The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-05-13

taken in something of holiday mood, was
developing a tragical aspect before my
eyes. | had begun out of curiosity, | was
going forward out of sympathy that be-
| came painful as the day wore on, and the
| eager flush came, died out, came again and
! paled in despair in the face of the girl at my
side. There was another shoe shop where
we were told that one of US might come back
! it We wished it next day and wait about
for little sewing on of buttons. 1t was
| small place where buttonhohng machines
did part of the work, but not all. Fifty
cents day they thought it might be for the
amount of work to be picked up; SOC. day,
to pay board from.
We tried place where they made mems
scarfs. We tried one or two feather curling
establishments We tried a shirt making
/ factory. We tried two or three tailoring
| establishments where it seemed possible
/ they might want girls for work on sewing
machines We went 10 carpet factory
and came away without prospects just at
| the closing hour when there was no use in
continuing our search any longer My com
panion and ! separated. urged her to try
| the Young Women'S Christian Association,
and if taat failed to go home, and go with
! out delay.
| Next day tried some of the dry goods
stores alone. Icould not apply to num-
! Der OF those which seemed to me most eligi-
/ Bile because | was personally known to the
! superintandents, but | remembered that
the Office of perhaps the largest house in the
| city which employs between two and three
thousand hands is nearly always decorated
with large black lettered placard which
reads, No Help Wanted On at least
score of occasions | have seen women look
at it, sigh and turn away.
A big Sixth avenue establishment was the
first which / entered.
you want 10 see the man who hires the
helpF' was the return query when | asked
for the SUPERINTENDENT, my errand writing
itself on my face.
YES, that's lovely; it drapes so beauti-
fully, just what wanted. How much
did you say? Only sl5 a yardl Well, l
want enough for an evening gown; it's to
go over Il pale pink brocade; ten var si it
sn't very wide, will that be enoughl l
want it full.
| was passing the lace counter and pretty
women in pretty gowns were buying
pretty, filmy stuffs. Ii is usual enough
contrast in the city, but putting myself
mentally in the place of the girl | person
ated it seemed to me that it must often be
very bitter one
The superintendent did not want help.
Stay, he would send messenger to the glove
counter. No. the cash boy brought back
word that they were all full. A little ear
litI III buS 5thoOH Wlf6u Lie DuSy udJb W0Tb
just setting in there were some vacancies,
but now they had all the saleswomen they
needed and later in the season when sum
mer set in and people went off to the coun-
try there would be no chances at all.
l spent some hours repeating this expert
ence in very much the same terms. | APP
piled at store after store and got the same
reply. found that by claiming a knowl-
edge of several languages, making myself
appear exceptionally useful by an ability to
deal with customers of different national-
ties, could get place without much trou-
bic, but that as an average shop girl my
chance was poor one, and as girl with
out experience behind the counter had al
most no chance at all. At several houses |
was told that the shop girls were recruited
from the families of those already in en-
ploy or from girls recommended by or
known to them. A stranger was at great
disadvantage. When | gave over my quest
| was as tired aud almost as discouraged as
if | had wanted the place | was looking for
ELIZA PUTNAM HEAToN