, 1884-12-09
WOMAN AND HOME.
WHAT IS EXPECTED OF THE GIRLS
WHO CROWD INTO STORES.
Beauty Blushing Unseen-Btac the stand
ard coIor-Book- That Mold tho
Face-A Matrimonial Lottery
Cut Fiower--stray Items.


lChicago Newsl
when n girl comes into n store said the
g~ray-haired proprietor Of a State street retail
house, 1she is not only absolutely valueless for
from three to six months, but she Is In the
way. The pay is small and inadequate TO
the expense Of their living, but It is actually
more than they are worth until they acquire
some knowledge OF business A boy goes into a
department with the expectation OF learning
the business and Of being paid In accordance
as ho learns and is Of value TO it, But girls
think they are worth money at once. The
majority Of girls behind counters live at
home In fact many houses will take no girls
behind their counters than those hav-
ing homes for, OF course, they could not exist
on the money their services are worth until
they are thoroughly conversant with the
business Not only is the girl when she first
enter a store ignorant Of the method OF sell
ing goods, but often a positive drawback TO
doing 30. To know how 10 handle customers
Is an actual trade. IL cannot be learned in a
month. The matter OF womon's work and
women's wages is one l have long considered.
l must confess that l arrive at no clear solu-
ton Thoro is a constant cry Of shame that
women are 70 poorly paid in stores, but | de-
clare that, however small Is their pay, with
isolated exceptions it Is fully all they Darn
and all that the value OF their services war
rant Women are more difficult to dis
cipline than men The boy or young man
does, as a rule, unquostionably what he Is
told 10 do. The young women want an OK
PLANTATION.
"A girl who tries to learn can go into a
store and work herself up by degrees into n
position Of trust and responsibility and where
she will be well paid. But it's the sheorcst
nonsense for girls TO suppose that they can
walk into n store and earn enough money 10
support themselves comfortably. / cannot
understand why so many persons suppose
this a possibility, either. There are few
mornings in the week when / do not find
awaiting mo when 4 come 20 the store from
ten to twenty girls all anxious for work, and,
with few exceptions, they have no experience
or knowledge OF business. II parents whose
daughters must work 10 earn money would
give them "a comprehensive education a1 u
basis for general intelligence, and apprentice
them for the remainder Of tho time TO learn
some business or trade, there would be less
anxiety concerning the question OF women's
work, and the matter Of wages would Of
necessity DO regulated. Skilled workman
ship viii demand its full value everywhere.
In France women engage in many trades,
and are quite as well paid for their work an
mei- But girls are put TO learn theso trades
the same MS boys, and do learn them thor
oughly and completely. In this country the
girl goes to school till she's outgrown her
short frocks. and Is then expected to step
into some place where sho can earn long ones
for herself
Tho girl who gets into II position in "A
store where she can earn her living must
serve long and faithfully first" said n young
lady In a suit department "When sho has
attained this position It is by no means an
easy ono to fulfill. For illustration: In this
storO we are paid no commissions on our
sales-simply regular salaries. But We arc
expected TO sell from $50 TO $500 worth OF
goods per day. II We fail TO make good this
expectation our services arc not long re-
tained. There Is an Immense class Of idle
women residing in the city. They include
women who board and nave nothing on earth
To occupy thor time and attention. Tho ia
voritp amusement OF such women Is 10 go
shopping, whether or not they desire to buy
or have money TO buy with. Such women
are the bane OF the saleswomen. They come
in with every assumption Of purchasing, and
are handed over with a flourish by the man
ager to u saleswomnn. After they've looked
at nearly every garment in stock they'll in
form you that they do not wish TO
purchase that tboy are looking Mt goods
for n friend in some suburban town. The
moment they have departed without buying
up will rush the department manager.
"'Why didn't you sell TO that partyT Is his
demand You may reply that il was be-
cause she did not wish to buy. IL makes no
difference. You are expected 70 sell 1t Is
h you are paid for. Not to show goods.
II you have any number of people TO depart
without buying during u day, you can be as
sured that n slip Will DO filed by the manager
at headquarters stating that Miss - had so
many customers 20 out without purchasing,
and the next week you'll be looking for a
situation. Oh, it's a mistake for girls to
crowd into stores. Outside Of suit and
cloak departments there arc fow posi-
lions where money enough can be earned
TO live On decently. The wages of the ma
jority who arc behind counters are included
in the range between 50 and IS per week.
For instance, there Is our little cashier on
this floor. She is new in the business and
homeless Her salary is just S. per week
-Four of this she pays for board and room.
The remaining dollar is all sho has for cloth
ing, washing. and incidentRls. Through tho
worst and coolest weather sho must walk to
aud from her work, for she cannot pay car
fafe. Had | my life TO begin over, and tho
experience l have now, / would not go into a
store. Tho girl who has TO work had better
chop of a couple OF years from her school
days and devote them to acquiring a trade