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 frequently changed, 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
the lamp 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 shade itself 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 not sweeping-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 well stocked 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 having at
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 a supply 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 careful not 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 be removed 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 the dishes 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 are generally 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.