The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1897-04-01
L0NDoNS B r MAIDS.
The Business 81 HssbAa d Hunting Carried
on with That of Serving Drinks.

/ on WIN Inat OF Serving DTlnHos
Under the title, Feminine Types 1
London" Jesse Francis Sheppard give
I in the Nouvelle Revue an account G
the London bar maids.
"They are recruited" he says, IAN
ong the burgeoisie as well as anon
the lower classes. Some OF the mos
interesting types can be found In tn
bars or public houses OF the West End
close to the fashionable theatres. Am
ong them are very many perfectly re
spectacle girls, who have chosen thu
career of a bar maid in order to make
o living, and, especially df they arr
/, pretty, to get q chance to catch a ricf
husband.
"A public house, situated at the an.
gle Of one Of the principal thorough
fares, Is both gilded palace and
mine of gold. 1t exercises strange
fascination upon the poor country
pumpkins who have just enough to pay
for drink; but the dude coming out Oh
theatre, the country greenhorn, the
fashionable snob, and the frequenter OF
the music halls are always to be found
there. 1t Is among these that the bar
maids hunt for a husband. II there is
one class of London society more stu
pid than another 1t Is that one which
includes the frequentes Of the public
houses. With a pipe In his mouth and
a glass of beer or whiskey in front OF
him, the young Englishman, dressed in
fashionable style, with slight and ele.
CANT figure and regular features, re-
mains standing for more than an hour
paying pretty little compliments to one
or several of these ladies.
'"The Ibarmaid judges her customers
by the cut of their clothes. If You want
to attract her attention you must pre-
sent yourself with a silk hat and a
handsome cane in your hand, and a
suit cut in the latest fashion. The high
hat is de rigueur Without that there
is no possible chance OF success.
1T was not without difficulty that ]
managed to get an Interview with one
of these young ladies, whose intelli- |
gence was equal to her beauty At first |
was astoniShed at finding so much in. |
telligence in an English girl; but
learned that she was Irish, and that ex- |
planned the mystery. Her father was |
dead and her mother was left without |
resources. So she was determined to |
come to London and look for a hus-
band, by posing behind bar in Pic
cadilly.
" I was hardly more than three days
here, she said with an amiable and
roguish air, when l understood why It
was that so many pretty English girls
don't get husbands. When they are
beautiful they are generally stupid.
When they are Intelligent they are cold
and ugly. Englishmen trav-
81 great deal and meet in their ramb-
lings through the world very many
,prightly women, and they do not care
'or pretty girls who don't know how
20 chat with them
But in this mixture that come here
o drink and chat l said, how do you
distinguish the men of the world from
he others?'
I recognize them by three things
'he said boldly; by their figure, by
heir clothes, and by their complexion.
Cor the most part they are tall and !
hin, dressed in the latest fashion, and ,
ave complexion more or less bronz- :
d. This last trait Is the surest sign.'
,eeing that l looked astonished, sho
dded: Nothing can be more simple
IN English gentleman, if he has a for
une, passes three-fourths of his time v
uniting and in other open-air exercises t
he chaps who remain always In Lon "
on have a paler and more delicate II
and, moreover, the express
ion OF their faces is quite different
rom that of the Others
Noticing with what attention I was
stening to her. she continued: 'TheI
ehtleman that l refer to have nothine
egant about them except their
othes, for their conversation lacks|
ovelty. How can a man who under-I
ands nothing but hunting and cricket
lterest an intelligent woman? TheI
'nversation that goes on here in the
anne OF wit makes me tired, but these
sntlemen are the easiest of all to de-
1--WE. They are great big children in
except sport and politics.
But you are always engaged
az, and 1t Is difficult to get an oppor-
nifty to chat with you. You must al
ady had several offers of marriage?
Il have been only one month here. T.
ID l have already had three. TwoI
ere from very rich sportsmen; but
'hes alone won't do for me. What
n after. she added laughing, is q
lie. You know ! must have tit!e.' Z"
AT this moment the play in one of
neighboring theatres was over. and
9 pubic house was invaded by a
owd OF men, more or less stylish. The g.
autiful Irish girl kept herself some-
lat aloof. and only served customers g,
NJ had the appearance OF gentlemen.
We'll. left London. A few months
'erWard on returning there l wanted -
see once more my beautiful Irish
rma1d. She was gone. Another lady r.
s IN her place, and she told me that
IS Clara had left to marry the second
OF prominent nobleman." IL
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