Wichita eagle., 1889-12-27
OUR NEW YORK LETTER.
SOMETHING ABOUT THE SHOP GIRLS
OF THE METROPOLIS.
They Have Many Trials and Have to Deaa
with All Sorts Of People-Chances fbe
Promotion-Long Hours and Small Pay.
In Private Life.
Especial Correspondence

l HIlv6Ic xlkl0s
Especial Correspondence
NEW York, Dec 16-The average New
York shop girl is well dressed. there is a trim
| daintiness which she affects, and which nigh
serve as an example to many women who ar
careless and negligent in their attire. Then
too, she arranges her hair becomingly, and
that is two-thirds of success in dressing
Her salary is not over large, averaging from
So to S12, but she is accustomed to economic
in many cases doing her own washing in hel
room, 50 that she can afford really efectiv,
jacket or hat. The great majority Of then
have no homes, but live in boarding houses
where they pay from S. to Sc week, and
generally they have room mate. They rise
early, breakfast at z, and are expected to be or
hand at o'clock in the shop, where the time
keeper at his desk notes their punctuality
and records it II they are tardy there is Z
fine, which is deducted from their salary.
The hardest part OF their occupation is the
constant standing which, sooner or later
wealzens the most hardy of them. II CIR
is quick and apt, she is likely to be promoted
as special ability is appreciated here as else.
where. So that girl who is able TO sell to q
capricious and whimsical customer en- ex.
pensive coat or mantle has scored a success,
and is spoken Of as clever, and this is strong
ly in her favor. There is much small rivalry
among them to secure the largest number Of
sales, end q young woman who shows DO in
terest in purchaser, and who moves and
talks indiffegently, is lucky If she is retained
at all in the employ OF an entesprising firm.
If she ~ model IN the cloak depar tment
she must wear . we'll shaped corset and hold
herself with an erect carriage. One girl
know has an almost military bearing and
walks with firm, short step, throwing out
her chest and having the air Of an officer on
dress parade Then there is the pretty, pi-
quaint brunette, with curly black hair and
a plump figure, who handles the expensive
imported dresses with as much careless free
dom as if they were so much calico She al
most always beguiles her customer. She will
expound upon the beauty of garment, hold
ing up the fifmy lace material and thrusting
her rounded arms beneath it to show off the
effect of the rich pattern. Or, if it is Of vel
vet, Of delicate shade, she will place it under
her chin and then tell her customer, with q
bewitching smile, to note how becoming it
is The customer is hopelessly entrapped and
finishes by purchasing it.
The cleverest girl is the one who under
stands how to flatter adroitly, and in single
day this adaptable young woman will have
acted fifty different roles. With an invalid
she is slow and sympathetic; with a dashing,
animated woman, she is brisk and talkative,
and with melancholy, undecided buyer, she
is by turns wheedling and positive. All this,
of course, is tiresome to an extent, yet it goes
far towards securing promotion. Ii girl
loses her temper with a customer size loses the
customer with it, so that amiability pays
/ CHANGED recently to witness one of the
many annoying incidents to which shop
girl is exposed: lady, who appeared to be
perfectly sane, approached the ribbon counter
and, after inquiring the prices Of a dozen
different grades, she drew from her satchel a
parcel and unfolded three yards of pale green
ribbon about an inch in width.
81 would like to exchange this" she said,
''for blue"
"But it is already cut" mildly interposed
the salesgirl.
''Oh, it will go among the remnants" OBJ
served the other.
This ribbon is not ours" exclaimed the
girl, after quick inspection.
mo, bought it On Fourteenth street, re-
piled the Lady, placidly. She begged to have
1t exchanged, but the salesgirl informed her
politely that it WAS impossible, in conse-
quenoe Of which she departed grumbling.
'Do you often come in contact with such
cranksf' l asked.
''Oh! it happens very frequently" she an
swered.
resumed.
81 l.
ingly, as she turned to wait upon a Gus
toner.
have often noticed the formahty existing
between the young women in shops. They
seldom address each other without the prefix
Miss" and even long acquaintance does not
alter this fixed code of etiquette. But when
a girl leaves the shop at 6 o'clock work is for
gotten, nothing is spoken Of that has any
bearing upon it, and her friends and associates
are usually not those with whom she is thrown
in daily contact
la private life the shop girl is proud and
reticent, and frequently she does not wish
her occupation to be known. She is passion
ately fond of dancing, and if she can attend
a ball her realization OF bliss is attained As
q rule she is well informed and entirely capar
BILE of looking out for herself
There are, as in every walk of life, two
classes: the girl who is eminently proper
and the girl who doesn't care The latter is
generally the better dressed, and if some
time she disappears from the shop NO one re-
marks it especially, and it is passed almost
without a comment, unless she should have
the etrontery to drive down to the shop in
her elegant broughaln and flash her diamonds
IN the faces of her ex-associates
A shop girl seldom forms any friendship
for clerk or doorwalker; nearly always she
Is ambitious, desiring merchant for hus- |
band, and one Of solid business principles. |
" orking hard for her living she knows the |
value cf money, and does not underrate its |
Importance IN matrimonial venture. l do |
not wish to assert that the shop girl is mer. |
oenary, but she is sensible.
There seems to be an idea prevalent to the |
effect that q shop girl often secures a hus-
band through her position, and that chance |
thus formed are what she !
looks forward to or expects. Such, in fact. |
IS not the cas-. The opportunities are fewer
than are supposed, and marriage brought |
about through such chance is rare indeed.
The largest number of shop girls are from IS !
o 50 years of age. the majority marrying
AhSs si1~Rs ~ VI t4SS RpluE Ol1S1-
less for themselves There are half dozen
Women whom | could name, who ere at pres
MT among the leaders of New York society.
md who were once il the ranks, toiling and
struggling. Now they have forgotten, and
wish others to forget, that they ever filled
he humble position in life occupied by ths
hop girl MARIE PETRAysKY.
SCIENTIFIC SQUlBS.