St. Paul daily globe., 1888-07-08


see the advantages which urged. Some
having tried house service claimed that
hours were long, lasting all day and
most of the night, or miStreSses treated
help in harsh, unreasonable manner.
In fact, the girls told me SO many
reasons for not liking such work that l
concluded to try it myself, thinking that
after having some actual experience |
would have a better opportunity of
judging fairly about the matter. My
first intention was to answer an adver-
tiSement, or perhaps go from house to
house seeking employment. A girl who
knew all about such things told me that
l must 60 to an intelligence Office in
order to get place.
whats an intelligence Officer" i'm
mediately wanted to know.
''Why, it's place where you go and
ask for work. The proprietor sends
you to anybody who wants a girl, or
perhaps you wait there in the office, and
lady comes to select her servants.
Then you're likely to get place." she
replied.
fregarded this until tried it as an
other proof of the advantages possessed
by the servant over the factory girl.
The servant could select her own
place, while other classes must take
what is offered.
ACTUAL EXPERIENCE.
The first Office | visited was that of E.
Douglass. at SO South Fourth street.
After climbing two flights of stairs,
neatly covered with mating, | found
two Offices, one for the employment OF
men, the other for girls. The office was
neatly papered and carpeted. On one
side of the room was an elevated plat
form surmounted by a desk. Behind
the desk sat large, benevolent looking
man. He was busy and didn't notice
me for a few minutes. A row
of chairs was placed against the
place was crowded with girls of
every nationality. A large proportion
were ScandinavianS, of whom many
could hardly speak English. Some had
come from the country and were look
ing for their first place in the city, and
others, to judge from their talk, had
plenty of experience in many kinds of
life. A number of the girls sat around
the room looking tired and diSpirited,
but many laughed and chatted together,
telling about the last place in which
they were, why they left and where
they expected to go next.
| in and looked at me. l felt hattered by
| their regard until they laughed and
| began to ask me if / didn't come from
| the country, also, making very pointed
| and sarcastic illusions to the style of
| my dress, hat and shoes. l had made a
| mistake in getting up nv costume for
| the occasion. found that though the
servant girl may wear a nOndeScript
garb in the kitchen, yet outside of it she
| dresses as well if not better than other
working girls. Some foreigners wore
costumes whose colOrs rivaled the rain
bow and made our eyes tired to gaze
upon. In contrast were the sOber-hued
! raiment of others, who purchased their
garments for use rather than show.
After the girls laughed at me all they
pleased and saw that didn't mind it al
all, they were quite friendly and told
me many interesting facts. The man al
the desk soon spled me, called me up
asked my name, age, family history and
where had last worked.
| 81 haven't worked anywhere" I eX
plaired. "Fm from the country"
81 suppose you haven't any refer
ences?" he queried,
| ''Nno, SIR" / stammered, "not here
but could get some.". In fact, haG
forgotten to provide myself with ref
erences before coming, but thought
could manufacture few if it were pos
| itively necessary to have them. His an
swer reassured me:
"Oh, never mind" he said, "I'll rec
ommend you. Just tell me what kline
of work you want, and the reference:
will be all right"
EASY REFERENCES.
l thought myself fortunate to get of
so easily. and had to smile when heart
him credit to me qualities which l never
before knew that l possessed. He pu
rrln l,nr nrIv nt,<
wanted me to go to place about twt
and one-half miles from the city. I ha(
no objection to going, only some of the
girls had told me that ladies sometime
came into the Office to select their help
wanted to see how they did it, so stait
around until one came. She was
stately, middle-aged lady, richly dressed
She wanted maid to take care of chill
dren. She passed along the line com
menting audibly on the girls appear
ance. Finally she selected on
who seemed likely > to suit her
and, going up to the desl
lady insisted on various conditions, bu
the girl asSented without question. l
l had been the girl would have aske'
few, After J departed l starte'
out to look my place. The man a
the desk ga e me card with the nam
and address of the person wanting hell
A printed line on the card asked tn
person to advise the intelligence offic
whether the girl suited or not.
was told to bring the card back If
didn't get the place, SO they could fin,
me another one, and if / did get tina
place L must let the Office know, SO tha
no more girls would be sent there.
"Then you are not sure that ] can ge
the place, and even if do l will hav
to be at the expense of coming back t
tell you,' said.
mo, we can't be sure you'll get tn