cheap finery and gew-gaws—­well, she may be honest and reliable, but she may also make it difficult for you to be mistress in your own house.  Be a little wary of the middle-aged servant; if she is really desirable, she is not apt to be casting about for a position, and besides, she is usually “sot” in her ways.  The fact of a girl’s looking sullen or morose should not militate against her—­she may be only shy or embarrassed.  If she is impertinent—­maybe her former mistress “talked back,” or made too great an equal of her.  Anyway, be your own ladylike self and she will probably fall in line.  The quiet, steady-looking girl who evinces a willingness to learn is apt to be a safe investment.

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Question her about her housework experience, her ability to do plain cooking and baking, make beds, serve, wash, and iron.  She cannot possibly be an expert along each of these lines, perhaps not on one even, but a general working knowledge of all is very desirable.  Have a complete understanding with her at the outset regarding her work, wages, hours of work and of leisure, and breakages.  Don’t try to put the best foot forward, though there is no particular harm in pointing out the special advantages she would enjoy in your home, but give her a frank and honest statement of what she may expect.  If she asks you, as she no doubt will, if you have much company, say so, if you have, but add that you will relieve her as much as you can of the extra work entailed.  And don’t resent her asking about the size of your family, and about her room, for she would naturally be interested in both.  A complete understanding at every point may save considerable future trouble.  The question of a uniform may come up during your talk.  Some girls absolutely refuse to don anything which looks to them like a badge of servitude; if this happens, let it go, because you know it is not an absolute essential.  At the close of the conference ask for references.  No mistress is obliged to give a reference to her departing servant, but if she does so it ought, in all conscience, to be an honest one.  It is a deplorable fact that many housekeepers, either in a desire to be magnanimous, or to avoid a scene or annoyance, give utterly undeserved recommendations, thus opening the way for other reigns of terror which a little personal application of do-as-you-would-be-done-by could have prevented.  Investigate these references, either in person or by letter; otherwise you may discover later on that they were forged by the girl herself or by some of her accommodating friends.

AGREEMENTS