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Show waved his scepter over your ancestors j beads. , SOCIETY ILHOUEtrESJ The Discussion of the Imperial Queen of the Kitchen Continued with Increased Vigor. SOME VALUABLE ' SUGGESTIONS. The Ladies' Literary Club Traverses the Domain of Art, Scionce and Poetry Chit-Chat. : Some of our rep're-entative women were interviewed a day or two ago on the help question, and their opinions are as follows: Mrs. Royle thinks it might bo a good plan to have a cat-load of colored people peo-ple shipped from the south as they did in Denver, where they havo been found highly satisfactory. "I do not know how the ladies in Utah would get along with colored help," said Mrs. Royle. "Most of them are northern ladies, and one must have some experience with darkies to know just how to manage them. They aro like children. They must be humored and indulged, and in return they are j fond and devoted. I, myself, have been very fortunate in the matter of help, but I am aware how dreadfully most people are tried. I do not know why girls in poor circumstances should not tind housework the very best of all employments em-ployments in which they might engage. To my girl, for instance, I give four dollars a week and ' hire the washing done. She does the kitchen work, the ironing and the sweeping. For that she has her board and sixteen dollars clear of all expense. She is just as comfortable as I am. She has just as good a bed. Her room is carpeted and her wash-stand furnishings are just as complete as mine, the only difference beintr in the aualitr. dom for our entertainment, instruction and inspiration. But it is not well at all times to partako of the richest dishes or drink the rarest wines. - The fines; wit and maturest wisdom may be read too oft. There come hours to all lovers of poetry when they wish for "some simple and heart-felt lay," something that shall speak from out a mind feeling the every day cares of life amid the multitude and not from the heights to which the masters "proudly stooped." Years ago I began a collection of stray verses which appealed to me in many ways. I know of so many others doing the same, that it occurred to me a diversion di-version might be made from our usual line of work if Rome of these strays were read us an endurable interval between 'OfTs, 'Ouskies and 'Ovitches with their phenomenal moral turpitude. But we have hardly gone far enough with them to bo tired of thein. Fugitive compositions are not necessarily neces-sarily anonymous, but such as are short and occasional, written in haste or at intervals and considered to be fleeting and temporary. Many verses appear for the first time without a name, perhaps in some obscure weekly or monthly attract the attention of the scissors man and are copied into many other publications, credited only to the paper from which they were clipped, thus robbed of paternity and becoming nameless waifs almost as soon as they are born. Some become famous, alid then we meet with the singular psychological psycho-logical freak of their being claimed by many. Violent quarrels ensue between reputable periodicals, each championing champion-ing the cause of a claimant. We all remember the case of "Beautiful Snow," James W. Watson, Mai. Sig-ourney Sig-ourney '52, and "Betsey and I Are Out." Even after the production of the original manuscript the matter is not settled, at other original manuscript is produced, and often it takes a long time before the controversy is settled. set-tled. Much that is now standard poetry as of Longfellow.Tenneyson and Scott has originally appeared anonymously; ' like much of the best . prose literature, so we must take heed how we snub floating verse or our judgment and taste may be Impeached by its one day claiming distinguished parentage. Some seem to possess the poetic faculty, sufficiently suf-ficiently to produce quite frequently, creditable or even.most beautiful verse, but not enough of it, or too much of something more remunerative to make a profession of it. As in some diseases the elements which nourished it are exhausted ex-hausted after pne attack and never renewed, re-newed, so I have fancied the whole soul and experience of an individual, the suppressed sentiment or anguish of a lifetime has been poured out in one line or stanza of fugitive verse. There may be error of diction and of construction, con-struction, but the sentiment, the soul is all there and appeals irresistably to one, particularly have they ever lived the same experience or thought the same thoughts.. . , But in spite of this lovely experience with a celestial cook, if Ah Woo were to leave me I do not think I should ever try another one; I'd take .my chances with the girls. I have now a good girl who does my chamber work, whom I have had for a long timo. Really I think that quite as much of this trouble arises from incompetency incom-petency in the mistress as in the maid. Then we are not kind enough to our help. We are too high and mighty with thera and not considerate enough of their comfort. Mrs. J. 1). Spencer was full of practical practi-cal ideas on the subject. She thought an association might be formed, the scale of wages regulated and references demanded. "Now I have been housekeeping house-keeping only for two years, but I have kept a record of each girl who has worked for me during that time when she camo and when she left; also why she left; her good qualities and her bad ones. The girl I have now said, "What are you going to say about me, Mrs. Spencer?" Spen-cer?" I replied, "You will see for yourself your-self when you come to leave, Annie." I can tell anybody who comes to me' all about every girl who has been in my employ. How often one is referred to somebody by an applicant for a place, and when you ask about Lydia Somebody Some-body or Mary So and So, . . she looks at you in a ' vague way and says: "Lydia! Mary! It seems to me; I did have some such girl, but I've had so many I cau't remember anything about her. "Let me recommend recom-mend the little book." Mrs. Franklin D. Richards was a be- liever in exacting references, and gave one of her experiences where she had taken in unawares a woman subject to fits of periodic insanity, and who refused re-fused to leave until they summoned the police to put her out. "Now just imagine," said she. "what we lay ourselves liable to in taking in the first person who applies." Mrs. Luella Young said she could not give her nnreserved approval of colored help. That in Washington she had at one time eight colored servants in the house. and while they were affectionate and devoted, they were all, so far as her experience went, light-fingered, and even the best of them would forget for-get to hand back the change. But they are sun-shiney and happy as children and are very differential in in Washington. What they would be here I could not say. They are quite prone to the taking on of airs when they find a broad hold and no competition. compe-tition. - - THE LADIES' LITEKARV CLUB. Interesting- Topics of the Day Discussed A Selection. The Ladies' Literary club devote the last Friday of every month to current topics. The opening subject on Friday, the 81st, was a short sketch of the life and works of RudyardJ Kipling by Mrs. Millspaugh. While acknowlediug Kipling's Kip-ling's wonderful realism and marvelous gift of portrayal, Mrs. Millspaugh thought him at times coarse and agreed with a critic who has pronounced against his stories of garrison flirtations, flirta-tions, frivolous women and world-wise men, even though the tale be told in dashing narrative and brilliant ' dialogue. dia-logue. There seemed to, be, however, at the close of the topic a murmured admiration and approval among the ladies for that author's great and unusual un-usual gifts. Mrs. Fabian next gave an interesting sketch of John Boyle O'Riley.. This was followed by a summary of tho events of the month by Mrs. Thrall. There was a brief review, from a republican re-publican standpoint, of Borne of the possible effects of the McKlnley bill. Mention was made of the Von Moltke festival; the Tolstoi club of Boston; Bancroft's birthday; convention in New York of the disciples of Henry George; a meeting of socialists in New York; Troubles of the royal family in Portugal; Portu-gal; uprising of serfs in Ruseia; persecution perse-cution of the Jews in Russia; emancipation emanci-pation of women in Russia, and the famine in Ireland. Then came a sketch of the life and work of Cannon Liddon, by Mrs. Smith. One of the most delightful half-hour topics ever given in the club was devoted de-voted to "Fugitive i Poetry,'!, by Dr. Ellen Curtis Gage. From the pathetio and tendorwe were led on to "The baldheaded tyrant of No-Man's-Land" and back again to the love-lorn, the melancholy and the deeply religious. The following little sketch, which served as a prelude for what came afterward, explains in the lady's own words, what is meant by "Fugitive Poetry," and why the topio was selected: se-lected: It mny be glorious to write ' , Thoughts that shall glad the two or three High suuls, like those far stars that come in sight Once in a century- ! But better far it is to speak ' One simple word which now and then Shall waken their free nature in the weak And helpless souls of men. : Lowell. It has been said that he is no common benefactor who shrewdly gathers from the world's mauifold literature its words of finest wit and maturest wis- She has her easy chair and sewiug machine, and, with a good warm fire and a tidy kitchen, she is domicilod just as comfortably on a winter's evening as I am. She dresses well no foolish finery, but very neatly and comfortably, and she saves money right along. She has given within a few days $35 into ray keeping to deposit for her. In reference again to the importing import-ing of holp, a lady from Missouri told me recently that owing to a failure in the crops the poor people in that state were in a lamentable condition. There is, she informed me, a surplus of working people for whom there will be little or no employment. If good homes were vouchsafed them in Utah they would doubtless be very glad to come." A young lady from Washington who has lately taken in charge her mother's household, is enthusiastic over the colored col-ored help there, and says there are many who would be glad to come west if good places were assured thera. They are so respectful1 and happy in thoir dispositions, she said, land the only thing against them is that they are constitutionally con-stitutionally lazy. In reply to the usual question "What are we to do?" Mrs. Joseph Llppman made reply. There is very little we can do so long as well, strong women will pay inelhcient help any price and close their eyes to the results in short do or endure anything rather than go into the kitchen themselves. When A Pleasant Dinner. Mrs. Arthur Brown gave a dinner on Tuesday evening in honor of Mr. Henry II. Smith "of Washington, and his daughter. Mr. Smith has held through the coming and going administrations the position of journal clerk of the bouse of representatives. He was an old school friend of Mr. and Mrs. Brown, and visited them in this city six years ago. The dinner was certainly cer-tainly one of the most successful affairs of the kind ever given in Salt Lake. Mrs. Brown is noted for her abilities as a hostess, but on this occasion she excelled herself. The table, glittering in the rarest glass and silver, was entirely en-tirely in white and green decorations. Banked in the. center were feathery white chrysanthemums and sprigs of bright green leaves. Every lady found at her plate a 'corsage boquot 'ofthe same flowers, tied with green ribbons in the soft ; light shade of the leavei, while eash gentleman was presented pre-sented with a dainty butonniere in the same colors. Miss Mamie,;(Kelley of Chicago, is visiting with Miss Nellie Thompson, at the home of MP. Matthew Cullen on Fifth South. A Few Interrogations. Did you sit up' telling ghoulish stories hallow E'en? Did you throw apple parings over your shoulder and grow depressed because be-cause it was an A instead of a B, or a C instead of a D? Did you walk up-stairs backwards in the dark and uncovering your eyes, did you look with shuddering expectancy in a mirror for the face of your future husband? i Did you listen to such bloodcurdling ghost stories that you were afraid to go to bed alone and coaxed some one to go up-stairs ahead of you and another an-other one behind you, and when you found yon had to sleep at the front of the bed did you draw up two big, high-backed rocking chairs to the bedside to keep the ghosts away or, at least, the sight of them. You didn't? Well, then, you have not a drop of the clan's blood coursing through your veins, and it is equally certain that St. Patrick never a woman is ill or her bands are tied with little children, of course she must submit to a great deal. She must have assistance no matter how poor it is, but for a woman to sit down and let herself simply be walked over because it isn't nice to be left without holp, I've no' patience with it!" Mrs. Henry Sicgol says that for any but a professional cook she thinks four dollars a week with the washing done, is quite sufficient, and for a second girl from two and a half to three. Mrs. C. H. Parsons was next interviewed inter-viewed on the subject. Mrs. Parsons is the fortunate possessor of a number one cook but he wears the celestial pig tail."AhWoo,"said that lady, "is honest, faithful, neat, orderly, systematic and punctual to tho minute. No matter now much undor the weather be may be, if it is possible for him to keep on his feet he will do his washing on Monday, Mon-day, rain or shine. The same things occupy the same places in the house year in and year out. The pots, kettles, pans and stove tins hang on the same nails yestorday, today and tomorrow. He is so faithful and considerate of me that last summer when he was really ill I could not persuade him to go away for a rest. He would not leave me until I could get some one to take his place. Of course in the heat of the summer I could get no one and the only way 1 could manage the thing was to pack up the whole family, obstreperous Ah Woo included, and go for a trip to the mountains. , |