The Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1885-1886, 1886-06-30
THE LAUNDRY GIRLS.
An OCCUPATION OF MANY HARD
SHIPS AND TRIBuLATIoNs.

Talk with an Enpioye About the Patrons
Of the Establishment Bothered Almost
to Death by Brutes, Dead-Beats and
Love-Lern Dudes = Wages.
Under the impetus OF civilization the
laundry business has become an important
industry in large citiea The pretty laun-
dry girl with banged hair, rosy cheeks, soft
voice and glib tongue il an essential feature
of the system.
The laundry girl has hard life. Her
hours on duty are very wearisome. She
must be on duty at O'Clock in the morn
ing There she remains until 9 or 10 O'Clock
at night Nobody i'll the world has better
opportunity to observe the good and bad
side of men than she has. II she is pretty
and young every masher in the community
attempts to pay her court The little Office
where the washing is received Is usually be-
sieged by gang of disreputable loafers, who
offer the fair clerks all sorts of indignities
under the gui,e of admiration. She is ex-
pectel to remain good-natured and agree
able in spite of all tho improper REMARKS
and contemplate proposals which are the
only thoughts of the professional masher.
A pretty glrl, who is well known among the
patrons of laundries, has had several years
experience in the business. Her opinion of
men is decidedly uniavo vorable. She uses a
good deal of slang.
BRuTES, DUDES AND GENTLEMEN.
Il have a hard time of it," she said to a
reporter, who left some of his linen to be re-
lieved Of its sable coloring. "You can't ap-
preciate what brutes some men are. OF
course, many gentlemen deal with us ano
treat us with respect We are bothered tc
death by dead beats snide gamblers and
base ball players These fellows are stuck
on themselves, and think the girls get
mashed on them right away. They're badly
left Some of them come in here with a
| shirt and pair of cuffs and a collar and
want to talk with me two or three hours
I'm asked twenty times day, Can | see
you home to night" A few dudes try the
| love racket 1t goes in one ear and out of
| the other with me-
Is any one mean enough to beat you out
Of your pay for the laundry work"
Why, l should say So A prominent
lawyer III this town owes me IS, and can't
collect a cent He would come after his
bundle and say, IN pay you for this after
while, when the bill little bigger. A
! sttit llduN tsAht Vi
good nature in trusting them Some times
q man will bring in a pair of GU is and then
want TO borrow dime"
| ~Doyou have many bundles uncalled for."
| Yes Men wi l leave package three or
four weeks, and then If they have been mis-
laid will raise howl and want - cents
pair for cuffs that didn't cost over ID cents
when new. If poor fellow has all his
linen in wash | often let him have it foi
nothing"
What pay do the girls getf'
That depends on circumstances and the
amount of trade they an command. The
highest wages know OF Is per week, and
there is only one or two girls who get that
much. Some of them run as low as 81.
Nine dollars Is little enough for girl in this
business when you consider what we have to
stand There is one nice, quiet gentleman
patron of this Laundry who always gives
me 81 whether his bill amounts to that or
not He chats pleasantly with me for
few minutes and then leaves That's the
kind Of Il man like to deal with "-Cincin-
natl Enquirer.