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    190 TWO CHAPTERS ABOUT CHARWOMEN.

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  • Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.

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    Chapter I. My Experiences Of The Class.

    often stayed away , even when she had promised to come , for such very trifling reasons , that we thought it was simply to show how

    gation dependent Now which , thoug we exists were h I am upon between quite her willing . the to acknowle loyer and dge emp the loyed mutual I do obli not

    agree with my charwoman that she emp is the only person who , ought to be considered as conferring a favor . I desire to treat her with all

    kindness , showing every possible regard to her comfort , and I expect irom her no more work than I would cheerfully and easily perform

    in the same time . But when I scrupulously perform my part of the binboth as regards food and wagesnot to mention much

    thoug arga ht , and care in order to make things , easy for her and which were not in the agreement at all , I think she ought not only to

    keep faith with me if possible , but to abstain from hinting at the obligation she confers in coming .

    It is not pleasant , as my mother says , to beg and pray for the help for which we also pay liberally . But it is worse for my

    kitchen helper to be continually reminding me that she need not go out unless she likes , and that it was only to oblige me she ever

    came at all . I do not relish this utter ignoring of her wages , etc ., or her being quite deaf because I choose to offer a suggestion as

    to the propriety of dusting out the corners , or when I mildly hint 'that I should prefer her doing something in my way .

    My charwoman No . 3 acted thus ; and if I ventured so far as io urge the matter upon her attentionI did not like her to begin

    , and tell me that her husband was quite angry the last time she was at my house , because she was not at home when he arrived ; though

    lie had on that occasion left work two hours sooner than usual . Moreover , she used to say , in words , that " He declared he would not

    let her go out any more for anybody . " I said these were her words ; but her manner said as plainly as though she had spoken it" I know

    if I were to leave you just now , it would cause you some , inconvenience . I am determined therefore to do things in my own way

    or not at all , and to make you feel that you are dependent on my will and pleasureand that if you are not very grateful to me , you

    , _nought to be . " But if I were to detail all my experiences , I should never have

    done . I have had many good and willing workers ; but few on whose punctuality and regularity I could rely . With married

    women there is often the will to be punctual and regular , but the many claims of home render it impossible to put it in practice .

    Most young women of good character and conduct are engaged . as resident servantsnot liking to risk the uncertainty of work

    _incidental to a charwoman , ' s life ; and old ones are frequently addicted to snuff , and claim a prescriptive right to cold meat , feeling

    themselves injured if you put a fragment into the pantry for future picking .

    Once a young woman was recommended to me very highly . I

    190 Two Chapters About Charwomen.

    190 TWO CHAPTERS ABOUT CHARWOMEN .

• Citation
  • English Woman’s Journal (1858-1864), May 1, 1860, page 190, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/ewj/issues/ewj_01051860/page/46/