The morning times., 1895-07-07
w orking Girls
and Society
A STUDY IN LOCAL CONTEM-
P0RARY SOCIOLOGY.
Types of Womanhood Which Do
Credit to the City and
the Country.

"Oh, l don't know, but there is some
thing about girls that work that l can't
just become reconciled to, somehow and
thank goodness that | don't have TO stand
behind a counter or sit at a desk to earn
my living. | have no doubt that many Of
them are just as sweet and pure as they
can be, but the world kinder looks down
upon them, and, you know, we are governed
to a great extent by the opinions of the
world -
Thus spoke young lady friend of mine
a few evenings since, as we sat in her
handsome parior and talked and the words
Set me thinking as TO what extent the
world does look down upon our working
girls, and what grounds they have for
looking down upon them at all; so l deter
mined to make a full investigation of the
matter for myself.
The opportunity was soon afforded me,
for the very next Sunday, as I was going
toward one of our downtown churches /
met a young lady to whom a friend of
mine had introduced me not long ago, and
who keeps books for one of our business
houses, and after greeting me very kindly
she invited me to accompany her to church,
thinking, no doubt, 1 needed it, in which
thought she was about right. So, de-
String to know her in all the different
phases of her life, l accepted the invita-
tion, resolving in my mind to make her
the means of my investigation into the
life of the American working girl.
AS we walked along L could but notice
how pretty and neat she looked in her
well-ftting silk waist and dark skirt, and
how well the stylish sailor hat became the
finely nodded head with its rich, dark hair
How sensibly and fluently she talked, too,
and her brown eyes sparkled and smiled
with all the effulgence of happy, innocent
youth.
We entered the church, and noticed with
deep admiration the reverent, respectful
attention she paid to all the services. She
seemedto enterinto pastor ssubject with
| sincere approval and intelligence, and when
he pathetically spoke OF the prayers we
! learned at our angel mothers knee, the
| tears that glistened in her dark eyes started
! again the spring in my own which thought
! had long since gone dry; and knew in my
! heart our working-girl is not painted,
| faded. worthless being, but living, active,
| sympathetic friend, who understands the
| trials of a busy world, and who will help TO
| elevate mankind.
After church she invited me to go home
to dinner with her, as she had much to
| ask about our mutual friend, who was an
old friend of hers. and after some hesitancy
I accepted her invitation, as knew could
best extend my investigation in her own
home, where most people are seen as they
| really are.
When we reached the house she intro
duced me to her parents and excused her
self for few moments, leaving me to look
around the tidy parlor, whose perfect ap-
pointments and cleanliness, and all the
| pretty little ornaments and odd, artistic
| "fixings" told me more plainly than wordsof
the refined taste and patient industry OF
! the queen of that home-our little working
! girl And as / sat down to the excellent
dinner which knew she had helped mamma
TO spread, could not help contrasting her
TO my fine-bred friend who had to be rung
up every morning to breakfast, and dared
not help to set the dinner or wash the dishes
for fear of "shrivelling her hands all up"
After dinner we took a stroll, for
wanted to talk more with my working girl
as | was now thoroughly Interested IN her,
and was eager to listen TO her practical