St. Paul daily globe., 1888-07-29
Waiter Girls in Hotels and
Restaurants Are Fairly
Well Treated.
Addle-Pated Guests, However,
Sometimes Make Them
Very Weary.
More Work Than Recreation
for Servants Summering
at the Lakes.
There They Are Hewers of
Wood and Drawers Of
Water.

There seemed no end to the variety of
positions filled by the working girls de-
nominated as servants. Thinking that
1 had seen every phase of their life, l
was about to seek "fresh fields and past
ures new," when 1 met girl who had
been working at one of the lakes. On
asking her how she liked it, she smiled
little. telling me to try it myself; per-
haps l would have better place than
she had secured. made note of that
so as to remember to try that sort of lite
as soon as possible.
"What are you going to do now?" I
asked of my friend.
Il guess I'll try for place as waiter
in a restaurant. Do you want to come
too?' she said.
Of course l did. We went through
the usual intelligence Office routine, and
were told of several places where it was
likely that we could get work. We
selected one. 1t was in basement, but
it looked neat and cool. The proprietor
was not in, so we pushed open the
swinging doors and looked at the
kitchen. 1t was small apartment. A
large range took nearly half the space.
The hot fire III this made the heat al
most unbearable. There was one
small window which gave Ii ght and air.
The girls were not very busy, so we
talked with them.
"How do you live in this heat?' 1
asked.
''It isn't so bad as you think, because
the girls who walt on table are out of
the kitchen at meal time, and when our
work is done we don't have to stay here
unless we care to-" they explained. |
said we wanted place as walters, and
asked them how they liked it.
''Well, it's hard work in one way, be-
cause we have to get around pretty
lively in order to keep customers from
starving to death while waiting for a
meal, and carrying heavy trays of dishes
makes ones shoulders ache" they said.
"But do yeu like the work?" persisted.
The girls were of different opinions !:
some thinking they would be obliged to
work pretty hard to earn fair wages
anywhere. Others thought this kind of
work preferable to any other, because
they were to some extent independent,
and the work didn't get mOnotonouS.
There seemed only one real objection to
the work. This was stated by girl
when she SAID: II don't know why it
is, but a girl who works in restaurant
is usually considered as not entitled to
any respect. The boarders seem to
think it quite proper to make
COARSE AND IMPERTINENT REMARKS
to the girls. While it's quite true that
some girls are foolish enough to encour-
age familiarity. yet there are others to
whom it is distasteful."
''Why don't you complain to the pro-
prietor about it." said.
ut wouldn't do much good" she said
of %In,, I111 s,,l, -
the same estimation that the customers
do, and wouldn't like it at all if a girl
should make sharp retort to an insult
ing speech, because the customer might
not come any MORE" II don't think
you would be hired" said another to
ME, "becauSe you're aWkward-lOoking
and plain. You don't need to know
much to wait on table, and a plump, at
tractive-loOking girl would get place
quicker than YOU" That wasn't at all
complimentary to me. but l admired her
frankneSS.
"What wages do you generally getfor
this kind of work?' | asked.
''Of course it depends somewhat on a
girls ability, but almost any girl can
get $14 a month and her board. Some
get as high as $50"
''Do you have rooms furnished as well
as board?'
"Oh, no; we have to look out for our
selves in that respect. A good many
girls have homes; others rent furnished
rooms. Generally four hire large
room together, so it doesn't cost each
one much"
The wages seemed to me to be fairly
good. Usually the girls work two Sun
days in each month. In the majority of
restaurants they are not obliged to
O-I- D,,f ~
few places where the girls did
tiresome. did not get place with
my friend where we first applied.
She did, so sauntered around by my
self. Of course, there were all kinds of
establishments, kept in various grades
of cleanliness and order. At the
Woman's exchange the girls were hired
for $3.50 week to wait on the table at
dinner. They had about four hours
work each day. The hated cap and
apron were worn. but they looked neat
and pretty. Often a girl can get work
waiting ON evening parties to which
the exchange caters. Thus she adds
materially to her regular wages.
l heard some report of reStaurateurs
who did not pay their help, but was un-
able to learn anything definite. At
last got place in second-class es-
tablishment. The fare was good. 1
had about two hours each forenoon and
afternoon when there was hardly any
thing to do. l was urged to put in my
time picking over berries and vege-
tables for the cook, bnt declined. The
work was very hard at meal times.
Some customers, especially ladies,
NEVER KNEW WHAT THEY WANTED.
or how they wanted it served. They
would give girl several trips to the
kitchen, where one trip would suffice
if they gave their order all at once.
Then the laZiness of the waiter is al
ways subject for grumbling. l asked
one lady if she didn't want to try if she
could serve the order herself quicker
than could. She reported me for i'm
pertinence, and didn't | get repri-
mand?
Believing in the old saw that woman
who respects herself can always COM
mand the respect of others, attended
strictly to business and paid no heed to
remarks made to me by customers; but
the tenor of some conversations to me
directed was such as to confirm the
opinion before quoted, and | do not
think those gentlemen would have ad
dressed ladies of their class in that way.
But forget. Who says working girl
is lady? There is one class employed
in restaurants for whom sorry. They
are the dishwashers; nearly all are for
eigners, speaking but little English.
Industrious and patient, they stand over
their diSagreeable task nearly all day
without complaint. The pay is usually
@ l. sr.