The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1888-01-27
WOMEN AS NIGHT WORKERS.

Their Numbers in New York City Con.
sta.itly MISUNDERSTANDING for Car.
The number is we'll nigh legion, in q big
city like New York, of women and girls
whose daily tasks keep them from home
after dark, and who make their way
through the streets alone with impunity.
The belated traveller meets them, singly
and in groups, at the bridge and ferries at
all hours from early dark till long past
midnight, and, if he is out himself, toward
morning. Some of them-not very many
set type in newspaper offices, though
they are supposed not to, and there is a
respectable minority in u great variety of
trades and occupations, but the vast body
of them are clerks and cashiers in the big
stores, whose labors during the busy sea-
son keep them away from home late at
night. Even in stores where there is an
"early closing' rule, the purchasers are
not got rid of till 6 o'clock, when there is
still the work of clearing up the days de-
bris to be done, and there is no pretense of
closing on Saturday evenings or during
the holidays. Midnight very frequently
overtakes the toiler at the counter with
her tasks unfinished, and there are occa-
sions when nearly the whole night must
be spent in preparation for some special
coup OF trade.
The woman doctor is out at all hours,
of course, and l have met a medical stu
dent of barely 20 trudgng along at
O'Clock in the morning, while the falling
rain almost blinded her, her hand on the
shoulder of ragged lad Of 10 who was
conducting her to a sick bed in the east
side tenement region.
1t is u good deal to the credit of the
1lontrnnn1ic hot
nearly us safe from rudeness as in the
daylight. They are modest and unob-
trusive in appearance, they mind their
own business and have ways to make the
would be masher mind his. From night
toilcrs Of the other seX-men and boys
Who are out o. night on errands of neces-
sity-thcy have little to fear. The work
ingnan or boy may be rude when he is
drunk, and sometimes when he is not, but
he is seldom persistent and not often in
tentionally Troublesome.
This growing frequency of night en-
pioyment for women means q tremendous
change i'll the once accepted notions and
opinions Of mankind. The Judge who de-
clares from the bench that woman has
no business to be abroad after dark is vet
heard from once in O while, but the ana
chronism always calls forth burst of
righteous indignation. Twas talking with
night worker masculine the other day
about this very topic. lie said that he
had often lost his horse car and had to
wait half hour for another in the wee
small hours because Of his reluctance to
let fellow worker feminine grope alone
for her car in the muddy Streets Despite
this experience, which is enough to make
any but the most sweet tempered man
conservative, he spoke most enthusiastic
cally OF the effect likely to be produced
upon women, especially young women, by
self supporting habits, and said he looked
to see them gain in worth and dignity
and practical knowledge by contact with
practical necessities. The working girl
will never be wholly practical, however,
SO long as she permits II man to lose his
own car while finding hers unless she has
reasons to suspect that the service is a
pleasure to him.
The more nearly even the terms upon
which women and men conduct their daily
business the better it is for the business
woman probably.-New York Cor Wash
ington Post