is ended the maid washes the dishes, puts kitchen and pantry in order, fills and cleans lamps, prepares dishes which require slow cooking, makes the beds—­unless her mistress prefers to do this herself—­and tidies up bed- and bathrooms.  If the living rooms were not dusted before breakfast, she attends to it now, perhaps sweeping front porch and steps, and is then ready for the extra work of the day, the cleaning of silver, washing of windows, etc.  When the after-lunch work is disposed of she will probably have an hour or two to herself before it is time to begin preparations for dinner.  She should not be interrupted in her work for this, that, or the other, but allowed to go on with it according to schedule.

She usually attends the door except on wash day or during extra stress of work.  She will, perhaps, object to doing so when her mistress is at home, and may need instruction about slipping on a clean white apron, greeting a caller with civility, presenting a small tray for her card, etc.  Initiating her into the mysteries of setting and serving the table may be a long operation, for the good waitress is usually born, not made.  But don’t be too exacting; remember that she is not a specialist and arrange the flowers and add other nice touches yourself, and dispense with elaborateness of serving.  Teach her to economize time by washing dishes between courses when her presence is not required in the dining room, and insist upon having meals served at stated hours, being careful that your family respond to the summons to the table with corresponding punctuality.

DUTIES OF COOK AND NURSE

Each additional servant complicates the planning of the work.  When there are two they are usually cook and waitress, the former having entire charge of her own special domain, the kitchen, with all that pertains to it, except, perhaps, the preparation of salads and the washing of glass, silver, and fine dishes.  She does the heavier part of the laundry work and some part of the sweeping, washes windows, takes charge of cellar and pantry, or does such other work as her mistress designates, each duty being plainly specified at the time she is hired.  The tasks of the waitress are more varied.  The airing, brushing up, and dusting of the living rooms falls to her share, with the entire charge of the dining room, serving the table, and washing the dishes, glass, and silver.  She also has charge of the bedrooms, a part of her duties in that connection being to prepare them for the night, removing spreads and shams, turning down covers, closing blinds, and carrying to each room iced water the last thing before retiring, and hot water the first thing in the morning.  She attends the door, cleans silver, wipes off woodwork, and even helps with the mending when the family is small.  She usually does her own washing, and assists with the ironing if her mistress so decree.