The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-04-17

w hen Il blft uhy NtuIy anu
worn into the billy and curious town OF
Raciglione, the whole population. turned
out and afforded me the pleasure OF feeling
that had lessened their burdens by CIV
ing them something 10 stare ut. They had
never before seen pedestrian from Amer
lea, and the sight OF one, even though
dilapidated and dusty from long tramp,
was as interesting 10 them rs circus.
They came trooping out OF their rookerics
and cellars in such numbers that the mar
row stores soon became chokcd and made
IL impossible 10 90 on. Many good
woman whose average work with her
loom was ten yards made that day less
than eight Tho spindle and shuttle were
abandoned while they listened open
mouthed 10 the stories from tho stranger
from iar-oT America. My coming lessencd
the production OF Racigllone by at least
200 yards OF cloth; but IL gave tho hard.
working weavers something TO talk about
for year afterward, which is some sort OF
compensation for the economic damage.
or all the women workers in Italy the
only ones who can truthiully claim TO be
making a decent living are those women
Of Capri who sell tourists coral and other
curiosities from the bottom Of the Mediter-
ranean sea. The women 0f Capri, with
their lustrious black eyes, their dark olive
complications, their erect carriage and olas-
| tic walk possess for men OF the north q
fascination not often resisted. They hold
out their basket OF trinkets and smile; their
| bright eyes and long lashes are 80 lovely;
| their teeth 30 white, that, to slightly alter
| Cacsars expression, II may be said you
come, you sec and you are conquered.
Tho majority who como in contact with
these Capri beauties pay literally for the
| privilege. A small minority give up com
plo,ely and remain ON the island Tor life.
| Not fewer than n half dozen American and
English artists have, In the last year or 80,
| fallen In love with their models and mar
ried Capri women.
Though the model who marries her art
ist employer can no longer claim place
| In the ranks Of workingwomen, the mod
| el, who still lives by her trade, can. IL Is
not always beauty that pays. woman
| with a sad, pensive, or with u jaunty, pic
turesquc something about her, will often
command higher pay than n rival with
greater beauty OF form or face. An or'll-
nariy good model In Italy earns 20
cents an hour. In Paris the rate is higher,
ranging from 80 10 40 cents an hour.
10 the laily In matters artistic the matter
of-iact manner in which models regard
their trade II surprising I accompanied
an artist friend IN Paris 10 his studio where
some eight or ten young men were paint
ina Venus. ,'yenus," remarkably
sweet-faccd, girlish.looking woman, WIS
standing on platform in natural, easy
pose. A swift glance Of the eye was the
only indication she gave that she knew OF
the presence Of stranger. Az the end OF
fifteen minutes she descended from the
platform and walked 10 the fireplace,
where she stood chatting with several oi
the artists. apparently not In the least dis.
concerted by the mct III her perfect
nudity. The rest lasied five minutes; ai
the end OF that time sho mounted the
platform and resumed her pose. My artist
friend informed me that this young WON
an, M Ear ~ he knew, was "a cbsHte ~
any workngwoman in Paris She earned
$50 to Sl5 month. which h mOrc than
mos, workingwomcn earn. even ia Amer
ica.
With the exception 81 scamstresscs,
saleswomcn have harder work and poorer
] nav than almost any other Glass. This, Ia
| connection with the fact that they are in
mrably. even finely dressed has caused
some harl things Ia be- said about them
some hard things which. Il Is feared, are
sometimes true. Careful inquiry has dc
ycloped the Tact that the larger per cent.
oi working girls live with their parents and
are not entirely dependent upon their
wagcs Tor support. such girls may drcss
finer lhnn their varIs would seem 10 war
rant, and -lill he really irrc from blame.
But how ihosc girls who earn $500 n
week manage To pay their board aud
dress in the latest style out Of their Wages,
Is mystery that much questioning has
failed Ia solve.
In ono large American city, In order 20
~, nj the BOTTOM Of this question, q lady
was employed 10 assume the part Of I'm
applicant iur n position ~ salGwomnn.
Ihe lady WIS not very young, nor was hhe
more than ordinarily good looking. Ia
many establishments this was perceived al
q glance and she was roughly told tha
there was no vacancy. AZ other places
where one happened 10 he needed, whether
plain or good looking, she was oiicrce
$3.50 week.
"Bui how en- possibly live ON THAR
"Iou can't" wis the usual frank ~
, sponsc, "Iiut that Is ~ we pay noviccs
Iou must get your friend to make N
n | your deficiencies
n This reply made. not once but n nun
4 her Of times, shows that often where
h saicswomcn has NO parents OF home she
p. not even expected hy her employer I
p follow the rugged road OF virtue. Thf
ie she does no, disappoint him In his oxpcc
nj alton IN shown 10y the number who hnall
~ enter lives OF shame. Not small prr cen
Il. of fallen women have previously iollowc
!. the occupation ot silcsgrls. 10 h no VOL
~ der. A salcsgifl must stand on her f.,
q from SEVEN la the morning until o. and Of
ON until lOo'clock NJ night. She iHrcquirn
In 10 be- always neat and we'll dnre.nd. aud
ai the end Of each week Of this drdwry
Is given pillnncr that IA not enough % kc,
~ body and soul together. Rather is u can
nj for surprise, under such circumstance
NJ that more DO not Yield to the tcmplati,
rc and Get 'lricnd" o. helm them-h
Va them enter the gidcd road tina, ultimate
ot leads b. destruction. SpnmstrcscH, mr
"a toned aboyc ~ The only clas- who .,
In harder aud receive lcs than Halesgirls. In
he az least this adyning, nature
np their occupation docs not force them
~ keep up an appearance In drces. In 3,
W. rutH la New York city and brooklyn
IN. have come across women dressed IN cali
at wrappers that did not cost above 30 cen
I've Their noon rent cost from a. 30 IS
"a. month. What WIS left Of thcirsmnll cai
n ings after paying Tor the 30 cent drsss NJ
MS. the n room went 10 buy food 90 "stok
gly the human machine that Il might coniin
icd w. daily grind Of labor. Did they have
Ing spend ~ much money Tor dress ~ do
In men employed In shops statistics wOt
md doubtless show much lanvr pOpogli
in OF former scams,nsscs In the ranks
, al ! falleu waunpu thuu Ia NOW neiually