Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-04-02
Tke Difference Between the London
Shop Girls and Those in This
Country.
Many Of the London Girls Attired
IN Fine Silks, With no Care
for Food.
What One. Sees i'm the Great ShOp of
Whiteley the Provider of
All Things.


employers In England any information
| about their employees, their habits or thei,
compensation. | made application to the
four largest establishments in London, In
Guiding Whiteley's, for some information
about their working people, but every one
save Whitley politely refused This
man, keeping the most curious and UNIQUE
shop in Great Britain, ordered that ever,
thing be shown to me, even to the paw
roll of his employees.
spent long time in this queer store.
where there are more than four thousand
men and women employed in handling its
many departments. was permitted to
talk freely with both men and women
workers of the various grades. from the
young shop girl just entering as and 40
prentice to the high class saleswomen who
commands a large salary
Whitley presldes over a strang mingl-
ing of commercial elements. He does not
pretend to be a merchant, and announces
himself as "a general provider." When
you come to investigate what this means,
you find a great store stocked with every
thing to eat, drinkaand to wear that hui
man imagination can conceive. He has a
meat market and bank, green grocery
and life insurance company, u theatrical
ticket office, livery stable, undertaken s
shop, brass band, singers actors, chiropo-
dlsts, BARRIERS, and in fact every sort of
thing needful to the human family. Ho
prldes himself that no customer can send
an order to him for anything in the world
that he will not furnish him even to a
wife.
ETx mn Gup'c
He takes absolute charge of your house
hold affairs, and unless you choose YOU
need not have any concern about your
harder, wine cellar OF residence except TO
pay the bills when he renders them. His
buildings, in which he carries on his vast
dealings, cover acres Of ground.
The character of wages paid and the
general conduct of the business is a marvel
and one of the greatest curiosities of COM
mercial life in the world There is moth
ing like it In our own country, and could
not be, because our people prefer to look
after the daily routine of their family af.
fairs rather than to trust to a general
provider. We have larger stores, but
none directed upon such a novel plan as
WhiteIey's.
began a tour of the place and was
given an opportunity to talk with any Of
the employees | desired and to question
them without The surveillance of the young
man who was assigned to the duty of tax
ing me about. One thing was always
noticeable. that was the neatness In dress
and the good manners and politeness of
the attendants. In most instances this
was in marked contrast with the half pet
ulent manner in which shop girls are apt
to wait upon customers in the United
States. Then the uniformity in dress
among the women clerks Is very attractive.
The tight fitting black gowns, relieved
with white at the neck and the wrists, set
off their figures to perfection and their
good manners make shopping pleasure
instead of a trouble. Tidiness in dress as
well as politeness, in speech are valuable
requisites for the English working girl,
and they cultivate these graees to the limit
if they want to succeed and keep their
places.
PRINCEssBs- DRESS NO BETTER.
How they dress and look so we'll is a
puzzle to the American mind until careful
inquiry is made. The saleSwomen in the
dress and cloak department of the great
establishments like Whiteley's, or the
| sweller shops in Regent or Bond street, are
the best dressed women in England. save
those who dress. for show in the afternoon
and evening, with plenty of means to in
dulge their tastes for handsome garments.
They wear tight fitting black silk gowns of
rich pattern, with demi-trairs. They are
usually tall, fine looking women, and as
they 90 about their business they make a
very interesting contrast with the regular
female customer who has run out in her
morning gown to do little shopping.
They have tact, plenty of patients, and,
as a rule, good knowledge of human ma
ture. They are brought into contact some
thing it would be remarkable. 1t is by no
means easy to measure and contrast the
different classes of female labor as we find
it here ana in the United States. Nearly
all the stores where women are employed
board their help, both male and female
Rooms are fitted up for their accommoda.
ton in the upper stories, and they are
obliged to accept the conditions the
merchant imposes unless they happen tc
be married. Then they are permitted tc
| sleep at home, with an extra allowance fo1
room rent. There is usually large par
lor provided with a piano, library with
books and other arrangements for the en-
tertainment of the girls after WORKING
hours. Wine or beer is usually served
at dinner and some of the higher grades
of employees have their choice of beverages
| Lectures and smoking concerts are quite
frequent and great deal of care is taker
by the employer to keep his help in gooe
| temper.
NOT THE AMERICAN IDEA.
| The restrictions which this mode of hft
imposes would be very obnoxious to al
American girl. The doors Of these grea