Evening star., 1895-07-27

as much as eighty cents, but more often
tney have forty cents and thirty cents.
while those who work for exporting houses
receive as little quarter of a dollar for
a day OF Zine hours. The peignoirs,
chemises and other adjustments in linen
sold at the Louvre and Bon Marche for
| $3.50 apiece are given out by those great
stores to head sewing girls, who get twelve
cents apiece for them. do part of the work.
and give the rest out to assistants whom
they pay but eight or nine cents apiece
Three peignoirs a day give these unhappy
creatures twenty-seven cents, and for it
they must work till late at night
The modistes, or milliners, hold the first
rank in the aristccracy of Partisan sewing
girls. Artistes. they bring into their ways
the disorder and insoueiance habitual 10
all artists: they form in Paris body of
ahcut 5000 workers, and by their talent
realize five millions of dollars year in the
one Industry Of feminine hats. The ingen-
iousress OF the mcdiste is without limits
almost daily she creates exquisite combina-
tions new to sea or land. The form, shade
and garniture of the hat are the three piv-
OTIS of all these variations, around which
turn the eternal weathercocks of style. 1t
ls only by ar fncessant renewing that the
commerce of modes successfully exists If
the ladies bought but one or two hats
year the ruin Of these little workers would
be swift and cruel. After two years of ap-
premiership, during which time the little
mcdiste IS trottin in the more exact
sense Of the word. she will receive some GO
cents day, with the hope of rising almost
surely to dollar a day, while premieres
get 5000 year and even more. And
after this, because she has artistic temper
ament and style, she will set up little shop
quite all her own.
The second division of the working wo-
men OF Paris is formed of the class of sell
ers and shopkeepers which excludes the
demoiselles and employees de magasin, or
the salesladies of the great shops, and all
the magasins de nouveautes. These latter
a ri hy han
class of recent origin-resemble too much
the saleswomen of great shops in every
lard to be particularly picturesque Their
peculiar mark is to be fed and often lodged
by the establishment, and to take a great
part of their pay in their commissions A
position in great shop is almost as diff
cult to obtain as place under the govern
ment; and once in none resign and but few
die. Their salaries vary from IS a month
to 81 600 a year.
The truly picturesque Partisan sellers"
are OF lower rank. And first of all comes
the great tribe of ambulantes, all those
whose voices, more or less harmonious,
help to make up the symphony of Paris in
the m orning. Green pease! Green peaser'
Harong qui glace!' Il have cherries, cher
ence? These brave women, with their
voices and their barrows. take the place in
Paris of London's costermongers. They sell
fruit, fish. vegetables and flowers, being
authorized thereto by the administration.
Some six thor sard in number they make
their provisions every morning at the CEN
trail markets, where they must arrive at
o'clock for bargains at the auction sales.
By crying all day they make so cents, but
have this advantage, that they often are
well nourished. for the soup pot takes what
little -emrsnts they have left unsold at
night.
With the brave ambulantes there is an
approach to the class of fakirs in the sell
ers of mechanical toys, woolly dogs that
bark and lambs that bleat. lead bicyclists
careering round a leaden track, wooden
acrobats, fremen who pump real water, tin
jumping monkeys and gay wihdnills with
fine arms of colored paper
They who sell in little shops are faithful
The provisioning line has not been touched
by the new spirit of the grand magasin
and nowhere are salesladies heartier and
solder than in the pork butchers little
like the demoiselle de magasin
and leads a cleaner life. She receives a
better salary than dressmakers or the
clerks in candy stores. and is continually
always q fresh end appetizing person, a
pleasure to see throned among her sau-
sages and pates. for the French eat sau-
sage, pudding and pressed pigs head with
blooming, she knows how to |
slice deliciously the slenderest slips Of ten |
der pink-white ham and wrap up foie gras |
IN double paper, spotless white. She |
aence Of her employer. Rosy, fat, peace
able- passive. honest and happy, she gives |
her heart with her fancy; her life is mo-
notonous. but rich, and from the seven
teenth century she has always been la |
belle chaircutiere. the beautiful flesh cut
Ter. 1t Is q tradition.
The retail cheese business is eminently |
proper; and the neat bonue of the retail |
Egg. milk and cheese shop (for the three |
are sold together) has a pleasing place in
life. The noisiest and easiest-gong Of the |
whole battalion of these little sellers is
The Paris bar maid. If she be the wife of |
he proprietor and still wait on the bar
The zinc bar Of the little marchand de wins,
/ grade below the cafe-it is a sign that |
lse is able to take jokes and compliments.
There are hundred other types of little
'hop keepers Of Paris, Of which the sell
.rs of imitation jewelry, toilet articles, rib
)ons, underclothing, gloves. corsets, per-
tuners, stationery and umbrellas are con-
'idered the most lucky, though the profits
If all small businesses have of late years
,een falling off alarmingly beneath the
competition Of the giant magasn. Girls
n such little shops can seldom rise above
g per week, including their percentages
Their hours are long. and many, in ac-
french republic, must be present Sundays
Is on week days. Still they smile and
make great eyes. their fragrant necks be-
ng tied around with a silk ribbon and
heir hair done to perfection. What charm
md wit they have and what vivaeity,
what treasures of tenderness and bursts
Il feeling they are capable of showing,
nay be known only by the well-to-do but
let US be thankful that our system in
[ TRlPE ERUE
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