in cleaning them. Nothing stronger than spirits of wine and whiting should be used, and that as seldom as possible; and they should not be rubbed more than can be avoided to clean them. When not in use they should be kept in flannel, or green baize, or buried in well-dried bran, so as to be kept quite free from damp, and from the air. It has been found from experience, that plated articles, once cleaned with plate powder in which there was some injurious mixture, have never recovered it; they look bright for a short time after being cleaned, but each time they are put aside for a little they become so completely discoloured, and it requires such hard rubbing to clean them, that the silver plating must be very soon entirely effaced. When candlesticks are spotted with wax or tallow, do not scrape them, but pour boiling water upon the spots before cleaning them.
Whether in town or country, it is necessaryto fix particular days for such operations as are not of daily occurrence; such as cleaning plate, washing brushes, arranging the butler’s pantry, comparing lists, &c., &c. As the linen is generally given out in the beginning of the week, and two days of each week will be required to clean the rooms thoroughly, Friday might be fixed for washing brushes, cleaning plate, and dusting the butler’s pantry; and Saturday and Monday for mending the linen, previous to its being given to be washed. In the bustle of a town life particularly, the plate will get tarnished, the pantry dusty, and all will get into confusion in a housemaid’s work, unless certain days are appointed, and regularity in observing them enforced; even in the country, without regularity in cleaning, all will soon assume a slovenly appearance; and if a mistress has not given written instructions for the arrangement of the work, it would be well that the housemaid wrote them down for herself, and strictly adhered to them.
In cleaning her pantry her labour will be greatly diminished by attention in placing the trays always with their faces to the wall, turning the wine-glasses, tumblers, &c., up-side-down on the shelves, placing paper covers on the lamps, and keeping the drawers carefully shut; dustwill still penetrate, however, in some degree, and make it necessary, from time to time, to wash the pantry itself, and all it contains; but where the things in daily use are put by perfectly clean, and wiped dry, so that the dust does not adhere to them, a little weekly attention in dusting will keep all as it should be for a considerable time.
The plate, when rubbed up weekly, should be compared with the written list, so that any missing article may be instantly looked for. And the china, glass, &c., should be counted over the same way when the pantry is thoroughly cleaned, and the mistress informed of any breakage or want which may be discovered. In some houses it is a rule that a servant is forgiven if she instantly gives information of having broken any article. With a truly careful, conscientious servant this may answer very well, but it has been found to render others only more careless, as they get over the shame and distress of such confessions, and it may be well that they should be made aware, that in proportion as those accidents (as they are always called) happen, a part of the price of each article will be required.
It is quite wonderful the difference in expense which a careful or a careless servant will make in a family. Some servants will go on for months without cracking or chipping a singlearticle, either of glass or china, while others, both from mismanagement and carelessness, are meeting with amisfortune(as they generally call it) every week. It is careless management when a servant seizes upon a vessel of earthenware to wash the china or glass, instead of the wooden bowl which her mistress has appointed for that purpose; the slightest touch against the hard surface of the earthenware may be the means of cracking or chipping a valuable cup or glass; and, even with the wooden bowl, care and management are required. If the cups and saucers are all put into the bowl at once, they may be knocked against each other, and injured in the same way; whereas, if the warm water (not too warm) is poured into the wooden bowl, and only one article dipped in at a time, it is almost impossible that either cup or glass, however fragile, can be injured.
It is also careless management when a servant attempts to cut bread from a loaf lying across a plate much too small for it; in this case the loaf only rests on the edges of the plate, without touching the middle, and the additional pressure, in attempting to cut it, may split the plate in two. The same is likely to happen where large plates are heaped upon the top of small ones; and, in cleaning lamps, the shade (which is avery expensive article) is frequently broken by being laid on its side, and rolling off the table; it may often be the oily appearance of the rim, and the fear of soiling the table, which leads to this, but a moment’s reflection will show, that both a safe and a clean mode of disposing of it would be by turning the shade up, and placing it on its upper rim on the table. Many lamp-shades are also cracked by the lamp, after it has been cleaned, being pushed hastily against the wall when placing it on the shelf in the butler’s pantry; it is right and orderly to place it on the shelf, to be out of the way of accidents, but it is wrong to do it in so careless a manner as to produce the very accident it was meant to avoid. The shades are often cracked, also, by the lamp being turned up too hastily when first lighted; the sudden strong flame cracks the glass immediately. And tumblers and wine-glasses are generally cracked by hot water being poured hastily into them.
With a careful servant none of these things will happen. She will put the loaf on end before cutting from it, she will place the largest plates at bottom, and not pile too many on each other, and the lamp will be set carefully on the shelf, and when lit, by turning it slowly up, the flame will be gently raised, so that the glass will be heated by degrees.
But when an accident does happen, from whatever cause, let instant information be given, and reproof borne patiently. Remember that the fault of concealment is infinitely the worse fault of the two; it is not only mean and dishonourable to an earthly master, but it is a sin against God. “For God will bring every work into judgment, whether it be good or whether it be evil.”[5]And servants may break the eighth commandment, “Thou shalt not steal,” in many ways besides actually taking what does not belong to them. A servant has many things under her care. If therefore she indulges in dirty and careless habits, she injures her master’s property, and is in this respect dishonest. All wastefulness is a species of dishonesty, for to waste or destroy her master’s property is to deprive him of what is his. Eye-service is also dishonest; by eye-service is meant, doing well only as long as the eye of a mistress is upon you, forgetting St. Paul’s exhortation—
“Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eye-service, as men-pleasers, but in singleness of heart, fearing God.”
“And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not unto men.”
“Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance, for ye serve the Lord Christ.”[6]
Yes, service is honourable, and vice and virtue belong to no one station in life. The Gospel teaches, that all are servants, and that with God there is no respect of persons, but all alike are called upon to do their duty in that station of life in which heaven has placed them. It is the duty of a master and mistress to watch over the conduct of their servants. In allowing them to continue in error, they become partners in their fault, and it is the duty of servants to bear reproof with patience—“Not answering again”—and to render an implicit obedience, and a willing service, daily imploring assistance from a higher power, to withstand the temptations to which they are hourly exposed, and to fulfil the duties of the situation in which they have been placed. A few words have already been said on the propriety of a servant dressing in a quiet and modest manner. Neatness and economy are the points most necessary to be attended to. Nothing gives a more unpleasant idea of a servant, than to see her flaunting about in dirty finery. Muslin dresses, artificial flowers, &c., &c., are all unbecoming in her station in life. In a gown neatly made of cotton-clothor stuff, a tidy white apron, and a neat little clean cap of bobbin net, with coloured worsted drawn through the cases, she will be genteelly and well dressed, for she will be dressed according to her station. One cannot see a servant dressed in this modest and becoming manner, without feeling respect for her, and forming a good opinion of her general conduct and character; in her daily work there will probably be the same spirit of cleanliness and regulation, and in her mind also. A mistress has been heard to observe, that in looking out for housemaids, her mind always turns to the remembrance of a young girl, who was with her but for six weeks, during the illness of her own servant. This girl was regularly and cleanly in doing her work, but by no means remarkably clever. It was her quiet, neat, modest appearance, that left so favourable an impression. It was her grey stuff gown, white apron, and pure white muslin cap, with the border plaited close in about her young and blooming face, that was still remembered with interest. No ribbon or lace was ever seen on this young girl, and her mistress learned on inquiry, that during a dangerous illness she had been visited by a worthy clergyman, who had earnestly endeavoured to raise her mind above the vanities of this world. She had made a resolution then, that she never would againdress beyond her station in life, and never spend another farthing on lace, ribbon, or finery of any kind, or even wear them if given to her; and she had at that period kept her resolution for many years. How differently does one feel towards a girl flaunting about in vulgar finery, with bright ribbons, and coarse artificial flowers, mimicking her mistress in manners, and attempting to outshine her in dress! It is impossible not to conceive a bad opinion of that servant, both as to her judgment and heart. It is very evident that more attention is given to dressing up her own person, than to doing her mistress’s work, and that she prefers a bright ribbon, or gaudy artificial flower, to the power of occasionally helping an old father and mother, or a sick sister, or relation, or if no such claims are upon her, of putting what she can spare from necessary articles of clothing into the savings’ bank, so as to ensure a small fund for times of sickness or for her own old age. Let no one think that a shilling, or even a much smaller sum, is not worth the laying up, and that it may therefore be as well made use of in the indulgence of some piece of dress or amusement, and that those presents of money which a servant may occasionally receive from her mistress’s visitors, may lawfully be employed in the purchase of imitation lace, or some such piece of useless finery.There is certainly no moral law against her spending, as she chooses, what is her own, but in so spending it she injures herself materially. It is not meant that in anxiety to save she should be shabby or mean in her appearance, but a gown of cotton, or woollen stuff, will last double the time of one of a thinner texture, and in it she will be better dressed because made properly; and she would do well to remember, that even a few half-pence saved at a time, will soon amount to a shilling, and even a single shilling will be received in a savings’ bank; and that if the half-crowns given to her from time to time were added to those lesser savings, and such a wise habit were begun on a girl first going to service, and continued as her wages increase, the money thus placed will have doubled itself again and again before old age comes on, and the feeling of independence will not only increase the enjoyment of the present moment, but greatly brighten the future, for even the most unthinking servants must sometimes look forward with dread to that day, when their services will be rejected, and when old age will come upon them, before either friends or money have been provided. A silly flaunting girl, who spends all upon her person, and is for ever changing her situation, from the hope of higher wages, or getting into a gayer family, cannot expect,in poverty or old age, to be assisted by those who probably were only too happy to get rid of her imperfect services. Whereas, a girl whose heart is in her work, and in the wish to save her mistress trouble in every possible way, and who never enters her presence but with an appearance so neat and modest, as constantly to ensure her respect and approbation, may one day come to be looked upon more as a friend than a servant, and to assist her endeavours at independence in the time of sickness or old age, will be considered as a real pleasure. A good mistress will esteem the possession of a perfectly faithful and attached servant as a blessing which no money can either purchase or repay; in times of sickness, particularly (for sickness will come in all families), what comfort and alleviation have been experienced from the unwearied, watchful care of an attached servant; and though the care of the sick does not usually fall to the housemaid’s duty, yet a few words on this subject may one day or other be found useful.
In a good nurse, a light foot and very gentle movements are indispensable requisites; the most watchful care cannot atone for the absence of such qualities; it is only those who have suffered from illness themselves that can tell all the misery of a heavy foot, or quick or hasty movementsin a sick room: all bustle or noise should be carefully avoided; the rustling sound of folding or unfolding a newspaper, or even turning hastily the leaves of a book, is painful to a sick person; loud speaking is generally refrained from, but whispering is often indulged in, and, to the sick ear, nothing is more fatiguing than the indistinct buzzing sound of words which cannot be understood. By attention and forethought almost every noise which is hurtful in a sick-room can be avoided. If you have creaking shoes let them immediately be changed for light slippers. If the door has a rusty lock, or creaking hinges, let them be oiled. Avoid the noise of throwing small coal upon the fire (which often rattles down upon the hearth), by lifting small pieces of coal with the tongs; or, have an old glove to hand, and lift them with your hand; and, when the fire requires to be poked, use a bit of wood, so as to avoid all clatter of poker and tongs against the grate. Keep in mind, that at all times the absence of noise and bustle is desirable, but to the sick, whose nerves are in a proportionally weak state with the rest of the body, it is of the very greatest importance. Have a table covered with a nicely clean napkin, so that no noise is made in putting down a glass or spoon, and to avoid as much as possible going out andin of the room, have a tray covered in the same way, and filled with all you are likely to require, such as a few cups, glasses, spoons, &c., &c. A pitcher of fresh water should also be in the room, and, if in cold weather, it is better to have a small kettle by the fire than to have to send to the kitchen every time warm water is required. The cups, glasses, &c., should not be sent from the room to be washed, but a wooden bowl, and a supply of clean towels, kept on a table in a corner in which they can be washed up the moment they are used. The greatest possible cleanliness should be observed in a sick-room: a nauseous draught may be made infinitely more so to the patient by being presented in a smeared, sticky glass. When it is necessary to taste anything before giving it to a sick person, take a clean spoon, which you should immediately put aside to be washed, but never put your lips to the cup or glass. In giving anything to the sick, spread a napkin, for the moment, on the upper sheet, that no drop, should it fall, may give an untidy look to the bed. The washing and arranging the necessary things should not be done in the patient’s sight, but in some quiet corner of the room; to witness continued movement, or even occupation of any kind, is often most fatiguing to a sick person. Never leave the room withoutthinking of all you can take away and bring back at the same time, that your opening and shutting the door may be as little frequent as possible.
If the patient is too weak to be able to leave her bed, the linen may be changed by rolling the under sheet up at both sides, towards the middle, and putting the clean one, with one half rolled up, in its place; the patient can then gently be lifted up over those rolls to where the clean half of the sheet has been spread; the two rolls of the original sheet should be removed, and the other half of the clean one unrolled on the opposite side of the bed to where the patient has been placed. To change the upper sheet, a person should stand on each side of the bed, and holding each a corner of the top of the sheet, let them insert it at the bottom of the bed, and then pull it gently up; the other sheet can be removed by being pulled down in the same manner. The bed-linen should be hung before a fire for some hours, and thoroughly aired, before it is put upon the bed; and when it is necessary that, in changing the linen of the patient, it should be put on warm, hold the collar of the nightgown to the fire; when thoroughly warmed turn that part in, warm the next part, and fold it in, in the same manner, and continue warming and folding till the whole is one close roll, whichshould be instantly carried to the bed of the patient. It is not sufficient to hold a nightgown before the fire, and then carry it unfolded across the room, to be cooled by the outer air before it reaches the sick-bed. Body linen should be changed even oftener in sickness than in health, and no clothing worn during the day should be continued to be worn during the night; every article should be hung up, so as to be completely aired before morning; in the same manner, what has been used during the night should be left off in the day. When the patient is able to sit up long enough to have it done, the bed-clothes should be regularly carried out, and aired before an open window in another room, and the bed left uncovered, and the mattress turned; where the patient is so weak as generally to be confined to bed, considerable relief may be experienced by being raised in bed by means of a bed-chair, for much support is required by the back when in an upright position. Where there is no bed-chair, a small footstool, put behind the bolster, doubled, and the pillows, is a tolerably good substitute; it adds greatly to the comfort of this position to have something for the feet to rest against, something solid, which will not change its place when pushed against. Where there is a foot-board it is easy to place somesuch article on the bed; and even where this is not the case, it can be managed by a strong brace of linen being first fastened across the foot of the bed. By attention to this manner of raising the patient, the stress is taken off the spine, without which there can be no relief in the change of position. A light shawl or mantle should be at hand, to be thrown over the shoulders of the sick person when sitting up in bed, and while lying down; the air of the sick-room may be often changed, by throwing a shawl over the bed, or even drawing it over the face if necessary, while the window is opened for a few minutes. It is often refreshing to a sick person to have a few drops of vinegar sprinkled about the room, and to have their temples and hands spunged with vinegar and lukewarm water; even such small changes as these are generally an expressible relief to the sick, if administered gently, without haste or bustle.
Preparations should be begun in good time for laying a patient quiet for the night, as they may be made feverish by not having perfect quietness in the room at an early hour. A small table should be set by the bed-side, on which fresh toast and water, and any medicine to be taken during the night, should be placed within reach of the patient; or, if they are so ill as to requireany one to watch by them, let the person seat herself, not too near the bed, but still within reach of perceiving the slightest sign, or hearing the gentlest whisper; and let her be careful so to shade the light, which it is necessary to have in the sick-room, so that no ray, either from candle or rushlight, may fall upon the eyes of the patient, or on any part of the bed.
The necessary medicine, or toast and water, when required, should be given to the sick without entering into anything like conversation, or asking needless questions, which, by awakening them completely, may break their rest for the remainder of the night. Young nurses in particular, often err from over anxiety to make themselves useful, and the idea that they must for ever be doing something for the patient: they are constantly urging them to take a little nourishment, or to change their position, or to allow their pillow to be beat up, while they are only anxious to be left in peace, and to rest their weary head in the position in which they themselves have placed it.