The morning call., 1893-12-05
BLUE AND BLACK.
Uniforms for Telephone
Young Ladies.
NO PRESENTS THIS XMAS.
The Girls Object to Insignia of
Servitude.
AND THEIR PURSES ARE SLIM.
The Problem of Buying Uniforms is
Not Easily Solved-Win 1t
Come to Buttons?
AND THEIR PURSES ARE SLIM.

'All l can say is, if the girls submit
meeklv they have forgotten they are
Americans"
But" protested a gentle. pale girl,
timidly
"If the California girls submit to this
sort of tyranny they deserve all that comes
to them. PheM y and the first speaker
seat, as much as to say, Il should like to
see how you are going to refute that"
II was party Of five or six young lady
telephone employees going home in Va
lencla-street car soon after o'clock yes
terday afternoon who were holding this
animated discussion. ALI day they had
bottled up their wrath; all day they had
responded amiabiy to manifold calls of
Hello, centraln' when they had been
longing 10 have their say about the awful
fat that has gore forth: "On and after
the 1st of January next all young lady em-
ployes in the telephone Offices are to wear
uniform of dark blue or black"
There were about half dozen girls in
the car, and their tongues were busiy
making up for lost time. IF California
giis submit to livery they deserve all
they gei." repeated the first speaker, a pe-
lite brunette, with frZzy bangs and pierre
ing black eyes.
'Why did they give such an extraordi-
nary order?" asked slim wel-dressed
hello-girl, giving her voumnous gray skirt
ccmnacent pat TO make it set better.
"Oh, they say the idea came from Chi
cago," replied the brunette. laughing
scornfullY. Uniforms had to be intro
duced there because the girls appeared in
all styles of costume. some even in ball
dresses OF course it is so hot in the sum-
nier there hat the poor things pro ably
wore their necks just a wee BIT decollete,
If the real truth we're known. ANYWAY.
we owe the scheme for putting US into
uniforms to Chicago"
81 don't think it is half bad idea either"
said plain dumpy little girl who wore a
cheap cotton frock. ''Look at Alice there"
indicating the girl in gray. "She lust
works for pocket money. and can come to
work In silks and velvets, while we who
have host "f younger brothers and sisters
to look after feel ashamed of our poor
clothes. Uniforms will put US all On the
same footing"
Yes; and [ should like to know where
your uniform is TO come FROM" interposed
the quiet. pale girl, WHO hid unsuccess-
fully tried 10 speak before. .'Now, have
just bought new off1ce gown. 1t is
neither blue nor black, but it is simple and
we'll suited to work in. l am not in
position to beqneath it to the worthy poor,
and L have no younger sister to make it
over for"
Have it dyed" interposed tall. grace
ful brunette. dressed in a gown of brown
cheviot.
A perfectly new dress dyed" replied
theSoale girl, with sigh. 'Bes0es | can
not afford it. We none of US had any
1dea mat this order was coming, and | for
one a m not prepared for it. Christmas is
almost here and II L had that dress dyed
just now it would simply debar me from
giving single friend present"
Yes; no one has a surplus of monev
Just now" replied the tall brunette. Il
have il! An inspiratitiou." she added.
laughing. Eureka! What will you give
me tor the idea, girls?'
"Oh. tell US. YoI know we are at our
wits ends to get those uniforms" ex-
Claimed chorus Of voices.
We'll, in view of the scarcity of money
among you all. except Alice there, | advise
you to get your uniforms on the INSTALL
ment plan. What do you say to tn at?"
But the proposition fell fiat. Il am in
arrears already for the new dress have
just had made" said one girl, and another
added: This is for all the world like
signing contract to wear nothing but
blue and black henceforth-always blue
and black. black and blue. What dreary
outlook, Sundays and holiday, for of
course we cannot afford special dresses for
gowns to work in"
Il wonder whether we shall come to
brass buttons and Telephone written
across them." said the little brunette with
sigh. 1T is my opinion that If they
order US into uniforms they ought to bay
for them"
If we had any one of US displayed loud.
vulgar taste. we might have merited this
blow" declared the girl in brown, tragi-
cally. but we never came TO work in
ball-dresses like the Chicago young ladies,
ana 1t is only the envious, lttle-mindetl
girls VINO want to see us reduced TO one
dead level of blue and black week in week
out; Think OF all the nice, cheap cheviots
ana tWeeds you can get at remnant sales 4.
Henceforth they are no more for US.
L can realize now what it is to be num-"
The idea at first was to wear w White
linen collars. too.'' said the dumpy girl.
Yes, but they listened to our pleading
when We said the laundry bills would
necessil ate bankruptcy or raise of salary
They still cling to the blue aud black in
sigma of servitude, however,
would make compromise between
my dignity and my pocket il the COMPANY
would buy my uniform-barring of course
buttons and a badge for the street." said
the pale gentle girl eravely. Look here, -
she continued, signaling the conductor to
stop the car. "Mr Sabn is very kind !:
think how good he was about providing a
turkey dinner for those unfOrtuDates who
were not drawn off OF Thanksgiving dav.
Well. think ii @e represent our case and
say how bard up we are just now he will
reconsider that order about the uniforms.
Ihere are not SIX OF us who can get them
between now and New Year. Good-by,
girls. l got off here"
And the other girls. during the few blocks
they rode on together, seemed to think
hers was the best plan, after all.