The critic. (Washington, D.C.) 1890-1891, 1891-03-12
The shop Cir, in London.

Leaving the girls behind his wo0llen
counter to decide what they shall eat and
drink at dinner, began 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 taking me about. In every nook and
corner there was some queer phase of this
singular life constantly presenting itself,
running all the way from the highest class
of dry goods to the place where they kept
dogs, birds and other live stock for sale.
One thing was always noticeable, that
was the neatness in dress and the good
manners and politeness of the attend
ants. In most instances this was in
marked contrast to the half-petulant man
ner in which sbop-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.ftting black gowns, relieved with
white at the neck and the wrists, set OFF
their perfect figures to perfection, and
pleasure instead of trouble. Tidiness
in dress, as well as politeness in speech,
are valuable requisites for the English
working girl, and they cultivate these
graces to the limit If they want to succeed
and keep their places.
How they dress and look so well is q
puzzle to the American mind until care
ful inquiry is made. The saleswomen in
the dress and cloak department of the
great establishments like Whitely's or the
"sweller" shops in Regent or Bond streets,
are the best dressed women in England,
save those who dress for show in the after
noon and evening, with plenty of means
to indulge their tastes for handsome gar
ments. They wear tight-titting black silk
gowns of rich pattern, with demi-trains.
They are usually tall fine-looking
women, and as they go about their busi-
ness they make very interesting contrast
to the regular female customer who has
run out in her morning gown to do little
shopping.
They have tact, plenty of patience and,
as a rule, good knowledge of human
nature. They are brought into contact
with all classes of people, and II they did
not learn something it would be remark
able. What is true Of the women workers
at Whiteley's is also true of those who
work in any of the stores | use White
ley's as an example because il is such a
typical place and the starting point of my
Investigations into the habits, conditions
and control OF large number of women
in the United Kingdom.
IL is by no means easy to measure and
contrast the different classes of female
luDOT us VIC llIiu IL ItTc III tuc
United States. Nearly all the stores where
women are employed board their help,
both male and femSle. Rooms are fltte1
up for their accommodation in the
upper stories and they arc Obliged to ac-
cent the conditions the merchant imposes
unless they happen to be married. Then
they are permitted to sleep at home, with
an extra allowance for room rent. There
is usually, large parl,or provided with
rangements for the entertainment 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. In the larger estab-
lishments the merchants encourage their
people to form social clubs and provide for
them various kinds of famusements to help
them pass away the time.
Lectures and smoking concerts are quite
frequent, and great deal of care is taken
by the employer to keep his help in good
temper. The restrictions which this mode
of life imposes would be very obnoxious
to an American girl. In fact, few women
in our country woald submit to the gen.
eral arrangements that are here imposed
for the control of those who labor in
shops, The doors of these great lodging.
houses, as they may properly be called,
are closed at ii o'clock at night, and there
is no admission after that hour. With
this exception, there are no restrictions,
and the girls are at liberty to come and
go as they please.
The moral effect Of this housing OF a
large. number of young women together
may be questioned, but It does not seem to
disturb the average conditions Of English
life. But it would seem to an American
to be more or less demoralizing. It would
be in our country, but the lives of these
people seem to be SO settled that nothing
affects them. They are not seriously dis
turbed by ambitions, and appear quite
satisfied TO remain clerks as long as they
are obliged to labor. From their stand
point, then, they are well off, for they
have no care as to where they shall sleep
or how they should get something to eat.
The care with which merchant looks
after the physical welfare of his working
people is a very interesting phase of this
inquiry.