St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-05-25
The Wages, Life and 0ppor-
tunities Of the Barmaids
Of Britain.
An Agency Where Their Wants
Are Attended to for a
Pittance.
Self-Respeeting and Bright
Little Chance for Fir !,
tationS. Q
London Telegraph.

" - 0SSOoAS w.
Looking around, you notice that on
the walls are nailed at least 200 photo
graphs of more or less presentable
young women. Some are in jackets
sealskin jackets-with @arge watch
chains. Some are in rugged imitation
fur garments; some are in outre
jackets of some diaphonous form OF
grenadine. For a moment you sit
still, gazing and thinking perchance
what the futures may be of these young
people in the labor market. You are
now talking in the outer office to the
bar-maids' agents secretary, a female
secretary, a smart, very pretty girl of
eighteen OF thereabout. She herself
has had a hard struggle to hold her own
III these hard times, when the wOmen'S
labor market is such a very bad market
indeed. Clever. bright, and authorita-
tlve,even she cannot count upon earning
more than 10 shillings a week. But how
about the aSpirants for bar service? You
learn that goOd-lOOking girl, without
any experience whatever, can earn her
8 shiIlingS a week with ali her board
and lodging found; by no means a bad
start in life, for, be it known, at the
West end milliners' many girls on be-
ginning work have to pay $50 premium
n only receive 5 shillings per week at
the end of three months after gaining a
haphazard knowledge of the business.
In fact, the registry secretary has
known many such cases. She was her
self a mllliner'S model, or mantle block.
After having paid a $50 premium for
three months, she was to receive the
large salary of rs Cd per week exc p
tionally good wages, not including
any other meal but a full tea.
She tells you, too. that in the
bar business, supposing a girl
comes up from the c~Ountry-and a
country girl, as a rule, possesses a cOD-
siderable amount of average Shrewdness
after having served in the bar of the
Red Lion for a month or so-she can
always obtain in London an engage
ment varying from IS to los a week, but
it will be quite understood that the
country girl does not in the least pos
sess simplicity of her sister heroine of
the transporting dramatists. The bar
maid, to be very successful, must pos
sesS the true genius of common sense.
united with a curious, nay even face
tious desire to please. The best
type of girl ever earns from
II to 16 shillings a month
When In the far away coun-
try town, and when she comes I'D to
NSAi'tN UNIV OAL III IIS Ii 1OOhHs
surrounded by photographs of celeb
rites, either male or female, she knows
perfectly well that her OWL good looks
and her own common sense are always
in the market equal to at least IL to IA
ShillingS per week. 4
A handsome young woman of decid-
eddy town aspect enters the room.
She is healthy and bright spoken, and
in the most business-like manner posi-
bic puts down two half crowns as Secur-
ity for her good intentions. The
her what she wants. She does
not want a berth in a refreshmeut
bar; she does not want one in a
theater refreShment bar. What she
wants is a good old-fashioned hotel.
She knows full well that there she will
meet with Sundry customers given to
missing 10-minnte-to-6 suburban trains
-liberal-minded gentlemen, who, after
an carly evening of whisky and water,
will be always ready to make small
presents in the way of gloves, or
flowers, or strawberries, or what
not. And this is why bar life
is so attractive that it is recruited
from girls who have been III the milli-
merry line. Again, the barmaid has by
far the most favorable chances of sue
cesS4in the matrimonial market. AT the
leading refreshment bars in London it
is surprising to learn the number Of
girls who marry men, sometimes mid
dle-aged, sometimes very young, and
sometimes very elderly, and more often
so than not, who are perfectly capable
of giving them a comfortable home or
even handsome settlements.
But o comes a young woman
dressed in respectable black. She has
joined the profession with an ambition
far beyond that of accepting orders for
the play,or fiowers,o or pairs of gloves, or
Sundry small personal ornaments. She
accepts her situation as a step ping
stone to better fortune, and knows very
well indeed that her position there can
lever lead her to more than G45 q year.
She may obtain a deputy manageress'
position at a theater bar at Is shilIings
a week. Yet even this is as nothing
compared with the alternative of a
good marriage, or, in default, $500 for
breach of promise.
As to the class of girls from which the
barmaidS of London are principally
drawn, it is mixed indeed. MANY be-
long to families which have been in the
public line" for generation upon gen
Grafton. These, however, are by 10
means most popular with their employ
erS. Their knowledge of trade customs
is in many respects a great deal too
accurate. RESTS" in the day are duly
insisted upon; all bar cleaning must
be left to the potman; Sunday even
ings must never be overlooked, and
nothing under a ten-days' holiday at the
seaside will satisfy. And all the time.
be it understood, putting aside the mar
ket value of shrewdness and quickness,
there is really very little technical
knowledge-reQuired in the bar trade.
A good memory for positions of things
and readiness at reckoning are, after
all, qualities to be met with in most
girls in other ways of life. Of course
you are told the hours are long-say
from halt-paSt s in morning until IL at
night. But then, be it remembered.
the barmaid has at all times good,
substantial meals, far better than are
given to the assistant at the draper's.
Diapers Though why so you are not
told are close folk, while publicans.
orally ~freehanded. And even if the
hours are long it must be borne in mind
that bar work is far from being monoto-
nous. Something is always going for
ward; there is always something to
eniiven, though occasionally it
might, perchanee, be just as well
left alone. AS TO the future
the middle age or the old age of
the barwoman-it is no worse than that
of women in other callings. Good looks
and youth have their value everywhere.
and especially in the present dav. A
few years ago, you are told, in respect
able old businesses a staid-looking
woman veIging on middle age was pre-,
ferred to a good looking, smart girl.
The term respectable house was suf-
ficient in itself to draw Gust ON. Nova
days such houses are never supposed to
possess any special attraction.
As 10 the foundations Detailing the bar
girl. they are but little greater than
those to be met with by any kind of
Shop girl. The harmaid. too, '.always
knows her way about better than other
girls, SO If she makes a Slip it is really
her own fault. Possibly the worst feai-
irra nF bar iira j. tiat -, nc ~