St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-09-09

they want to earn their own clothes and
and typewriting. After a search, some
times long and sometimes short, they
find place and are glad to get S. a
week to begin on. These girls deserve
credit for their independent spirit, but
theirs is an easy life when compared
with the life of girls who have no homes,
except boarding houses, and are obliged
to pay board out of the same salary that
the others get. l few days ago l met a
young lady
WHO IS EMPLOYED
in one of the large mercantile houses of
the city, and we had a long conversation
about the pros and cons of the life that
now is. My first question was, "What
salary do the majority of the lady stem
ographerS receiver" She replied that
the average salary in such places as the
one where she was employed was from
$50 to $40 per month, while those en-
pl0yed in railroad, law and insurance
offices received from $40 to $50, and in
some cases the salary in railroad office
was $40 or $50 per month. L remarked
that if girl had home she could live
very comfortably on even $50 per
month. She replied by saying, ''Shall |
Utll NOu JuSG IlOW l. i've. l. Co.
"Well, have no home, but am entirely
the position now have for over two
years on a salary of S35 per month. Sew
eral times l have asked my employer to
advance my salary, for | thought | was
worth more than was two years ago.
l do three times the amount of work
that did when L began to work for
him. His reply has always been that
the work was not worth more than
S35 a month to him, and that he
could get others to do it for
$50. When L first came here
determined to board in nice place if it
took all my pay. l wouldn't go into a
cheap, greasy boarding house, with a
greasier landlady, on whose dress you
could write aboard and rooms" as
plainly as it is written on the front
door sign. | hunted around until l
found nice, clean, respectable place
with widow in upper town. 1t was
thirty-two blocks from the store; but l
walked it every night and morning. L
couldn't afford street car, for that
meant 60 cents week. Well, l paid s.
week for my board and room. | got a
washwOman to do my washing for 60
cents dozen pieces, and had dozen
every week.
You see my salary amounts to little
over IS week, so l only had $3.50 Il
week to clOthe myself on. Then | was
not sure of my whole salary either, for
sometimes, after rush in the morning,
doing other peoples work as we'll as my
own, get
DIZZY HEADACHE.
"My employer at such times kindly
tells me had better go home, and he
also kindly docks me at the end of
the month for the time | am out of the
office, although the next day | make up
all the work left undone by working
till or o'clock"
''Why, don't see how you can dress
much on what little money you have
left after paying your board" L said.
'Well, l didn't do much in the line of
personal adOrnment. | had two dresses,
one for work and one for best. but /
don't live that way now. After year
of it l concluded that | would do as
other girls in my circumstance did, and
live oil the starvation plan.'
''What is that?'' | asked innocently.
cyr"Oh, it's simply going on short ra
tons in order to save your money to
buy gold and costly apparel with"
But don't you break down and get
sck?"
"Of course. some girls break down
after while; but don't believe shall.
l just told the widow that | preferred to
take my meals down town, and | would
pay her IS month for the room | oc-
cupied, and she allowed me to keep the
room at that price. There is a restau-
rant down town where you can get just
what you want to eat, and not pay very
much. either, unless your wants are
numerous and varied; and working
girl can't afford to have such wants.
For breakfast get cup of coffee. or
glass of milk, and some rolls or bread
and butter. | never pay more than 10
cents for breakfast; 8 cents for the
milk or coffee, and cents for the rolls.
l pay 25 cents for dinner. That's quite
a filling affair. | have bread, meat and
potatoes. Sometimes l go without the
potatoes, and get piece of pie. never
go there for supper. keep some crack
erS in my room, and if l get hungry at
night eat some of those. When l first
tried the plan used to go to bed feel
ing rather queer after eating just dry
crackers; but Pm hardened to it now.
and Pm sure a hearty supper would
make me sick"
''How much do you save for your
clothes nOW?"
II can save about 81 a week after all
the rest is paid.'
How do you spend your Sundays 50"
l asked. ''Do you go to church,"
"No, just guess | don't. l work six
days in the week, from o'clock in the
morning till 6 at night. When Sunday
comes | want rest, so | sleep and read
all day. One day my employer, who is
inclined to be very religious, asked me
if | attended any church, and l said:
No, sir. I'd like to know what the
church cares tor me, and l am sure
don't care for the church, 1t would
just be an extra expense to me if went
to church, for | suppose I'd have to
help fill up the collection box"
l did not stop to have theological
discussion with the young unbeliever.
l left it to her Christian employer to
convert her from the error of her ways.
The next morning l visited the res
taurant of which L had heard such
favorable mention, and was so well i'm
pressed with it that | have since become
a regular boarder. l found that great
breakfast. 1 have particularly observed
two young ladies who always sit oppo-
site me at the table. They never read
over the
BILL OP FARE,
for they have learned by long expert
ence what 10 cents will buy, and they
never indulge in more than the regula-
ton ''ten-center." One of these girls
impresses me as being beautiful. Her
face is as fat and as jolly as though she
had never thought of "short rations."
Her companion is long and bony, with a
look on her face, and 1
imagine she does not thrive on her daily
bread. Both of these girls work in
offices where the employers will tell
you that "any girl ought to board and
dress on $50 month, and lay by some
thing for rainy day."
The typewriter girl may be looked
upon as favored person by the factory
and shop girls, but, although her lot
may be preferable to theirs in some re-
spects, let me assure them that the
typewriter girl is not living among four
leaf .clovers. She may dress we'll, but
she is obliged to dress well in order to
keep her position. l know of one girl
who lived on 20 cents day for three
weeks. so that she mieh hit save money to