Part 5

All being prepared, the first dish should be placed on the table as the appointed hour strikes; the cook having brought the dishes as far as the dining-room door, carry in the top and bottom dishes separately, as they are generally large; the side dishes may be brought in at once on the dinner tray, which being placed upon the stand, the dishes can easily be removed to the table. All being neatly arranged, the top and bottom dishes exactly opposite to each other, and the side dishes perfectly straight, and at equal distances from the top and bottom, announce to the family in the drawing-room, that the dinner is on the table. Standing back while they pass through the door, which you have thrown open for them, and having followed the last member of the family down stairs, remain standing behind the chair of your master till grace is said, then remove the covers unless there is soup, in which case the covers should remain on the other dishes while the soup is being served; be careful to go to the left hand of the persons you are serving, when placing any thing before them, or handing them anything; those to be first served are any lady visitors who may be present, the elder ladies first, then the younger, the lady of the house and her daughters, and lastly the gentlemen. In handing round the soup-plates, remove the flat plates put at first on the table; and in the first leisure moment place them on the plate-warmer before the fire; let each soup-plate be taken away the moment it is empty, having another warm plate in your hand to replace it. The covers on the other dishes should now be removed. In handing round the soup-plates at first, be careful not to spill the soup by placing them hastily before any one; and in changing them for others, make no clatter of plates; attend in going round the table, not to push against any chair, or touch any one as you pass, and take particular care that no one’s dress should be injured by spilling gravy or melted butter upon it; in handing the sauce-boats, lower them as near as you can to the left side of the plate, the person requiring sauce can then help himself with the right hand, without any danger of spilling it. If there are any side dishes of meat, such as cutlets, patties, &c., they should be handed round first, while the joint is being carved. The spoons on each side of the salt cellars now come into use in helping the side dishes. Beware of offering a side dish to any one till you have first placed a spoon in it. As soon as each person has been helped to meat, carry round the vegetable-dishes, then offer melted-butter, pickles, &c., &c., as may be required. Have your eye constantly on the table, taking in by a glance all that is necessary for you to do. Those that have been eating cutlets, will require their plates to be changed before being helped to the joint; and those that have commenced with the joint, will now be ready to be helped a second time, and to have another plate given for the second helping. When waiting at table there should be no gazing out of the windows, or amusing one’s self with one’s own thoughts; neither should the conversation going on at table be attended to: this is difficult, but if one accustoms one’s self from the first to watch the numerous wants of the party, and not their words, there will be sufficient employment fully to engross the servant. Vegetables will require to be taken round a second time, and more bread to one, and beer or water to another; in short, there is scarcely a moment in which there will not be something required, and if the servant is attentive and quick-sighted, she will not find that she is standing idle at one moment, and that in the next more of the party will require to be served than she can attend to; if there is a leisure moment, she can employ herself by stirring the fire (if in winter), and if this is not necessary, let her remain in quiet readiness, with her eye upon the table, and her ear open to the first request for her services. As each finishes with the first course, let her place a plate of smaller size generally used for tart or pudding before him, with a silver fork and spoon: in some families the spoon is not approved of, it is thought that even custard should be eaten with a silver fork; but the practice (or rather the attempt) is more refined than agreeable or convenient. As soon as the last person has finished eating, ring the bell for the tart and pudding; and having gone round the table with a knife-tray, in which you should put the carving knife and fork and gravy spoons from the different dishes, carry away all that is on the table, and bring in the tart and pudding. As soon as each person has finished with the second course, place a cheese-plate and small knife before them, and when the tart and pudding have been carried out into the hall (having rung for the cook to carry them down into the kitchen), clear the table-cloth with a spoon of the broken pieces of bread, before setting down the cheese. Have fresh pieces of bread cut in the bread-basket to be handed to each person the moment they have been helped to cheese. Stand behind your master’s chair while he is cutting the cheese, that you may be ready to carry it instantly round: a good waiter will manage to offer the bread immediately after the cheese, or even at the same moment; but this is too little attended to; bread has often to be cut after it is called for, and sometimes there is no bread in the room, and before more can be brought in, the cheese has been eaten alone, and the waiter considered a very intolerable person. The cheese being carried away, any pieces of bread remaining should be removed with a silver fork, the table-cloth folded over at each side, doubled up, and taken out of the room; the table wiped with a nice cloth, and the wine decanters set before the master of the house—having previously, before removing them from the sideboard, wiped them gently with a glass cloth, without shaking the wine. Put a couple of wine glasses to each person—they are generally of two sizes; the dessert-plates should next be set round to each person with a napkin neatly folded upon the plate, with a finger-glass half filled with water, and a small dessert knife and fork upon it. In winter, bring a jug of warm water into the room, and pour a little into each finger-glass, before placing it on the table. Let the fruit be neatly arranged in the dishes, higher in the middle than at the sides, but no dish so full as to endanger any falling over when helped; neither at dinner nor dessert should the dishes be full. Place the larger kinds of fruit, such as apples, pears, grapes, or oranges at top and bottom, the smaller fruits and sweetmeats at the sides. Place a crystal jug of clear water, with a tumbler on each side of it in the middle of the table, and pounded sugar at top and bottom, which to look well, should be in cut crystal glasses. If cream is required for strawberries or raspberries, that also should be served in crystal. Glance your eye over the table to see that all the dishes are standing straight, and exactly opposite to each other, and all being properly arranged; leave the room, shutting the door behind you.

Having removed everything from the hall, you will next shake and fold the table-cloth, lay it in the napkin press, and carry the plates into the scullery to be washed by the cook. It will then be time to proceed to the drawing-room to put it in order, before the return of the family. You will smooth the sofa, shake up the pillows, dust the table, and arrange any books or newspapers (that may be scattered about) neatly upon it; but beware of removing any book (which some one member of the family may have been reading), and stuffing it into an odd corner, or even carefully replacing it in the book-case; common sense should regulate in such matters, and common sense should tell you, that it is most disagreeable to have to hunt all over the room for a book, in which one is interested, and which had been left on the table half an hour before. Having closed the curtains, put fresh coals on the fire, and swept the hearth, it will now be time to sit down to your own dinner with the rest of the servants (unless the servants’ dinner has been at an earlier hour): as soon as you have finished, carry away the dessert things from the dining-room, and having washed the dessert plates, and the spoons, silver forks, tumblers, and glasses, place all in order in the butler’s pantry, and before you leave it, arrange the cups and saucers in the tea-tray, so that if the family is small, and you have not a great many articles to wash, you can again sit down to work till within a quarter of an hour of the time for tea, when it will be necessary to get the butter and cream in readiness, and to toast the bread or cake for tea. Be sure to remember also to put the heater for the urn into the kitchen fire in such time that it may be completely red-hot before putting it into the urn. Be careful also that the water in the tea-kettle boils before it is poured into it; the finest tea which can be used becomes tasteless and bad, if the water in the urn does not boil, and in some families this happens day after day; the servant is either obstinate or careless, and contents herself with assuring you, either that it does boil or has boiled. No such excuses should be listened to; the most effectual cure in such cases is to send the urn from the table each time that the rising of the steam does not prove the water to be at boiling heat.

While the family are at tea, the slops should be emptied in the bed-rooms; the ewers and bottles filled up with fresh water, and the beds folded down. If in summer, the windows are generally left open, and shut before the housemaid retires to bed; and if in winter, the fire should be lighted, taking care to shut the door and open a little bit of the window before setting fire to the paper in the grate, and to return again in a little time to shut the window, and add more coals to the fire, as more particularly mentioned already.

Where there is no lady’s-maid, the housemaid will also be required to lay out the combs and brushes on the toilet, to stretch out the curl-papers, or cut fresh ones; to lay out the nightcap, neatly smoothed, and to unfold the nightclothes, and hang them over a screen. Where there is a lady’s-maid, the frills and nightcap are generally ironed; but where the housemaid has much to do, there is not time for this. Once a week or fortnight, the hair-brushes will require to be washed; they never should be plunged into warm water, as it warps the back of the brush, and destroys the polish, or discolours the ivory, and softens the hair; a little soda should be mixed in warmish water, and the surface of the brush moved swiftly up and down in it, taking care not to wet the back at all. The soda will sufficiently clean it, and preserve the colour of the hair, if too much soda is not used; if too strong it will burn the hair, or turn it yellow; the brush should be left to dry for some time in the same position, with the face turned down, that the water may run out. When brushes are left to dry with the face up, the water lodges in all the holes pierced for the hair, and discolours the back. Be careful never to wash the tortoise-shell combs, it makes them brittle and apt to crack over; they should be cleaned with a comb-brush, and rubbed with the palm of the hand to keep up the polish. The cover of the toilet pincushion should be regularly changed, as soon as it gets soiled; though the washing is generally given out, yet there are small articles to be washed from time to time in all families where things are well attended to, such as the tidies, for the backs of sofas and chairs, the pincushion covers, and where there is no lady’s-maid, and the family is small, the housemaid may be also required to do up the lady’s muslins.

It is the greatest advantage to all housemaids to be able to get up fine linen, and to have a knowledge of clear starching: besides making a servant doubly useful to her mistress, it may be the means at any time when out of a situation, of her gaining a respectable maintenance. One who gets up muslins and laces in a superior manner, is sure to find employment, and it may also lead to her filling one day, the superior situation of lady’s-maid. Her excellence in this department, is not only valuable as adding to the elegant appearance of her mistress, but is productive of great saving in expense. A fine worked collar, with expensive lace, may be torn or frayed, the very first time it is done up, by improper management, and it is seldom that fine muslins or lace have the elegant appearance they should have, or last the proper time, from ignorance, or the want of due attention in getting them up. Nothing spoils the appearance of dress more than torn lace, battered and stiff, and fine muslin with the starch clouded upon it or frayed and ironed awry. It will require considerable practice to attain perfection in this department, and the best way to learn is to see others do it: still a few instructions may be useful.

Muslin or lace should never be rubbed in washing. Take white soap, in proportion to the muslins you have to wash, shave it down, and boil it with soft water till it dissolves. When cold, it should be as thick as jelly; mix a part of this jelly with soft tepid water, so as to be strong of the soap; let the muslins lie in this for a night, then add boiling water; move them up and down in the water, repeatedly squeezing them through the hands, so as to wash them, but do not rub them. Having steeped them well in soap and water before, makes rubbing quite unnecessary; tie them loosely up in a pillow-case, and with soft water, and the rest of the boiled soap, boil them for a couple of hours; if in the country, they should be laid out on the grass to bleach (without the soap being washed out), and watered when necessary, so as to keep them moist. If in town, where no bleaching on the grass can be procured, put them into a washing-tub, and having poured boiling water over them, leave them in the back court in the air for the rest of the day, and during the night in the water; this has a great effect in whitening them; in either case, after being bleached, rinse them twice through cold water, to clear them completely from the soap, and hang them up to dry before being starched. A piece of lace, or any small article can be very well bleached by being put outside the window in the sun, in a crystal bottle of water, having been previously washed, and the soap left in it.

It is a frequent practice not to boil the starch, but to mix it with boiling water, to hang up the muslins or laces the moment they have been put through the starch, and squeezed out, and when dry, and as hard as a piece of board, then they water them down (as it is called), leaving one spot dry, and the rest wet, so that to stretch them out for ironing, without tearing them, is almost impossible. This mode of proceeding may account for the melancholy frequency of torn lace, and the dull heavy appearance of beautiful worked collars, looking as if they had been partially rubbed over with flour and water. To give them that light transparent look which adds so much to their beauty, the treatment must be very different; the starch should be mixed in a little cold soft water, and bruised down with the back of a spoon till quite smooth: more water should be added, till it resembles thin milk, then boiled in a glazed-stone pipkin, till it becomes clear and thick, so as to jelly when cold. The muslins and laces should be put through the starch, while it is still warm; squeezed out first in the hand, then gently in a clean smooth cloth, so as to get as much as possible of the starch out without fraying them in any way. The cloth must not be twisted round in the slightest degree, but gently pressed between the hands, putting but a few of the articles in at one time; each article should then be taken separately, held lightly by the two ends with the forefinger and thumb of each hand, and beaten between the palms of both hands for a few minutes; next shaken out and drawn, so that each thread in the muslin is perfectly straight, and the shape of the collar is carefully preserved. If after holding it up between you and the light, you find that in some parts it is not sufficiently clear, then a little drawing up and down on those spots will be necessary, so as to free every thread from the starch. It should then be folded up in a damp cloth, and each article put beside it, as soon as it has gone through the same process, so that the whole may have a slight degree of dampness when ironed. When it is not convenient to do up muslins the moment they are starched, it answers well after they have been squeezed in the cloth, to fold up each article, and to leave them wrapped up together in a cloth for some hours, or a night, to clear themselves. When this is done, they generally require only to be drawn a little, and folded up for ironing; but where great clearness is to be obtained, the stiffer the starch, and the more they are beaten, the better.

In getting up fine things well much also depends on the ironing. The ironing-blanket should be thick, so that the work on the collars, &c., &c., should have a raised look after being ironed; where the blanket is thin the hard surface of the table flattens the work, and injures the appearance. The ironing-blanket should be covered with a piece of thin, smooth, long-cloth, kept for the purpose, and washed each time it is used. In spreading out the collar, or whatever you are about to iron, see that it lies perfectly even, and that each thread is straight up and down; also that the iron has been carefully cleaned, first rubbed on a piece of old carpet, and then wiped with a cloth; and also that it is not too hot. Singing is a common fault with the inexperienced, and it is a very bad one; for, even when it is not to such a degree as to burn, which may easily happen with a very thin muslin, still it leaves a yellow shade, which not only destroys the appearance at the time, but is very difficult to get rid of. A little practice in handling the irons will soon accustom one to the degree of heat necessary, and till that is the case, an old pocket-handkerchief, or some such thing, should be at hand to try each iron upon before you venture to iron anything of consequence. Do not pass your iron frequently over the same place if you wish the muslin to retain the stiffness, and also you should hang the article on a screen before the fire the moment it is ironed; it becomes soft if folded up with the slightest dampness upon it. Lace which, to look well, should not be stiff, is improved and cleared by being put through cold water as soon as it has been starched; it should then be squeezed out held by each hand, very slightly beaten between the palms of the hands, and gently drawn out; in drawing out the edge the nails must never touch it; it should all be done by the ball of the thumb and forefinger, and ironed once or twice over to take out the stiffening. When lace is sewed to a muslin collar, and washed with it, as the collar requires to be stiffer than the lace, it will be necessary, after putting it through the starch, and clearing it by beating and drawing it, to gather the lace together in the hand, and dip it into cold water, so as to take out a good deal of the starch (taking care not to wet the collar); but this is only necessary where the lace is put on with very little fulness, or quite plain; where it is put on full enough to be set up in small pipes with the French irons, or rather, curling tongs (as they may be called), it is not necessary to extract any portion of the starch; the lace is the better for being stiff, and, if rather damp when set up in these small pipes, they will retain a regular and tidy appearance as long as the collar can be worn.

These small French irons are to be got of different sizes, and answer remarkably well for nightcap-borders, or frills of any kind. When making use of them you should be near a stove or fire, where they can be frequently heated, for, as they cannot be used when very hot, for fear of singing the lace, they require to be constantly heated, and must be wiped with a cloth each time before being used.

The care of the silver plate will also be part of the housemaid’s occupation in a family where no footman is kept. Every day, what is in daily use will require to be washed perfectly free from grease, in boiling water, then rinsed through cold water, wiped with a clean linen cloth, and rubbed up with soft chamois leather; very little daily rubbing will be required if, once every week, the different articles are washed with a sponge in pretty strong soap lye, well rinsed in warm water, and rubbed up with the chamois leather; it is the rubbing well that gives polish and brightness, and where plate is cleaned regularly once a week with soap, it has a beautiful pale bright silvery look, very different from that dark lustre which plate, cleaned with rouge, presents. Quicksilver is generally mixed with those plate-powders sold in the shops, and the high lustre which it gives at first is soon effaced, and gives place to a dark, tarnished appearance; besides, if plate-powder of this nature is frequently used, the article becomes so brittle that a silver spoon or fork may be broken by a fall on a stone floor. Once in the three months it may be well to clean all the plate thoroughly by washing it first with soap-lye and hot water, and then rubbing it, either with the finest sifted whiting and spirits of wine, or strong spirits, or with prepared hartshorn and spirits of wine, and, when quite dry, polishing briskly with the soft chamois leather, and also with the palm of the hand—the longer plate is rubbed the brighter it will look. The rouge sold by silversmiths is generally composed of prepared hartshorn mixed with quicksilver, and coloured with a little rose-pink, and an extravagant price is demanded for it: but in many houses, where the plate has been remarked for having a particularly beautiful appearance, it has been ascertained, that washing with soap lye, and polishing with chamois leather and the palm of the hand, had done all, and that only twice during the year had the plate been cleaned with plate-powder; prepared hartshorn, with only so much rouge as to give it a pale pinkish appearance, were then used.

It is painful to see the way in which, sometimes, the silver spoons, forks, &c., are scratched by coarse dry whiting being used. Where the finest whiting and spirits of wine cannot conveniently be made use of, it is well, at the time of the general cleaning of plate, after the soap has been used, to boil whiting in water, then dip the different articles into this mixture, and, when the whiting has dried upon them, polish them with the chamois leather. A soft brush will also be required in cleaning plate, to brush the whiting well out of the carved places.