The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-07-04
LONDON BARMAIDs.

Some Pretty and Refined Looking
Girls to Be Found Among Them.
From the PHILADELPHIA Times
Now that the season Of summer drinks is
at hand, any one who has ever crossed the
Atlantic and been Bohemian enough to
visit the Criterion or any other great or
small bar in London will think regretfully
OF the girl he left behind him In the person
Of some bright, clever barmaid, who, in
black gown, immaculate rolling collar and
cuffs and deliberately dressed hair, served
up his liquid refreshments this time last
year in dear old bonny England. Through
out the length and breadth of Great Britain
the neat maid behind the bar is a
recognized institution. Seldom, IL ever,
do you see the typical barkeeper of our
native land, and though the unaccus-
toned will shrug their shoulders in holy
horror at an occupation which to them
seems too dreadful to be spoken OF above a
whisper, they must learn right here that
these girls, as a class are as self-respectinR
and modest as any of our natiYe-born mem
bers of the working classes in this country.
Certain it is, with their many sided trials,
the publicity of their occupation and the
temptation 60 drink, that their conduct is
wonderfully to be commended. OF course
there is always a strong. burly fellow on
call In cases of an emergency, and high
words, profanity, or ungentlemanly con-
duct is nipped in the bud by the gentle
persuasion Of this gentlemsn's wrists of
iron.
Most of these girls are above the average
in intelligence. They are frequently well
read and always thoroughly Informed on
the topics of the day, for they have before
them from early morn until late at night
living newspapers in the persons Of their
customers.
II man once presumes on their position
and attempts the slightest familiarity, these
women who face the world to earn their
living can by look reduce him to his
proper standing with as much dignity and
hauteur as the highest lady In the Iand.
Their hours are long and their work is
arduous. At 10 O'Clock every day they are
on hand polishing the glasses, rearranging
the decorative deoanters and little wooden
barrels in which brandy, gin aud whisky
are kept, to be drawn Off from the tiny,
almost make-believe, spigot. Until mid
night sounds there they stand, with but
short interval for rest and refrsshment.
Their customers are numerous and varied,
and must be served with equal politeness
There must be no distinction shown between
the blear-eyed Keeling woman who wants a
calf pint o. bitter. miss, )" and the swell in
evening clothes who drops In for "a B. and
s. and a bit of chaff."
Refractory corks must be made to give
in and come out. ice must be cracked and
spigots turned, floor and bar kept wiped up
and glasses continually repolished by one
pair of bands, until it is no wonder they
soon look red and coarse, for these girls are
not kept for show, as is enormously thought
on this side of the water. OF course a
pretty girl is an acquisltion-she attracts
customers, and is, therefore, desirable, but
If she does not likewise work hard her good
looks will not keep her in her place very
long. Some wonderfully refined and at
traotive women are to be seen among this
class Of workers, and it is not to be
wondered at that many of them marry into
ranks far above them, though the mon tai
status of the men who hang about such re-
sorts Is to be questioned, even though their
social position is assured.
To see the barmaid at her best Ireland is
the place. There she reigns supreme.
Blessed with mother wit and the glorious
Irish eyes, she plays sad havoc with the
affections Of the frequenters of her place,
and 1t is not so very surprising that a scion
of one of Baltimore's best families brought
away from the Queens hotel in Queens
town the lovely presiding genius of the
place.
Many barmaid has married a peer but
that is not 80 very remarkable when one
takes a look at that august body OF Eng
| lands nobility-the House Of Lords-for
brain and beauty cannot be said to rup
riotously mad or the stamp OF aristocracy
10 no 81 paAntuly eViuenk, consequently the
greater wonder that pretty, bright, clever
young woman, though barmaid, could
| for the sake Of a title tie herself down to
any of the specimens that haunt her own
particular shrine or course, some bar
maids, like many in walks of life above
them say and do many things to shock the
staid and puritanical But as a class they
are we'll behaved, and as much to be COM
| mended as any OF the wage earners Of our
| land Their social standing is nil, of course,
but would it be any b etter in England were
| they upper housemaids, housegirls or sales
womena