New-York tribune., 1890-01-26
4 MANICURE GIRL.
HER WORK AND HER CUSTOMERS


at is horrid TO be young said a manicure ap
nrentice 10 the writer at the same time stealing
a glance I'm the mirror near by. Don't you thihh so
Can't remember how it feels why, you uoh looN
50 awfully old. As for me | look Younger Una" NY
age and that was against me ever since came u
this city. Did you know that came expecting 10 20
into training school for nurses had hlied ont
"A blank that had been sent me from an uptown
hospital but either ! made mistake in Writing or
the superintendent read 1T wrong for Instead Oh uh
dcrstandng that was twenty on the 2oth oi ias'
March, she got il that | twenty on the 2oth'
and so when came, after being written for. was
told that was strong and healthy
enough, but too young, twenty three was
the Youngest age for applicants, and even
then they must look twenty five. Now dear knows
when shall ever look twenty y-hve. but as was bent
ON nursing and had letter Of recommendation from
a doctor who had seen me bring patient through q
case of typhoid fever concluded to stay In the cy'
and look for private work. / answered an advertise
ment for a to take care OF an insane person.
but ! might have saved myself the carfare' as
all the answer got was, not old enough
Then as had experience In housekeeping
though I'd look out for work of this kind to support
me until | should be old enough to enter training
school but when | went TO an agency ana tod Whds
| wanted, they only laughed at me-
And 50 | answered an advertisement for young
ade, to learn to manicure Paid while learningl Not
a bit Of 1t. | had to pay $l5 for being taught /
am nearly through my apprenticeship now, and soon
III be paid - a week for my services DON'T you
wish me to beautify your finger nails for you! like
To practise all can outside of the shop Keep them
cut yourseul | suppose YOU can. but NOu cannot
file and polish 'cm, and make 'em look stylish LOOK
at miuc viii y0u1 OF course must have EN- III INC
latest fashion. to show that know what's "Ia''
Don't like pointed nails? You ought to like what
ever i, the style. When first sa~ folks with pointer
nail, felt like ashug 'cm it they were getting ready
to erabblc mp graves, think round nails look
awfuy plain and cOuntried
see this is my case Of files, and THIS pointed
stick for pushing back the skin that grows down
on the nails My first lesson was to learn how 70 use
the stick properly. was as nervous as cat at
first but now they tell me that have steady mana
and a correct eye. Nou know one must have correct
eye, in thi, work. to if one side Of the hnser nan
i, exactly the length Of the other. am little bit
slow yet but | am improving and know that be-
fore long ! can hnsh Oh a customer IN half an hour
All my customers young ladies No, ! have old
ladies' and young ladies, and old gentlemen ana
young gentlemen. No nddleaeed people, On, you
know, when say old. | mean middle aged as wei u
real old. The real old one, take a. lnuch pleasure III
having their hands look nice any Of the AOnng ones
dc. and | have filed and polished up many an old
gentleman with one loot in the grave
now particular that Lind are to nave
piak. powder pun tell yon it isn't Us girls only
VINO want to look pretty some OF the ladies are
throw AT "A grl who works for her living, but some OI
'cm are real good naturcd My file slipped the other
day and cut a lady's finger said 10 my SELL wheh
saw the blood come. 'Now she viii complain to the
madam and I'll be well scOldcd' but instead ot
that she only aid. Incident, Will happen, ana
then sine went ON 10 talk 10 me about Paris Wheie
She lived for quite a while. and where she first got
into the habit of having her finger nails attended 10
I'm A manicure establishment. Nice of her wasn't II 7
And She wa, nicer stlll when had finished her, for
,he gave me a handful OF fancy candy out OF a bag
she wa, carrying. ! think she saw that that sip
of the file hurt worse than il did her.
MANY customers AS many A. we can attend 10
The manicure parlor is good resting place for ladies'
when they have run themselves down Win shopping.
and most Of have lots of half hours, and half
dollars too. that they don't know what 20 do with.
Are the gentlemen stuck upl No, they are all oi
them ready enough TO talk To girl that's yOung ana
not very bad lDDblng. and has her complexion done
up with the -tuf that's kept for sale In the parlor
but I know the madam L. ewing lis girls all tie
time We attending T. customers, and So am
aW flIlly proper and precise I'm my answers. try 70
keep on The good side ~ the madam, though needn't
for il I get the bounce after have got my training,
can 20 around from house to house. and file and
polish folks for 30 cents a head least that l.
What some other girls do, and they make good
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