St. Paul daily globe., 1888-07-08
"Five." she answere d, "when we don't
have cOmpany"

rive. Sne anSWefe q, Wnen we uOn u
have company"
''Do you have much company?"
eyes, Oh Sundays and afternoons we
have good many visitors" she said.
81 suppose I'd have to work all day
Sunday then, and every evening until
about 10 o'clock?" / queried.
Eyes, about that,' she said.
81 want time to go to church on Sun
day, and at least one evening out in the
week.
"You can have the evening out if you
get your work done in time" she said,
"but you can't take time to go to church
Sunday morning, because go TO serv-
ice myself, and
THE GIRL HAS TO STAY
home and get dinner"
''All right l said. ''Do / have to do
the washing. Scrubbing and irOning"
''Of course you do; that's mostly what
| hire you for. II you're a smart girl
you can get up at.4 O'Clock in the morn
lug on washing and ironing days, so get
your extra work done early; then do
the regular work the rest of the day."
she explained.
thought this an admirable arrange
ment, if a girl never got tired of that
sort of thing.
"How much do you pay week?" 1
asked.
81 pay 50 or $3.50 a week to a real
good girl who can do the cooking as well
as other work." she said.
l guessed l didn't want to work for
that wages, so tried another office, Mrs.
Bagshaw's, on Hennepin avenue. This
lady did not happen to be in good humor
at the time of my visit. A lady who
wanted girl had just been complain
ing that the girls would promise to come
and she never would hear from them
again. Naturally she objected to pay
ing for help that didn't come. Mrs.
Bagshaw declared that it was imposSi-
bic to keep track of girls, anyhow. She
sent me to large mansion near the
home. you're the girl who wants
work, are you?' she said, without glanc-
ing at me. Here, just button my shoes;
Pm in hurry to go down town."
did as she asked, because / was so
tired that was glad of the privilege of
sitting ON the floor for few minutes.
"That'll do," she said, when had the
shoes fastened. "Now, curl my bangs
and powder my face little. You do
very nicely" she said, when 1 had fin
ished. Nov, just go out in the kitchen
back, and I'll see about hiring yOu.''
l took the liberty of reminding her
that l wasn't looking for position as
lady's maid, but rather as general
servant, and that didn't think could
wait until she came back. She told me
could go right away if l wanted to. and
perhaps it wouldn't be well to leave me
alone in the house; l might steal som e
thing. went.
| had many more experiences, some
of which l reserve for my next letter.
In no office, except the first one men-
toned, did find that the girls were re-
quired to pay for getting places. and in
no place were references required.
There seemed to be
MUCH DISSATISFACTION
among employers as well as employees
with the present system of obtaining
help, the mistress claiming that after
paying 81 for getting a girl it would
often be several days before a suitable
one would come. Then they would be
troubled with other girls coming for
days after, not knowing that the place
was filled. Then girl would leave
whenever she pleased without giving
notice, and another would have to be
obtained at the Office.
On the other hand, the girls said that
they would be kept running around to
places already filled, or where girls
were not wanted at all, the car fare
expended often being quite an item.
Also that they would be hired on GER
tain conditions, and either wages would
not be forthcoming, or the work would
be so hard that they would have to seek
new places.
Among the girls the larger proper
tion are Scandinavians, and are quite
intelligent, having been fairly we'll ed
ucated in the old country. There were
many Germans and Irish, and few
French. I saw, perhaps, half dozen
American girls among the hundreds
seeking employment, and they seemed
to be taken in preference to those Of
other nationalities.
The number of intelligence offices in
the city is legion, but they present
about the same general characteristics.
After my short experience, do not
| wonder that the servant girl question is
perpleXing. In my next two letters I
shall endeavor to sketch the mistress
and servant as have found them, good,
bad and Indifferent. EVA GAY.