Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1898-07-31
YOUNG WOMEN
WHO MAKE CHANGE.
The 0reary Life of Cashiers in Restaurants end
Department Sfores-The Small Wages and
Long Hours.

supper to look forward to at home af-
ter her long tramD or ride, then bed
and another day of treadmill toll.
This Is a fair picture of a day in the
life Of a woman employed as cashier in
a large city. She sits at high desk
, making change. every penny Of which
must be accounted for at night. When
night comes, tired Of body and tired of
brain, she goes to her hall bedroom in
a shabby lodging house or to the little
home in the suburbs, where rents are
cheap, and she is perhaps helping hard
,, working parents TO buy refuge for
their cid age.
In cities women have displaced men
as cashiers in restaurants, drug stores.
mercantile houses-ir fact, all the re-
tail departments of trade. That wo-
man as a cashier Is a faithful and eff
cient servant is proved by the increas-
ing demand for her services. Like
most vocations in which women have
shown special aptitude, those services
as yet are but poorly appreciated. Ten
years ago men in the same positions,
according to the New York bureau OF
labor, were paid wages ranging from
$40 to S25 a week The woman cashier
receives on an average S. week, Is
very we'll paid If she gets 81, and Is re-
garded as a person CT afiuence II she
commands S. Moreover she works
longer hours than did her predecessors.
A man did not begin work until or 3
o'clock in the morning, and he relelt-
lessly quit at or 6 In the evening.
The reasons for womens suppressed
ure Of men as cashiers are good onJs.
The average woman Is more horest,
obedient and conscientious than the
average man. One never hears of a
woman robbing the cash drawer or
tampering with the profit and loss ac-
count Of the ledger. With that facile
instinct which has proved so disas<
tr0us to men In competition with wo-
men she quickly masters the details
OF her work and thus proves more
rapid accountant.
In herself she attracts trade, for most
men will walk block to patronize an
establishment where there is a charm
ing face.
Twenty years ago II occurred to some
bright restaurant or drug store keeper
or other unclassified and unrecorded
tradesman that it might be profitable
to replace the naughty young man be-
hind the cash desk with young, good
looking and well dressed woman. He
reasoned that only man of more than
ordinary strength of mind could refuse
Canadian dimes and punched nickles
from a feminine vision of loveliness.
No one would dare raise the question
Of short change or dispute in the face
OF her statement the identity of the
quarter The was sure was a half dol
lar" The astutc tradesman Of course
selected the very prettiest and most
stylish applicant. Doubtless he grew
rich and has long ago retired from bus
mess, but the result of his enterprise
goes marching on.
A dozen to two dozen cashiers usu-
ally have tables In the Enclosures
known as the cash desk in large dry
goods and similar retail stores. The
ages Of these women range from Is to
so. The younger ones have begun
work in the store In the humblest
capacity. as cash girls, and from that
have risen to be wrappers Of pack
ages. From wrappers they were pro-
Noted to the cash desk They have
had no special training for the work
Of accountants; merely have proved
their ability to count rapidly and ac-
curately. At first they receive $3.50
or 81 week, this sum being increased
at the rate Of 80 cents per year, as
they please their employers From
the cash desk there is no hope Of a
career in the business. Whatever the
branch OF trade In which she is en-
ployed, all knowledge gained In SUBJ
ordinate capacities is lost sight of IN
the routine of counting money If she
is ambitious and can afford It, she goes
to night school, studies stenography
and typewriting. or, most likely, book
keeping, and drifts into that sort OF
work. She imagines 1t is easier. and
it does pay better. The woman book
keeper gets IS, $40 or sl2 week
In smaller shops the cash register is
in use and greatly simplifes the work
of the cashier. In places where very
! large business is done one Of the cash
railway or pneumatic tube systems fl
| in operation. These do away with the
expense OF cash girls, but add to the
| cashiers possibilities, as It Is very
easy to confuse the different balls OF
/ tubes.
| Cut OF their meager salaries few wo-
men are able to save ANYTHING. Most
! OF them marry before they are 30, and
! the remainder after few years dis
! appear to give place to younger and
more attractive women. In no branch
of work has the employe greater re
sponsibility, and in no other has she
so little chance OF advancement.
| CAROLINE WETHERELL.