The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-03-16
TOO many oHAPERoNEs.
The Reason There Are So Many Ex-
planned.

woman who sits behind the managerial
desk of the chaperon bureau tells me that
this is a particularly hard winter for teach
ers. By this word she means to designate
vast army Of women who depend upon
their intellectual attainmeots for living.
They are governeSses, or have had little
private schools or have given occasional
lessons in soma department OF knowledge
between arithmetic and high art
Money is tight, and there Is q distinct
tendency TO economic in educational mat
ters. Hence the well-taught women who
used 20 make good thing, financially, with
their brains, are now earning little, and
those who have been scraping along with
small receipts have come TO the verge OF
desperation. In this emergency they flock
to the chaperon bureau. IL knowledge fails
them wlll not respectability give them
breadl No, it won't. The chaperon busi-
ness, like ali the rest, is overcrowded, and
there Is hardly another occupation which
requires no more than a guaranteed moral
character aud some discretion.
The bureau itself is dong business enough
to keep it going, but 1t cannot furnish any
thing like steady employment to the great
number of eligible chapeeones upon its lists.
| 1t il a queer business. which hourishes in
Paris; has failed in London, and struggles
along in New York. Its principal custom
ers are pupils in girls schools or colleges In
the metropolis or near it. They are coming
to New York shopping or to attend the the
| ater. The bureau is notified, and woma a
from its list OF eligibles meets the girls at the
depot or wherever else Is convenient and
pilots them about the city. Three dollars
| day is the usual charge for such services,
| to which must be added a small compensa
tion TO this bureau. Sometimes an anxious
mother in a suburban town wants TO he sure
that her daughter doesn't meet that horrid
Mr.. Whatever er-his-name-may-be who pur'
sues her with his attentions and persists II
| remaining poor, and quite out OF the list o
possible husbands. The mother can't com'
to the city herself she hasn't any relatives
| who are willing and Trustworthy; and 81
sue appeals to the bureau, which provides {
lynx-eyed, inoorruptible matron.
Sometimes when womsn's clubs hav'
guests from out of town the bureau fur
nishes the proper persons to show the sight
aud guard against mishaps. Queer request
are often made OF the bureau, involving
much discretion in the choice OF a woman
competent TO meet the requirements. a
day or two ago a man who Is separated
from his wife called to obtain the services o.
a woman who would take his children 4
visit their mother once a week, aud would
keep a sharp eye out TO see that they were no
spirited away The task was promptly as
| hlKnCu 10 u ClSNGE NGIlhlts VIM wiz w kini
to add tho, sssmall resulting revenue to he
slender income.
But there isn't much money in it for th
chaperons, and the existence Of the burea
the fact that it can find plenty of thor
ouRhly reliable people TO do its works.
first-rate indication of the necessities
which cultivated woneR are reduced.
@''I don't know wh6t5to become Of th
lady ~ said the maneger of the bureau
NH Nie.t lou s.F ftRa W z
the fittest, she'll soon be an extinct specie
except in a state OF motrimony." Ii 20
knew the innumerable applications which
receive from educated and refined wome
Z who are willing to do any FORT OF work 10
living il would shpck you. There was
women here this morning -cultuEed, &C
compllshed, able TO speak and write ha
: dozen languages-and she wanted wor
of any kind Perhaps, you wonder that
, wouldn't rather die she said so woulC
, but, as believe, my life and death are M
in my own hands She is typical Of lars
Glass;
Besides Offering to furnish chaperonsi
the bureau agrees to perform amy legit
mate service" An incident which kno
to have actually occurred illustrates ho
literally such an offer can be construed in
= city full of all sorts Of people.
! A woman about 40 years old, whose fa'
had been beautiful and was still attractiv
called TO request n private econversation vii
the manager of the bureau. She had pr
viously had business dealings with the hrr
and was WE'LL If not favorably, known.
''Can you get me lawyer to draw UP
willW she asked.
Certainly" replied the manage
y "W hose viii Is itP'
"My brothers."
: "Isn't he able to get lawyer to draw I
a his own willP was the next question, al
: for moment it seemed to disconcert q
% visitor. She finally replied that what 81
o wanted was a will which should seem to
}, his She added that her brother possess
q large fortune, which would furnish d
= means to richly reward those who 90
s tributed to its proper disposition.
Is "Well, q" said the manager, suppose l z
q you a lawyer, what thenF'
; "I wish you also to get me a servant to
. into my brothers house. / shall not requi
n a certificate of good moral character
Q you understandP
n The manager did understand, but she pr
tended that she didnt.
Suppose that l get you such sersar
!, What thenF
= my brother might die, and il he did, yc
d would receive enough to make you ind
pendent for life.n
''Do YOU mean that am to hire man
VI murder your brotherT asked the manage
aghast.
N "That is just what mean," was the &C
ID response.
:. Here was a woman who classed the h
~ ing of murderers under the head of "leRi
." mate service H. is, perhaps, needless
q say that she did not obtain the desired 1
{. sassin. That she escaped the police "
As only due to circumstances which made thu
Il services unnecessary. The incident serS
"a to show that he who attempts to cater
the manifold wants Of the metr0polit
public will not lead an monotonous ext
ence. DAVID WECHSLER
r ETANnARn on. ARI,AZE