960. _Of the Cookmaid._--When a young woman undertakes the situation of cookmaid in a family, where only one or two other servants are kept, she will have many duties to perform, besides preparing and dressing the provisions, although that is her principal business. What those duties are, will, of course, depend very much upon the habits of the family with whom she lives; and whether there is a man-servant or a boy kept; as, if not, the cleaning of knives, shoes, and various things that would be done by them, become the business of the cook-maid. 961. _General duties of the Cookmaid._--The part of the house in which her chief work lies is the kitchen; but she is also expected to clean the passage or hall, the stone door-steps, the bell-pull, name-plate, knocker, and all things outside the house which are kept cleaned; also, the kitchen stairs, pantry, servants' offices, and areas; and, in many families, the dining-room as well as the kitchen windows, and the light over or at the sides of the hall door. It is her place to scour the dresser, table, shelves, &c., in the kitchen and pantry, and to keep both places clean and in order; to wash the plates and dishes, to keep the saucepans and all other vessels used in cooking, or for keeping eatables in, perfectly clean, so that they may always be ready for use; to wash and keep the pudding-cloths sweet and clean; to sweep the carpet, and clean the grate, fender, fire-irons, and hearth, in the breakfast-parlor; to clean the kitchen candlesticks; to assist the housemaid in making the beds after they have been laid open to air; to answer the door to the trades-people; and, if there is no man-servant, nor boy kept, to brush the clothes and shoes of the gentlemen of the family. It is of great importance that the cookmaid should be cleanly in her person, as well as in her cooking; and that she should never be seen with dirty hands, which may be easily prevented by using thick gloves, when blacking a stove or doing any other dirty work, and always washing her hands as soon as she has finished. Nothing can be more disagreeable than to see the person who prepares one's meals with dirty hands or apron. 962. _Arrangements for Work in the Kitchen._--The cookmaid should always be furnished with her own pails, brushes, flannels, and everything she requires for her own work, and should never use the housemaid's pails or brushes, nor suffer the housemaid to use hers. A strict attention to this rule prevents much discomfort and confusion, and the work is sure to be done with more regularity, and much time saved.