The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-02-12
A New Trade
For Women,

There Is new trade that bears the
name Of professional mender" The
idea Is not original, but IL is now pre-
sented in a novel form, and IL is only
singular that mode of employment 70
well adapted to wage earning women
and one so thoroughly and essentially
feminine has not been in active opera.
tion long before this. The profession
all Will be a boon to the erstwhile help
less bachelor and an aggressive COM
petitor TO the gentle maid of the bou-
doir. She may even help to lower the
marriage rate unless her employer be-
comes victim to her insInuating meth
DDS. for what bachelor will otherwise be
ailured into the thraldom OF matrimo-
nial bonds when he has comfortable
apartments and his wardrobe is kept in
perfect condition OF repair?
The woman who has lately devised
the scheme thus tells OF her initial ex-
perience:
Il was at my wits end. I had never
been brought up TO work and did not
even know how 90 set TO work to find
anything 20 do. ] had gone to see a
very wealthy woman one day who has
been exceedingly kind to me and as
sisted me i'm many ways Talking over
my inability TO find steady employment
which would not need experience. she
proposed that while waiting for some-
thing TO turn up / should try and get
some mendng or plain sewing to do"
Then. when she did succeed i'm get.
ting work of this kind. il was only at
irregular intervals. and consequently
not very remunerative. There was an
other consultation between the two wo.
men, and when the proposition was
made that she take entire supervision
OF the wardrobes of some bachelors the
seamstress gave her hearty assent. She
tried, and, in her own language. has
succeeded beyond my widest antici-
pations."
But how were her customers obtain
ed? The rich woman talked TO her hus-
band. telling him of the woman's strug-
giles TO e<e out a bare existence. when
he suggested that the seamstress get
certain bachelor friends OF his at the
club To give their mending TO her. lie
accordingly spoke 10 some OF his ac-
quaintances in her behalf. who ifnme-
diately engaged the woman's services.
Through them other customers were
obtained, and in "A short time this al
most frenzied woman of month before
from dread of starvation was obliged 10
hire her cousin as an assistant i'm her
business. She has certain DAYS and
hours for each customer, but does not
begin work until after IL o'clock i'm the
morning. Clothes are kept brushed and
laid carefully away. If desired she will
also take charge OF the laundry. At
present, her income is $21 week. and
the various bills Grom the eight GUS
tomers) are promptly paid her on Mon
day morning.
She further explains her vocation az
follows:
II do everything for q man, as far
as keeping his wardrobe in order Is con-
cerned. If 1 see that his collars and
cuffs are beginning to show signs OF
wear l make a little memorandum 10
that effect and pin IL TO my bill, remind
ing him TO Teplenish the articles which
/ have been authorized to throw away.
If his silk underwear or pyjamas show
| signs of giving out, 1 do the same
| thing"
So this last real new woman" has
come upon the stage of life as an active,
! desirable agent-one who will prove
| boon To bachelors bachelor maids and
possibly tired mothers who may have
more money than time.