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Page 8
THE BUTLER
The duties of the butler confine him to the drawing-room and dining-room.
The dining-room, however, is his particular domain; he sees that
everything is in order, that the table is laid correctly, the lighting
effect satisfactory, the flowers arranged, and in short that the room and
appointments are in perfect readiness for a punctual meal. In this work
a parlor maid assists him by sweeping and dusting, and a pantry-maid
helps him by keeping everything immaculate and in readiness in the
pantry. The butler serves at breakfast, luncheon and dinner.
Where there is a second-man, he may assist the butler with the serving
at dinner; and at large entertainments the maid who assists in the pantry
may also be requested to serve. The butler also is in charge of the
afternoon-tea duties, in homes where this custom prevails. He brings in
the tray, arranges it for the hostess and sees that everyone is served.
Where there are only a few servants, the butler may be expected to help
with the dishes, polish the silver and assist in the pantry. But if
there are maid servants, and a second-man to do the heavier work, then he
is expected to serve in a small measure as the valet for the master of
the house. He lays out his evening clothes, brushes and presses the
garments worn in the morning, and draws his bath. Sometimes, when his
domestic duties are very light, the butler is requested to serve as
footman to the mistress when she goes riding in the afternoon. An
important duty of the butler is to answer the door bell whenever it
rings. He must see that the front door and the hall is in order and
well-swept, and that the drawing-room door is locked every night after
the family has retired. A great deal of the comfort and pleasure of the
family depends upon the manner in which the butler attends to his duties.
CORRECT DRESS FOR THE BUTLER
Neatness of attire is extremely important. The butler should be
clean-shaven, and he should not fail to be fresh-shaven every day. His
hair should not be closely cropped, but cut loosely, and it should be
well-brushed at all times. Well-kept nails are, of course, very
important not only for the butler but for anyone who serves at the table
or has anything to do with the food. As nearly as possible, the butler's
costume should parallel the following description, but each passing
season finds some minor detail slightly changed, and each new season
finds a slight variation from the costume of the season before. So the
best thing to do is to find out definitely from a reliable clothier or
from the men's furnishing department of a large department store, just
what the butler's costume of the present time consists of. Ordinarily,
the butler wears white linen in the morning, with black or dark gray
trousers, a black waistcoast that buttons high, and a swallow-tail coat.
It is also permissible for him to wear a short roundtail coat in the
morning hours; it is similar to the gentleman's tailless evening coat,
but it is not faced with silk. A black or dark tie and black shoes
complete the outfit, which is worn until after the midday meal. If
guests are to be entertained at luncheon, the butler wears his afternoon
and evening livery. Otherwise he dons it only after luncheon or about
three o'clock in the afternoon. It consists of complete black evening
dress similar in cut and style to that worn by gentlemen. There are no
braidings or facings, though the material of the suit may be every whit
as excellent in quality as that worn by the master of the house. The
butler does not wear a white waistcoat, a watch chain, or jeweled studs
with his after noon or evening livery. Nor may he wear a boutonniere or
an assertive tie or patent leather shoes. And it is extremely bad taste
for him to use perfume of any kind. He wears white linen with plain
white studs in the shirt front, a standing collar, white lawn tie and
plain black shoes. His watch is slipped into his waistcoast pocket
without chain or fob. White gloves are no longer the custom for men
servants in the private home. When acting as footman to his mistress in
the afternoon, the butler wears the livery described for the second man.
In cold weather he is supplied with a long footman's coat; and he is also
supplied with a top hat and gloves, all matching in color and style those
worn by the chauffeur.
THE SECOND MAN
The second man may be employed exclusively for the house, or he may be
employed solely to serve as footman, sitting next to the chauffeur when
the mistress is motoring. In the latter case he wears the regular livery
matching that worn by the chauffeur. But usually a second man is expected
to help in the house besides serving as footman. He assists the butler by
answering the door bell whenever the other is busy or occupied elsewhere.
He washes dishes and windows and polishes the silver. He tends to the
open fireplace in winter, and to the arranging of the flowers in the
summer. The veranda, front steps and courtyard are also in his care.
And when there are guests for dinner, or at a large entertainment, he
helps serve at the table. The livery of the second man is the same
indoors all day; he does not change for the evening. It consists of coat
and trousers of one solid color determined by the heads of the house. It
is usually a very dark green, brown, gray or blue, and the outside edge
of the trouser leg is piped in some contrasting color. The coat is
usually swallowtail in cut, and is ornamented with brass or silver
buttons on the tails, on the cuffs and down the front. Lately this vogue
of the brass and silver button is disappearing. The color worn by the
second man should be the predominating color worn by all the other
liveried servants in the household. It is certainly not good form to
have the chauffeur wear one color of livery, and the footman next to him
wear livery of an entirely different color and cut. With his livery
described above, the second man wears a waistcoat of Valencia, striped in
the two colors that appear on the coat and trousers. It is usually cut V
shape, disclosing white linen in which are fastened two plain white
studs, a standing collar, and a white lawn tie. When he serves as
footman, the second man may either be requested to don complete car
livery, or he may wear a long footman's overcoat; top hat and gloves over
his house livery. A clean shaven face and well-brushed, close-clipped
hair are pleasing characteristics of the second man. Untidiness, ill-
kept hands and nails, and the use of jewelry or perfume should not be
tolerated in the second man, whether be serves only as footman, or in the
house. When he helps the butler at the dinner table, he should be
especially immaculate in appearance.
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