Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-08-23
LONDON SHOP-GIELS.



There i Is much difference between
slop-gir and shor-girl a. between day and
night. At the one extreme stands the head
saicswoman Of the large West-End house OF
business. dressed in silk. whose salary
ranges from $50 to $500 year; at the
other there T. weary tOiler in the semi
suburban or country diapers shop, in her
shabby black iTock, that has been turned
again and again "tO look respectable
who for the sum Of $40 TO ESQ per anGum
stands behind the counter from one weeks
end To smother. from 3 in the morning TILL
10 at night. Both are shOp-girls. and both
probably started lie on almost the same
conditions. Owing to the dlstaste for
domestic service, the love OF liberty, and
the necessity for earning living. there i
never any lack OF applicants for vacant
situations. As a rule, London shOpgirlS
come from the country. They are fresher
and stronger than the town-bred girl, and
better able 20 stand the strain OF many
hours close confinement. under which so
many break down. Girls not well enough
educated 90 teach. but too respectable 10 go
10 service. crowd behind the counter, eSpc-
cially in London houses. an apprenticeship
in which gives better starr in life, and
hence the employers can enforce their own
conditions. There j. no trade-union
among the ,hOp-girl, 50 that the first SAFE
guard against iniu,tice-the seli-rclilnce
that !, born o. tie strength OF assoclation-
altogether fails them. Each girl has TO
make her own bargain and run her own
risk. I'm many cases they have no reason
to complain. \ girl who has the good for
tune 10 be apprcnticed III one OF the best
WCsl-End houses my indeed rejoice, for.
- a iulc. the conditions OF work there are
III that can be desired, the domestic ar
Iangtmcnis being in able hands and the
Wolk well regulated. An Inspection OF the
daTmtOries and liYing-rOoms provided Tor
some Of he shop. girls in London IN the
lest establishments will show everything
rroNIded. IRON the library to the piano.
forte. hat a young woman could desire.
These favored ones have reasonable hours,
good lodging. excellent board. and careful
supervision. II ali girls w,re n well OF a,
those in some half 4 dozen firms that could
lc named their lots would he enyiable in
deed. There wages begin from G20. With
board and lodging. and pr gress until the
maximum of goo. and in rare cases OF
ESQ, Is reached. They are their own mis-
trc,>cs until IL o'clock every night. and
tbsy can spend their Sunday. at home.
E. II any Of nv daughters said the head
Of wcll-known establishment the other
dny, "snould ever have to ind her
own living, | would u hundred times
rather that she should turn TO bust
ness than earn her living in 4 So
called eentee' employment. A shop AS
sI.,ap;', ME has not only infinitely more Va.
rely than that OF the drudging teacher. bur
| there are also three times n many chances
| Of a suitable n aIrlagc ~ there are for any
! other working-wOman. Ma,rimOny. there
/ fore. j. the fate OF many OF the girls. y
and what becomes Of the others; Tor
| with few exceptions In special departments
| the Girls are all young and blooming. and
| 10 see an Old .hop-girl. hear. j. as rare \
| sight A. that OF dead robin!" " some
| commence ior themselyc, after saving a
small sum Of money, and OF the poorer
ore, great number take TO dresS-mahIns
! when superannrated.'
The percmptory refusal TO allow young
| girls from fifteen 10 twenty 10 sit, even Tor
| five minutes, during their long days OF
| twelve or thirteen hours. which i ruth
le>sly enforced in some shops, Is Wanton
! brutality which, II we were really clVlllzcd,
would lead to the boyeOttlng u every snop
where II prevails. Nor can this subject be
dealt with without reference to one very
painful phase OF q shOp-giri's life. Unlll
early closing i more generally enforced,
either by law or by public OPINION, shop
| girls can only get outdoor exercise anu
| fresh air at times after O'Clock that Is 10
..v. they have TO 20 out nine months m 'he
| year after dark. and take their only walk ~
A time when most decent women aNold lhe
strcets, and when. - Lord SALISBURY re-
Gently reminded Us, TIE worst OF men IRE
quent them for the purpose OF insulting
and moleSiing unbeiriendcd girls.
one OF the Disadvantages OF the Shop'girl
is that, although at first a, least she earn
small wages, she has 70 be- always wen
dressed. Being surrounded by iinery, she
often gets taste for II and spends all her
earnings on IT, A soon ~ she beGih' ~
fade she is no longer wanted IN 'hoP' 'nu
then there she stands. without resources
generally with delicate health. Even II sue
marrieS. she has ftcn no idea OF houseAeep
ing. How should she? There Is no tlm'
TO learn ANYTHING besides selling across Tue
counter. Another disadvantage, altnousu
it may be unavoidable. is the liaonuy
to be dismissed at days notice. ~
GIVING only a days notice seems nilu
MEASURE" said IN employer, Inc otucl ~!
yet would not have that weapon ou' "
my hands for anything. II IS a necessH,
rule. II, for instance, we shou'u Snr
girl months notice, or even "ees >
she might do us more injury IN tue inter
val before she leaves than we can WEI
afford. InciyilIty OF the atte ndah,s wou''
be enough to drive ladies away Ironi Us
aud n dismissed saleswomah Wou'u ms =.
likely not care to be oyer-ci"I' pu,
general the rule OF instantaneous dsui''s ~
u not enforced, and l nave ony ONE, ~
an experience Of many years, dsui.'s =.
girl suddenly" That may DC, pu. w
liability remains, and all employers are no
L 81. III IL