Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1892-11-12
How Vicious Employers Impose
Ip0n inexperienced Young
Women Seeking Work,
Aiter a Bitter Experience Some
Are Glad to BE Once
More az Home.

chicago News Record: What are the
experiences of young girls who start
out in Chicago TO look for positions?
There are thousands of girls employ
rd in tie great office buildings down
Gown. OF these some live in their own
homes, but the majority are from coun-
ly towns They flock in here from all
over the country, from far and near.
Every little village nowadays has its
school Of stenography. 1t is only a
suep from the country school-teachcr
TO the stenogrlpher The same ambi-
ton that prompts girl to fit herself
for a teacher carries her a step farther
Lured by the prospect of large wages,
and eager to get a peep at the great
unknown, these girls llutter into the
city like moths around an electric
light. They fly straight Tor the one
bright spot in the dark ornament only
to be dashed against the cold case-
ments and fall back ddzed into the
dark waters below.
Not few of them have a girl friend
who has some kind Of a position down
town. Their stock per capita when
they reach the city is perhaps so or
$50
From a country standpoint, where
board is not TO exceed 81 a week, aud
where incidental expenses are mere
nothing, that amount ought to last at
least two months. But in the city,
where board is at least IS, not to men
ton carfare, newspapers, laundry and
lunches, the money soon goes, Then
there is the temptation to buy pretty
ribbon or a pair Of gloves. Besides,
it is really important TO have these
things on a business basis. For do
not nearly all the ads" read: "Must
be bright and attractyew
For a few days amid the seduction
Of so much that is strange and attract
i've the country girl does not notice
the rapid diminutiOn of her small hoard.
But one fine morning she is just be-
ginning to feel a little fatigued from
the noise aud excitement and for the
first time she gives a thought to the
quiet little town she has left aud 70
the familiar faces at home. But the
roar in her ears soon browns all that
She looks into her pocket-book and is
surprised that she has So little left.
She tries to count up how she has
spent it, but soon gets all mixed up
between gloves ana candy and street.
car fare and lunches. Then there was
q rose she bought just because it was
like the ones growing in the front
yard at home. Oh, yes, and there was
a whole dollar spent for a Seat at The
theater-she ought not to have done
that. But then the music and the
lights and the beautiful girls all glitter
ing with diamonds-it was all SO like
a delicious dream.
A sudden loneliness comes over ner
Her eyes begin to fiji. But no; size
must not cry, She PUSHES over IT, the
wash stand, bathes her face vigorous
ly, and feels refreshed at once Just
then she notices the ads" she has cut
from the morning papers, sticking on
the pin-cushion She sits down and
dashes off a line home TO say that She
is all right, that she has net got "A
position yet, but that she expects To
this morning. She dons her hat, dasheS
a little powder over her face, for fear
it looks shiny after that sudden bath
and as she walks gayly down the
street she feels equal to anything.
1t is from this point that the greatest
interest centers in the young woman's
career But it is just from here on
that the least is knwon Of her.
They all have the same story to tell,
with variations as numerous as the
stars. They start cut in the morning
buoyed up by all the possibilities Of
"a day. They swarm in and out Of the
mammoth buildings, each a small vii
lage by itself They thread their way
up and down the various offices like
pearl divers. And like the diver, IN
how many a shelf they find only sand
Instead of the coveted pearl! They re
turn to their lodgings at night discour-
aged-yes, far worse than discouraged.
For things have been said to them,
or insinuated if not said outright, that
make them fesl for the first time that
it is hard to be q woman. And for the
first time the wisdom Of coming to
great city, against the advice Of older
heads, is doubted Subjoined are some
Of tn. stories CLEANED by the reporter
from the vcung women themselves.
Miss A. a falr-hairod girl, with frank.
blue eyes. whose round face bespoke
youth and inexperience. She went into
an Office on Dearborn street in reply
TO an "ad" The first words that greet
Cd here were: We'll I'm glad to see
one young girl. 7 have had enough old
hens in here this morning" He sat
down beside her and continued: 81
Ike nice. plump cirl"-here he gave
her ca1asslng pinch on the arm
slow much do you weigh?' She in
dlgnanlv arose and left the office Not
without a parting shot however. about
being too touchy"
Miss B., a brown-eyed unsophistlcat-
ed girl, was a school-te7eher from
Ntl. town ont in Kansas She told