House Servants Directory | Index | Intro | Section One | Section Two and Three | Section Four and Five | Section Six | Section Seven and Eight | Section Nine and Ten | Glossary
THE HOUSE SERVANT’S DIRECTORY, &C.
Section One: Morning Work and Cleaning Directions
THE BENEFIT OF EARLY RISING TO SERVANTS.
In order to get through your work in proper time, you should make it your chief study to rise early in the morning ; for an hour before the family rises is worth more to you than two after they are up ; for in this time you can get through the dirtiest part of the work, which you cannot well do after the family rises ; for then you always are liable to interruption ; therefore by having the dirtiest part of your work executed, it will prove a very great comfort to you. As there is nothing more disagreeable than to run about with dirty hands and dirty clothes ; and this must inevitably be the case if you defer this part of your work until every body is stirring and bustling about.
In the next place, you must have a proper dress for doing your dirty work in ; for you should never attempt to wait on the family in the clothes that you clean your boots, shoes, knives, and lamps in ; for the dress that you wear to do this part of your work is not fit to wait in, on ladies and gentlemen.
There is no class of people to whom cleanliness of person and attire is of more importance than to servants in genteel families. There are many servants, whom I have been eye witness to, through negligence as I must call it, who are a disgrace to the family that they live with, as well as to themselves, by appearing in their dirty clothes at a time of day that they should have all the dirtiest part of their work done. Every man that lives in this capacity should have a sufficient quantity of clothes to appear always neat and respectable ; both for his own credit, and for the credit of the family he serves ; therefore I shall give you a few hints on what clothes are suitable for his different work. In the first place for doing your dirty work you should have you a round-a-bout jacket of a dark colour with overalls, or loose trowsers, of the same colour, with a vest, and a cap of some description to keep the dust from your hair, with a green baize apron. This is a very suitable habiliment for your morning’s work, that is, before your family come down to breakfast ; at which time you should have on a clean shirt collar and cravat, with a clean round jacket, white linen apron and clean shoes, with your hair neatly combed out. This is a most neat and clean attire for serving breakfasts. You must always make your calculations what time it may take to get through your work, so as to clean yourself for breakfast.
In the next place, I shall give you some directions on your dress for dinner. You should make it a general rule always to have a good suit of clothes or two, for attending at dinner, as a servant should always at this time look neat and tidy, but not foppish ; what I mean by being foppish is, to wear a great bunch of seals to your watch, and a great pin sticking out of your bosom. There is nothing looks more ridiculous than to see a servant puffed out above his ability ; it really puts me in mind of the fable of the frog and the ox ; there are many, I know, who never think of laying by little sum of money against the time of need, but spend it all, as fast as they earn it, on fine dress.
I never find fault with a man for dressing neat and plain ; but to go beyond extremes is ridiculous ; you should always have a good suit for dinner, and I shall here give you a few hints on a suit which is very genteel and becoming. For the winter season you should have comfortable clothing, such as a good superfine blue body coat, blue cassimere trowsers, and a yellow cassimere vest. This is a very neat and becoming dress to wait on dinner. You should have at least two or three suits of light clothes for the summer season ; as they require to be changed once or twice per week, if they are light-coloured ; but black bombazine is preferable.
CLEANING BOOTS AND SHOES.
As these things are often wanted in a hurry, therefore you should always have them in readiness, if possible. In this operation, you should always have good brushes and good blacking. These are implements that are indispensably necessary ; without which, no credit will be given to the operator. In the first place you must remove all the dirt from your boots or shoes, with your hard brush. When perfectly clean you must stir up your blacking with a stick, then apply a little on your black brush, and apply it lightly and smoothly over your boots or shoes, then apply your polishing brush quick and lightly over them, and in a few minutes you will have a beautiful polish. Should any brown spots appear, which often do, by not putting on the blacking even, then apply your blacking brush lightly over it a second time, and by this process you will have a beautiful polish.
When you have lady shoes to clean, be very clean and careful about them. As the linings are generally white, you must have clean hands, as the lining is apt to get soiled ; some of these shoes are cleaned with milk, or the whites of eggs, such as Morocco, or any kind of glazed leather whatever. You must apply the mixture with a sponge, and lay them before the fire or in the sun to dry ; then take a soft brush, or a silk handkerchief ; this will give them a fine polish.
You will find it necessary, once in a while, to grease gentlemen’s boots and shoes, especially in wintertime, as the leather is apt to crack with the wet and cold. You will find, by referring to the Index, full directions for rendering boots and shoes perfectly water proof. I therefore proceed to the next branch of work that is requisite to get out of the way as early in the morning as possible.
CLEANING KNIVES.
This is another branch of work that requires the greatest care and attention, as your best knives generally have to bear the inspection of a number of tasteful eyes during the course of dinner. Every servant should see that he has proper utensils to do his work with, as you cannot expect to do your work in proper order, if you have not the means to accomplish it with. How many good things are spoiled through bad management of the man, and the want of convenient tools to work with. Now, in order to clean knives and forks well, you must get you a soft pine plank or board ; let it be free from knots, and about 6 feet long ; have feet or standers under it, so as to raise it exactly to the height of your hips, as this is the proportion for you to bear a regular pressure on your knives ; then have you a good soft Bristol brick, and rub it a few times up and down your board, then take a knife in each hand and stand opposite the centre of the board, with the backs of the knives towards the palms of your hands, then expand your arms, keeping the blades level on the board, with a quick motion draw your hands to and from you, frequently looking at the side you are scouring, to see when clean. Do not lean too heavy on the blades for fear of breaking them. In this mode you will soon grow tractable, and will shortly be able to clean two dozen where you would only clean one dozen by taking one knife at a time, and scouring it with your one hand. A good set of knives is a valuable thing, and soon spoiled if not properly taken care of by the man who has the charge of them. There is no branch of servant’s business that will gain more credit for him, from ladies of taste, than keeping his knives and forks in primo bono ; as they have many spectators.
DIRECTIONS FOR CLEANING STEEL FORKS.
The best method of cleaning steel forks, is to have a deep box or a small keg, the latter is preferable ; fill it with fine sand and chopped hay or straw, either will answer the purpose. To do this perfectly, put some of your hay into the bottom of your keg, then put in some sand, and so on, until it is quite full, then press it close down, and wet it with water, to keep it damp, as it will have more effect in taking the black from off the prongs, as forks often are very black and hard to clean, after having been used in acids, &c.
When you clean them, take two in each hand, and stab them several times in the sand, and so on, until you have them all done ; then have an old hard brush for the purpose of brushing the sand from between the prongs ; likewise have a piece of buckskin, or an old glove, to polish them off with. This is the true and best method of cleaning steel forks.
Now I shall give you directions for cleaning the handles of your knives and forks, after the blades and prongs have all been cleaned. In the first place take a towel and immerse it in water, then wring it out all but dry ; hold this towel in your right hand, and with a dry knife towel in the left, to wipe the blade. When you have them all done, then give them a light rub over with a dry towel, including handles, &c. Should you have silver knives, you may clean them with a little gin and whiting mixed together, and rubbed over the handles when dry ; if the handles be fluted, you must brush them with your plate brush, and polish with your shamois, or as it is pronounced, shammy leather.
My young friend, I have always been thus particular about my knives and forks, because they are the things that, from the appearance of which, not only the lady and gentlemen of the family, but every one that sits down at table, forms an opinion of the cleanliness and good management of the servant to whose care they are intrusted ; and I sincerely wish that you may gain the same approbation.
TRIMMING AND CLEANING LAMPS.
Lamps are now so much in use for drawing rooms, dining rooms, and entries, that it is a very important part of a servant's work to keep them in perfect order, so as to show good light. I have been in some houses where the rooms were almost filled with smoke and stench of the oil, and the glasses of the lamps clouded with dust and smoke, from the cottons being uneven, or left up too high ; this is a very disagreeable thing indeed. But it is not always a servant’s fault, four, unless there is good oil, and plenty of it allowed to the man, it is impossible for them to burn well. But it is a man’s fault if they are dirty, or not in good order ; and to remedy this disaster, when you first hire with a family, let it be your first object to examine all your lamps and see that they are all in order ; and if not, let your employers know immediately, that is, if they are so bad that you cannot remedy them yourself, in which case they should be taken to some mechanist to be put in good order immediately.
When you have them in perfect order, by a little care and attention you can have very little trouble with them afterwards, in giving them a proper and thorough cleaning, which you should do at least once a fortnight. When you do this, take two or three quarts of soft boiling water, put into it two or three teaspoonsful of pearl ashes, then empty your lamps, and take them all to pieces, observing where each particle belongs, that you may have no trouble in putting them together again. When you have them apart, first fill the cistern, that part which holds the oil, with this boiling water, and then shake it well ; don’t empty it into the rest of your water, for it will make it dirty. After this, if there should be any gum about them, scrape it off with an old knife, then put it into the tub which contains the rest of your water, and wash it well with a piece of old linen, which you must have for that purpose, with all the other parts likewise. When you have this all done, wipe them dry and put them before the fire or in the sun to dry ; and when you have put them together, give them a good polish with a fine cloth or silk handkerchief.
You should wash your lamp glasses every morning, when you are washing your glasses or breakfast things, and put them by in their proper place until they are wanted.
You should always have a clean towel when you are lighting your lamps, in order to dust your lamp glasses before you put them on, as they will show much better light.
When you are cleaning or trimming your lamps in the morning, you should be very particular in emptying the dripper, or that part of the lamp that holds the droppings ; for if this part is not kept clean to admit the air, the lamp will never burn well. You must likewise keep your lamp wicks in a dry place this you may do by having a drawer, which you may keep for this purpose. When you put on fresh cottons, you must be very careful to put them on the thimble quite even. And likewise see that they fit exactly, or the cotton will slip from off the thimble when you go to raise it. You should never cut your cottons with scissors ; it is much the best way to let down your oil, and light the cotton ; when it burns a little so as to be even, blow it out, and rub off the snuff with a piece of paper even with the burner or socket, which contains the wick. Should always use wax tapers for lighting lamps, as paper generally flies about and makes dirt.
DIRECTIONS FOR CLEANING PLATE.
This is another part of a house servant’s work, which requires particular care, and the greatest attention. Many are the ways that are practiced in cleaning it, by different servants, everyone thinks his own way the best, and many times the plate is injured, by different servants, trying different experiments on it ; but I shall give you, in the index of this book, two of the best recipes for making plate powder, that is used by one of the best silversmiths in London. Before you clean your plate with this powder, you must wash it well in a great hot suds, that there may be no grease left on it, for you never can clean plate in a proper manner if it is greasy. You may use either of these plate powders wet or dry. If your plate be very dirty, I should recommend it wet. To mix it wet, take some of your powder and wet it with spirits of wine to the consistency of cream, then take a piece of fine soft sponge that is free from grit or dirt of any kind whatever, dip it in this mixture, then squeeze it a little so as you will not waste it, then apply it quick and even all over your plate ; do not rub over too much at a time, as it ought to be polished before it gets too dry.
To polish your plate, you should have some soft linen rags or cloths to rub off the mixture, and then polish them off with your shammy leather. When you have dishes, salvers, salts, and other articles that are ornamented, that is, etched and beaded in rough ornamental work, you must have three good plate brushes ; one must be hard as a tooth brush, and another something softer , and the third quite soft. The hard brush is for the rough work, and you must recollect never to brush any silver that is plain, with the hard brush, as you are sure to scratch it ; the soft brushes are for the handles of your silver knives and forks, which generally want brushing.
CLEANING PLATE WITH DRY PLATE POWDER.
This gives plate a most brilliant luster, if it is only well done ; and should be rubbed on with your naked hand, such as spoons, forks, and dessert knives that have silver blades. These small articles are cleaned by taking some of the powder between your finger and thumb, and the longer you rub, the better it will look ; any article of your plate that is ornamented, this part may be rubbed with a piece of leather dipped in the plate powder, and rubbed quick and hard ; then it should be brushed with your plate brushes, as in the other directions, and polished off with your shammy or wash leather ; and I will warrant your plate to look beautiful.
In the next place you must remember to keep your plate in a dry place, for if you let any articles that are only plated, lay about dirty, or in a damp place, they are sure to rust if plated on steel ; and if plated on copper, they are sure to canker ; therefore you should be particular, and not leave salt or acids of any kind on plated ware, as it is sure to take off the plate, and leave a stain, and by rubbing this stain, the plate will rub off ; by which means the article is perfectly spoiled. I very well know that there are many articles of this kind, that are often spoiled through the neglect of servants, and especially young hands, that have had no experience of those things ; therefore, my young friends, I have here given you such directions as I trust will enable you to keep your plate in such order as may give general satisfaction to your employers, and gain credit for yourselves.
I shall point out to you the next part of your work, in the following pages.
CLEANING SILVER AND PLATED CANDLESTICKS.
This is another branch of a house servant’s business, which should command the greatest attention and neatness ; as there is nothing that adds more to the reputation of a servant than to see his candlesticks and candles kept in good order. When you are about to clean your silver or plated candlesticks, you should be very careful that you do not scratch them, therefore the best method of cleaning them is to take some good hot and strong soap suds, have a piece of soft flannel, and immerse it in the water or suds, as hot as you can bare your hand in it ; wash your candlesticks one at a time, taking great care not to wet the green baize, which is generally rosined to the foot of the candlesticks. When washed clean, have some soft towels for that purpose, and wipe them as quick as you wash them ; when you have them all finished, take your shammy leather, with a little whiting dusted over them with your little muslin bag, which you must have filled with whiting, for this or other purposes.
When your candlesticks are most sublimely finished, then you must see to your candles. You should be very particular to keep your candles in a clean cool place, as there is nothing that looks worse, than candles taken into the parlor, when all over dust or smut. Be careful when putting up your candles into the candlesticks, that you do not break them. If they are too large for the sockets, scrape them down very neat and even, so as to fit ; and should they be too small, take some paper, double it and let it be about an inch wide, wrap this around the end of your candle, so as to fit the socket, but don’t let any of the paper appear above the candlestick.
DIRECTIONS FOR SETTING UP THE CANDLES.
You should always make it a regular rule to set up your candles in the morning, and particularly your chamber candlesticks, as they are often called for in the course of the day, to seal letters, &c. The others should likewise be put up, and in order, for suppose they are called for in a hurry, and at a time when you cannot find leisure to get your candles and set them up? besides, when you are in a hurry and bustle, you are very apt to break them, and this causes great delay, and it looks very bad to see the company waiting so long, after they have been ordered, and it likewise puts yourself into a state of confusion, &c. Should you have wax candles for use be careful and have your hands clean, or you will soil them. Before you set them up in candlesticks, you should rub them with a piece of soft paper, and dip the tops of the wick in spirits of wine ; this will make them easy to light.
There are some servants that light the candles before they put them up ; but I do not approve of this plan, for you cannot light them and blow them out again, without causing them to swale or drop down the sides, which makes them have a bad appearance. You should have some wax tapers on purpose to light your candles with, as paper makes a dirt, and flies about the room ; besides it generally sticks to the candle and causes it to burn dim. If you have branches around your drawing room, and they are to be lit up when there is a party, you must trim your wax candles most sublimely, with some white paper cut in the form of a rose, to go around the end of the candles, and fit neatly round the socket of the branch ; this looks very well at night. You should likewise have a piece of taper tied on the end of a piece of rattan, on purpose for lighting them, as it is very awkward to bring steps into the room.
CLEANING POLISHED STEEL GRATES.
These, and polished steel fire irons, are things that require great care and attention to keep them bright and free from rust ; I therefore shall give you some instructions how to keep them in good order. In the first place if the bright bars are very dirty and black, use the following mixture.
Take half a pound of soft soap. Put it into 1 quart of soft water and boil it down to a pint, then take some emery and mix in a portion of this liquid. Brush off all the soot and dirt from your grate, and take a piece of thick cloth and dip it into the mixture, then rub quick and hard, and in a few minutes you will get off all the black and dirt. After which take some crocus and wet it with N.E. rum, or gin, to the consistency of paint, with a piece of flannel dipped into it, and rub it quick and hard, until the bars, &c. become bright, then take some old pieces of linen or cotton, which you must have for this purpose, and rub all the mixture clean off. Then take a piece of leather and some dry rotten stone, and in a few minutes quick rubbing, you will have a beautiful polish. If your fire irons should happen to get rusty, as they often do in damp weather, and especially when there is no fire in the room, rub them well over with a piece of flannel dipped in sweet oil, then shake over them some fresh slacked lime, and let them lay for twenty four hours, or more if necessary, in this state, then take a piece of flannel and give them a good rubbing ; when the lime and oil is clean off, then use the crocus and gin as above directed, and polish off as the grate. This is a most sublime method of polishing and cleaning all polished steel articles, &c.
DIRECTIONS FOR CLEANING MAHOGANY FURNITURE.
Another branch of a house servant’s business is to attend to cleaning the tables, sideboards, mahogany chairs, and the parlor doors, if mahogany ; likewise mahogany trays and any other article of mahogany that is in the parlor or drawing room. You should pay a great deal of attention to cleaning furniture, to make it look well. If your furniture be of a dark colour, you should be very careful with what mixture you clean it ; but you will find directions for light and dark, referred to in the Index. When you have cleaned off the dust from your furniture, and when you put on your oil, or paste, put but little on at a time, rubbing it well in, with a piece of flannel. You must put it on very even, and rub very quick, and in a short time you will have a beautiful and brilliant polish. If you should use oil, you must rub as quick as you possibly can, taking care to rub with the grain of the wood, with a piece of flannel ; and you when you have it well rubbed, take another piece of flannel and give it a good rubbing a second time, then polish off with some fine linen cloths or a silk handkerchief ; the latter is very good to give it a good gloss. If you clean your tables with bees wax and spirits of turpentine mixed together, this is as good a thing as I could recommend ; it’s a thing that requires but little rubbing, and is better for furniture than any other mixture now in use ; I shall therefore give you directions how to use this mixture. Take a piece of flannel and apply some of this mixture on it, then rub it quick and even all over your furniture, and in a short time you will have a most brilliant polish. Finish off with an old silk handkerchief. You will find directions for this receipt in the Index.
HINTS ON TAKING OUT STAINS FROM MAHOGANY.
There are some times that your tables will want washing ; when there has been too much wax, oil, or paste put on, and not well rubbed off, the dust settles on it, and it is impossible for you to get them to look well, if this is not washed off with the following wash ; – Take some warm beer, and a piece of flannel immersed into it ; with this wash off your tables, and recollect to rub them quick and even ; after you’ve got your tables quite dry, then apply your mixture ; take pains and rub it well in as it will want much more of your mixture than when they were not washed, but they will look of a much brighter and more brilliant colour. You will find how to take out all your ink, and other stains, by the directions given in the receipts.
When you clean your chairs, remove them all out into the middle of the room. I have often seen, in many houses where I have been, the walls marked and smutted all over with the oil, or whatever they clean their furniture with. This has a very bad appearance ; besides, it disfigures the walls in a ridiculous manner ; and shows great neglect of neatness in the servant. Therefore when you clean your chairs, sideboards, &c. always move them from the walls, and be very particular about the backs of your chairs, and the edges of the tables, that you do not leave any of your mixture, to dirty the ladies’ or gentlemen’s clothes, as this would be a sad affair. But I trust you will follow these remarks and observations which I have laid down, and you are sure to give general satisfaction.
BRUSHING AND FOLDING GENTLEMEN’S CLOTHES.
This is another part of a house servant’s business, which requires a great deal of care, as good clothes are often spoiled through neglect and bad management. Therefore I shall endeavour to give you some directions and insight of brushing and folding them up in a proper manner. In the first place, if your gentleman’s clothes should happen to get wet or muddy, hang them out in the sun or before the fire to dry. Do not attempt to brush them while wet, or you will surely spoil them, but as soon as they are perfectly dry, take and rub them between your hands where there are any spots of mud, then hang them on your clothes horse, which you must have for the purpose ; then take a rattan and give them a whipping, to take out the dust, but be careful and don’t hit the buttons, or you will be apt to break or scratch them.
When this is done, take your coat and spread it on a table at its full length. Let the collar be towards the left hand, and the brush in your right, then brush the back of the collar first, between the shoulders next, then the sleeves and cuffs, then brush the farthest lapel and skirt, then the near one, observing to brush with the nap of the cloth, as it runs towards the skirts. When all these parts are properly done, then fold as follows. – Double the off sleeve from the elbow towards the collar, the other the same way ; then turn the lapel over the sleeve as far as the back seam, and the other in the same manner ; then turn up the off skirt so that the end may touch the collar ; the near one the same ; give it a light brush over, and then turn one half the coat right even over the other, and you will find the coat folded in a manner that will gain you credit from any gentlemen, and will keep smooth for any journey.
BRUSHING AND CLEANING GENTLEMEN’S HATS.
This is another part of a gentleman’s wardrobe, that you should pay much care and attention to, or otherwise it will soon look shabby. You should have a soft camel’s hair brush to brush your hats with, as this brush will not injure the fur, nor scratch it off. Should the hat happen to get wet, you must handle it as lightly as possible, or you will put it out of form, but to remedy this, you should put your left hand with your fingers extended open, into the hat, and take a silk handkerchief in your right hand and rub it lightly all around, the way the fur goes until almost dry ; if the fur sticks and does not brush smooth, you must take the brush that you polish your shoes with. Should the fur not come smooth, you must dip a sponge in some beer or spirits of wine, the latter is preferable, as it gives a brilliant jet lustre to the fur. Continue to brush with your hard brush until dry ; then give it a light rub over with a silk handkerchief, and put in your hat stick. There are some people that think brushing a hat while it is wet, certainly spoils it ; but it is quite the contrary ; for the hatters themselves always brush and finish off their hats while damp, so as to give the fur a brilliant appearance. Likewise they set them to their regular shape while damp. I have received these instructions myself, from one of the best hat manufacturers in London ; and I hope that my young friends will follow the example, that their mode of working may be a credit to themselves, and give general satisfaction to their employers ; therefore I shall proceed to give you some instructions in the following pages, on the next part of your work.
REGULATIONS FOR THE PANTRY.
The pantry is the place where the footman generally does the most part of his work, such as to clean his plate, trim his salts and casters, and trim his lamps and candlesticks, wash his breakfast things, and his glasses and silver after dinner, and several other articles. Therefore, you should be very particular in keeping it clean and neat, and have all your drawers and lockers for their several uses. Make it a general rule always to have everything in its proper place, as nothing looks worse than to see everything topsy turvy ; this is an English phrase, but the meaning is, to see everything in its wrong place ; for the beauty of a good servant is to have a proper place for everything that is used in common, that he may know where to lay his hand upon it, when it is wanted ; this will be greatly to your advantage.
In the next place, you must have a small tub to wash your breakfast things in, and another for your glasses, as the one you wash your breakfast things in generally is greasy, as you often have eggs, sausages, ham, &c. for breakfast. You should likewise have a sufficiency of towels, as it is impossible to do work without good materials to do it with, therefore you should have cloths for your glasses, tea things, and likewise for you knives, knife trays, and lamps, and always use your towels for their proper uses ; your water for your tea things should be as hot as you can bear your hands in it. Put in a little soap, as it gives china a fine polish and keeps them from having a greasy feeling ; do not put too many tea cups or saucers in at a time for fear of breaking them ; be particular and wipe them very dry and clean, and put them by neat and tidy ; there is nothing stands more high for the reputation of a servant, than to see his pantry kept neat, and everything in it handsomely arranged in its place.
DIRECTIONS FOR CLEANING TEA TRAYS.
This is another part of your work that requires much care, as such articles are often spoiled through not being properly attended to. In the first place you never should pour boiling water on a tray, as it makes the varnish crack and peel off. When your japan trays are dirty, take a sponge and dip it in warm water, rub on a little soap, and wash your tray with this ; wipe it dry, and if it looks smeary, dust a little flour over it, and polish off with a dry cloth. This is the most safe and best way to clean and polish japanned tea trays. If your paper trays should get spotted, take a piece of flannel, dip it in some sweet oil, and rub it over the spots ; if anything can take them out, this will. Polish off with a soft cloth, then lightly with an old silk handkerchief, which you must keep for this purpose.
In the next place you must be very particular in wiping out your tea urn after it is empty. Never leave any wet on the outside, for it will leave marks after it. Always make it a general rule to put away everything in its proper place ; and never leave your glasses, trays, or plate about dirty any longer than you can get a chance to wash them and put them away ; for if they are left around, they are apt to get broken, and of course it will be laid to your negligence, which surely it is. There are many houses that you may go into and find the pantry in a sad dilemma, and at an hour of the day when a servant ought to be ashamed to have his things so disorderly. There is nothing that points out a good, capable servant, so soon as to see his things kept in good order, and in their proper places.
WASHING AND CLEANING DECANTERS.
In washing decanters, the greatest care should be taken, both as to what you clean them with, and that you do not break them. There are various ways of cleaning them, and every one thinks his own way the best. There are some that recommend sand, cinders, coals, &c. And more above them, recommend sand-paper, egg-shells, wood ashes, and what not. I have tried almost all these articles, but none of them have answered my expectations, for the whole of these articles have a kind of a scratching quality about them, very unfit for this purpose ; therefore I shall give you directions for one that has fully answered my purpose for many years. In the first place, take some thick brown paper, cut it up into small pieces, then roll it between your hands, and put it into your decanter, with a few bits of soap cut small ; then pour into the decanter some warm water, not boiling, and shake them about for some time, until you see the scum and dirt quite disappear. You may add in a little pearl ashes with the soap. Should any of the crust of the wine appear, apply a piece of sponge made fast to a piece of cane or stick for this purpose ; this will remove all the scum or crust of the wine out of the old scratches, and give your decanters a beautiful polish. Rinse them twice in cold clean water, and turn up to drain ; when they are well-drained, wipe them clean with your glass towel, and afterwards take your shammy leather to give them the last polish. If they are cut glass, you must have a brush to brush the lint which your glass cloth may leave in the cutting, or rough work, then give them a good polish with your shammy leather, and put them away in their proper places. Now, my young friends, I have here given you instructions how to proceed, and I sincerely wish that you may follow the example.
ON TRIMMING THE CRUET STAND OR CASTERS.
This is the most particular article that belongs to your dinner utensils ; therefore you should remember to examine it every day to see if all the cruets are clean, and full of every thing that is necessary to have in them, such as mustard, oil, vinegar, catsup, soy, black pepper, and cayenne, or other sauces that you may have bottles for ; therefore you should always see that your casters are furnished with those articles daily, as there is nothing that looks so negligent in a servant, than to want for any of these articles when called for by any of the company. Besides, it is a great mortification to your employers, as a lady should not want to be troubled to look after these things, if she has a man that is capable of his business. You should therefore make it your chief study to keep every thing in good order that is under your care and influence ; it will not only gain credit from your employers, but meet the approbation of other ladies and gentlemen who may visit there. In the next place you should never leave your mustard spoon in your mustard after dinner is over, or your salt spoons in your salt cellars, especially if they are silver or plated, as salt left on any plated article is sure to rust or canker, therefore you should always wash your mustard and salt spoons, when you are washing up your glasses and silver, after dinner ; and you should likewise empty out your salt, and wipe dry your salt cellars, and put them away in their proper places ; you will find directions, by looking for them in the Index, for mixing your mustard and all other articles which you may have occasion for using. You should mix but little mustard at a time, as it is much better when fresh made. You should never waste any thing, for it is a very wicked thing to waste or destroy any of your employer’s property, except what is absolutely necessary.
TO CLEAN TEA AND COFFEE URNS.
These are articles that should be taken great care of, as they are generally very expensive, and if not taken care of, they are easily spoiled. If your tea or coffee urns are silver or plated, you must clean, as under the head of Plate ; but if they are bronze, you must clean them as per direction in the Index. Be very particular when you put by your urns, that they are perfectly dry inside ; if not they are apt to get musty. Should you put by your urns to remain any length of time, take and fill them with old paper ; it is a very good plan to have covers made for your urns, as this prevents flies from dirtying them, and likewise keeps them free from dust or damp. You should be very careful when you are filling your urn, that the water or coffee is on a level with the heater, if not the heater is very apt to burn the sides and top of the urn.
You must likewise be very careful when you put in your heater,that you do not let it down too heavy, as there is great danger of breaking the bottom of the urn. Tea and coffee urns are often spoiled through servants not studying such observations as these. There should be a proper hook to put in the heater and to take it out, and by this way you will never injure your urn. In the next place you must always have your water that is for tea, boiling, before you put it into the urn, for it is impossible to make good tea if the water does not boil, even if the tea is of ever so good a quality. Now, my young friends, I have here given you instructions concerning your tea and coffee urns, and how to manage them ; therefore I trust that you will imitate them as near as possible, and always study to give general satisfaction to those you serve.
MAHOGANY DINNER TRAYS.
These are another part of your work, that should be kept in good order, as they are a part of the furniture, which is most commonly carried in and out of the parlor, through the course of dinner ; therefore you should endeavour to keep them clean and in good order, as they are exposed to the eyes of the company. You should clean them as the rest of the mahogany, but you will often have to wash them, as they are liable to have gravy and other sauces spilled in them during the carrying up and down of the dinner ; but as soon as dinner is over, you should wash out your trays if they want it, and hang them up in their proper places, until you clean them the next day, when you are cleaning your furniture.
There is nothing so advantageous to a servant as to have good rules to work by, therefore his principal one should be, to keep everything in its proper place, and in good order. I have lived in families where I could go to my pantry at any hour of the night, let it be ever so dark, and lay my hand on any thing that I wanted, as quick and with as little noise as if I had a light. This is easily done, if you only give yourself the habit of putting things by tidy and in their proper places. Should you have a sink in your pantry, as there generally is, be very particular in keeping it clean ; throw no tea leaves or any dirt that may stop up the waste pipe ; if you do, the water will grow stagnated, and cause a bad smell, which is very disagreeable. After you have done washing up your glasses, rinse out your sink with clean water, wipe it dry with a coarse towel, that you must have for that purpose.
REMARKS ON THE MORNING’S WORK IN WINTERTIME.
Now, my young friends, I shall here give you some instructions how to proceed with your morning’s work, in wintertime. In the first place, make it your business to have plenty of wood, coal, or whatever fuel you burn, in its proper place over night, as it will save you a great deal of time in the morning, as the mornings are so short at this season of the year, and it is a great advantage to have these necessaries in readiness, where perhaps you have three or four fires to make, and grates and fire irons to clean before the family rises. In the next place you should rise early so as to be able to have your fires made and the rooms warm before you clean yourself for breakfast. Therefore when you first come down, make as little noise as you possibly can in opening your rooms where you have fires to make, then proceed to take up your ashes, clean your grates, or fire irons, and tidy up your hearth. When this is done, proceed to make your fires. When they are all made, and burning well, then wash your hands, and open your shutters, and proceed to set out your breakfast table. When this is done, go round and see that all your fires burn well, or if they want replenishing, that the rooms may be warm and comfortable against your family come down stairs. Keep all your doors shut, and then, if you think you have time to clean your front-door brasses before they come down, it is a very desirable job to get out of the way before the family come down ; but you can judge as to what time you have to spare. As you should have yourself clean and tidy against they come down to breakfast, you should always clean your boots and shoes over night, because it gives you more time in the morning.
DIRECTIONS FOR SETTING OUT THE BREAKFAST TABLE.
Now, my young friends I shall give you some instructions how to set out your breakfast, dinner, and tea tables ; but I first will give you instructions for your breakfast table. In the first place, say all your things are clean and in readiness in your pantry, as they should be, and that your family for breakfast consists of six or eight people. In the first place, dust off your table clean, and spread your cloth neatly, observing that the centre crease of your cloth is right in the centre of the table, and that it don’t hang longer at one end than at the other ; then proceed to set out your breakfast tray ; laying a cup and saucer for each person, with a teaspoon in each saucer, at the right hand side of the cup ; then set in the centre of the tray, your sugar pot on the right hand, your cream pot on the left, and your slop bowl in the centre, with your teapot behind them, so as to be right under the tea urn, and that the tap of the urn may reach it, when on the table. As soon as you have this done, set your tray at the end of the table where the lady sits that pours out the tea, then put around your plates, one for each person, putting them at a proper distance from each other ; then your knife and fork to each small plate, the knife on the right hand, the fork on the left, with the end of the handles even with the edge of the table ; you must always have salt on the table, as most families have eggs, or some kinds of meat on the table for breakfast.
In summer, you must put your butter and cream to cool sometime before you have set your table. If you have not a proper cooler, take a large bowl, and half fill it with water, then put a small plate in the bottom of the bowl, then put in your butter and cream pots, then a small piece of ice, if you use any. This is a very good method to cool your butter and cream for breakfast. If your breakfast table is rather small you must spread a napkin on a small stand, place it on the left-hand side of the lady that makes tea ; place on this the tea caddy, and if there is not room on the breakfast tray, for all your cups and saucers to be placed uniform, you may put the remainder on the stand. Remember to put on a knife for your bread and one for the butter, and if any cold meat is put on the table lay a dinner knife and fork to it for carving ; and if there are eggs, do not forget the spoons ; and if you don’t use egg cups and stands, you must put on wine glasses. If any of your family like mustard with their meat, you must put the cruet stand or casters on the stand.
When you have every thing properly arranged on your breakfast table, then put round the chairs, and if it is cold weather, see that your fires burn well, and your room comfortable, against the family come down to breakfast ; then see that the water boils, and that your heater is in good order for your urn. Always fill your urn before you put in your heater ; and don’t forget your urn ring, if they use one.
When you take in the urn, place it exactly behind the teapot, that the tap may come over it, and be near enough to the person that makes tea, but they may turn it into the teapot without standing up.
Whatever you have to carry in for breakfast such as toast, rolls, eggs, &c. always take them in on a waiter ; never carry in, or hand any thing with the naked hand, as it looks very ungenteel. Now I have given you full instructions for your breakfast table, I shall proceed to give you instructions for your dinner table.
House Servants Directory | Index | Intro | Section One | Section Two and Three | Section Four and Five | Section Six | Section Seven and Eight | Section Nine and Ten | Glossary
