Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1882-10-23
suspended him because he presided over q
reception on Thursday night in honor of Mr..
Ross, who won the ora,orical prize.
What Four Girls Did.

The New York correspondent Of the San
Francisco Chronicle says: Most tenements
are as like one another as books on law
yer's shelves. and yet it was in one of long
row in East Eiftieth street, Just when was
getting worried by the monotony of my days
experience. that l came across singular
and pleasant surprise. A brewery workman
had the first floor, and the third and fourth
floors were rented by families. the women of
which took in washing. l forget who had
the fifth floor. As the doctor and made our
way upstairs we came upon door ajar. 1t
revealed n room so widely different from any
thing we had seen in all our travels that the
doctor halted me with q hand on my should
er, as suddenly and strongly as if he had seen
ghost. The r, ON was carpeted. Flowers
hloomed on the. window birds swung in
gilt cages, and neatly framed pictures hung
on the walls. The half opened door Of a cup
board revealed crystal glassware and i'm
maculate crockery. The tiny range on the
hearth shone like an advertisement for a
stove dealer. and serving as an undertone be-
meath the blithe caroling of the two canaries
was the buzz of a sewing machine and the
melody OF a sweet girlish voice. Embroidered
on card, that hung in n frame over the man.
tie, were the words God Bless our Home"
The doctor turned and went downstairs
what was the explanation of what he has
ever since called, in speaking of that glimpse
we got, vision of Paradise. The good
woman could not have known that she was
reciting poem as she gave the explanation.
She said that nearly two years before four
working girls had rented that fiat. They
had become friends, and had determined to
pool their earnings and establish a home of
their own. 1t was a long time before they
could secure apartments. and the suspicious
that their plan aroused led to so many in
suits and rebuffs that they had almost given
up the project. when they accidentally
found in their present quarters, a family
suddenly obliged to move out and anYious
to find substitutes. Here the four girls
made their home. with a carpet for one room,
a stove, some chairs. clock, a table, \ few
cups and dishes, knives and forks, and two
mattresses, but no bedsteads. When the
landlord how little they had, and heard
their odd project explained. he was satisfied
that they would not scandalize his estab-
lishment. Little by little the furniture was
increased; now by chair, next by bed
stead again by bureau, and so on until
from being complete, extras were added
and it became the bower of which
we got glimpse. The janitress said that
there were actually lace curtains and a
melodian'' in the front room. | wish could
remember all that she told us. One of the
girls got $40 week as milliner; another
$l2, as a clerk in a Broadway candy store; n
third got $40 or Sl2 somewhere else, and
the fourth was a dressmaker, and because
she worked at home was made housekeeper,
and called steward of the club. Until the
house was furnished all pooled their earnings.
but since then each has paid every Saturday
a share (graded in accordance with her in
come) of the weeks expenses, including q
stated sum as salary to the stewardess. The
girls dress tastefully and live better than their
neighbors. They get along without quarrel
ing, and run their picturesque establishment
according to rules framed and hung in the
parlor. One of these rules is that no men,
Der of the club shall receive the visit of q
gentleman except in the presence Of at least
one other member and that all the members
who are in the house shall be present in such
cases. No member shall go out for walk
or to place of refreshment or amusement
with gentleman friend, unless at least one
other member accompanies her, except she
be betrothed to the gentleman in question.
No malt, vinous, or spirituous liquors may
on any pretext be brought in the rooms, etc.
This was all that the janitress could remem-
Der of the rules except that there were fines
for ''unladylike language, cross tempers, and
tardiness AT meals" We went up stairs again,
and this time the door still open, and the
stewardess "a brown-haired, dark eyed little
body, as plump as pet pigeon and with big
arms aggravalingly displayed by tight
sleeves, was bustling about the room and
singing MARY Kelly's Beau" The disad-
vantages of having three other girls In the
room when one called on this one struck me
with added force when saw her.