Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1892-02-18
GIRLS EAT HAPPILY.
INEXPENSIVE MEALS FOR YOUNG
WOMEN WHO WORK HARD.

IIaCe ihht ius IOr itS Custo'he'n "
Large Number OF Working Girls.
From a narrow entrance on Greenwich
street well worn stairs lead to II room
where Mrs. Smith gives a hot meal fui
twenty cents. No outer sign above or he
low indicates anything to minister to innrt
comfort, but the odor of cabbage iS ap
parent at times in Il manner too strong 10
be really prelosseV-iug. The room occu
pies the whole floor Of what evidently had
been large loft. Half of the front of the
room is divided OF by "A light partition
that misses the ceiling by several feet. The
other half, caIrrtod with II brussels carpet
has an easy chair, several rockers and
other chairs.
The back part of the room is separated
by an apology for partition that docs not
pretend to hide from view the high pricstesS
of the establishment, Mrs. Smith, who is
busy generally preparing vegetables, cook
ing or talking to some OF her girls at
four tables in the center of the room and
another table that encroachcs on the sacred
precinct Of the kitchen in the demand for
more room.
You must just help yourselves here"
rosy check d young woman remarked to
newcomer. 81 always go out in the kitch
cr myself and get my hot plate and help
myself to the meat and vegetables like
best"
She called little girl, however, to wait
at the table, and from the choice of steak
and corncd beef the latter was chosen. All
helped themselves literally to some apple
sauce and mealy white potatoes that con
trasted very favorably with the same veg
etables that are served in more pretentous
restaurants
II wonder if could have some hot cab
baget"
"Oh, yes" the young woman replied,
'I'll get it myself
In spite of remonstrance she returned
with straning dish, the odOr Of which
was not so disagreed BILE after all OF course
almost everybody had piece of Mrs.
Smiths genuine homemade mince pie,
with IA cup Of tea or coffee
On the tables was an unusual collection
of napkin rings. \ pretty straw ring. Il
wooden one. and another were considera
bly, the worse for wear
I'VE bring our own rings and then we
are sure to have the same napkins every
time" was the explanation.
Don't you have fresh napkins every
day."
We'll you might not if you didn't know
where the clean ones are kept, but we have
our rings and put the napkins away III the
drawer, and no one touches them. You
don't mind using your own napkin more
than once"
- thought it very funny the first day
came. but the second time | went right
out in the kitchen and waited on myself,
as do now and come all the time Gus
brought me here"
Gus is the owner Of the pretty straw
ring, and is very pretty, with soft brown
hair and eyes, oval face and dainty mouth
that closed over nearly perfect teeth.
The most refreshing part of the meal is
paying the bill Mrs. smiths hod does
credit to her heart and good faith in won
ankind, but it would not recommend itself
to the average business man. Lunchtons
for the week are one dollar kept account
Of by the girls and paid for when they see
ft or twenty cent, for a single meal. Mrs
Smith couldn't change live dollar note
for the newcomer. "Oh, never mind. You
can pay it when you come again
On another visit the scene was different
The tables had been cleared, but Mrs
Smith was equal to the occasion. In a few
minutes plates, knives and fOr.s had been
laid, tea had been made and fish cakes in Il
spider on gas stove gave out an appe
thing odor
Mrs Smith is a remarkably pleasant
NOuitil W lObh pump anu pIVtbli " II II
wavy hair that is growing becominSy
white. She is bright and motherly. Her
husband is the janitor OF an Office building
in Broadway and the family live there
Six years ago a young woman who was
employed in IN office in the building and
visited Mrs. Smiths rooms occasionally
after much coaXing persuaded Mrs. smith
to give her IL hot luncheon at noon. soon
afterward the mother of another young
woman inquired if Mrs. Smith would make
for her delicate daughter Il cup of hot tea
at noon. Others coaxed one after another
One girl who was IA telegraph operator
wired to Il friend in another building
'Why don't you come up to Mrs. Smith S
to luncheon:'
Does she have pickles?" Was the query
"ies"
"Well, III come"
Within a year forty girls went to Mrs.
Smiths room for luncheon, but in the
course @! time the owner of the building
refused plea sanity but irmlr T." lave forty
girls use it, clcy.. 'r noon
hour. Mrs = 49, ...... -..... ...t
have "a few A..... uat serving; forty was
stretching the point.
(Which ones shall tell to leave" she
asked desparngly. Then she said DIES
perately, IN keep them all
New quarters were rented in Cedar
street aud afterward in Greenwich street.
The girls did not lose a single meal during
the moving. one girl has told another,
unit! from eighty To ninety customers go
regularly to Greenwich street for lunch
con, and Mrs Smith looks out for all. The
girls almost without exception are pretty,
ladylike ana we'll dressed, and are Stenos
raphers or telegraph operators,
If one Of MI smiths girls be chilled 10y
long ride ON a winters day, she runs
down to Mrs. Smith, and after getting a
warm potion goes to business feeling like
another woman; or, if in the summer she
takes IA vacation Of an afternoon and trip
to Couey Island, she sends word that she
, would like to have supper Oh that particu
d lar day, and she doesn't enjoy it any the
r less after IA breath of salt air.
a few days before Christmas Mrs. Smith
prepares the very best dinner that she
knows how to prepare, and tho girls revel
in turkey, plum pudding, fruit wines and
other good things of regular Christmas