It may seem at first as if regulation of hours is beyond the control of one who is serving other persons; but in this, as in many other things, much depends upon the worker
and the manner in which she performs her work. If hours of waiting are ended early she must go to bed early, for she will be required to be up betimes in the morning. If she has to wait late at night it is not likely that she will be required to be up too early in the morning, provided, her work is carefully done after she is up. If she loses health and strength because of too little sleep it will sometimes be on account of sitting up late, as many say they do, to read exciting novels; or, when she has evenings out, crowding as much exercise and excitement into one evening as ought to go to the enjoyment of a dozen.
It is said, too, that the matter of meals is beyond control; but this is often not so. Many a lady has taken the greatest pains to arrange proper meals for the maids in her employ, and has had them served at an earlier hour than those of the family. In this case a waitress does not have to stand with an empty stomach, passing food which makes her feel faint and ill, she scarcely knows why.
The idea that a hasty meal taken at intervals from the remains of a late dinner is better than a plainer one nicely served and eaten at leisure is one of the greatest mistakes that can be made; yet it is constantly made by many of those to whom the choice is given of having meals before or after waiting upon the table.
Many employers are more than ready to arrange for the comfort of maids in this and in other matters. When they are not, it must be remembered that they have been too long and too sorely tried by ignorant and unappreciative help to hope at first that the new order of intelligent and thoroughly trained waitresses is going to be any better than those who have preceded them in the household.
With good health it is easier to break up bad habits and form better ones than when one has to give valuable time and attention to bodily ailments.
A habit too easily formed, and one which should be at once broken up, is that of listening
to what is said at table, instead of concentrating attention upon the waiting. Not that there is any harm in listening to good conversation, but if while listening one misses the softly spoken “Bread, please,” or “Will you fill my glass?” and has to be recalled by a repetition of the request by the mistress of the house, some marks have certainly been lost from a perfect record.
Elderly persons should not be neglected, but should be especially considered at meals. Often some little thing from the side-board, not cared for by the rest of the family, may be desired by them. A little forethought will provide the vinegar or celery salt or whatever it may be, and no unnecessary interruption to the meal need be made.
At breakfast and luncheon a, waitress may add much to every one’s comfort by keeping a watchful eye on the plates of the children. A hungry child is sometimes apparently unreasonable without wishing to be naughty. One child may be forbidden maple syrup on