The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1896-06-11
A STRONG PLEA FOR THE WOMEN.
Bull ARP ON REST FOR CLERKS.
The Hard Life OF Working CHRISTINE
Insinccrity OF Society Folks.

Let the good work go on. The shop
girls OF Atlanta arc now allowed to sit
ana rest their weary limbs for a brief
tlmo when not waiting on customers.
ana their working time is out at 6
o'clock in the evening. This Il reform
that means much to them, and our
sympathetic people will all thank the
Chambcrlin house for starting it. The
girls have not demanded it nor have1
we know that they get tired, very
tired, and sometimes they arc sick and
some Of them have work TO do when
they get home. But thcy mover strike
no, they had rather suffer and en-
durc and always look chcery and try to
be happy and Contontcd. | havo won.
dercd why they did not organize and
choose their leaders and sometimes
get on a strike and walk out and mako
demands on their employers like the
men do. No, they will not do that. 1t
is not their nature, and for that reason
II no other, those who employ them
should bo all tho moro considerate.
Every shop girl and every shop woman
has an individual history, and could
toll tale of sorrow or misfortune, and
some OF them would be intensely sad
and pathetic if written and published.
have seen bcttcr days-many arc or
phans-s0mc havc q widowed mother
or an invalid sister to support. All
arc dependent and have no bright
prospects OF bcttcring their condition
In the years to come. Some of the IN
are not strong, and often go to their
work with headache or u heartache,
but they must not complain-sad faces
or sick faces or very home'y ones are
not wanted. l know four sisters who
are shop girls at different places. The
eldest is only sixteen. They have
neither father nor mother nor brother,
but they live together and work by
day and comfort each other by night.
Some merchants are hard-task mas
tcrs only Il shop girl " is their mot.
to, and their service is won tn what it
vii! bring--that much and no more
They fix the price and keep it there.
There is no promotion in wages. |
know ono who kept girl down to $40
Il month. She was refined, diligcnt,
conscientious AID POPULAR and had
been reared lady in all respects. bu
she was only shop girl, and out Of
mcager wages must pay for her board
and clothing. Not an hour did she
ever lose-but by and by she was offer
ed S3O by another house. and then, and
not until then, did her employers pro-
pose to increase her wages to the same
amount. Why did they not do it be-
fore? | know another large, wealthy
house that kept Il young man for three
years, promising at intervals to raise
his wages, but it was only promise
at last he quit and sought other busi-
ness, and then they offered him nearly
double what he had been getting if he
would come back. That is what the
prophet calls "grinding the faces Of
the poor" Why wear q poor girls life
and health away by feeding her on
hope until it turns to despair? Only
shop girl ~ young lady who had
once been Independent was forced by
the common calamit" Of these hard
times to become shop girl-and she
told me that the hardest thing to bear
was the stately coldncss Of her former
friends-the lack Of familiar social
recognition; when they traded at the
counter they hardly knew hcr-thcy
said good morning, but not in the
sweet old way. After Job had lost his
property, he said: but now they
risiOn-wh0sc fathers [ would have dis
dained to set with the dogs OF my flock ."
1t is the same old story OF social in
sincerity. y man never knows who
are his friends until misfortune over.
takes lin. Thank heaven there are
some exceptions to this ruic, and these
shop girls do sometimes ind somebody
to love them and share thoir sorrows.
There is nothing more unbccoming to
woman than her disposition to rule
money into her social set and rule
poverty out. No real, wcll-brcd lady
will do it, lily observation is that this
foolish vanity is generally INDUCED in
by tho ShOddy ariStOcrats-those who
have nothing clscto their credit except
mOncy--thOSc whose fathers got rich
by questionable means. Pcachtrce is
lined with many such, and SO arc the
fashionable quarters Of all cities. This
folly is mainly feminine one the
men arc not given to it A.; no man darcs
to snub another because Of his poverty,
or his humble origin. With mon there
is no aristOcracy except that Of intel
lect. 1t is related that when Douglas
and Lincoln met for the first time on
the hustings Douglas, who was a great
said he had not the honor
Of an acquaintance with his opponent,
and, in fact, had seen him but once,
and that was when he was selling
whiskey behind the bar IN cross
roads saloon. When old Abe rose to
reply, ne smiled from ear 10 car, as he
"That's so, my fellow
citizens. That,is the only time ever
saw him until now. He was on one
side Of the bar and | was on the other.
He took drink and | took tho money.
We are about even on that scorc.'
What's the difference? a nice, sweet,
well-mannered girl or young woman
who waits on the customers in q largo
dry goods house is on one side Of the
counter and a rich aristocratic lady is
on the other. One had money, tho
other had goods and they exchangcd-
that's ALL Which is ahc ad in the comedy
Of life and which will be ahead when
the play Is ended and final Judgment
is rendered With one life is u fash
ionable farce ; with the other 81 strug-
Clio for bread. "Give us this day our
daily bread is her morning prayer.
The position Of these working girls
is hard ono at best, but kind words
and fair wages soften it down greatly.
They beg for these places and get
them, but why women should not be
paid as much as men for similar Scr
vice 1 cannot understand. My infor.
nation is that they arc paid about half