Common Sense for Housemaids

by Ann Fraser Tytler

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-cloth or 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 again dress 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 movements in 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 and in 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 without thinking 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, which should 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 some such 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.