A SPECIMEN DAY By A HOUSEMAID [In response to requests
we have decided to publish a few of the articles, describing a characteristic day's work or experience, which were sent in for a recent competition in the Spectator.] IAM a housemaid in a doctor's family and though I have plenty to do I am very happy. My specimen day • begins at half-past six, when the alarum clock goes off and I don't want to get up. Cook feels the same, but we always do get up as we are allowed to go to bed very early. We get washed and dressed and go downstairs and the first thing I do is to put the kettle on the gas ring, while cook is lighting the kitchen fire. Then I go into the dining room, clean up the hearth and light the fire and when that is done I hear the kettle singing. I fill the tea pot and carry up her morning tea to my mistress, and then I wake the children. By the time I get down again Cook has made some more tea, and we each haVe a cui). There is no time to spare, so I carry mine into the dining room and drink it while I dust and sweep and set the table. Then I pop out and clean the door brasses and sweep the front. Three days a week I whiten the steps. While I am doing that, Cook has got the breakfast well on the way and is sweeping and dusting the 'surgery. - We have breakfast at eight, so as soon as my mistress and the children come down I carry it in and see they have everything they want. Cook and I have our breakfast at the same time.
The mistress sees the children off to school and the doctor goes into his surgery, so I clear the breakfast things away and take them into the kitchen. Then I go upstairs and start on the bedrooms. There are a good many to be done, but all the work is very well arranged, so I know exactly what I have to do and how long I have to do it in Suppose it is Wednesday. I make the beds, dust and sweep the rooms and then start on my special Wednesday work. This is to clean the bath-room, lavatory, passage, stairs and hall, and I am given plenty of time to clean and polish everything very well. Of course there are some interruptions. There is the telephone, the front door and surgery door to answer after the doctor has gone on his rounds, and I have to he very careful to take messages correctly.
It is not always very easy because people say such funny things. They say, " tell him to call and see Mrs. Smith. He knows where I live."
At first I was too shy to ask any questions, and when the doctor came home he would scold me, and say he had twenty Smiths on his list—how was he to know which one wanted him ! So now I refuse to take a message unless they give the name and address first.
At 11 o'clock Cook and I have a cup of tea but we drink it while we work as the morning goes so quick. My work has to be done at half-past twelve, and then I change into my black dress' and cap and apron. Then I set the table and Cook has everything ready to dish up when the mistress comes in from her shopping and the doctor from his rounds.
If they have visitors, and on Sunday when all the family is at home, I wait at table, but not at other times. After dinner I clear away and bring in a tray of coffee. I generally help Cook to wash up, and on Monday I help with the ironing. On Tuesday afternoons I clean the silver and other afternoons I read or sew.
At four o'clock I begin getting tea ready. This takes some time as the children will be back from school and very hungry. After tea . . . but no, this is supposed to be Wednesday so it is my day out. So I don't stop to clear away. Cook does that as well as all my other jobs. There will be nothing for me to do when I get back at ten o'clock, so I have a good hot bath and go off to bed.
When I go out I put on my smartest things and I enjoy myself, but I am not quite so silly as some girls I know. They are ashamed to say they are maids and call themselves typists, but I know the time will come when I'll be glad of all I have learnt in service. At least that is what my boy says, and I know he is right.
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