Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-04-22
CHEAP JOHN.
What Clara Norris Heard aud Saw In
San Francisco.
Washington onpital.l

Washington Oapital.l
There is a poor old woman Just
across the street who came to Califor-
MIA years ago. Her husband found
plenty of work to do and did it, until
one terrible day he came to a pause in
his labor-a pause that has covered
many a wretched year; for to him
who at thirty is crippled and blind,
the years are both long and bitter.
Then the wife came to the front. She
could not go out to service because Of
the three little ones and that living
woe, her husband; so, being young
and strong, she took in washing. She
worked, as a woman always works,
with reckless disregard of self. She
might have fed and sheltered her
brood with half the labor but she
was ambitious for them. Her al
ways suffering husband had to have
Injuries. Her little ones were sent
to school in neat and tidy dresses. In
the meantime Chinese laundries -four
ished, increased in numbers, were
everywhere. She was compelled to
lower wages to keep her work. Sud
denly the mania for Auted rufies
swept the town. Everything was
ruf1ed, and therefore everything must
be futed. Fluting-irons cost money.
With lowered wages she had barely
kept the wolf from the door. She sat
up all night and crimpled rufles with
a blade knife; but that was pro-
nounced old-fashioned; the washing
went to the Chinese laundry. For
several years she had lived in a tiny
little frame-house of four rooms, in
which her children, her husband and
herself lived and had their being. At
last she turned to sfice-sweeping-
hard work for small pay, but still
keeping bread in their mouths.
For eighteen months she held that,
and then the China boy asked for the
job. He was told a woman had it.
Said Jim Lee: What do you pay
herr" SO much, says the man in
charge. Well, says Jim Lee, q
will sweep the office and make fires
when needed for the same money
" WE'LL" demurred the man; but
Jim Lee breaks in again with the
offer to sweep the office, light the fires
and clean the windows for the same
money that was paid to the woman for
sweeping alone. Jim Lee got the job.
To-day that poor old woman receives
charity fer the first time. The Chi
nese monopolize most all of the small
trades. There is the trouble. They
do tin work; they run sewing
machines; they make shoes; they are
rag pickers, gardeners, porters, bar
bers, bakers, photographers assistants
oh, well, they do everything. A
tinsmith had a store in one Of the
smaller streets. His business was
thriving. He thought he would in
dulge in cheap labor. He took in a
couple of Cinnamon; they learned the
trade, and then secretly taught it to
some of their friends, who dubbed
together and started a small tin
shop in the same block, where they
undersold him clean out of the bust
ness. When they get possession Of a
trade they employ only their own peo-
pie. Day before yesterday l bought
an article of underwear, and l ex-
pressed some surprise at its small cost.
20, yes answered the saleswoman
" last winter hal would have cost
se~venty-iye cents more but we en-
ploy Cinnamon now" And what
has become of the girls you formerly
employed? We'll, a few of them
found their way into the ballet of
some of the small theaters, | have
been told, and some, am very sorry
say, did worse-gone wrong in fact
And so it goes.