National Republican., 1877-02-25
LONDON SHOP GIRLS.
THE HJRD LIFE THET LEtD AND
THE PiLTRY Par THEY GET
Disgracefui Condition of the Helpless Glass
Ninety Hours ofIncessant Work Per week,
and aNo Sitting Down.

DisgracefuI Condition of the Helpless Glass
Ninety Hours Of Incessant Work Per weok.
and "No sitting Down"
tErom The London GIoJe.
formidable briar bush in the not isyaria-
bly, rosy path through life Of tho industrious art
san-tho good, plodding family man, whose mat.
rmonial union has not been blessed by numerous
progcny-is what to do with the girls when they
arrive at an age to quit the paternal abode and
provide for themselves. Several courses are
open to him, but mainly there are but three He
can have thom instructed in the art Of sowing By
machinery, and thus enable them to earn live.
lhood as indoor or outdoor "hands" at soms city
warehouses he can have them apprcnticed to
shopkeeper as counter assistants, or he can con.
sent to their joining the ranks Of domestic servi.
tude.
Rather than adopt either Of the other
courses mentioned, his young daughter
|, goes into some respectable house OF re.
tail business--some linen drapcr's or fancy
stationer's or milliner's establishment to be an.
prenticed, and becomes eventually a counter.
woman. There are many plausible reasons for
this selection which carry great weight, ospe.
cially with parents Of young girls whose one aim
in life Is to appear "genteel." 1t Is not menisl
tired and with half arranged afser the istest
mode. Earrings and brooch are not objected
able rule al sud pases neysr y, aaa,ss. ne
by their Christian names.
~ Is iact as undeniable as 1t is disgraceful to
an age, when grown working. men have such
tender regard for themselves and arc so ieaIousiy
watched:lest their charter Of "ten hours q day.
most hardly used OF the human creatures com.
PEELED to labor for bread. The terms on which
nSa aorSS ss
the state OF the girl labormnrket. The ordinary
practice Is 70 insist, on young woman nrst en-.
years as "loarner," during which time sbe re.
ceiyes no enumeration excepting her food and
ishctlon, she will receive, in shape Of salary.
rather more perhaps, than is givento an efoleat
But no maid Of all work who ever drudges sin.
gle handed for family Of seven has such q hard
time OF II as the shop girl who is to DO found at
course there are exceptions. Is q pen"raiir G uo M
derstood that at the most important establish
PsGsS S
is paid TO their domestic comfort and moral well
iaIenthat baths and books and all manner Of
healthiul entertainments are provided for them
aner business hours, which close early In the
evening and allow a half holiday on Saturday.
business there arc In the metropolis 100 OF tho
paltry sort, where tho number OF Glands, EN-.
where It is found necessary to adopt a rigorously
calculated cutting" system In order TO make
sgsnss, pay nns keep pace with equally sharp
which attach to the business q her csolcs % Eight
S al min. are or GesnGS 9sn usSs ana
Ninety hours b,tween Monday morning and Sat
utday night Of daily work, incessant, were II not
Tor the brief time allowed for meals, whlch-shop.
room being the first consideration In the arrange.
ments OF the house-nre usually taken 10 the more
or less unwholesome kitchen Crowded with goods
IN the summer time, the third or fourth rate dra-
per's shop Is unbearably close and Oppressive.
and II the place is constantly crowded with Gus,
toners, the air OF course suffers In proportion.
In tho winter time the draughts through door.
ways, necessarily kept open or aJar for business
reasons, account for tho shop being bitterly
cold, and for chidbaned hands and feet from
which the poor things SO commonly suffer. Ohll-
blamed or sound however there Is no rest for the
sald ieet. mo sitting down" Is the rule lnhexi-
lnces, and any young lady detected 10 the cnor.
nous fniquity Of evading II while on duty would
IN hrst Instance be severely reprimanded, and
In the second probably discharged. It Is mon.
strously cruel rule and makes one almost wish
that the cruelty to animals bill included human
Kind, SO that Mr.. Colam might step In.