The Yellowstone journal., 1894-11-13
86Ez6aRM4S
THEY ARE CALLED cUslclEs.
And Ir- Place Where Working Girls
Live For 81 a Week.


Cubicles are English, says Mary Gay
Humphreys in Tne Chautauquan. The
English system OF nomenclature l. al
ways puzzlinS. 1t reminds one of q
oonundrum. When the answer is given,
it seems simple enough. There are two
derivations of the word given. Cubical
pertains to a cube. A room is a cube,
even if it does not often occur to US SO
to regard it. Thus cubicle is a species
Of room. Another derivation of the
word is from the Latin Cubicula, little
bed. So cubicles are rooms in which
there are little beds
AS was said. cubiclos are English
They originated in the London lodging
houses designed for working girls, and
know of nothing intended for their
welfare more adnIlrablenor more worthy
Of imitation. They are the substitute
for dormitories and obviate even that
less disagreeable necessity, the placing
sf two occupants in one room.
The success of the London cubicles
has inspired the first attempt to intro
duce them in New York, and the loca-
ton chosen is at lis Suffolk street, in
the heart of the east side. A third floor
was taken in tall building This space,
which was happily not broken by par
titions and subdivisions, is 200 feet
long and has three windows in each end
and one in the side. One side window
in 200 feet of the wall does not seem
to amount to much, but in a city this
giimmer of light is precious.
the cubicles are suldivisions Of this
space confined 10 one ~ide of the room.
They are defined by Fartitions of wood
between four and fivr feet high and in
close s feet by 10 fe space. The space
above is screened Dy chintz curtains
hanging from iron DDS. IN each cubicle
are cot bed, a tas full iron standard for
washbowl and pi cher, table and a
little rocking char. On the floor is a
green and brown .ngrain rug There is
space also for trunk and any small
furniture the oc upant may bring. On
the solid brick wall of the side hang
picture panels, which some one has
kindly furnished, and the top of the
wood partitions makes a sort of shelf
IL will be understood that only the
end cubicle has a window, but the sur
rounding curtains of the cubicles move
easily, and the vast space Is well light
ed The great advantage of the cubicle,
next to its privacy and the sense of pri-
vate ownership for which it allows, is
It's perfect ventilation. Through the
long room the east and west winds blow,
swaying the chintz curtains, and on
warm day it is yet delightfully."- cool.
But cubicles imply something more
e than these cozy sleeping and dressing
rooms. Across the front of the room
runs another low partition, breaking to
make doorway. This divides off a sit
ting room, and above the partition hang
curtains of more imposing chintz On
the floor are several green and brown
rugs. Tasteful oak furniture and some
prints upon the wall, including a fine
engraving of the head of Christ, serve
te make the room comfortable and at
tractive, and such nook as girls love,
piled up with pillows, has been recessed
by the low partition.
An even more important department
is that of the dining room and kitchen.
This is a subdivision opposite the cubi-
cdes made i'll the same manner by low
wood partitions and curtains Here are
the range and the necessary equipment
for cooking and eating Here the girls
start off to work in the morning forti-
fed by cup of coffee and other comfort
ing things They return here for a
plain but nourishing dinner, always in
cluding a simple dessert. Those who do
not earn enough to warrant their buy
ing lunch take one away to work. In
addition to these comforts there is a
bathroom, probably the only one in a
large and thickly populated area
But it must be understood that this |
is not charity. By dispensing with |
much in the way of wood and mortar,
and by substituting that which is taste |
full and inexpensive, cubicles can be |
maintained at moderate cost The high !
est price paid is So. The regular price is
81 weekfor each occupant. The duties |
are the care each Of her own room
There are no rules. Each girl is free |
to invite her friends to visit her. TO go |
in and out at will, with the earnest |
prayer on the part Of the housekeeper
that she will not be out late, as some
enc must sit up to let her in. But that
kindly consideration for one another's
Souioi' Which ~ II possIDle 10 cultivate
il relied ON to regulate this matter.
These cubicles have been under way
only a short time. Walking along the
narrow hallway, we hear inside the cur
tsins merry chatter like that Of board
ing school girls. One Of the girls tells
~ she came from "A home in a tenement
house where she slept in a room with
two young men, two girls and boy.