The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-01-05
SHOP GIRLS.
An English Woman Compares the New YOrb
Girl with Her London Sister.


New York sun.
A compact and energetic little woman, with
neatly brushed hair high color, and an exceed
mgly business-like manner was busting down
the floor of a great uptown dry goods store yes
terday, when the spectacle of solitary man
among several hundred Indifferent women at
tracted her attention. The man couldn't endure
the situation much longer. He had been stared
at, jostled, jeered, and snubbed until he felt
round-shouldered and holloweyed.
What can do for you, siri" asked the COM
pact little woman, in an agreeable voice.
"Oh, l came in search of information
Have you found it!'
mo, | can't say that have WANTED to make
some inquiries about the relative merits of for
eign and domestic shop girls | asked two of the
many young women here. One told me that the
intelligence office was in the basement behind
the elevator shaft, and the other that the best
time for casual conversation was on Monday
after p. NJ"
you made the mistake of approaching pretty
girls Men always do that and they usually do
1T with smile that gives the pretty girl an OPP
portunity. Plain girls 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 hip,
while she tapped her teeth thoughtfuliy with a
long pencil which she snatched from her back
hair, where it had stuck out ike the fsh-bone
IN the head-dress of a Fiji islander. Il have
been with them all my life. ! am one now, only
I'm no longer girl, but have three of my own.
III superintendent OF Unem mere, ana ma
them easy to manage. One must never be the
least bit familiar with the girls or they will be-
come unmauageable"
"A great many of them have been in much
better circumstances, have they not!"
THAT is a 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 pretentious and ambitious
members of their families, 2}sl miles above their
parents in the social scale. When a 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 ont as a goveTness for half the money
that she could earn here"
How do American shop girls compare with
those in England"
'"There is no comparison whatever" said the
little English woman with Il decisive shake of
her head. The American girls are superior in
every respect-intelgence, taste. neatness,
quieknCss and courtesy. 1t may strike you that
there is doubt about the last, but / am right
The London shop girls are insolent, While here
they are only saucy and impcrtnent, if they cf-
fend at MI. There is a vast difference Lo":iUn
girls are so stupid you know
Are there many complaints about the grls!'
'Oh. yes; quite number We observe how
ever, that the complaints always come from
shoppers who are not ladies' A well bred woman
will not find dsagreeable shop girl ina long pill
grimage in New York. If the girls are bothered
by 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
hustled cheerily away