The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1893-04-07
SARAH MINERS WAGES.
By Mary Kyle Dallas.

BY Mary Kyle Dallas.
Upon a certain Saturday night quite
at the end Of winter, the female en-
ployes Of Betz & Springer were as
sembled in Il great room where sales
were made to large buyers, and where
the pay-desk stood, to receive their
wages.
Mr.. Betz, the senior partner, paid
the women who worked for him by the
month He found it for their own
good.
Like most men, Mr. Betz had gen
praI idea that girls had no response
bilities.
1T is all finery and sweeties with
Them he used to say, and really
fancied that all the money the young
creatures earned was spent for bOnncts
and sashcs, wells, ribbons and brightly
Colcred dry goods.
They could have told him differently.
Certainly Sarah Miners wages were
not spent for ribbons, for she was the
only bread-winner in a family of three.
There were girls in the factory who
had 20 responsibilities. Emma Car
man was one. Her father and brother
kept the home comfortable, and all
Emma had to do was to dress herself.
She wore better clothes than any girl
in the place, but she was always in
debt. She was known to be allowed
the entire use of her money, and the
tradsmen were ready to trust her. So
was the milliner so was the dress
maker. At the confectioners she
could always have her pound of candy,
her plate of ice-cream her cakes and
tarts for lunch charged" to her.
The consequence was that on payday
she owned at least her full salary.
Those she owed it to were on the
watch-they rushed in with their little
bills as soon as she reached home, OF
they bounced out of their stores as she
passed.
Sometimes, to avoid home-lecture
on extravaganza, she stopped and paid
of her own accord. Scores were wiped
out, and the credit system began again.
but the little ball rolled up.
On this night, as she fell into line,
on the right side of the desk, she was
thinking angrily how all her creditors
would pOunce upon her, holding out
their hands-how she had not enough
to pay them all, and who would wait
Perhaps the milliner, a good-natured
woman. But even so, she could not
get a new dress for the ball to which
Ben Osmand had asked her to go.
She had no credit where such delicate
material was sold She must have
cash for that. She could have gone off
and bought material, and her gloves,
and paid her shoemakers, and had a
pair Of slippers "Set down until next
wage-tlay, but that all the shops were
al nd Io0 Id
them. would see to it that she paid
them before morning
Il will have the DRESS" she said to
herself will, somehow"
Sarah Miner" said the paymaster.
just then. Here are your wages
forty dollars, and for your overworIk.
ten more-fifty. that is. Here you are,
Sarah sign there. Emma Carman!''-
Emma stepped UP briskly-'' thirty-five
to you, Emma" said the man at the
desk. Five dollars deductiOn-came
late Monday. the fifth, took two hours
holiday 1T noon on the eighth sOiled a
parasol notwithstanding candy over
it. Sign. please"
MEAN creature" whispered Emma.
as she took the pen.
whats that you say?' qucried the
young man. I've nothing to Go with
it. There's rules for me as well as for
you. I'm obliged to follow them.
Rosanna Jones next
Emma passed on. She saw Sarah
Miner putting her money carefully
into her bag. and thought enviously of
that extra ten dollars. TO be sure, she
herself might also have done Overwork.
and she need not have lost time, or
eaten candy while she was working Oh
yyyNI Sslfi ~ G>JL
angry as though Sarah had defrauded
her
"A common little thing. she thought.
that never wears anything tasteful or
stylish. What coed is money to herr
She looked scOrnfully at the little
bag. made of shabby and old silk,
which hung on Sarahs ARM She
thought, with tears in her eyes, of the
beautiful dancing dress, tulle over blue,
all trimmed with satin ribbon. that she
would have bought.
And I have nothing to go in" she
sighed. Nothing; and / am sure that
If [ go, Ben will propose to me. / am
sure / look well in evening-dress,
dance we'll, and 1 would have my
chance
She was ready to sob.
Handsome Ben was the foreman of
the factory. His wages were high. He
was sure, people said, to be rich man
one day.
AS she tossed her money into her
pretty sachel. with scornful fling.
something pricked her fingers; a drop
of blood stained her glove. Her sharp
little scissors had inflicted the wound.
She had put them in points upward.
In moment more the girls were
-crowding out into the hall.
What did Emma mean by whispering
under her breath?
Il could do it; it would save me. l
believe I WILL
An hour afterward, Ben Osmand,
who had been examining some stitch
ing machines that had arrived that
afternoon, heard an alteration in the
lower passage. A girls voice, the
sweet voice of Sarah Miner arose to
his ear.
Please, Dennis" she said, please
let me look"
The young girls is not allowed to
come in here after hours" said Den
MIS-
But for such particular reason
Dennis?' pleaded Sarah