The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-12-06
ENCLAND'S BARMAIDS
A Hundred and Sixty-FiVe Thousand
in London Alone.
NEAT DRESSES, POOR PAY
The Best OF Them Get So a Week
and Are Bookkeepers at That
The Average Wage In Lon
don SIS a Year.
From the philadelphia Times.

ess of the buffet, or the lady Oh Tue
shades. She's all over England. There
are in round figures 10000 OF her In
London alone, and as many more In the
British islands. What! one-third OF
million of sirens offering the intoxicat-
ing Gun TO the Briton and the stranger
who visits him? Just that thing is
true, and that one-thtrd OF million
have to hustle about very actively TO
cool the parched palates OF those VINO
seek her offices.
Have you ever considered your serv-
ant the barmaid, that there Is none
like her? You must have done so when
going to and fro in the earth and walk
ing up and down in IL. Satan being
asked about Job in those terms did not
deny it. We have all considered rhe
bar-maid. Some have taken very nasty
observations at railway refreshment
bars only, and have thought her crisp
and oblivious of their Importance. a
sort OF Susan Nipper, you know; others
have been more systematic and have
chosen the quiet hours OF trade when
customers are few and the neat-handed
Phyllis has leisure to think OF other
people than those who are thirsty. We
all know that fellow. we have seen him
in the middle of the afternoon, leaning
over the end of the counter. hair accu-
rately dressed, a sort of crockery smile
for the girl and a glance of whitening
scorn at you. You know you have dis
turbed his tete-a-tete, the girl makes
you feel IT and all at once you forego
your intention to wait in that public
house till train time. and gulping down
your modest glass go sadly into the
streets.
Then there is the ambitious young
masher. He is not as clever as the chap
we have just left; he doesn't select a
good time. but comes when the object
a. 81 -. l. Aaaaw
very likely at the time when the gover-
nor Is in the bar and watching her.
How indifferent she is to his anguish
ing glances. He is forced to be content
with a glass of sherry and biscuit.
Their consumption is a matter of an
hour or more. Then he takes up his
stick and saunters out saying, Bye,
bye. baby" and calls this daily dissi-
patton life.
But IL is with the barmaid herself
this screed deals. of the industrious.
hard-worked, faithful, honest, ill-paid
servant-of her long hours. the labor,
the insults and SCOTS she has to smil-
ingly, meet, the petty tyrannies of mas
tiers, the fines she has in some places
to pay. and the deductions made In her
little wage; or the life as she lives 1t.
not as we strollers see IL when she
smiles pleasantly and hastens patiently
TO some maudlin bore who hangs over
the counter to retail wearisome
story. The careless girl in the railway
refreshment bar may not be careless Of
the general interest though she appear
to be unimpressed by the necessities of
an individual and pays him only equal
attention with others on the same foot
ing. The haughtiness of the princess
of the private bar may only be nat
ural manner, and the duchesses of the
buffet who escape clumsy and fulsome
lfrfaa after oil acting
that primary law of self-protection.
The genesis of the bar-maid Is not
written. Like Topsy she just "growed."
Her legitimate origin might be traced
through no end of classic mists to
Hebe. to Proxetha, or even to the
daughters of Lot, who made their faith
er drunken in the cave of the noun
tain beyond Zoar. The existing genera
tion of bar-maids has various origin,
however and 1t will cover this inquiry
TO say that for the most part they come
of the families of small shop-keepers;
that Is the most frequent source in
cities They have received a modest
education, have had a little experience
in serving. perhaps, and IL pretty or
attractive in manner, can easily find a
situation. Brief experience does the
rest. Although the social status of a
barmaid who pours sherry for a duke
at the Criterion and that of her sister
who fills the tankard for Tommy At
kins down near the Tower Is very diff
ferent. their wages, duties and restric-
tions are not unlike. Very few bar
maids get ESQ a year. A head bar
maid may rarely be found who has ESQ,
or sovereign week, and she is ex-
pected TO keep the accounts and post
the books. The average wage in Lon
don and the South is f33 a year; In the
mid-country and the North ga and f26
ts good pay. There are not of the 49,
900 or 10000 barmaids in Manchester a
score who receive the last named sum-
In London most publicans furnish two
black dresses year and aprons. In
the provinces none are furnished. But
board and lodging is included, two girls
to one bed. and sometimes the whole
STAN in one room The hours vary
Most publicans make II a point never 20
leave their bar with only one maid on
duty. The object is to exercise a check
upon dishonesty. but the hours OF SER
vice on week days may be fairly named
at IS. to 1. 10 6, $50 to 1. would per-
maps cover the average working period,
The reliefs simply changing the hours.
not their number. One afternoon out
weekly. and the close hours of SUNDAY.
The maids do not always get to bed at
i. In many public houses IL is after
closing that the bottles and decanters
are refilled and supplies provided. First
however. the cash is made up and an
inventory made OF the stock on hand.
The bar Is charged with so much soda
water. so many bottles OF beer and
wine. and so much of liquors in the
tap. What remains is counted or
gagged. Into every bottle Is thrust a
measuring rod marked off in drinks
and for all those gone since the nigh,
before the barmaid must give quid pro
quo.
The cigars and biscuits are counted.
the cheese weighed. the rolls. butter
pats, sausages and pies reckoned up.
and Their the barmaid has to settle.
This operation takes time. and when
finally released from her long days
toll sleep comes soon enough to those
weary. weary eyes and rest to the tired
limbs The next morning before GUS
toners begin 10 come in the glasses
must be washed and polished, the en-
CINE for drawing beer cleaned and
made 10 shine. the bar and sideboard
~