,,guide ,,to ,,hotel ,,housekeeping ,,by ,,mary ,e4 ,,palmer #aijh ,copyrighted #aijh1 ,,by ,,mary ,e4 ,,palmer ,,the ,,tribune ,,printing ,,co4 ,charleston4 ,w4 ,va4 ,illustration ,,credit ,,to ,,the ,,hotel ,,world4 ,the greater part of the contents of this book was published1 in instalments1 in ,the ,hotel ,world1 of ,chicago4 ,a ,,foreword4 ,my chief purpose in writing this book was to place a few guide-posts along the route of hotel housekeepers to warn them against certain errors common to women engaged in the arduous and difficult occupation of keeping house for hotels4 ,if anything that ,i have set forth herein shall make the work of hotel housekeepers easier1 more inviting1 or more efficient1 thereby contributing to the satisfaction of proprietors and to the comfort of patrons1 ,i shall feel amply repaid for writing this book4 ,,mary ,e4 ,,palmer4 ,hotel ,ruffner1 ,charleston1 ,west ,va4 ,march #a1 #aijh4 ,,the ,,manager ,,and ,,the ,,help4 ,the average hotel manager is only too prone to complain of the incompetency and the inefficiency of hotel help4 ,it is true that it is difficult to secure skilled help1 for there is no sort of institution that trains men and women for the different kinds of hotel work4 ,each hotel must train its own help1 or obtain them from other hotels4 ,thus there is no uniform and generally accepted standard of excellence in the different departments of hotel-keeping4 ,a good word should be said in behalf of the ,irish-,american girls1 who constitute a majority of the laundry help1 waitresses1 and chambermaids in ,american hotels to-day4 ,with a high regard for honor and rectitude1 handicapped by poverty1 they find employment1 at a very early age1 in hotels1 and perform menial duties in a manner that is greatly to their credit4 ,the ,irish-,american girls are not shiftless1 remaining in one place for years until they either marry or leave to fill better positions1 which is the privilege of every one living under the ,stars and ,stripes4 ,some improve their spare time in study1 thereby fitting themselves to become stenographers and bookkeepers4 ,some adopt the stage as a profession1 one instance being that of ,clara ,morris1 who takes delight in telling of the days when she washed silver in a hotel4 ,an ex-,governor ,peeled ,potatoes4 ,ex-,governor ,hoard1 of ,wisconsin1 boasts of the time when he peeled potatoes in a hotel4 ,the success of hotel-keeping depends largely on the manager4 ,he should possess patience1 forbearance1 and amiability4 ,he should know that the best results are obtained from his help by kindness1 and that good food and good beds mean better service4 ,the manager should realize that the working force of a hotel is like the mechanism of a clock3 it has to be wound occasionally and set going4 ,no novice can operate this wonderful piece of mechanism2 it requires a skilled mechanic4 ,the proprietor of a hotel should be a good loser2 for there are periods of the year when the employes outnumber the guests1 and the balance-sheet shows a heavy loss4 ,one of the most successful hotel men of the writer's acquaintance is ,mr4 ,louis ,reibold1 formerly of the ,bates ,house 7now the ,claypool71 ,indianapolis1 ,ind4 ,mr4 ,reibold's fame rests in his liberal1 kindly treatment of his help4 ,he never called them help1 but always referred to them as employes4 ,reception1 reading1 and writing-rooms were furnished for their use1 and he himself saw that good food was provided and that the tables were spread with clean1 white table-cloths once a day4 ,he remembered his employes at ,christmas1 each one receiving a gold coin1 some as much as #bj4 ,when a girl in his employ lost her arm in a mangle1 he presented her with a house and lot1 provided her with ample means to furnish the house and to keep her the remainder of her lifetime4 ,mr4 ,reibold is a multi-millionaire1 and he has the admiration and love of every woman and man that ever worked for him4 ,,feeding ,,and ,,rooming ,,the ,,help4 ,employes1 such as housekeepers1 clerks1 cashiers1 stenographers1 stewards--though few stewards use the privilege--and bartenders1 are permitted to take their meals in the main dining-room4 ,other office-employes take their meals in the officers' dining-room1 from the same bill of fare used in the main dining-room4 ,chambermaids1 bell-boys1 and other help1 are served in the helps' hall1 from a separate bill of fare4 ,their food is good1 as a rule2 when it is not1 the fault usually lies with the chef in the kitchen4 ,all proprietors want their help to have good food4 ,the housekeeper can do much to make the help comfortable4 ,she can see that their rooms are kept clean and sweet1 and free from vermin4 ,she can give them soft pillows and plenty of warm covering4 ,it is her duty to add to their comfort in every way she can4 ,in a majority of hotels1 the help are roomed and fed equally as well as are the patrons4 ,,requirements ,,of ,a ,,housekeeper4 ,every profession or trade is made up of two classes3 the apprentice and the skilled workman4 ,the young woman looking for a position as hotel housekeeper should not forget that careful training is fully as important and necessary in her chosen vocation as it is in medicine or cooking2 that she must learn by slow and wearisome experience what it has taken years for the skilled housekeeper to acquire4 ,the apprentice may stumble on the road to success and may even fall by the wayside4 ,in order to succeed1 she must give her time wholly to her occupation4 ,she must be thankful for the successes that come to her and not fret over the failures1 remembering that hotel housekeeping1 like all other occupations1 demands experience1 patience1 and perseverance1 as well as skill1 in its followers4 ,the profession is overcrowded with novices to-day2 they are the ones that have demoralized the profession--if the word1 profession1 may be applied to hotel housekeeping4 ,the failure of many housekeepers is due to the lack of proper training2 it is only the skilled housekeeper that wins lasting approval4 ,a trained nurse must remain in a training school at least three years1 possibly four1 before she is given a certificate to care for the sick4 ,the chef of the hotel kitchen1 in all probability began his career as a scullion1 serving at least ten years' apprenticeship in minor situations in the kitchen4 ,the housekeeper must not be above gaining knowledge in the laundry and the linen-room4 ,a woman that is ambitious to become a good housekeeper should first serve as a chambermaid4 ,if she is wise1 she will secure the good graces of the linen-woman by offering to help her mend the linen1 hem the napkins1 sort the linen1 and mend the curtains4 ,in this way1 a clever chambermaid may learn many useful things that will help her to a better position4 ,from the linen-room1 it is only a step to the position of a housekeeper4 ,when a housekeeper leaves on her vacation1 or is called away to fill another place1 or drops out on account of illness1 the linen-woman may seize the opportunity of showing her executive ability4 ,after she has worked faithfully in the linen-room for three years1 there is not much danger that a linen-woman of ability will fail to find employment as a housekeeper4 ,if she should have any trouble getting a situation1 one way out of the difficulty is to offer her services one month on probation to a hotel man in need of a housekeeper2 and1 if she is granted a trial and mixes brains with her enthusiasm1 she will receive a housekeeper's salary at the end of the month4 ,just what a housekeeper's work should be is a vital question4 ,we hear of housekeepers meddling in the steward's department and with the affairs of the office4 ,this is1 at least1 no less wrong than the idea that the housekeeper owes servile obedience to all other heads of departments4 ,the essential requirements of a housekeeper are the same1 whether she is in a hotel with the capacity of a thousand guests or in a hotel of two hundred rooms4 ,the young housekeeper1 looking for a position in a first-class hotel1 should read the following requirements1 which were submitted to the writer by the manager of a first-class ,western hotel a few years ago3 ,a ,housekeeper's ,requirements4 ,must be morally correct4 ,must have a dignified and respectable appearance4 ,must have executive ability4 ,must have a good disposition and try to get along with the help4 ,must be a good listener and not a talker4 ,must be quiet1 giving orders in a firm but low tone4 ,must be loyal to the management4 ,must be courteous to guests4 ,must not worry the management with small matters4 ,must refrain from gossiping4 ,neatness in dress is essential to the success of a hotel housekeeper4 ,she should take great pains to be always well groomed1 and neat in her attire4 ,if she finds herself growing coarse or commonplace-looking1 her fingernails in mourning1 and her hair unacquainted with soap and water1 she should at once set about to remedy the defects4 ,it is her duty1 as well as her privilege1 to dress as well as she can1 not by donning all the colors of the rainbow or by useless extravagance1 but by modest and harmonizing shades and by appropriate apparel4 ,it behooves the woman to make herself as good-looking as possible1 for good looks pay4 ,obliging manners are also a stock in trade4 ,grit1 grace1 and good looks can accomplish wonders1 especially the good looks4 ,ignorance and ambition make an unprofitable combination4 ,there are housekeepers filling positions to-day that have never been taught to do a single useful thing correctly2 they can not darn the linens1 they can not sew1 they can not upholster a chair1 they can not wait on the sick1 nor can they settle the slightest dispute without sending for the manager4 ,the housekeeper should know how these things are done1 in order to impart her knowledge to others2 for any housekeeper that has any respect for her calling considers herself an instructor4 ,there is no special hour set for the housekeeper's appearance in the morning4 ,it is safe to say that she will make a greater impression and last longer by rising at #f o'clock4 ,late rising is one of the rocks on which many a housekeeper has been wrecked4 ,cheerfulness and ,good ,manners4 ,every housekeeper should make the good morning her bright keynote for the day4 ,she should not say1 ,hello1 ,mollie1 to a girl named ,mary4 ,though the girl may be only a scrub-girl1 she knows a breach of etiquette2 and a girl that bears the beautiful name of ,mary does not want it changed to ,mollie4 ,a cheerful good morning should be the beginning of each day1 by the housekeeper4 ,it makes everybody feel pleasant1 and the maids can work faster and easier when their hearts are full of pleasantness4 ,the successful housekeeper does not win her laurels by merely perfecting herself in her work1 but also by careful study of the lives of others in her charge1 and how to promote their happiness4 ,getting along with help requires tact1 poise1 and balance4 ,the housekeeper should bestow praise where it is due4 ,she may give a gentle pat on the back to some faithful employe1 and yet keep her dignity4 ,a hard task may be made lighter by it1 and monotonous labor robbed of its weariness4 ,the old and persistent notion that housekeepers are an irascible tribe--if it was ever true--is not true now4 ,the question here arises--,what qualities of mind and heart should a housekeeper possess to be successful8 ,nobody has discovered a rule--to say nothing of a principle--whereby a housekeeper's success may be determined4 ,it is reasonable to claim that the permanent success of any housekeeper lies in her skill and in the confidence and esteem of her employer4 ,she has learned that skill is acquired by serving an apprenticeship1 and that esteem and confidence are won by character4 ,everybody who touches a sterling character comes at last to feel it1 and the true hotel man has come to know that the housekeeper of skill and character is his friend4 ,after the relation of friendship has been established between the manager and the housekeeper1 a go-between has no place2 to speak plainly1 there is no legitimate function for a tattler4 ,the young housekeeper should not become discouraged1 excited1 or worried1 but learn to manage4 ,she should sit down quietly and think it over4 ,she should have a system about her most ordinary duties1 and never put off till to-morrow what may be done to-day4 ,tomorrow may never come1 and1 if it does come1 it will bring other duties equally as important4 ,every field of labor has its drawbacks4 ,the greater the work1 the greater the hindrances and the obstacles seem to be4 ,,the ,,housekeeper ,,and ,,the ,,help4 ,it is a truism that there should be no hostilities between the heads of the different departments of a hotel4 ,everything works more smoothly and satisfactorily when pleasant relationships exist between the different departments of any business4 ,a housekeeper feels stronger if she thinks that she is of sufficient importance to her employer to have her views receive some consideration4 ,she takes up her daily tasks with an added sense of responsibility1 and with a desire to do still better work4 ,no housekeeper is perfect4 ,it cannot be wisely assumed that any housekeeper will possess all the requisite qualifications for successful housekeeping1 nor can she develop them all1 no matter how ambitious1 industrious1 and naturally fitted for the work she may be4 ,but ,knowledge is power1 and she that has the most of it1 coupled with the greatest ability to utilize it1 enjoys advantages that will contribute largely to her success4 ,keeping a ,position4 ,a housekeeper studies not only to secure a good situation1 but also to avoid losing it4 ,good enough is not her motto2 the very best are her constant watchwords4 ,some one has said3 ,a housekeeper is born1 not made4 ,the born housekeeper is a spasmodic housekeeper4 ,as a rule1 she is not evenly balanced4 ,a housekeeper with plain common sense1 susceptible to instructions1 willing to obey orders1 is the housekeeper that leaves the old situation for one of better pay4 ,there must be1 of course1 a foundation on which to build4 ,the stones of that foundation should be self-control1 self-confidence1 education1 neatness in dress1 and cleanliness4 ,none of these is a gift1 but an accomplishment that can be developed more or less according to the individual4 ,good manners are very essential4 ,politeness alone will not bring about the desired results in any profession1 but it has never been known to be a hindrance4 ,manners that will be accepted without criticism in one woman1 will be odious and objectionable in another4 ,too much familiarity breeds contempt4 ,an employer would better be approached with dignity and reserve4 ,the ,charm of ,neatness4 ,few housekeepers realize the charm of the neatly dressed woman4 ,the hair should always be neatly arranged and not look as if it was about to fall on her shoulders4 ,the binding of her skirt should not show ragged in places4 ,these are little things1 but they weigh heavily in the general results4 ,the well-groomed woman knows that the neglect of these things is full of shame to womankind4 ,in regard to bumping up against the bell-boys1 clerks1 stewards1 and stenographers1 the wise housekeeper is shrewd enough to stand in4 ,she turns the other cheek1 which may sometimes be a difficult task to perform4 ,remember that no one on earth can ever succeed in life and hold a grudge4 ,the inability to forgive his enemies lost ,james ,g4 ,blaine the ,white ,house4 ,if a bell-boy is caught doing something detrimental to the success of the management1 the housekeeper should write a note to the clerk1 or the captain of the watch1 and inform him of the bell-boy's misdeeds4 ,this will be sufficient from the housekeeper4 ,on assuming the duties of a new field1 the housekeeper may remember merely a few important duties2 for instance1 she must carefully scrutinize the time-book and learn all the maids' names and stations4 ,next learn the location of rooms and become familiarized with every piece of furniture in them4 ,then1 step by step1 she should build up the general cleanliness of the house4 ,this is by far the most important of all the requisites pertaining to hotel housekeeping4 ,guarding against difficulties encountered with the employes and with the managers' wives is secondary4 ,a housekeeper that can not take orders is not fit to give them2 if the manager asks for the removal of an offensive employe1 the housekeeper should immediately get rid of the objectionable person4 ,if the housekeeper fails in deference to the manager's wishes1 is not that good evidence that she is not a good soldier8 ,she should be eager to maintain the dignity of her position--must maintain it in fact--and do as high service as possible for the management4 ,yet she can not always carry out her own ideas4 ,the manager has his ideas about matters1 which right or wrong1 must be respected4 ,the housekeeper carries out the manager's orders4 ,if the hotel fails to bring a profit or give satisfaction1 the manager alone is held accountable4 ,about ,hiring ,help4 ,to dismiss a maid is a very easy matter2 to obtain a substitute that will perform the duties assigned her in a manner that will prove more effectual1 is not so easy4 ,to fire or not to fire1 that is the question ,whether 'tis easier on the impulse of the moment ,to suffer the terrors and exactions of the haughty maids1 ,or take up arms against their impudence ,and with pen and ink end them4 ,to lie1 to sleep-- ,worry no more1 and by good management to dispatch ,the cares and thousand little details ,housekeepers are heir to--'tis a consummation ,devoutly to be wished4 ,the employment-agency is the housekeeper's recruiting station4 ,she gets most of her help from this place4 ,the housekeeper should always consult the manager when other help is to be hired4 ,everyone knows that old employes are always best1 even if they do spoil the new ones4 ,the housekeeper endeavors to keep the help as long as she can1 using persuasion1 kindness1 and forbearance1 striving to teach them the best and easiest way to do their work1 bearing with their imperfections1 overlooking a great deal that is actually repulsive1 not expecting to find in the hard-working individual the graces of a ,marie ,antoinette1 or the inherent qualities of a ,lady ,jane ,gray4 ,the housekeeper should not only be scrupulously honest herself1 but should insist that the maids be honest4 ,it is true that almost irresistible temptations and opportunities to steal are constantly thrown in the way of the maids2 and those that are steadfastly honest deserve great credit4 ,if a maid is neat and clean in appearance and does her work well--these qualities cover a multitude of sins4 ,from the standpoint of many housekeepers1 too much curiosity and gossiping are the chiefest and quickest causes--next to the neglect of work--for a maid's dismissal4 ,a housekeeper is usually disliked by the maids that do not want to do their work1 just as a stepmother is hated by some stepchildren1 regardless of her kindness and her consideration for their welfare4 ,employes in any business prefer to take their orders from the person that pays them their money4 ,for this1 they are not to be blamed2 but if the proprietor or the proprietor's wife wishes to retain the services of a good housekeeper1 and be relieved of the trying ordeal of training the help1 he or she will not encourage tattling from the housekeeper's inferiors4 ,,the ,,hotel ,,proprietor',s ,,wife4 ,implicit confidence should exist between the housekeeper and the proprietor's wife4 ,this does not mean that the proprietor's wife should take the housekeeper automobile riding4 ,any proprietor's wife that enters into such a degree of intimacy with any of her husband's employes distinctly displays the hallmarks of plebeanism4 ,the writer does not want to become an iconoclast1 but she believes that all business should be conducted on a business basis4 ,there must be an unwavering loyalty to the interests mutually represented1 at all times and under all circumstances4 ,the proprietor's wife that goes to the help's dining-room or to the laundry1 presumably to press a skirt or a shirt-waist1 but in reality to see what she can see and to hear what she can hear1 is disloyal to the management4 ,she will always have poured into her ears stories that will annoy her and keep her worried4 ,there are maids in a hotel always ready to keep the pot boiling4 ,such a proprietor's wife not only encourages malicious slander and tattling1 but she will soon be asking questions of the inferior help about the housekeeper's management4 ,soon the inferiors will be giving the orders instead of the housekeeper1 and the discipline will be spoiled4 ,besides1 the proprietor's wife will be told imaginary wrongs1 and exaggerated stories concerning some maid employed in the hotel1 which will necessitate the maid's discharge4 ,whether the story is real or imaginary1 the proprietor's wife is not benefited by the stories she has heard4 ,she should ask herself3 ,is this loyalty8 ,isn't it unmistakably the earmark of commonality8 ,no housekeeper will object to taking orders from the proprietor's wife4 ,the progressive housekeeper is always polite to her employer's wife1 though not to the extent of being deceitful4 ,the housekeeper must bear in mind that what is of vital importance to the proprietor of a hotel is of equal importance to the proprietor's wife4 ,the housekeeper tries to work in harmony with them both1 which means success of the highest order4 ,to do this1 the housekeeper must retain her dignity1 often under the most exasperating circumstances4 ,the proprietor's wife is privileged to frequent any part of the hotel she may choose to1 but how must a housekeeper feel to see her conversing in the most familiar tones with the waitresses and the chambermaids1 and to know that she is listening to malicious slander of the lowest kind4 ,a housekeeper can have no control over the employes where the discipline is thus ruined1 or where there is so much unpleasantness arising from unwise interference over trifles1 by the proprietor's wife1 or from officious meddling by the families of the prominent stockholders4 ,tact ,can ,not be ,taught4 ,bumping up against the proprietor and proprietor's wife or family is one of the most perplexing problems that the housekeeper has to solve4 ,the ability to combat with such a problem can not be imparted by teaching4 ,it has to exist in the housekeeper herself1 in the peculiar1 individual bent of her nature4 ,no amount of preaching and teaching can ever endow a housekeeper with the ever ready wit characteristic of the ,irish tongue4 ,the savory reply1 ,o1 ,mrs4 ,b41 you are a dream of loveliness6 would be sweet to some ears while to others it would be a harsh discord4 ,it is impossible to teach which ear would or would not be the receptive one4 ,any attempt on the part of the housekeeper to work up these qualities1 by rule would only be a failure ,even the ,golden ,rule fails sometimes to bring about desired results4 ,the better plan1 perhaps1 for the housekeeper to adopt is to live her own life1 and not try to imitate others4 ,if she tries to be great1 she will be nothing2 if she tries to be plain1 simple1 and good1 she may be great4 ,,character ,,in ,,the ,,hotel ,,business4 ,there is no royal road to success for the hotel clerk1 steward1 manager1 or housekeeper4 ,the hotel business is peculiar in many respects2 it teaches conspicuously the great importance of character4 ,there is no ingenious system that the housekeeper may adopt to insure her success4 ,getting into trouble or keeping out of it is largely a matter of luck1 influenced by the kind of help that she is able to secure4 ,but1 first and last1 her success depends on her character--her own energy1 industry1 intelligence1 and moral worth4 ,,room ,,inspection4 ,when inspecting rooms1 the housekeeper will notice that the room is completed with the following necessaries3 ,one bed1 one foot blanket4 ,one rocking chair and two straight chairs4 ,one writing table and a scrap basket4 ,one cuspidor4 ,one dresser4 ,one clothes tree or wardrobe4 ,one ice water pitcher and two glasses on a tray4 ,if there is no bathroom1 or stationary hot and cold water1 there must be a commode1 a wash bowl and pitcher1 soap dish and clean soap4 ,one slop jar1 one chamber4 ,four face towels4 ,if there is a bathroom1 one bath mat and toilet paper in the holder4 ,one small mirror4 ,one cake of bath soap and two bath towels are needed4 ,on the dresser in every guest room should be a box of safety matches and a candle4 ,candles are so cheap1 and candle holders may be purchased for a trifle1 which will answer the purpose as well as silver4 ,no one who has lived in hotels but knows how annoying it is to be left in total darkness for half an hour1 on account of a burned out fuse1 when they are dressing for the theatre and in a hurry to complete their toilet4 ,the clerk in the office with the room rack in front of him has no conception of the rooms except that they are in perfect order4 ,perfect order does not only mean that the bed is neatly made1 the floor clean and all the furniture dusted2 soap1 towels1 matches1 candles and glasses in their places1 but everything must be in perfect working order4 ,let the housekeeper's inspection begin then with the door4 ,the lock must be in order1 and the key work properly4 ,it is embarrassing to the clerk to have to listen of a morning to such complaints as my door would not lock1 and ,i was compelled to push the dresser in front of it to insure safety4 ,but this kick is often heard in first-class houses4 ,the transoms next should receive attention--see if they will open and close4 ,next the electric lights2 they must all be in order and burn brightly4 ,the dresser drawers must move readily1 and be perfectly clean4 ,the windows must be carefully examined to see if they open and close easily1 and they must have no broken cords4 ,a housekeeper's intelligent attentions to these details will greatly aid the clerk in prompt service to the guests1 and will insure to the hotel the service that will be its own best advertisement4 ,,gossip ,,between ,,employes4 ,there are only two classes in a hotel among its employes2 one class is quite perfect and pure as angels1 while the others are black sheep and altogether unspeakable4 ,there is no transition1 no intermediate links1 no shading of light or dark4 ,a hotel employe is either good or bad1 and this rigid rule applies not only to moral character1 but intellectual excellence also is measured by the same standard4 ,in a large hotel of1 say #bej employes1 everybody seems to know everybody and everything about everybody4 ,everybody knows that he is watched1 and gossip1 both in the best and worst sense of the word1 rules supreme4 ,gossip is1 in fact1 public opinion1 with all its good and all its bad features4 ,still1 the result is that no one can afford to lose caste1 and everybody behaves as well as he can4 ,the private life of hotel employes is almost blameless4 ,the great evils of society do not exist2 now and then a black sheep gets in1 but his or her life soon becomes a burden1 everybody knows what has happened and the employes1 being on a whole so blameless1 are all the more merciless on the sinners1 whether their sins are great or small4 ,what most impresses one in hotels is the loyalty among employes4 ,no one tells them what to do or what to say1 or what not to say1 or what not to do1 yet you will observe that one who professes to be your friend will not say unfriendly things behind your back4 ,this condition is noticeable among those of inferior rank1 as well as among managers1 stewards1 clerks and housekeepers4 ,as a rule1 one table in the main dining room is reserved for the officers1 clerks1 stewards1 cashiers1 bookkeepers1 checkers1 stenographers and housekeepers4 ,most of them have been taught a few rules of life wisdom by their seniors4 ,at any rate1 few of them are seen with their elbows on the table4 ,they are observant enough of social forms to eat pie with a fork1 and their teaspoon is always in the saucer2 they eat slowly and take time to triturate4 ,there is always one wit to make one sorry when the meal is ended4 ,many hotel employes possess intellectual powers to a great degree4 ,many clerks are college graduates4 ,the housekeeper is not1 as some have said usually a member of the broken down aristocracy1 some one who has seen better days1 whose duty it is to walk through the halls with a persimmon countenance1 in search of the evildoer2 never was a statement more false4 ,hotels employ a house detective to look after its morals4 ,a housekeeper is more apt to be an assistant1 who has been promoted to the very responsible position of housekeeper4 ,relationship ,between ,housekeeper and ,women ,patrons4 ,a simple acquaintance is the most desirable footing with all persons1 however desiring4 ,the unlicensed freedom that usually attends familiarity affords but too ample scope for the indulgence of selfish and mercenary motives on the part of the women patrons4 ,it would be safe to say that the housekeeper owes to all women patrons the courtesy and consideration due one woman from another4 ,it has been said that woman's inhumanity to woman makes countless millions mourn4 ,but this condition is happily fading away2 within the last decade women have been improving in manners and morals toward each other4 ,the housekeeper should take the initiative1 consider the roof as an introduction and assume a kindly interest in the welfare of the women guests4 ,politeness is the sweetener of human society and gives a charm to everything said and done4 ,but a housekeeper may be called on to sacrifice her duty to her employer4 ,in this case she must not let any weak desire of pleasing guests make her recede one jot from any point that reason and prudence have bid her pursue4 ,birds of ,passage4 ,one of the most striking conditions in modern hotel life is that few hotels retain their heads of departments any great length of time1 while the inferior working class remains in one hotel for many years1 and often for a lifetime4 ,this significant state becomes more marked from year to year1 and the question arises3 ,what has brought about such a changed condition8 ,the traveling public surely is gratified to see a familiar face behind the desk1 in the housekeeping department1 and also in the dining-room4 ,in days past1 clerks1 stewards1 and housekeepers1 were identified with the same hotel until a retirement from all active life would see them replaced by others4 ,but of late they seem to have earned the title1 birds of passage4 ,temperament creates the atmosphere of your surroundings1 and if you would remain in a fixed place1 you should cultivate the respect of all1 and1 if possible1 their love1 also4 ,a nervous man or woman speaks in haste and uses a sharp tone of voice over mere trifles1 which1 to an ignorant mind1 may have a tendency to create dislike1 causing results that may prove distinct barriers to his or her success as a manager or housekeeper1 whereas a placid man or woman could bring about the same result with gentler tones1 thereby preventing useless friction and hatred4 ,directing and ,commanding4 ,heads of hotel departments should cultivate their talents for directing and commanding4 ,politeness1 which belongs to all persons of good breeding and is essential in the ordinary transactions of life1 is so minutely cultivated by the heads of hotel departments as to be conspicuous in its absence2 some are not even civil1 which is the very least that one person can be to another4 ,i do not mean to infer that an employe is to be forgiven if he gets intoxicated and is late to his work every morning1 nor that a sneak1 a thief1 or an agitator should be excused4 ,to handle help on the forgiving plan in such cases1 employers would become sentimental reformers and the worst kind of failures4 ,sentiment may be comforting1 but it is silly when employed in business1 under these conditions4 ,those that desire may practice forgiveness1 but when it costs time and money and brings gray hairs to those that are doing the forgiving1 it is better to keep as near the line of sternness as possible4 ,everyone employing labor should be very careful of his manner in expressing his disapproval of the actions of subordinates4 ,a reprimand should never be made in anger4 ,if a grave offense has been committed1 reprimanding should be done with great coolness and reserve1 if you would look to future events and their probable consequences4 ,impertinent and forward people may be checked by cold reserve4 ,often the faculties for transacting business and the talents for directing and reprimanding are considered by fond admirers to be the gift of nature1 when1 in reality1 they are the outcome of self-control and education4 ,chesterfield says3 ,if you are in authority and have a right to command1 your commands delivered in sauviter in modo will be willingly1 cheerfully1 and1 consequently1 well obeyed4 ,attention to ,details4 ,hotel housekeeping is a science4 ,the crowning excellence1 as all acknowledge1 lies in giving strict attention to small things4 ,successful hotel-keeping is an artistic achievement in which everything is in its right place1 is of the proper grade1 shade1 quality1 and cleanliness1 harmonizing in every particular4 ,details are repulsive to the lazy or the listless4 ,let the housekeeper feel the greatness of her position and the importance of her duties1 if she so desires to succeed4 ,enthusiasm is an element that can least be spared--one that must accompany the housekeeper at every step4 ,the question has arisen whether the housekeeper should learn without rules1 by blundering experience1 or should she take what the approved experience of others has found to be the best4 ,no one doubts the answer4 ,the true way is to submit to rules and regulations and methods of experienced and practical hotel housekeepers that have made their profession a life-long study4 ,,the ,,progressive ,,housekeeper4 ,the ocean is an everchanging wonder of kaleidoscopic views and no eye ever wearies of its beauty4 ,the earth arrays herself in such gorgeous costumes so pleasing to man's sight that few there are who want to leave her to try another4 ,the child tires of the old ragdoll and cries for the ,teddy bear4 ,put a new dress on the old ragdoll and it will again become the favorite4 ,if a housekeeper is not progressive1 her employer will tire of her4 ,the onward trick of nature is too much for the average housekeeper1 and gladly would she anchor1 but to do so means to sink4 ,she must keep up with the times1 she must travel the pace of progress4 ,there is nothing new under the sun1 but there is constant metamorphosis4 ,time brings changes4 ,competition is strong and housekeepers must be on the alert for any accomplishment that will aid in their calling4 ,in ,america1 life is a universal race for exalted positions4 ,then get out of the rut and keep up the long list of illusions1 of which a rapid succession of changes and moods and styles and ideas is the secret4 ,you must keep busy4 ,there is only one sin that you can commit2 that sin is idleness4 ,polish the old things and make them look like new4 ,do not let your footsteps become so narrow that they will end in a turkey-track4 ,keep up your practice of thoroughly cleaning rooms1 overhauling furniture1 and sending out a mattress now and then to have it repaired4 ,take up a carpet and have it cleaned4 ,give the radiators a coat of bronze4 ,have the ceiling lights cleaned4 ,paste up the wall-paper that is hanging from the wall4 ,polish the brass on the stairs4 ,put in an order for some new material of which to make dresser covers4 ,decorative ,dresser ,covers4 ,the writer has just completed some very pretty dresser covers for the parlor floor rooms1 en suite4 ,the work is fascinating1 and the linen-room girls and parlor-maids can lend a hand at making them4 ,any kind of linen material can be adapted that can be laundered with ease and success4 ,plain white linen is a well-deserved favorite and makes thoroughly useful1 as well as fashionable1 dresser-covers4 ,a cheaper material can be found in linen toweling--just as pretty and just as durable as the plain white linen4 ,the dresser cover just covering the dresser and not allowed to hang down is the favorite mode just now4 ,it can be simply hemmed2 but a charming and more attractive pattern is with scalloped edges and elaborated ends4 ,these scallops are made with a spool1 medium size1 ,no #ej being especially suitable4 ,put the spool on the edge of the material and with a lead pencil1 draw a crescent and then another1 clear across the end4 ,pad the scallops with common white darning-cotton1 using the old fashioned chain-stitch4 ,before putting the work in the embroidery-hoops1 sew a strip of muslin1 about six inches in width to the edge of the dresser cover4 ,this will aid in getting the work placed in the hoops and will enable you to do smoother and more satisfactory work4 ,embroider the scallops with linen embroidery floss1 size ,d1 using the buttonhole stitch4 ,an eyelet at the termination and just above each crescent will add materially to its effectiveness4 ,rip off the muslin and launder before cutting out the scallops4 ,this will prevent the ugly fringe seen on so many embroidered dresser-covers4 ,,the ,,housekeeper',s ,,salary4 ,too many housekeepers of the present day neglect the small things4 ,they want to draw large salaries and let the house take care of itself1 while they visit with the guests and gossip and have a good time4 ,the clerks are kind and do not report to the manager the little complaints that come to the office every day2 but the housekeeper's conscience should tell her that she is not earning her money4 ,the housekeeper that is above her profession1 is not interested in her work1 and that is trying to get into some church society1 had better not engage in hotel housekeeping1 for her housekeeping duties will require her constant attention at the hotel4 ,there will be some difficulties to settle at all times1 which will require her presence4 ,maids work better when they are conscious of a vigilant overseer4 ,they take more pride in their work when they know that every nook and corner is being inspected by the housekeeper4 ,especially is this true if the housekeeper is successful in commanding the respect of her subordinates4 ,the housekeeper that lays the blame of some grave mistake on her assistants is not worthy of the name of housekeeper4 ,had she been there1 attending to her affairs1 it would not have happened1 for she would have prevented or stopped it4 ,the housekeeper1 by diligence1 attendance to her duties1 and by economies1 figures greatly in the success of a hotel1 and makes her own position4 ,the position does not make her4 ,then it is fairly reasonable to suppose that such a housekeeper should make her own salary2 that she should command and receive her price2 that she should be paid according to the amount she is really worth1 and not the fixed scale that the hotel pays4 ,if a housekeeper can show by her books1 by her management1 and by her economies1 that she is worth more than her predecessor1 she is entitled to more pay1 and by all means should receive more pay4 ,the average salary paid a housekeeper is not enough to properly clothe a housekeeper4 ,after her laundry bills are paid1 what has she left to lay up for the rainy day1 to say nothing of an old age1 when parsimony and incompatibility of temper and set ways make her1 in any place1 an unwelcome personage4 ,the ,faithful1 ,efficient ,housekeeper4 ,the housekeeper that sticks to her post and is always looking after her work is surely worth more to her employer than one that has worn the carpet threadbare in front of her mirror1 or one that puts in a great portion of her time at the bargain-counter1 or the theater1 or with a novel in her hand4 ,surely1 the hard-working housekeeper1 the one that makes her occupation a study and is always at her post1 is worth more to her employer than the housekeeper that is trying to do society stunts1 to ring in with people of fashion1 to out-dress them4 ,but the majority of hotels pay much the same salaries to housekeepers1 good1 bad1 and indifferent4 ,the progressive housekeeper that thus looks after her employer's business every day1 always at her post in the linen-room1 is uncomplaining1 shoulders the blame1 and is not always knocking on his private-office door and entering complaints about this or that1 is surely worth more than thirty dollars a month to any hotel man4 ,if he does not think so1 he should not blame the progressive1 faithful1 reliable housekeeper1 if she promptly accepts a position with better pay4 ,,inspection ,,and ,,cleaning ,,of ,,rooms4 ,the housekeeper1 or her assistant1 should go through every room twice a day4 ,in the morning1 the housekeeper should take the house-plan1 inspect every room1 and check up the rooms that have been occupied4 ,if the bed in a room has been used1 and if there is baggage1 she should check this also1 and should turn the report into the office by nine o'clock4 ,then1 in the afternoon1 when the maids are supposed to have finished their work1 the housekeeper should take her pencil and pad and thoroughly inspect every room and the maids' work4 ,she may find a ragged sheet or pillow slip2 if so1 she should make a note of it4 ,some room may be short of a towel1 soap or matches2 she should make a note of this also4 ,around the gas-jets and in the corners1 she may find ,irish curtains 7cobwebs72 in the commode1 she may find a vessel that was forgotten2 in a dresser drawer1 a man may have left his cast-off hose1 and suspenders4 ,some maid may have swept the center of the room1 while under the bed and under the dresser there may be dust of two weeks' standing2 in another room1 the housekeeper may find a bathtub forgotten--all of which she should write on the pad4 ,this work will occupy two hours of her time in a two-hundred-room house4 ,when the maids come on watch at six o'clock1 each one should be given instructions to go back and finish her work4 ,in some hotels1 the maids do not go off duty of an afternoon1 but continue working until six o'clock4 ,in this case1 the housekeeper should issue her instructions at once4 ,,how ,,to ,,clean ,a ,,room4 ,there are many ways to clean a room1 but there is just one best way to clean it thoroughly4 ,dig out the corners should be the watchword of every successful housekeeper4 ,she would rather the maid would leave the dirt in a pile in the center of the room than fail to clean out the corners4 ,if one word could be selected that means the most and needs the most emphasis in the science of housekeeping1 that word would be cleanliness4 ,the first desideratum1 therefore1 of the chambermaid1 is the scrub-pail and a piece of oilcloth--some maids use a newspaper--under it to protect the carpet4 ,the first thing to do is to clean the small pieces of furniture4 ,if the furniture is new1 it should be only wiped with the dust-cloth4 ,if it is old and marred1 it should be washed with warm water and soap1 and oiled with a good furniture-polish4 ,it should then be set in the hall4 ,the dresser drawers should be washed and the marble cleaned with sapolio2 the mirrors should be polished1 the windows washed1 and the shutters dusted4 ,the crockery should be cleaned and put in the hall4 ,the bed should be covered with a dust-cover4 ,the cobwebs should be swept down with a long-handled broom4 ,the lace curtains should be shaken1 and either taken down or pinned up4 ,the closet should be swept out4 ,the toilet-bowl should be scrubbed inside and out with the toilet-brush1 and a disinfectant powder put in4 ,the stationary wash-bowl should be scrubbed with sapolio1 and the faucets polished1 not forgetting the chain4 ,the bathtub should also be scrubbed with sapolio1 and the floor washed4 ,the door should now be closed and the sweeping begun4 ,a very good plan is to scatter wet paper over the floor to keep the dust down4 ,the corners should be dug out and the dirt swept to the center of the room and taken up in the dust-pan4 ,if the carpet is old1 it should be sponged with warm water and soap1 to which a little ammonia has been added4 ,the carpet will look like new after this process4 ,after the dust is well settled1 all the wood work in the room should be washed2 the bed and dresser should be washed and oiled1 and all the furniture should be symmetrically arranged1 and the windows closed on account of storms4 ,one chambermaid can successfully look after eighteen or twenty rooms a day4 ,not all of the rooms are occupied every night4 ,the maid should take advantage of the dull days to clean her rooms thoroughly2 she should clean one room every day4 ,,the ,,importance ,,of ,,good ,,beds4 ,competition is great1 and success will come to the best and cleanest hotel4 ,the traveler loves to slip into a bed with perfectly laundered sheets that do not look as if the maids had sprinkled1 folded1 and pressed them between the mattress1 as chambermaids ordinarily do in hotels where there is a scant supply of linen4 ,sometimes the chambermaid will ask the laundryman for a pair of sheets to make up a sample-room1 as the guest wants to receive a customer4 ,the laundryman replies3 ,well1 just as soon as the machinery starts again1 you may have them4 ,there has been a breakdown2 the belt is off2 or something has gone wrong1 and they have sent for the engineer to fix it4 ,then the housekeeper must go to some unoccupied room and strip the bed and use the linen for making up the bed in the sample-room1 while the guest walks the floor and frets over the delay4 ,much time is saved if the hotel is supplied with plenty of linen4 ,sheets that cover only two-thirds of the mattress do not add to the cheerfulness and comfort of the guests4 ,many well grounded complaints are entered about this4 ,special laws have been enacted in some states1 within the last year1 regarding the length of sheets4 ,occasionally a guest finds it expedient to make his bed over1 if he would have any comfort4 ,the maid has put the double fold of the blanket to the top2 it is a warm night1 yet he fears to throw the blanket off--he might take cold4 ,so he concludes to make his own bed1 putting the single fold to the top1 that he may throw some of it back4 ,,how ,a ,,bed ,,is ,,made4 ,good bed-making is the one trait par excellence in all good chambermaid work4 ,to make a bed artistically is one important feature1 and to make it so that the guest may rest comfortably is another1 and1 finally1 just how is the best way to make a bed is a question worthy of consideration4 ,in our big country of ,america1 the traveler from ,maine to ,california sees many styles of bed-making4 ,in ,new ,orleans is seen the picturesque canopy of pure white mosquito-netting tucked in neatly all around4 ,in ,kansas ,city is seen the snowy spreads plaited half way to the foot with numerous little folds4 ,in ,new ,york is seen the pure linen hemstitched sheets1 turned back with a single fold4 ,to begin to make a bed1 first1 the mattress should be turned4 ,the bottom sheet should then be tucked in carefully by raising the mattress with one hand and smoothing the sheet down with the other4 ,the large hems should always be at the head1 in order that no one may be compelled to lay his face where some one's feet have been4 ,after the bottom sheet has been tucked in at the head1 it should be tightly drawn and tucked in at the foot in the same way4 ,sheets should be long enough to tuck in one foot at the head and one at the bottom4 ,if it is a brass bed1 the sheets should be left to hang down4 ,after the bottom sheet is on perfectly1 it is easy to make a pretty bed1 and one in which the guest may rest well4 ,the top sheet should be put on1 and tucked in at the foot only4 ,the blanket should be put on with the single fold at the head4 ,if the guest should get too warm1 he can throw half of the blanket to the foot and yet have sufficient covering4 ,after the spread is put on1 a single fold as large as your hand should be made1 then another fold one foot in width should complete the folding1 and the spread should be neatly tucked in4 ,the pillows should now be smoothed evenly and placed up aright1 and the bed is made4 ,,how ,,to ,,clean ,,walls4 ,to clean a painted canvas wall does not require so much skill as patience4 ,a painted canvas wall is very easily cleaned4 ,many housekeepers have them washed with ivory soap and water1 and obtain good results4 ,others add a little ammonia to the water1 and still others use the powdered pumice4 ,the cost of painted walls are great1 and it is a great saving to any proprietor1 if the housekeeper can successfully clean a painted wall without calling the decorators4 ,perhaps the most practical and most economical way to do the work and obtain the best results is to wash the wall with water1 in which has been dissolved a cake of sapolio4 ,to proceed to clean the parlor walls3 first1 take out all the bric-a-brac and tapestry and furniture2 then take up the carpet4 ,have the carpenter erect a scaffolding for the houseman to stand on4 ,have two pails of hot water1 and in one let a cake of sapolio dissolve4 ,keep the other pail of water for rinsing4 ,have two large sponges1 one for cleaning and the other for rinsing4 ,souse the cleaning-sponge in the pail in which the sapolio has been dissolved1 then squeeze the water out of the sponge4 ,then begin on the ceiling or in one corner1 cleaning only a small square at a time4 ,after cleaning1 rinse with the sponge from the clean pail1 not making the sponge too dry4 ,do not wipe the wall with a cloth1 but leave moist1 after which have ready a pail of starch1 and with an ordinary paint or white-wash-brush1 starch the square that you have cleaned1 before it is thoroughly dry4 ,the starching-process is very necessary4 ,it will leave a gloss on the paint1 and also preserves it the next time it is washed2 for1 in this case1 it will be the starch that will be washed off instead of the paint4 ,to make the starch take ordinary laundry starch and dissolve one cupful in one pint of cold water4 ,into this pour boiling water until it is as thick as cream and let boil1 stirring constantly4 ,the following is an excellent preparation for cleaning wall-paper1 and perhaps it might serve as well to clean walls hung with burlap3 #b pounds of rye flour4 #a_/b pound of wheat flour4 #a handful of salt4 ,mix well together with water and bake one hour in the oven4 ,then peel and work back into a dough1 adding #a_/b ounce of ammonia and #a_/b ounce of gasoline4 ,this is not an expensive preparation and will clean papered or burlap walls very nicely4 ,calcimined walls will have to be re-decorated4 ,a good way to clean hardwood floors in halls where the carpet does not entirely cover the floor1 is to take a can of linseed oil and a small woolen cloth and dip one end of the cloth in the oil1 being careful not to spill the oil on the carpet1 or touch the edge of the carpet while cleaning2 this will remove the dust and dirt1 after which the floor may be polished with ordinary floor-wax put on with a flannel cloth and polished with a brick1 over which has been sewed a piece of ,brussels carpet4 ,how to ,scrub a ,floor4 ,what is prettier than a hardwood floor after it has been properly scrubbed8 ,to scrub a floor and get satisfactory results is a science4 ,to change the water frequently is one secret of success4 ,elbow grease is another4 ,mops are impossible1 and this is another subject on which the housekeeper can wax eloquent4 ,what is more disgusting than to see the baseboards of a room smeared1 or the dirt shoved in the corners with an old dirty mop8 ,before commencing to scrub1 place every article of furniture on the table and then sweep4 ,beginning in the rear of the door so as not to track over the clean part until it is perfectly dry1 scrub with a brush a small section at a time2 first wipe up with a damp rag and then with a dry one4 ,the ,new ,york ,knitting ,mills1 of ,albany1 ,n4 ,y41 furnish remnants of cloth that are indispensable for scrubbing4 ,enough of these remnants can be bought for #c to last six months4 ,a little ammonia in the water will help to whiten the floors4 ,the modern skewers from the kitchen are very useful in getting into the corners of the window sills and into the corners of the stair steps4 ,a weak solution of oxalic acid and boiling water will remove the very worst kind of ink-stains from the floor4 ,pads for kneeling on are made of burlap1 and one is given to each scrubber4 ,the unnatural position that the scrubber assumes makes the work laborious2 the scrubber may change her position frequently by getting clean water4 ,,how ,,to ,,get ,,rid ,,of ,,vermin4 ,the worst kind of house-pests1 if you do not know how to get rid of them1 but not the easiest to exterminate1 are bedbugs4 ,they do not confine themselves to any section of the country1 though the ,international ,encyclopedia gives the belief that up to ,shakespeare's time they were not known in ,england1 and that they came originally from ,india4 ,in ,kansas1 the bedbug is improperly called the chintz-bug1 and is believed to dwell under the bark of the cotton-wood tree4 ,there is no authentic truth for this belief4 ,the spread of the bedbug is mainly due to its being carried from place to place in furniture and clothing4 ,it has the power of resisting great cold and of fasting indefinitely4 ,the eggs of the bedbug are very small1 whitish1 oval objects1 laid in clusters in the crevices used by the bugs for concealment2 they hatch in eight days4 ,under favorable conditions and slovenly housekeeping1 their multiplication is extremely rapid4 ,the greatest trouble lies with the housekeeper who allows the bugs to increase unchecked until they are so numerous in the floors and walls that it is nearly impossible to kill them off4 ,it is useless waste of time to try to exterminate with ,persian insect powder1 or sulphur candles4 ,these remedies have been recommended by the ,international ,encyclopedia1 but have not demonstrated their worth when subjected to tests by careful experimental methods1 by the author4 ,scientific ,way of ,extermination4 ,the only scientific and practical way to get rid of them is to clean thoroughly1 religiously1 and scrupulously the room and every article in it4 ,bedbugs are exceedingly difficult to fight1 owing both to their ability to withstand the action of many insecticides and owing also to the protection afforded them by the walls and the woodwork of the room4 ,if the mattress is old1 it should be burned4 ,the bed should be taken apart1 the slats and springs taken to the bathroom and scalded1 and then treated with a mixture of corrosive sublimate and alcohol1 liberally applied1 after which a coat of varnish should be given to the entire bed--slats1 springs and all4 ,the carpet should be taken up and sent to the cleaners4 ,the paper should be scraped from the walls and sent to the furnace and burned1 and the walls should be left bare until the bugs are exterminated4 ,the holes in the walls and woodwork and the cracks and crevices in the floor should be filled up with common yellow soap4 ,this is better than to fill them with putty2 it is more practical and is easier to handle4 ,use the thumb or an old knife to put the soap into the holes2 the workman should get the stepladder and go over the entire ceiling1 getting the soap into every crack and crevice4 ,after this is done1 it will be impossible for the eggs to hatch or the bugs to get out4 ,this is the most important part of the extermination of bugs4 ,the floor should then be scrubbed1 after which it should be well poisoned with the mixture of corrosive sublimate and alcohol4 ,every piece of furniture in the room should be washed and poisoned1 and given a coat of varnish4 ,treating the ,mattress4 ,if the mattress is too good to be thrown away1 the following will be found a good method to destroy the vermin in it3 dissolve two pounds of alum in one gallon of water2 let it remain twenty-four hours until all the alum is dissolved4 ,then1 with a whisk-broom1 apply while boiling hot4 ,this is also a good way to rid the walls and ceiling of bugs4 ,getting on the stepladder1 the workman should apply the wash with the whisk-broom1 never missing an inch of the entire ceiling and walls1 keeping the liquid boiling hot while using4 ,it should be poured in all the cracks of the floor1 in the corners1 over the doors and over the windows4 ,the operation should be repeated every day for two weeks1 after which the woodwork should be painted and the walls papered4 ,a strict watch should be kept on all the help's rooms1 and any signs of bugs should be promptly treated with the mixture of corrosive sublimate and alcohol4 ,cleanliness a ,necessity4 ,cleanliness is a prime factor in ridding rooms of vermin4 ,in many of the hotels there is one woman appointed to look after the bugs1 and she has no other duty4 ,a good night's sleep is necessary to health and happiness4 ,it can not be found in a room with vermin4 ,the housekeeper should keep up the continual warfare against the standing army of bugs1 and never allow the enemy to take possession4 ,roaches1 or water-bugs1 are easily exterminated4 ,hellebore sprinkled on the floor will soon kill them off4 ,it is poison4 ,they eat it at night and are killed4 ,some people object to having poison around4 ,in that case1 powdered borax will prove an expedient eradicator4 ,a good way to keep rats from a room is to saturate a rag with cayenne pepper and stuff it in the hole2 no rat or mouse will touch the rag1 not if it would open a communication with a depot of eatables4 ,a ,nauseating ,subject4 ,of all the obnoxious being that get into a hotel1 the one whose feet smell to the heavens is the worst4 ,every housekeeper in ,america--heaven bless them--if she has a normal and simple mind as fits her calling1 finds smelling feet an intolerable nuisance4 ,health requires at least one bath a day for the feet1 and when they perspire freely they should be bathed twice a day4 ,what must be said of the maid who1 on entering a room1 compels you to leave it on account of the sickening odor from her feet4 ,in a case like this1 the housekeeper must take the bull by the horns1 tell the maid that her feet smell and that she must keep herself cleaner4 ,the maid's feelings are not to be spared in the performance of this important duty4 ,after washing the feet carefully twice a day for a week a cure will be effected4 ,clean hosiery should be put on every day4 ,a very good remedy for offensive feet is a few drops of muriatic acid in the water when bathing the feet before retiring to bed4 ,,the ,,superiority ,,of ,,vacuum ,,cleaning4 ,this is an age of surprises and scientific researches4 ,the up-to-date vacuum-cleaning machine is a huge debt to an ancient past4 ,it is a big improvement over the methods employed in days gone by4 ,as a preventive for moths1 it has no equal4 ,in hotels where this labor-saving device has not been installed1 carpets must be carried to the roof to be cleaned1 or sent to the regular carpet-cleaners1 and soon converted into ravelings4 ,carpets are very expensive1 and1 if you want your money's worth from them1 you must preserve them from moths4 ,in order to do this1 they must be either vacuum-cleaned or taken to the roof every six months and given a beating4 ,after the moths get a start in a carpet it is surprising to learn what vast inroads toward destruction they can make in a few weeks4 ,moving the furniture and thoroughly sweeping and brushing the edges with turpentine are good preventives4 ,but nothing will so effectually destroy them as does the vacuum-cleaning process4 ,in order to secure detailed information regarding the workings of the vacuum-cleaning system for hotels1 ,i wrote to a gentleman in ,milwaukee1 who is probably the best informed man on that subject in the country4 ,besides being in the vacuum-cleaning business1 he is a hotel man himself and therefore knows how to meet the needs of the hotel housekeeper4 ,i quote a part of his reply3 ,system ,explained by an ,expert4 ,the vacuum-cleaning system in a hotel will pay for itself every year by reducing the cleaning force and by increasing the life of carpets1 rugs1 hangings1 upholstery1 and decorations1 whether paper1 fresco1 or paint4 ,in hotels where this system is in use--and their number is increasing every month--carpets and rugs are cleaned on the floor4 ,right here is a big saving4 ,first1 taking up and relaying carpets is expensive4 ,there is nothing that wears them out quicker than this sort of handling and the beating and tumbling4 ,vacuum-cleaning not only saves this1 but saves the daily wear and tear of grinding in the dirt and wearing off the nap with a broom4 ,third1 with the vacuum-system1 valuable rooms are never put out of commission while the carpets and rugs are away being cleaned4 ,not only are the carpets and rugs kept cleaner by the vacuum-system1 but everything else is cleaner because dust is kept down4 ,the housekeeper of a certain hotel told the owner that since he put in the vacuum-system1 the transoms had to be washed only one-fourth as often as before4 ,now1 the dust on those transoms came out of the air4 ,it settled everywhere1 but it showed plainly only on the transoms4 ,with the vacuum-system1 there is only one-fourth as much dust to settle on the walls and decorations1 and even that little is quickly removed with the vacuum-wall-brush4 ,dust on the walls is what causes the unpleasant1 musty smell of many hotel rooms4 ,keeping walls clean means less frequent redecorating4 ,purifies ,nearly ,everything4 ,upholstered furniture is quickly and thoroughly cleaned by the vacuum-method4 ,dust is removed not only from the surface1 but also from the folds and creases and even the interior of the cushions4 ,moths and their eggs are sucked out from their hiding places under the upholstery buttons or in the corners4 ,mattresses and pillows are kept clean and sweet by vacuum-treatment4 ,passing the cleaning tool over the surface prevents dust from accumulating and sifting in4 ,it sucks out the stale dusty air inside and draws in fresh air1 thus preventing that unpleasant musty smell which hotel beds sometimes have4 ,by the vacuum-method1 tapestries and hangings are kept fresh and bright without the trouble and expense of taking them down4 ,one hotel manager told me his vacuum-system saved him #aj every time he cleaned the hangings in his dining-room1 for it used to cost him that sum to have them re-draped4 ,by means of a special brush1 wood and tile floors can be cleaned without the dust of dry sweeping1 or the muddy aftermarks of sawdust4 ,vacuum ,always on ,tap4 ,the most and recent important improvement in vacuum-cleaning consists in having the vacuum or 'suction power' always 'on tap' on every floor4 ,at convenient points in the corridors1 nickel-plated taps are placed4 ,to these1 the housemen or maids can quickly attach the rubber hose connected with the cleaning-tools4 ,opening a valve turns on the suction or vacuum4 ,then1 as fast as the tool is moved over the surface to be cleaned1 dust and dirt are sucked through the hose into the pipes and away to an air-tight dust-tank in the basement4 ,the 'on tap' vacuum is always ready for use4 ,no need to telephone or send word to the engineer to start that pump or to stop it when the work is done4 ,although the vacuum1 or suction1 is kept on tap all the time1 practically no power is consumed except when the cleaning is going on4 ,even then the amount of power used--whether it be steam or electricity--is automatically proportioned to the number and the size of the cleaning tools in use4 ,whenever you lay down the sweeper to move a chair1 just so much less power is consumed while the tool is idle4 ,if one sweeper is in use1 only one-tenth as much power is needed as when ten sweepers are working4 ,the little upholstery tuft-cleaner consumes only one-ninth as much power as the carpet-sweeper4 ,this means a great saving of power and is a great improvement over the old vacuum-methods1 by which it was impossible to keep the vacuum on tap and by which1 once the apparatus was started1 full power was consumed1 no matter how many sweepers were at work4 ,,the ,,linen-,,room ,,and ,,the ,,linen-,,woman4 ,the linen-woman has in her care all the beautiful and expensive linen in the hotel2 if she is careless in counting it when sending it to the different departments1 careless in counting it after it has been returned1 there will be a deficit in the stock-report at the end of the month4 ,the linen-room is a position of trust4 ,the linen-woman should be as accurate in counting her employer's napkins and table-cloths as the cashier is in counting his employer's dollars4 ,the following set of rules and essential requirements are suggested for the management of the linen-woman3 #a4 ,she must be prompt to open the linen-room at #f3cj a4m4 #b4 ,must not leave the linen-room without notifying the housekeeper4 #c4 ,must sort the linen4 #d4 ,must see that no damaged article of linen is sent out to the guest-rooms4 #e4 ,must mend all the linen4 #f4 ,must keep track of the linen4 #g4 ,must keep the linen-room books4 #h4 ,must mark the new linen before sending it out4 ,the linen-room is the housekeeper's pride4 ,what is more pleasing to a housekeeper than to look into a well-kept linen-room4 ,this room is the housekeeper's stock-exchange1 the room where all her business transactions take place4 ,it is also her home4 ,she has her geraniums in the window and her desk in one corner4 ,she has her sewing-machine1 and telephone1 and a bright rug or two on the spotless floor4 ,the linen-room is the place where the housekeeper is found or her whereabouts made known4 ,the room should be thoroughly cleaned every ,saturday1 and swept and dusted every day4 ,it requires skill and labor to keep a well regulated linen-room looking neat and pretty4 ,linen-shelves are scrubbed1 not papered4 ,all heavy articles1 such as spreads1 blankets1 pillows1 and table-felts should be kept on the top shelf4 ,the water-glasses1 ice-water pitchers1 extra slop jars1 washbowls and pitchers1 should also be kept on the top shelves1 and covered with a dust-cover4 ,the other shelves should be scrubbed1 and the sheets1 slips1 face-towels1 and bath-towels used for the guest-rooms1 put on a shelf by themselves4 ,the helps' linen should be put on another shelf4 ,the table-linen should be placed by itself1 and so on--a place for everything and everything in its place4 ,how ,linen is ,mended4 ,the table-cloths should be mended first before they are sent to the laundry4 ,the best way to mend table-linen is first to fill the holes with darning-cotton1 just as you would if you were darning a stocking2 then loosen the presser-foot of your sewing-machine and darn it down neatly with the machine4 ,if the hole is very large--say as large as your hand--the better way is to cover the hole with darning-net before filling it in with the darning-cotton2 then it may be finished on the machine4 ,when the table-cloths are too bad to mend1 the large ones can be cut down into small ones and the small ones into tray-covers4 ,old napkins can be sewed together and used for cleaning-cloths4 ,table-linen is very expensive and the careful housekeeper will easily save her salary above that of a careless one by properly taking care of the linen4 ,how ,coffee ,bags ,are ,made4 ,the coffee-bags should be made from the stewards' dictation4 ,no two stewards will have them made the same4 ,bath-towels1 when damaged1 may be made into wash-cloths1 and used in the public baths4 ,the cases for hot-water bags are made of white flannel4 ,a supply of soap1 matches1 toilet-paper1 and sanitary powder1 should be kept in the linen-room1 where it is convenient for the maids4 ,the progressive housekeeper will not allow the stock of linen to grow too small4 ,she will see that it is replenished each month4 ,the linen-room should be opened at #f3cj a4m4 and closed at #aj3jj p4m4 ,if it is a commercial hotel1 the linen should be portioned among the maids1 in the morning4 ,the linen issued in the morning should be charged to each girl on the slate4 ,the maids should count the soiled linen on their floor1 pin the count to the bundle1 and bring it to the linen-room1 where the linen-woman again should count it and give each maid credit on the slate4 ,the linen-woman should deduct the clean linen issued in the morning from the soiled linen returned1 and1 if the linen-room owes the maid1 she should be given her linen at once4 ,after that1 the maid should get only one piece of clean linen for one of soiled4 ,if the maid brings in no soiled linen1 she should not get any clean4 ,in this way1 the linen-woman will be able to keep track of the linen4 ,she will be able to tell the manager where every piece of linen is at any time of the day4 ,the dining-room linen should be issued in the same way4 ,the linen-woman should be able to tell by her books how many napkins are in the dining-room1 how many are in the laundry1 and the number that are on the shelf in the linen-room4 ,it may not be an innovation1 but a blackboard in the linen-room will be of great assistance to the housekeeper in copying the changes that are sent up from time to time during the day4 ,the board may be freshly ruled every day1 with as many columns as there are maids1 and the maid's name1 or number1 should be written above her column4 ,as the changes are sent up on a pad by the clerks1 the linen-woman should copy them on the board1 putting each maid's changes under her name4 ,the maids should take the chalk and draw a straight line through their changes1 indicating that the rooms have received proper attention4 ,as there are few hotels that have not had some trouble about reporting changes1 it would be a splendid idea for the clerk to insist on the housekeeper or the linen-woman signing for the changes4 ,the fact that the clerk can produce his duplicate1 showing the time to the very minute he sent the change1 is not proof that the change was received in the linen-room4 ,the bell-boy may be a new boy1 and may have taken the change-slip to some other part of the house4 ,but if the housekeeper1 or the linen-woman1 signs the pad on which the changes have been sent up1 and the pad is returned to the office1 the housekeeper or the linen-woman will have to furnish some other excuse for the room being out of order1 than that she did not get the change4 ,the housekeeper should see that an accurate account is taken every month of all the linen1 and correctly entered on the linen-room stock-book4 ,this account should show the new linen purchased during the month4 ,the following form is suggested for the stock-book for the linen-room3 ,inventory of ,linen-,room for month ending ,january #a1 #aijh4 ,total ,no4 ,plus ,jan4 #a1 #aijh4 last count new ,grand,worn ,dec4 #a1 #aijgstock,totalout ,stolen,net ,total ---------------------------------------- ----------------- ,sheets #hjj #ej #hej #be #hbe ,slips ,spreads ,face-,towels ,bath-,towels ,table-,cloths ,napkins ,side-,towels ,tray-,towels ,tops ,kitchen-,towels ,glass-,towels ,roller-,towels ,bar-,towels ,wash-room ,towels ---------------------------------------- ----------------- ,paradise1 indeed1 to the housekeeper1 is the hotel that has its reserve-linen closet1 where1 in case of accident in the laundry1 she may find linen to put the rooms in order4 ,on the other hand1 how very discouraging it is where there is only one set of linen for the beds and the maids must wait until the linen is back from the laundry before they can put the rooms in order4 ,in such hotels1 the housekeeper spends much of her time running to and from the laundry4 ,when a new linen-woman is installed in the linen-room1 the housekeeper should write out all the details of the duties required of her1 regardless of any previous experience she may claim to have had4 ,,care ,,of ,,table-,,linen4 ,a table-cloth should be long enough to hang over the table1 at least eighteen inches on all sides4 ,pattern cloths are prettier than the piece-linen4 ,they are more expensive1 but it pays to buy the best for hotel use4 ,linen1 to have sufficient body to wear well1 should have a certain weight to the square inch4 ,table-linen should weigh at least four and one-half ounces to the square yard4 ,all pattern-cloths have the napkins to match4 ,the napkins and table-cloths should have a tiny1 narrow hem4 ,they are best hemmed by hand1 but this can not be thought of for hotels4 ,it takes the same amount of money to purchase the unbleached linen as it does to buy the bleached4 ,the ,irish bleached linen is of a more snowy whiteness than that of ,germany4 ,this is owing to the climate of ,ireland1 which is particularly adapted by sunshine and rain for natural bleaching4 ,table-,linen ,most ,important4 ,the table-linen is more important than the bed-linen1 and should receive the first consideration in the laundry4 ,it should be carefully counted and sorted by the linen-woman at night1 after dinner1 and should be ready for the laundryman who must rise very early in the morning in order to have the table-linen ready for the laundry-maids that come on duty at seven o'clock4 ,a table-cloth should be folded lengthwise twice1 then doubled1 putting both ends together1 then folded1 and it will be ready for the shelf4 ,napkins should be put through the mangle three times and left without folding1 so the linen-woman can easily sort them4 ,removing ,stains4 ,fruit-stains in linen may be removed by pouring boiling water through the stained spot4 ,lemon juice and salt will remove iron-rust4 ,tea1 coffee1 chocolate1 and fruit-stains should be removed as soon as possible by pouring boiling water over them4 ,after fruit-stains have been washed a few times in soapsuds1 they become as firmly fixed in the linen as though they were dyed there1 and can only be removed by a bleaching process4 ,a good bleach can be made by taking one pint of boiling water to one teaspoonful of oxalic acid and one teaspoonful of ammonia4 ,one teacupful of ammonia to a wash will keep the table-linen white4 ,the care of the table-linen is a very important feature of the housekeeper's work4 ,in many hotels1 the housekeeper is required to purchase the linen4 ,fashion changes in table-linen as in other things4 ,a careful study of facts and figures has proved that1 in proportion to the population1 the ,united ,states of ,america consumes more linen than any other country in the world4 ,it is not1 however1 a leader in the production of flax4 ,russia takes the lead in this industry4 ,the ,united ,states grows flax for the seed and not for the fibre2 hence very little weaving is done in this country4 ,kinds of ,linen4 ,linen has a variety of names1 as ,holland1 damask1 et cetera4 ,damask linen was first made in ,damascus--the oldest city in the world--and was figured in fruit and flowers4 ,a long time ago linen made in ,scotland was sent to ,germany to be bleached2 hence the name ,holland4 ,the old-time way of bleaching was long and expensive1 sometimes taking an entire summer4 ,after it was bleached by a natural process of open air1 dew1 and sunshine1 it was then treated with an alkaline1 and then buttermilk4 ,it was left lying on the grass for a month1 and sprinkled frequently with water and sometimes sour milk4 ,at the present time1 linen can be bleached in two weeks4 ,the cost of bleaching is much less and linen fabric is one-half cheaper than formerly4 ,the chemicals used in the modern process of bleaching greatly injures the fibre1 and linen is not so durable as it was under the old-fashioned way of bleaching4 ,how to ,test ,linen4 ,the housekeeper in selecting linen at the counter may test the linen by ravelling out some of the threads4 ,the threads that form the woof as well as the warp should be strong1 and long thread linen4 ,never buy linen that is stiff and glossy1 as it will be thin after it is laundered4 ,linen should be substantial1 but pliant when crushed in the hand4 ,never buy a table-cloth that is part linen and part cotton1 as the shrinkage of linen and cotton fibre varies greatly1 which causes the threads to break1 and the table-cloth will soon be full of holes4 ,,laundry ,,work4 ,order is ,heaven's first law1 sang the poet1 and to keep order in a hotel seems not such an ,herculean task4 ,system makes work easy1 and the superintendent of the laundry must insist on the work being systematically performed4 ,soap and water are the most important materials used in the laundry work4 ,to do good work with little or no damage to the linen1 soft water and good soap are absolutely necessary4 ,in many parts of the ,united ,states1 the water is permanently hard1 and is a perplexing question to laundry workers4 ,the first thing to do is to soften the water4 ,it can not be made soft by boiling1 and must be treated with chemicals which must be used before the soap is added4 ,when soap is used in hard water before it has been softened1 the soap unites with the minerals in the water1 and clings to the linen like a greasy scum4 ,borax is the best softening agent for hard water4 ,to soften water with borax1 use one tablespoonful to each gallon of water4 ,a tablespoonful of ammonia and one tablespoonful of turpentine to each washing will keep clothes white4 ,hard water may be softened with potash or sal soda1 which is much cheaper than borax and ammonia1 but potash and sal soda are both corrosive and very injurious to the linen4 ,great care must be used in softening water with these alkalines4 ,if they are not thoroughly dissolved before using in the washer1 little particles are apt to escape the solvent action of the water and stick to the linen and form brown spots which soon become holes4 ,good ,soap a ,necessity4 ,soap is the next cleaning agent to be considered4 ,you can not have pretty1 white linen without good soap4 ,a good soft soap for use in hotel laundries can be made from the refuse fat from the kitchen4 ,this soap will effect the cleaning of the hotel bed and table-linen1 but for bundle-washing1 flannels1 and prints1 a milder soap is generally used4 ,a very good soap for washing flannels and prints may be made from the pieces of soap that are collected from the rooms4 ,how linen is laundered and to be able to give a scientific reason for each step are the very first things a housekeeper should learn4 ,no housekeeper is worthy of the title if she is unskilled in laundry tactics4 ,yet how few housekeepers there are that could give even a recipe for making bleach1 to say nothing of the most effective way to use it so as to cause the least injury to the fabric8 ,few housekeepers know little or anything of the benefits of the scientific researches that have been made to render laundering easy4 ,the linen must be carefully sorted and counted in the linen-room by the linen-woman4 ,in hotels where the houseman gathers the linen from the different floors and carries it direct to the laundry1 the laundryman has been known to dump it in the washer without sorting it4 ,this is the source of many a lost pillow1 blanket1 nightshirt1 and even pocketbooks and jewelry4 ,guests often put their valuables under the pillow or in the pillowslip and forget them4 ,these valuables sometimes escape the chambermaid's eyes in her haste to strip the beds4 ,sometimes a new waiter in the dining-room will use a napkin to wipe his tray2 these greatly soiled napkins should be rinsed out before they are put in the washer4 ,why the ,hotel ,laundry ,work is ,discolored4 ,is it any wonder that the sheets and table-linen soon get that brown color8 ,all the soft water in the kingdom will not bring about the desired results if the linen is not carefully sorted4 ,the napkins should be put in one pile1 those that are badly soiled with mustard or gravy in another pile1 and the table-cloths in another4 ,napkins and table-cloths that are stained with tea1 coffee1 chocolate1 or fruit1 should be laid aside and boiling water should be poured through the stains before they come in contact with soap1 as the soap will help to set the stains permanently4 ,the laundryman should rise early and have the first washing from the extractor before the laundrygirls make their appearance1 which is usually at seven o 'clock4 ,the table-linen should receive the first attention4 ,it is the least soiled1 the most expensive1 and it may be needed before the bed-linen4 ,the napkins and table-cloths should not remain long after they are shaken out4 ,they will have a finer gloss if they are mangled immediately after being taken from the extractor4 ,one reason that linen gets that dirty brown color is because it has not been properly rinsed before adding the blueing4 ,the soap should be thoroughly rinsed from the linen before the blueing is put in the washer4 ,how many hotel laundries send the linen to the linen-room damp and steaming and smelling of soap8 ,is it any wonder that the linen is soon full of holes and worn out8 ,two tablespoonfuls of kerosene in a washing will greatly aid in cleansing1 though more soap must be used in this case4 ,in many laundries1 there is not sufficient help4 ,there should be at least two girls employed to shake out and two at the mangles1 in a #bjj-room house4 ,where there is bundle-washing it will require even more help than this4 ,the kitchen-linen should be washed by hand on the board and not put in the washer4 ,the housekeeper should be allowed plenty of help to properly do the work4 ,bleaching ,linens4 ,when clothes have become yellow by the use of impure water or any other cause1 the snowy whiteness must be restored by a bleaching process4 ,chloride of lime and oxalic acid are powerful agents1 and1 if not quickly removed from the fabric1 they will corrode and do much injury to the linen4 ,turpentine has some power as a bleacher as also has borax4 ,blueing will aid in keeping the clothes white1 but do not use too much4 ,there are a variety of blueings to be had4 ,the indigo blue is the best4 ,starch will greatly aid in keeping clothes clean4 ,it is made mostly from rice1 wheat1 corn1 or potatoes4 ,only a little starch should be used with delicate fabrics4 ,they should be no stiffer than when they are new4 ,the starch should be completely dissolved in cold water before adding the boiling water4 ,stir the starch constantly while the boiling water is being poured in4 ,a few things may be put in to give a gloss1 and to make the iron run smooth2 among them are paraffine1 lard1 kerosene1 and gum arabic4 ,how to ,iron4 ,before commencing to iron1 have ready a bowl of water and a cloth for smoothing wrinkles and rubbing away any soot or spots that may get on the garment4 ,have a piece of paraffine tied in a cloth to rub over the iron1 and a knife for scraping any starch from the iron that may stick to it in the process of ironing4 ,put much weight on the iron and do not raise it from the garment but move it quickly over the surface4 ,when a wrinkle is made1 dampen it again with a wet cloth and smooth again with the iron4 ,always iron in a good light so that scorching may be avoided4 ,a garment should be ironed quickly2 otherwise it will dry out and much time will be wasted in going over it with the damp cloth and changing the irons4 ,in ironing a white duck skirt1 stretch it in shape quickly while it is damp and iron it into shape1 else it will be long here and short there4 ,when ironing a ruffled skirt1 always iron the bottom ruffle first and turn it back while ironing the others4 ,iron around hooks and eyes and not over them4 ,never iron a crease in a garment unless it is necessary4 ,a crease will mar the effect of the garment and also cause the threads to break sooner1 thereby making holes4 ,recipe for ,making ,bleach4 ,an inexpensive recipe for making a good bleach to be used every day will be found in the following3 ,fill a clean barrel half full of boiling water and put into it ten pounds of chloride of lime and stir until well dissolved4 ,dissolve ten pounds of caustic soda in boiling water and stir in the barrel4 ,fill the barrel with boiling water and stir4 ,let it settle and skim the little white particles from the surface1 as these are what rot the clothes4 ,use one gallon of the bleach in a washing4 ,although laundering is one of the last kinds of work to receive the benefits of scientific research1 much effort has recently been made to present easy and effective ways of laundering4 ,the how and why has been learned4 ,it is no difficulty for the housekeeper to hire a laundryman and to install him in his work with the words3 ,this is the laundry2 you will meet with many difficulties in your line1 but you must work out your own salvation4 ,how ,curtains are ,washed and ,mended4 ,take down the lace curtains that you are going to wash and shake them well so as to get all of the dust from them4 ,put them in cold water to soak4 ,then wash by hand in warm suds1 to which has been added one teaspoonful of ammonia4 ,do not rub them1 squeeze dry and rinse through two waters4 ,do not blue them4 ,if they are of an ecru shade1 put a little coffee in the water and they will look like new4 ,starch and stretch loosely on the curtain frames while they are wet4 ,the holes can be drawn together while on the bars so they will never be noticed after they are dry1 and it is a far better way to mend curtains than darning them on the machine after they have dried4 ,cream-colored curtains may be washed in the same way4 ,colored madras and silk curtains can be cleansed in gasoline4 ,great care must be taken1 as gasoline is explosive4 ,the curtains should be taken to the bathroom1 and the door should be bolted and kept bolted until the curtains are cleaned and the gasoline is washed down the sewer4 ,the curtains are then taken to the roof and aired for half a day4 ,embroidered and lace-trimmed pieces should be taken from the line while only half dry and immediately ironed1 to secure the best result4 ,to raise the embroidery1 iron on the wrong side over several layers of flannel covered with a sheet of old linen4 ,never iron lace with the point of the iron1 if you would have it look like new4 ,pull and pat it into place1 picking out the loops with a hairpin1 or with a pointless darning-needle or bodkin4 ,dampen it with a wet cloth and press with the reverse iron1 using its heel only4 ,when ironing circular centerpieces and table-cloths1 see that the iron moves with the straight grain of the cloth4 ,if this method is followed1 the circular edge will take its true line4 ,guard against ironing on the bias or on a curve1 lest the linen stretch hopelessly out of shape4 ,never fold a piece of this character after ironing it4 ,,the ,,housekeeper',s ,,rules4 ,if the management does not provide the housekeeper with rules1 she is safe in formulating the following3 #a4 ,maids must report for duty at #g3jj a4m4 #b4 ,maids must lock all doors when leaving rooms4 #c4 ,no maid is allowed to transfer chairs or furniture from one room to another by order of the guests1 unless they have an order from the office4 #d4 ,maids must report at once any articles which are misplaced or taken from the rooms4 #e4 ,keep all soiled linen in closets4 #f4 ,maids must not leave any article of soiled linen lying in the halls4 #g4 ,maids must not leave their brooms1 feather dusters1 dust-cloths1 or sweepers1 in the halls at any time during the day4 #h4 ,any article found in the rooms must be brought to the linen-room1 with the number of the room and date when found4 #i4 ,all keys found left in rooms and doors must be sent to the office4 #aj4 ,when a tray of dishes is left in a room1 the maid must ring for a bell-boy and have him notify the headwaiter or report it to the housekeeper who will telephone the headwaiter4 #aa4 ,all ink1 paper1 and pens left in the rooms must be put in the wire ink and stationery-receiver4 #ab4 ,the watch-girls must report at #f p4m4 and remain until #aj p4m4 or later1 if required4 #ac4 ,all torn blankets and spreads must be brought to the linen-room for repairs4 #ad4 ,maids must not receive men friends in their rooms4 #ae4 ,the housekeeper will relieve the linen-woman while she goes to her meals4 ,sunday4 #a4 ,maids must report at #h a4m4 and remain until #a p4m4 #b4 ,watch-girls must report for duty at #a p4m4 and remain until #i p4m4 ,all of these rules can not be1 at all times1 strictly enforced by the housekeeper4 ,she will make such modifications as are made necessary by circumstances4 ,but rules she must have1 and she must insist on their being observed4 ,,the ,,parlor ,,maid4 ,excepting the linen-room position1 that of parlor maid is the most desirable situation that the hotel housekeeper can offer a girl4 ,the wages are usually better than those of a chambermaid1 and her work is not near so laborious4 ,at all times1 the parlor-maid is neatly dressed1 suave1 serene1 and courteous4 ,a quiet and unobtrusive manner is absolutely essential4 ,she needs to take many steps during the day1 and thus youth and a slender figure are the first qualities in one who wishes to make a success of the position4 ,she meets people of wealth and refinement and the ultra fastidious1 hence her position is a responsible one and requires a dignified appearance and demeanor4 ,she must have self-respect and must claim the respect of others4 ,none of the moralities must be omitted nor must she forget the daily bath1 clean underwear1 and clean hosiery every day4 ,the morning is the time for the parlor-maid to do the cleaning1 and she should wear about her work a washable dress of percale or dimity1 with a white apron4 ,in the afternoon and evening1 this should be exchanged for a black skirt1 white waist1 and white apron4 ,where ,work ,is ,diversified4 ,she is expected to render quite diversified services4 ,her duties vary with the mode of life of those by whom she is employed4 ,she will scarcely be called on to do all the work that is herein enumerated2 but the success of any hotel employe is largely due to the number of things he or she is able to do well4 ,a parlor-maid may raise her occupation to a level with that of millinery or dress-making4 ,there is room at the top of the ladder for the expert parlor-maid just the same as there is for any other person in any other calling4 ,in the small hotels1 the parlor-maid usually cares for the proprietor's private apartments4 ,in addition to these1 a suite next to the parlor may be given her to keep in order4 ,she can easily look after these rooms where she has only one parlor4 ,the cleaning of the ladies' toilet-room and reception-hall and the ladies' entrance-stairs usually falls to the parlor-maid4 ,she must look after the writing-rooms1 do the high dusting1 clean the tiles1 clean the mirrors1 polish the brass trays1 clean the cuspidors1 wash the lace curtains1 and sweep and dust4 ,in washing windows and mirrors1 she should use warm water to which a little ammonia has been added4 ,she should not use soap1 as the grease in the soap makes the polishing difficult4 ,wipe with a dry cotton cloth and polish with a chamois skin4 ,keeping ,parlor in ,order4 ,as the parlor must always be in readiness for the reception of guests1 it is thoroughly cleaned early in the morning4 ,once a week is often enough for a thorough cleaning4 ,monday is the best day for it4 ,the furniture is moved into the hallway or into one corner of the parlor1 the parlor is swept and dusted and every article replaced before breakfast4 ,on week days1 the corners are dug out with a whisk-broom and the dirt taken up with the sweeper4 ,the parlor is dusted frequently and the cuspidors washed at least four times a day4 ,she should wash the cuspidors inside and out1 using soap and water2 then wipe with a dry cloth4 ,leave a little clean water in the cuspidors1 as this will make the vessels easier to clean next time4 ,cleaning ,brass ,trays4 ,if the brass trays under the cuspidors are very badly stained1 the stains may be easily removed with a solution of vinegar and salt1 to which has been added a little flour4 ,have the mixture boiling hot2 rub the tray with the mixture with a flannel cloth1 then wash the tray with hot water and wipe dry with a cloth4 ,after this1 it may be polished with a good mineral paste or some of the special preparations made for the purpose1 using a flannel cloth for polishing4 ,the high dusting is done with a long handled broom4 ,tie a bag made of cotton flannel over the broom and brush the walls downward4 ,brush the dust off the cornice and over the doors and windows4 ,then1 using a clean cheesecloth duster1 go over the doors1 window sills1 mantles1 and furniture1 changing the soiled dust-cloth frequently for a clean one4 ,the housekeeper must see that the parlor-maid is supplied with plenty of clean dust-cloths4 ,the ,maid's ,many ,duties4 ,if the fireplace is finished with tile1 the parlor-maid should wash these with soap and water4 ,she should polish the brass and replace it4 ,the curtains and silk draperies should be taken down and hung in the open air and brushed with a whisk-broom4 ,the rugs should be rolled up and the houseman should take them to a flat roof where they should be laid flat and swept4 ,they should not be whipped or beaten1 as whipping will ruin an expensive rug4 ,when sweeping the stairs of the ladies' entrance1 the parlor-maid should use the whisk-broom and dust-pan4 ,the ladies' toilet-room requires some care to keep it always neat and clean4 ,after sweeping the floor and dusting the doors1 the bowls should be washed inside and out with the toilet-brush and a disinfectant put in4 ,the stationary wash-basins should be scrubbed with sapolio and the faucets polished4 ,there should be kept always on hand clean towels and soap1 a comb and brush1 a box of face-powder--the ,english prepared chalk is the best for toilet-rooms4 ,the public baths on the parlor floor come under the parlor-maid's charge4 ,she should keep the tubs and the floor clean1 and see that soap and towels are supplied4 ,the writing rooms should be cleaned before breakfast4 ,the sweeping should be done the first thing in the morning4 ,the desks should be supplied with fresh pen points1 paper and ink once a day4 ,the waste paper baskets should be emptied as often as is necessary1 and the cuspidors should be cleaned at least four times a day4 ,keeps ,assembly-,room in ,order4 ,it is usually the parlor maid's duty to take care of the casino1 more familiarly called the assembly-hall4 ,the casino floor requires very careful cleaning4 ,no scrubbing or sweeping with ordinary brooms is permissible on a polished hardwood floor4 ,it should be carefully swept with a bristle broom and the dust taken up on the dust-pan4 ,the floor should then be dusted with a broom1 over which has been tied the cotton-flannel bag made for the purpose4 ,if there are any spots on the floor1 they will have to be washed up1 but this will take off the polish2 therefore1 it must be restored by the weighted brush or weighted box with ,brussels carpet tacked on the bottom of it4 ,the original polish is restored by pulling the box back and forth over the floor4 ,a housekeeper will make a sad mistake if she attempts to scrub the ballroom floor4 ,waxing the ,ballroom ,floor4 ,in most every hotel1 it is left to the housekeeper to wax the ballroom floor before the opening of the hop4 ,the wax is sprinkled over the floor4 ,in very large hotels in large cities where there are three or four public parlors1 and where three or four parlor-maids are employed1 their work is confined to the parlors4 ,the parlor-maid waits on the ladies1 helps them on and off with their wraps1 and caters to their comfort both physically and mentally2 keeps the parlor clean1 and does many little acts which go to make a great big hotel seem like home4 ,the ,card and ,wine-,rooms4 ,no drinks are served in the public parlors1 public halls1 or cosy-corners4 ,the wine-rooms are usually kept in order by the parlor-maid4 ,the bar-porter should come for the bottles and remove the dishes4 ,the parlor-maid should sweep and dust the wine rooms and wipe the tables1 if they are polished wood4 ,if they are ordinary dining-room tables1 she should put clean table-cloths on them twice a day4 ,the wine-rooms are usually named for the cities3 ,chicago1 ,new ,york1 ,binghamton1 ,cincinnati1 ,st4 ,louis1 ,denver1 and ,new ,orleans4 ,the card-rooms are kept in order by the parlor-maid4 ,there is seldom much furniture in a card-room1 only chairs and tables4 ,sweeping and dusting once a day and a clean cover for the table is all that is required4 ,to make a muslin cover for a poker-table1 take a piece of muslin and cut it round to fit the table1 allowing six inches to hang down4 ,run a casing on the edge of it1 with a bias piece two inches wide4 ,run in the casing1 a drawing-string of common wrapping-twine4 ,the drawing-string must be as long as the muslin is around so it will not have to be removed when laundered4 ,after it is laundered1 put it on the table and pull the drawing-string1 and tie under the table4 ,in small hotels where the parlor-maid is called on to perform all of these manifold duties1 she is assisted by the houseman4 ,,about ,,chambermaids4 ,some person that does not know anything about the life of a chambermaid will tell you that the chambermaid has no protection1 no morality1 and is without the influence of a fixed place or home atmosphere2 finally1 that chamber-work is the most degrading occupation a girl can engage in6 ,if a girl is not capable of a higher calling1 why should not she make beds in a hotel when there is such a crying need from the hotel managers for conscientious and painstaking work8 ,it is not every girl that ,providence has blessed with a prima donna's voice4 ,not every girl can be admitted on the vaudeville stage4 ,not all have had kind and wealthy parents to send them through college and fit them for the higher attainments4 ,chambermaid ,can ,take ,care of ,self4 ,the proprietor is ever ready to protect the maids from undue familiarity from the male patrons of the hotel4 ,this is seldom necessary4 ,the average maid meets an incivility with a cold disdain that puts to rout a second attempt4 ,men that wreck women's lives are found outside of hotels4 ,religion a ,factor4 ,it is an undisputed fact that the ,irish-,american ,catholic girls make the best chambermaids4 ,the comfort found in the ,catholic religion compensates for the loss of home ties4 ,she is without any danger signal save her own conscience1 yet there does not exist on the face of the earth a more moral class of girls than the ,irish-,american ,catholic chambermaids in the hotels of the ,united ,states4 ,she goes at her work determined to use her experience as a stepping-stone to something higher4 ,she encounters many pitfalls4 ,she makes a few mistakes1 but during her stay in ,yankeeland she has learned ,president ,roosevelt's maxim3 ,the man who never makes any mistakes is the man who never does anything4 ,she is consoled by it1 and from her pitfalls learns a lesson that enables her to avoid making the same mistakes in the future4 ,not a ,bad ,day's ,program4 ,at the ,grand ,union ,hotel in ,new ,york ,city1 and in hotels in other cities in ,new ,york state1 the writer has learned from observation that the social side of the chambermaid's life is a pleasant one4 ,she begins the day at #g3ae and quits at #d3jj1 except the night she is on watch4 ,she is given a ten o'clock lunch2 she has one hour for dinner1 and at #b3cj she is given fifteen minutes for a cup of tea4 ,the night she is on watch1 she is served with a good dinner of chicken and all the good things the hotel affords4 ,she has every third ,sunday off and may follow her own will4 ,she has time to cultivate acquaintances1 and attend to her religious duties4 ,christmas ,time4 ,there is kindness and courtesy existing among the maids4 ,when ,christmas day draws near1 the festivities are looked forward to with eager anticipation4 ,mysterious-looking bundles are coming in and going out4 ,friends are remembered4 ,the father and mother1 brother and sister over the water are not forgotten2 and likewise the maids are not forgotten by their employer4 ,the dining-hall is wreathed in holly1 the table is loaded with all the season's delicacies4 ,trade is dull in the hotel1 and the time is given over to enjoyment4 ,chambermaids at ,their ,best4 ,there are evening parties in the help's hall4 ,the weekly tips or any stray coins are invested in sugar and butter1 and fondant is made that would melt in your mouth4 ,then there is the taffy-pull1 the cups of tea1 and the fortunes told1 over the cups4 ,the jokes go round1 the merry laughter resounds and gets so loud that the housekeeper1 who has retired1 rises1 and hastens to put a stop to the noise4 ,arriving on the scene1 she has not the heart to reprove them4 ,herein she tastes an old joy of girlhood4 ,it is ,christmas4 ,she slips back to her own room and into bed again4 ,the airs of ,killarney and ,the ,wearing of the ,green die away1 and the house is quiet4 ,,miscellaneous ,,subjects4 ,the housekeeper should furnish the houseman with a synopsis of his duties every morning4 ,in addition to this1 he has1 of course1 his regular duties--sweeping halls1 dusting1 cleaning cuspidors1 washing windows1 hanging curtains1 moving furniture1 laying carpets1 and cleaning lights4 ,sweeping roofs and keeping gutters clean fall to his share also4 ,fortunate indeed is the housekeeper that can have a houseman for each floor4 ,a skull cap and an over-all suit would be appropriate apparel for the houseman4 99 99 99 99 99 ,any defective plumbing in bathrooms should be promptly reported by the housekeeper4 ,sometimes a guest will justly complain that the faucet in the bathtub is out of order1 and the water trickling all night keeps him awake4 ,a tray under the ice-water pitcher will save the table or dresser4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the soul of the housekeeper faints within her when a guest complains that he has been given a room reserved for plain drunks4 ,he calls attention to the fact that the carpet is patched in thirteen places1 and at least as many patches of paper are in evidence on the wall4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the sweepers require special care4 ,the maids should bring them to the linen room once a month where they are oiled4 ,never empty the sweeper by pulling the pan down1 as this breaks the spring1 causing the pan to drop lower than the brush1 and the sweeper fails to pick up the dirt4 ,a ,bissell sweeper in the hands of a skillful maid will last three years4 ,season for ,repotting ,house-,plants4 ,september is the season for repotting house-plants4 ,as flowers are such important factors of civilization speaking to us of nature's ,god1 it is surprising that more plants are not seen in hotels1 and that more proprietors do not adopt this ingenious plan of beautifying their dining-rooms and corridors1 using palms instead of those cheap artificial roses which are so conspicuous in third-rate hotels4 ,the stately palm lends an air of refinement that nothing else can give4 ,the greatest obstacle to the growth of house-plants is dust4 ,the palms1 azaleas1 and rubber plants may be sponged occasionally to keep them clean and healthy4 ,other plants may be taken to the bathroom and given a shower-bath4 ,in the summer time1 two or three times a week is often enough for watering the house-plants4 ,in winter1 once a week is sufficient4 ,,why ,,hotel ,,employees ,,fail ,,to ,,rise4 ,the reasons why some people never rise above commonplace positions should be made clear to all that seek employment or better conditions4 ,in every field1 there are those that never take the initiative1 and they make up the great majority4 ,they are apparently afraid of doing too much work1 or of making themselves generally useful1 or of doing some bit of work that has not been assigned them1 for which they might not be paid1 forgetting that the world's greatest prizes are generally bestowed on the individual who does the right thing without being told4 ,if we wait to be told our duties1 we cease to be moral agents and are mere machines1 and1 as such1 stationary in place and pay4 ,if you would succeed1 cultivate self-confidence1 which is one of the foundation stones of success4 ,rest assured your employer knows the difference between bluff and the real thing4 ,nerve will not win in the long run4 ,it may accomplish temporary advantage1 but there must be something back of nerve4 ,practice self-control4 ,if you can not control yourself1 you can not control others4 ,when the commander riding in front of his army takes to the woods in the face of the enemy1 he can only expect his troops to follow his example4 ,anger is an unbecoming mood4 ,in serenity1 lies power4 ,keep busy4 ,improve each moment4 ,do not be afraid of too much work4 ,the office-boy that sits around watching the clock1 as if he might be waiting for his automobile to take him home1 will never own the hotel4 ,the superintendent that has not enough patience to instruct properly a beginner may lose valuable assistants and can not hope to achieve a great enterprise4 ,do not become discouraged and resign your position because it is not up to your ideal4 ,it may be better to bear with the ills you have than fly to others you know not of4 ,,suggestions ,,in ,,case ,,of ,,fire4 ,it is hard to tell a housekeeper what to do or what not to do in case of fire4 ,no two hotels are alike1 and no two fires occur in the same way4 ,circumstances are to be considered first4 ,much depends on the location and the progress of the fire1 and whether it is night or day4 ,it is an old maxim that fire is a good servant but a hard master4 ,shakespeare wrote3 ,a little fire is quickly trodden out1 which1 being suffered1 rivers cannot quench4 ,it is bad policy to delay sending in the alarm to the fire department4 ,many persons put off this important duty until it is too late4 ,they reason that it might alarm the guests and cause a panic and that they will be drowned out4 ,thus they battle with the flames with the incomplete fire apparatus belonging to the hotel1 refusing the petition to turn in an alarm to the fire department until the fire has gained such headway that it is impossible for even the skilled firemen to put it out4 ,thereby jeopardizing the lives of the hotel guests and also the lives of the firemen4 ,no general in command of an army1 no hero in battle deserves more praise than do these courageous men who hourly risk their lives to save lives and the property of others4 ,minutes count for something in a fire4 ,the fire department can quickly and quietly put out a small fire1 and the guests of the hotel may never know that a fire has occurred until it is all over4 ,panics usually follow when the people are face to face with the flames1 and not at the sight of the fire department in front of the hotel4 ,to a sensible mind1 the fire engine and firemen should bring a feeling of safety4 ,a feeling that if the hotel is on fire1 the fire will soon be extinguished4 ,keep cool2 don't run1 and don't talk or give orders in an excited tone4 ,should a fire occur in a single room1 close the door of that room to prevent the flames from spreading1 and go to the nearest fire hose rack1 and attach the hose to the plug and take the nozzle end to the door of the room in which the fire is started1 then go back and turn on the water4 ,if the water is turned on before the hose has been carried it will make the hose too heavy for one person to carry1 especially if you have to climb a stairway or go any great distance2 a fire hose when full of water is very heavy4 ,the housekeeper should never desert the hotel in case of fire4 ,she has in her possession keys to all doors4 ,she is familiar with the location of windows and fire escapes1 and the location of the fire extinguishers and axes4 ,she knows the position of all stairways1 particularly the top landing and scuttle to the roof4 ,she knows where all fire proof doors are located1 where the water pails are kept and she can render the firemen great service in directing them to a more advantageous position4 ,all doors should be unlocked so that the firemen can have free access without breaking them in and causing delay4 ,the doors1 however1 should be kept closed to prevent the fire spreading4 ,the rapidity with which a building is consumed by flames is due to the wind and the draughts from stairways1 open doors and windows and elevator shafts4 ,the walls of elevator shafts and all vertical openings should be built of non-combustible material1 such as brick and mortar and all elevators should be equipped with automatic traps4 ,in case of a fire on the first floor1 the automatic trap would fall when a certain degree of heat was reached and thus prevent the fire from reaching the second floor1 and the progress of the fire would be delayed4 ,all fire hose should be tested every six months4 ,a leak may have caused the hose to become worthless4 ,all hose should be attached to the fire plug at all times and the little wrench for turning on the water should be tied to the rack where the hose is kept4 ,all these essentials should be examined and carefully scrutinized by every housekeeper and chambermaid4 ,a fire can make great progress while some inexperienced person is fumbling with and trying to attach the hose and turn on the water4 ,there should be a red light in the hall in front of the fire escape window2 a red light can be seen better than a white one4 ,the view of the fire escape window should never be obstructed by any kind of a curtain4 ,all hotels should have a stand pipe1 it will reduce the rate of insurance one-third4 ,although few people know how to escape down a rope fire-escape1 every room in the hotel should be equipped with one4 ,all fire departments should have a life net2 dropping into a life-net is not so hazardous as sliding down a rope when one is ignorant of the proper way to do it4 ,the life nets are made of woven rope with springs1 and are #aj feet in diameter4 ,the firemen hold this net and persons dropping into it can be saved4 ,the ,kirker ,bender spiral tube fire-escape is the best and safest4 ,in one minute #bjj persons can slide through the ,kirker ,bender1 to absolute safety4 ,it is a very expensive fire escape1 but expense should not be considered when building fire-escapes4 ,there should be a fire-alarm box in every hall4 ,should a fire occur1 on a floor where there is no fire-alarm box1 a messenger would have to be dispatched to the office before the fire company could be notified4 ,some hotels have no fire-box at all4 ,the fire-box being located a block away from the hotel4 ,fire-boxes can be put in hotels with very little expense4 ,it is an old saying--,an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure4 ,this is especially true in the case of fire prevention4 ,if the following precautions are taken1 fires from accident or spontaneous combustion seldom occur4 ,fire ,prevention4 ,keep your hotel clean and never allow rubbish1 such as paper1 rags1 cobwebs1 old clothing and boxes to accumulate in closets and unused rooms4 ,don't allow coal oil lamps to be used by women patrons for the purpose of heating curling irons4 ,never put up gas brackets so they can be swung against door casings or immediately under curtains4 ,never keep matches in any but metal or earthen safes4 ,never keep old woolen rags that have been used in oiling and cleaning furniture1 or waxing floors1 unless in a tin can with a tin lid4 ,origin of ,fires4 ,fires are the results of accidents1 of spontaneous combustion1 and of design4 ,if they have been accidental1 the cause can generally be discovered1 and it will be found1 that they might have been prevented4 ,carelessness and negligence are the cause of over two-thirds of all fires4 ,electrical fires are caused from electric light wires lying against wood or iron1 or coming in contact with water4 ,a stream of water thrown on a heavily charged electric light wire will give a shock and may even kill the fireman holding the nozzle4 ,this is one reason why the electric lights are cut off when a fire is raging and thus leaving people to grope their way out through darkness4 ,all hotels should have hall-ways lighted by gas1 and especially should a gas light with a red globe be placed in front of all fire escape windows4 ,should a fire occur at night the housekeeper should give orders to have all doors unlocked and the gas lighted in the halls4 ,,the ,,evolution ,,of ,,the ,,housekeeper4 ,the greatest wonder to my mind is that more women that must of necessity earn their livelihood1 do not adopt the profession of hotel housekeeping4 ,what nicer or more profitable way can a woman earn her living4 ,standing at my window of a stormy morning1 ,i see many women going early through the wind and snow1 sometimes rain1 to their work1 and ,i can not help comparing my daily tasks to theirs4 ,many of these women stand all day behind the counters of some large dry-goods store1 where they are designated only as ,no4 #a1 ,no4 #b1 and so on4 ,some of the women are going to work in silk mills1 where the looms keep up a deafening roar1 and where1 at their noon hour1 they must eat a cold lunch4 ,these women get a small salary1 on an average #h4jj a week1 and out of this they must pay their room1 board and laundry bills4 ,i could not refrain from contrasting the hotel housekeeper's position with that of other women-workers in cities4 ,the housekeeper has a good1 warm room1 clean bed1 hot and cold bath1 and the best eating that the hotel affords4 ,she may command the respect of all other employes in the house1 and may make many life-long friends4 ,my advice to any young woman seeking a situation is to start right at chamber-work1 to keep her wits sharp1 and her head on her shoulders4 ,to be sure1 there are many temptations1 all of which the average girl should be able to resist4 ,but a chambermaid with a modest and reticent disposition may never meet with any pitfalls1 at least1 no more than would be encountered in a dry-goods store or factory4 ,from chambermaid1 she may get promoted to the linen-room1 where she will be shielded and protected from interlopers1 and will have plenty of leisure to sew or to mend for her own benefit4 ,she can save money1 for she will have better pay in the linen-room4 ,she will also have better food1 and will learn something of the executive management of the hotel4 ,naturally1 she will see more of the proprietor or the manager1 and will learn his ideas and principles1 which knowledge may be useful to her in later years4 ,time brings about many changes1 and hotels change proprietors1 as well as housekeepers and managers4 ,often1 when a new manager makes his appearance1 he will bring his housekeeper or linen-room woman with him2 in this case1 the linen-room woman may have to secure another situation4 ,now is her chance to take a step higher on the ladder1 by obtaining a position as housekeeper4 ,,index4 ,assembly ,hall1 #hg ,attention to ,details1 #cd ,birds of ,passage1 #cb-cc ,character in ,the ,hotel ,business1 #bf ,cleaning ,rooms1 #da-dd ,card and ,wine ,rooms1 #hh ,cleaning ,brass1 #he ,chambermaids1 #ij ,evolution of the ,housekeeper1 #ajd-aje ,fires1 ,suggestions in case of1 #ih ,fire ,prevention1 #ajb ,fires1 origin of1 #ajc ,gossip between employes1 #bi-cj ,housekeeper and the ,help1 #ag-bb ,housekeeper's salary1 #ch-dj ,housekeeper1 progressive1 #ce-cg ,housekeeper's ,rules1 #ha ,housekeeper1 relationship between guests1 #ca ,housekeeper1 requirements of1 #aa-bj ,housekeeper1 and co-operation1 #ag-bb ,how to ,make ,beds1 #dg-dh ,how to ,clean ,walls1 #di-ea ,how to ,scrub a ,floor1 #ea-eb ,how to ,get ,rid of ,vermin1 #ec-eg ,linen ,room1 ,linen ,woman1 #fc-fh ,linen1 table1 care of1 #fi-gj ,linen1 removing stains1 #gj ,linen1 best kind1 #ga ,linen1 how to test1 #gb ,laundry1 making bleach1 #gc-hj ,miscellaneous subjects1 #id ,parlor ,maid1 #hc-ij ,proprietor's ,wife1 #bc-be ,room ,inspection1 #ba-bh ,vacuum ,cleaning ,system1 #eh-fb ,waxing ,ballroom ,floor1 #hh ---------------------------------------- --------- ,transcriber's ,note3 ,inconsistent hyphenation and spelling in the original document have been preserved4 ,typographical errors corrected in the text3 ,page #h succees changed to success ,page #i ,riebold changed to ,reibold ,page #ab linen-en-room changed to linen-room ,page #ad housekeeperes changed to housekeepers ,page #bb ordel changed to ordeal ,page #bc plebianism changed to plebeanism ,page #bd benefitted changed to benefited ,page #ca sweetner changed to sweetener ,page #cc admireres changed to admirers ,page #ci avereage changed to average ,page #dj theadbare changed to threadbare ,page #dd symmetricaly changed to symmetrically ,page #di woll changed to wall ,page #di obmtain changed to obtain ,page #eh clening changed to cleaning ,page #ei sytem changed to system ,page #fj accumulationg changed to accumulating ,page #fc line changed to linen ,page #fe ow changed to ,how ,page #fg line changed to linen ,page #gj procees changed to process ,page #ga presen changed to present ,page #ge line changed to linen ,page #ge pilow changed to pillow ,page #he cupidors changed to cuspidors ,page #hg cosino changed to casino ,page #hh ,balroom changed to ,ballroom ,page #hi ,binghampton changed to ,binghamton ,page #if occasionaly changed to occasionally ,page #ii headwas changed to headway ,page #ajj prevtn changed to prevent ,page #ajb an a floor changed to on a floor ,page #ajc ,carlessness changed to ,carelessness ---------------------------------------- ---------