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.
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 require any 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.
FOOTNOTES
[1] Loose white wrappers kept for that purpose, should be thrown over the
working dress, while the beds are being made.
[2] To cover the floor with brown paper before the carpet is put down is
a great preservative.
[3] Spots of grease on the carpet should not be washed out. Fullers’
earth, in fine powder should be rubbed in _dry_ and left for some days
before it is brushed off.
[4] Attention should be given to the manner in which the China ornaments
are placed before they are taken up to be dusted, so as to replace them
exactly in the same position.
[5] Eccles. xii. 14.
[6] Colossians iii. 22, 23. Titus ii. 9.
LONDON: G. J. PALMER, SAVOY STREET, STRAND.
End of Project Gutenberg's Common Sense for Housemaids, by Ann Fraser Tytler