Araminta, Eve Baxter's housekeeper

Araminta was the memorable housekeeper who took care of advice columnist Eve Baxter. She was no fan of coffee.

From Image Cascade:

". . . the elderly housekeeper, named Araminta, in ruffled cap and apron, open the door for her. It was always like something out of an English novel to have Araminta say, Come in, Miss Beany. Let me take your coat, dear. Miss Eve is expecting you.'

She supposed Araminta was what you called a faithful family retainer. After Beany's coat was carefully hung on the hall tree, Araminta said, "'Come, dear, I'll show you upstairs.'"

..."It was a feud of long standing between employer and employee. Araminta insisted that coffee was ruinous to a woman's disposition and complexion. She served Miss Eve tea instead. "When I do browbeat her into making coffee," Eve Baxter often grumbled to Beany, "I swear she puts a geranium leaf or a dash of nutmeg in it."

"This morning, as usual, when Araminta departed, Beany hurried down to the old-fashioned kitchen and put on a percolator of coffee. She carried it up to Eve Baxter in the large sunny upstairs room."