Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-01-19
TREE "SALES LADY,,
The Pcculiarilics OF Shop Girls.

compact and energetic little woman. with
neatly brushed hair, high color and an exceed
ingly busness-like manner. was bustling down
the floor of a great New York dry goods store,
when the spectacle of solitary man among
several hundred Indifferent women attracted
her attention. The man couldn't endure the
situation much longer. He had been stared at
jostled. jeered, and snub5ed until he felt
round shouldered and hOliow-eyed.
What can do for you. sir:' asked the con-
pact little woman in an agreeable voice.
'Oh. came In search Of information"
Have you found it,"
"No. can't say that | have I wanted to
| make some Inquiries about the relative merits
OF foreign and domestic shOp-grls | asked
two of the many young women here. One told
me that the intelligence-Officc was in the base
ment. behind the elevatOr-shatt. and the other
that the best time fora casual conversation was
| Monday after 6 p. m
! You made the mistake Of approaching pretty
girls. Men always do that and they usually do
it with smile that gives the pretty girl an OPP
| portunUy. Plain girls are always civil with
men. 1t is a habit they acquire early
Il know all about shOp-girls." continued the
| little woman, resting plump hand on one him.
while she tapped her teeth thoughttully with a
long pencil which she snaced from her back
hair, where it had stuck out like the fishbone in
! the head-dress of FIJI Islander. 81 have been
with them all my life. | an one now, only I'm
! I'm superintendent of them here, and 1 fad
them easy to manage. One must never be the
least bit familiar with the girls OF they will be-
come unnlanageable."
a great many of them have been in better
| circumstances. have they nUti"
THAT is u very common impression but one
that hasn't the smallest foundation. In my opin-
ion. The girls are fond of giving people that
idea. In point of fact. however they are almost
all Of them the most pretentiOua and ambitious
members Of their families and miles above their
parents In the social scale. When woman of
position meets with misfortune she resolutely
avoids the shop She will DO anything rather
than come to an establishment like this She
takes IN sewing, gives painting or music lessons
or goes out as a srOEernes5 for half the money
She could earn here"
''Ii"-v do American shop-glrls compare with
| those ..rgland:'
''Ihtrt / no comparison whatever" said the
little EnglishwOman with a decisive shake of her
head tile American girls are superior IN every
respect-intclligenc@. tastes. neatness quick
ness and courtesy. II may strike you that there
is doubt about the last. but | am right The
London shop-girls are nsOlent, while here they
are only sancy or impairment. if they offend at
all. There is vast difference. London girls
are so stupid. you know"
Are there many complaints about the
girls
"Oh, yes quite number We observe how
ever. sthat the complaints always come from
shoppers who are not ladies. Awci.-bred woman
Will not find q dsagreeable shop-girl in a long
pilgrimage in New York. If the girls are both
cred with questions which no one has right to
ask they are very apt to be pert ="
With this the little woman nodded brightly
thrust the pencil into her back hair again and
BUSTED chcerly away