St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-09-02

the ceiling. A more uncomfortable
place can hardly be imagined. The po-
sitlon is necessarily cramped and con-
lining, and the air becomes heated to a
point hardly short of suffocation. 1t is
hardly wonderful that girls look prema-
turely old after few months of such
experience.
Not long ago I overheard woman
belonging to the large class of outcasts
VINO swarm our streets. She and COM
Panion were on shopping tour, and
tneir talk turned on the life of working
girls. II used to be respectable work
ing girl myself" she said. 81 tried for
three years to support life on the wages
was paid as cashier in big store. 1t
didn't seem as if anybody cared what
became OF me. The patrons of the store
dlsdained to speak kind word to me
because l was working girl.
Ihere were temptations on every side.
80 gave up the struggle at last, and it
always makes me SILVER to see girl
dying by inches in these stores. They
call me unworthy of any decent per-
sons notice now, but don't starve and
freeze since l quit being respectable"
was her story, and probably many
others OF her class could tell the same
sort of tale.
Ii olOISS lOuIlu tuC wages VI
cashiers to range from Sc to $40 per
week, according to the am cunt of work
to be done. OF course the absence of
evening work makes their life more
pleasant than it otherwise would be.
Grocery stores nearly always employ
a lady cashier. have distinct recol-
lection of seven months spent by myself
in that business. My working hours
were from 80 in the morning until 9
in the evening and until IL 80 Saturday
evening. My dinner and supper were
sent i'll from the nearest restaurant at
MY OWN EXPENSE,
80 that l had no excuse to be away from
my desk moment during the whole
day. There wasn't any bookkeeping to
do; in fact, the task of killing time be-
came most appalling feature of the
work. The manager Obligingly let. me
keep track of the stock, also of his ac-
counts with the wholesale houses. If,
in moment of rashne,S, he ordered too
much Of one sort of stock or forgot to
pay bills for long time after they were
due, why it was all the cashiers fault;
she had neglected to properly inform
him concerning his business. Reading
and fancy work were forbidden to me
because it didn't look businesslike.
Both clerks and customers were to be
kept at respectful distance. 1 was
paid IS week for my valuable time, land
at last got discharged for offending their
best customer by refusing counterfeit
gold piece. The proprietor evidently
thought it part of my business to ac-
cept the shady coin and take it as part
payment of my princely salary if
no other disposition could be
made of it. So l had to seek
another place. From my talks with
other girls in grocery stores, l find
their experience similar to my own,
only that they don't have any idle time.
Spare moments being spent in lettering
signs, picking over decayed fruit, inter-
viewing wrathy customers. giving out
samples and picture cards, licking post
age stamps, or any other little job that
may be hunted up to lend the spice of
variety to their otherwise monOtonous
life. A cashier is quite fortunate in
getting an evening off once week, or
more likely once fortnight.
In a meat market is the place where
the poor cashier finds her lot cast in
hard lines. Those shops fairly smell to
heaven and how the flies swarm and
buzz around the Office window. The
hours are not shorter than in the
grocery store and her wages usually
about 81 week, which nearly pays car
fare and incidental expenses.
TO THE CASHIER
always comes such amusing tasks as
facing irate bill collectors; telling the
fiend with sample case that the pro-
prietor is never in; seeing that all the
tricks of the trade are properly worked
or taking the blame if they fail; waiting
for her wages until trade becomes
lively; dispatching book agents and
church beggarS without offending any
body; yet withal she must perch aloft
behind her wire fence, undisturbed by
those rippleS of annoyance which some
times comes to the most patient of NOR
tails in other positions.
The cashier is nearly always young in |
years, though perhaps old in exper-
fence, and many of them would be |
pretty if they didn't look so tired.
It's amazing to see the number of |
girls who seek this work, for it is one
of the most wearisome and responsible
tasks girl can have. The check sys-
tenn helps to guard against errors, and
also makes more work in keeping track
of them. When waiting for a chat l |
know that my patience has been Sc
verely tested; while my young friend
wrestled with columns of figures that
wouldn't come right, and where is the
cashier who dares to leave at night UNI
til the uttermOst penny is accounted
for?
Not much education is required for
this kink of work, only fair ability to
handle figures and pretty face is often
a great help in getting place.
EVA GAY.