Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-07-15

Mrs. Sallie Joy White contributed to
the Boston Herald some months ago a
very interesting description of how the
working-girls of that city live, and how
some of them have contrived to better
their conditions by cooperation:
Those who live In boarding-houses are
not comfortable. as ample accommodations
cannot be obtained tor the price the girls
can afford to pay. The houses are usually
in unpleasant parts of the city. and the as
socations are not what the girls would
like. but it is the best they can get for the
money. Some of them have learned the
value of cooperation. and, by putting
their money together. they have made very
pretty homes for themselves, where they
are quite independent, and live in thor
oughfy comfortable manner. In most
cases. one OF them will have a mother. an
aunt, or sister. who is so situated that
she can come and keep house for them,
and give her labor in return for her home.
Little households like these are growing
up in Boston every day, and the girls con-
shutting them are very happy and con-
tented. One girl, in describing the way
she lived now, and contrasting it with the
dull. dreary lite in a clearinghouse. said ::
"If had only bread to eat, 1t would taste
sweeter under my own roof than the most
elaborate clearinghouse dinner" This
girl voiced the opinion of all the others
VINO have tried both ways OF living. Sew
eral years ago two young girls came to
Boston from country town in Massachu-
sets. they were fair specimens of gen.
uine New England girls, and both of them
bore names that Massachusetts had been
familiar with from her earliest history.
They were we'll educated both of them
had been through the public schools of
their native town, and had there taken
course at ''the Academy" from which
they had both graduated with honors.
They had been designed as teachers
by their families, but, unfortunately
for the plans of these worthy peO-
pie. they had neither the slightest in
clinaton for that vocation, nor were they
fitted for it by temperament. Fortunately,
they recognized this fact, and, rather than
invite failure in a profession for which
they knew they were not suited, they
packed their trunks, counted the money
IN their slender purses, and. brimtul of
courage and hope. turned their faces Bos-
forward. They both found positions,
one as boOkkeeper at $l2 a week, the
other as saleswoman in an establishment
where she was virtually forewoman, at
$40 week. At first they boarded, but
they soon tired of that; then they took
rooms. and got their meals at a restau-
rant-that, in some ways, was worse than
the first plan. Finally one of them sug-
gested housekeeping. They took day
off and went house-hunting In retired
street in the old portion Of Boston, they
found just what they wanted a tenement
of four rooms, with the added luxury of
bathroom. for this was just before the era
of apartment houses. They sent home
for pieces OF furniture and bedding that
they knew could be spared; II relative,
hearing of their new departure, gave them
a carpet for parlor and bedroom, and they
set to work furnishing; they had kitch-
en- which they used also for dining
room; it had an old-fashioned rsg-carpe,
on the floor; the tiny range was as bright
as polish could make it; the table. stand
ing between the two windows was COW
cred with a pretty cloth, when it wasn't
in use as a dining table; bird in pretty
cage hung IN the window, while plants
bloomed on the window seat. The par
Tor and bed room were furnished simply
but prettilv, the carpet was new and
cheerful, an old-tashioned sofa was re-
covered and with big pillows made a
most comfortable lounging-place there
were two rocking-chars. table to hold
the magazines and papers and books from
the Public Library, for the girls kept up
habit of reading; the bed room was
Jointly occupied by the II, and there was
still another room which they called their
guest chamber. The fun they had
in housekeeping! 1t was no trouble to
get up in the morning, and get the sim
pie breakfast. The baker left fresh
rolls. the milkman left milk. and with the
rolls, nice cup of coffee and boiled eggs,
one omelet or chop, the breakfast was
pronounced better than any that they could
get at a boarding house they usually
lunched at restaurant. and the one who
got home the earliest at night would get
the dinrer
After a while word came to them of
another girl who, under the strain of
work had broken down nervously. and
her eyes had failed her. She had no
home and want stared her in the lace.
IhV Sucot cuaiuDtT WAS set IN Oruer, ana
she was invited to visit them in their new
home. She came guest and re manned
as permanent member of the family.
Her physical health was unimpared; she
was one of the girls who have a rare
faculty" for housekeeping. and she fitted
into the place which was evidently intend.
ed for her. She became housekeeper.
Restaurant lunches were given up. and in
their places came the home lunch
which was always made delightful by
some little surprise. When the first wear
was over the girls stook account of
stock; apart from the money spent for
furnishing. it had not cost them so much
to live in this way as it had to board they
had lived better. had been in better
health. had added many pretty artistic
things to the house. had entertained
many of their working girl friends at their
pretty home, and above all, had rescued
another girl from suffering. and given her
a home where she felt that she was help
tul and was needed--the best tonic she
could have to restore her to health. And
with all this there was money over to de-
post in the bank. They had not denied
themselves of pleasures, either. 1t was
in the DAYS of lectures. and there had
been three season tickets for lecture
course, occasionally theatre tickets, and
at least two evenings at the opera To
be sure, the seats for the latter were in the
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