The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-11-25
OUR CITY WORKING GIRLS.
THE MORNING RIDE DOW TOWN IN
TIE STREET RfTLRO1D CARS.
what May he seen on ANY Week Day-A Con-
ductor's Testimony -Fnvoritc Newspapers
and hooks Interest In Politics aud Men.


The early passenger in the city railway
cars necessarily confronts many strange expe-
riences. On few routes. such rs the Fourth
and Sixth Avenue lines. no may enjoy almost
sole possession of his car. and in cold weather
may SILVER in solitary loneliness through all his
journey But II his lines fall in the pleasant
places of the Third or the Eighth avenue the re-
verse is his experience. He will not only have
company. but u great deal too much OF it for
comfort There will be additions at every block +;
and such additions Grimy and greasy men.
who seem never to have heard Of soap and
water; their wc-worn clothing saturated with
the slop OF tho barroom and the stencil Of the
kitchen. their naturally none too sweet breath
all rocking with tho fumes OF the short Pipe.
hurricdly stuck into side pocket; all crowd
ing and jostling for seats or standing loom !:
rude but honest. coarse but respectable self
assertivc. sometimes glowcring menacingly
upon any ono who happens to be better dressed
and moro refined; such is the crowd in which
the early passenger will find himself. 1t IL not
n pleasant situation. Even these brawny out
doormen. who never mind the wind or the rain
when at work. will now close the DOORS shut the
windows and insist upon poisoning themselves
to the last step of their journey.
But start down town an hour later. We find
very different company. II is after the great
migration Of day ahorcrs. and before the
starting of merchants and clerks. From seven
20 eight may be- called the working girls hour.
Our ear starts almost empty: but very soon the
girls begin to drop in. II il surprising to note
the difference ot demeanor in conductors now,
as compared with IN hour ago. Then they
looked neither to the right nor the left: they
neither sought nor cared for passengers. Such
rs came were hustled in much ~ police officers
hustle prisoners into the waiting room. But
now your keon-eyed conductor IL ~ his best
Right and lett he CLAN 80 down the avenue.
watching the corners with eager interest For
nearly every one OF these condu tOrs-at least
nearly every one VINO has been Tor cons dera-
BILE period on his route knows Just about when
Mary or Jane or any other girl VIII heayc in
sight from the side street.
The Woodworking Young girls come in. gem
orally in pairs as If mated. limiting that pairing
was an act never too early To learn or too late to
forget. Then they have their iavorite cars
Docs an unoheerNing person ask why Eir
who ~ necessarily in "A hurry will stand while
two almost empty cars 40 10y To gei into one
more than fullf Well. 10 answer hlunliy. her
young man comes down in No. 2.733. end never
a ilnger Will she rinse IN tn. way ot halllng "a
driver until No. 2,733 comes ia sight.
Asa rule. condu tors are properly attentive
To- the young toil"r--tne future mothers Of our
nation. As rulc too. men who rid" IN The cars
are Kind 70 them. The pleasant speak ing con-
duror-lo not start. reader. for there are
pleasant vol ED condu tors, strange Us II may
seem-IOlitcly SAYS: " Gentlemen. please move
up Lite. ana make room Tor tho iadirs. and
they move up until n sense OF sunucatiVn for
bids further compression.
liar and honorable class. They have n hard
struggle for support. bui they bear it bruvrly
and chcorully. They manage 10 pres ut al
ways a neat and for tho most pnrt a gcntrel np-
pearHnrc: are almost Invariably clcanly. and
without exception dccorous ana commcndablc
Long familiarity with n veteran conductor led
me, the other day. To violate the conpanys rule
and chat with TINT tremendous on 'ial about
the girls Of whom am discursivsy discours-
ing;
Yes" said he. and they are good girls. too.
Honest ana true not afraid OF work: regard
ness or the needs ol sick friends would keep
them ut home.
You, must know something Of the history Of
Indeed / do Step quick Mary 10 n saury
brunette then getting in. They have histories
as interesting rs any OF your grandrr folks who
will be- riding an hour or two lat r..
:" AZ 20 their behavior Are they bold or for
ward-that II To say. do they munif st a DISPOSE
tion 10 be what men cali lasi 80
Not one in hpndred As class they are
world Is ready % give thom credit for"
w, They sem Tor lhe most part TO be reading.
much Interest in the news Of the day. and read
THE SuS-rgy ten SUNS 10 all other morning
papers together. You SOC run right through
the Seventh Senatorial District. whore ) hell
md Morris-ry had thor Nght aud | tell YOU
even the girls took an interest IN that election.
good many who look like mere giri~ are mar
rird. and doubtless "chord the political senti-
ments ~ their husbands: but nearly all. mar
rlcd or not. We're IN favor Of Morrisscy. O'ca-
sionay there came in a ) hell girl. but she did
not venture 10 say mu h. tell you. women
know how TO hold rs well as to use their
tongues
The working girls are inve,orate readers.
Those WHO do not have morning journal are
busy with tn" weekly story papers or wrll-worn
novels in paper covers. Occasionally. during
certain church Seasons, you will lind some Of
them diligently perusing sacred books. such as
IN. M" OF some SAINT or othrr moral work:
A. tn their general behavior. my old friend
gave them the very highest praise. 1t was not
needed, Tor every Observing man knows no
more decorous or modest young women are
seen abroad than the working girls who come
| 10 confess however. that the procllvity 81
the female snN for Irritation IL hardly To- be- re-
pressed. II they see "a verlant youth who look 4
ia any way sppnny. ten To- one they cannot re-
sst the temptation I" guy him. Yet they are
seldom rude. and never vulgar.
The men most in danger from working girls
nr" the condutors-the young fellows, mean.
,I9 use common EXPRESSION. they lay for q ZEN.
There was case NOS many months ago where
two smart girls laid for II conductor on the -
avenue. They went down about or ~ in thu
morning. They knew his car well enough, and
II ne wns changed Ia another number they soon
smoked him out. Car inter ear might 90 by
while they stood on II particular corner hut
they meyer looked at them. II was Johnny =
car or none. II WIS not long before he became
acquainted and then he watched for them rs
hn hnsit"1 nrn,,nd tn nnI s"o,s mi mat. hi M
self ~ agreeable ~ possible. so thnt ere many
weeks had passed the regular passengers on
|
harmony that had grown M between tho bright
eyed girls and their Rood-looking beau. This
WAS rather more than year ago. and now the
Irritation is over, ana one of the two wicked
conspirators Is the Jolly little wife OF that same
conductor.
The girls begin to unload about Blocker
street. hut large majority Of those who come
down Third avenue and the Bowery get Off at
Grand nnd Canal streets. and most OF them 40
west to the lnnumerable shops and factories
in the central part of the city. occasionally
one Of Stewards girls gets of ut Tenth street
and il followed by wishfu looks from those who
contrast the clean white store with the smoky
factories to which they are going.
Baskets Of lunch are seldom seen nowadays
In great many largo estab shmcnts. like
Stewards the Western Union Telegraph. and
others, the employees are fed in the building.
Whore they are not. and whore there are sew
eral girls employed, they club together. and one
OF the number goes To the nearest bakery for a
pie and some crullers or cakes. The average
working girl seems 70 think II undignined TO
carry, her lunch. and 80 1t is only occasion.
ally that one secs the once familiar parcel Of
bread and butter wrapped in n newspaper. |
think some girls would go without mouthful
all day rather than do anything SO common
Mu III might be said to the credit of our work
ing girls about their home life. Some of them
support invalid mothers: more of Them see
Their hard earnings squandcred by dissipnted
fathers. In the great essentials OF virtue. in
tcgencc, good behavior. neat dressing. econ
Omy OF means, ambition to rise. and the results
oil these good and DIES irahle qualities the work.