The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-04-09
LIVING ON SIX DOLLARS A WEEK.

Lays Out Her Income.
New York, April II am a salesgirl
at the perfumery counter of one of the
largest department stores in the United
States. There are 1000 women employed
in this beehive, and as many men and
boys. The editor has asked me to write
something about the life we lead, and
how such a girl can live in a great city
on salary of s. per week, and sometimes
send home little money to her family.
In the first place. l work In one of the
best managed stores in the world. Every
thing Is done to get self-respecting en-
ployes, and to treat them we'll l came
from a farm up the country, and was
fortunate in getting this position through
a girl friend who used 10 live near my
home. Harriet and I share a room to-
gether in house which takes dodgers
but does not furnish table board. 1t is
in a respectable locality. and is within
fifteen minutes walk of the store. So
we save car fare.
The room is nicely but plainly furnish
ed, and has a large window. We pay 50
per week for it. We might save a little
by living away up town. This saving,
however, would go in trolley car fares.
We get up promptly at quarter before
make coffee on a little oil stove that also
helps to heat the room In very cold wealth
er; at other times we are careful not to
use a teaspoonful of kerosene when 1t can
be helped BY the time we are dressed
the coffee is ready, and we always have
a can of condensed milk and little paper
of sugar on hand. We each have a cup of
coffee and two or three slices of bread and
butter for breakfast. Sometimes we treat
ourselves IA oatmeal blt NOT often
When half-past seven comes we start
for the store, and must DE up stairs back
Of the counter ready for customers the
minute the clock strikes eight; for then
the doors are thrown open, and early
shoppers are sure to come.
From that time on until lunch Il Is a
steady hustle, unless the weather is
stormy. My employer has provided plenty
of little chairs, that may be swung under
the counters when OF in use, but as a mat
ter of fact they are not much account, The
business in every part of the store is enor-
nous, and we get little time to sit down
and rest
] am always ready to quit work when
lunch time comes, az a quarter before
twelve OF course. all the clerks cannot
leave at the same hour, so we go in re-
lays all the way from 1880 until 80 and
each one of us has full hour too. NV
| employer realizes that 1900 employees
whose nerves are on a constant strain,
must have a rest at noon if they are to
| sell goods successfully later in the day.
when my lunch time comes go down
stairs TO the basement, which has a big
recreation room so arranged that not one
customer in five thousand knows of its
| existence. Lunch is served there by the
house. and mighty good food, too; no
| fancy dishes, very few sweets but good
substantial stuff. For cent I can get
a cup of good coffee or tea. Two slices
of bread aud butter cost a cent, Meat
sandwiches are two cents each, canned or
stewed fruits three cents a dish, and other
| things in proportion. / never vet have
| been able to eat ten cents worth This
| sounds cheap, and it is; but the house
| furnishes everything at cost, and in order
| to cater 70 thousand people a day it
| buys everything in very large quantities
After lunch | have about forty minutes
| to talk or read magazines that are pro
Vided for us, or to exercise in the recrea-
| ton room; but in fine weather l ALWAYS
| try 20 get out doors for a breath Of fresh
| air
During the afternoon we get awfu,lv
tired, and at 8 o'clock Harriet and I co
! down stairs for our hats and coats. and
! leave the store. AS a rule we don't say
much ON our way TO dinner, in a nice little
restaurant near by 1t is not until we
! have swallowed Or hot soup that We want
to talk. even to each other. The dinner
! consists of soup meat, two vegeta bles.
bread and butter and pudding, all for Is
cents.
Sometimes We don't eat dinner but go
! home and have coffee and bread in our
| own room, and save about 20 cents. A
! great many of the girls do this regularly.
! living on coffee or tea, with bread and
! butter twice a day and only having one
real meal, then hearty lunch at noon.
! DO you wonder that after year or two
of this semi-starvation some of the girls
in great department stores look pale and
thin, or are irritable?
My share OF the room rent costs 81 81
per week; laundry % cents; breakfasts
and lunchoous Zoe; dinners. on an aver
age H.5o. That leaves, out OF So per week.
just 81 for clothing. charity. amusements.
! a penny pager every day, and money 10
send home. ] am thankful TO say I can
usually send home $50 month. which
helps wonderfully although / am sure /
don't know how J manage 20 do il. Oh.
| yes; ] lcloug TO "a sick benefit society.
| managed by the store. and is cents Is de-
| Quoted by the cashier every month from
my wages in order 20 ply the dues
! Naturally we an expect TO marry some
| time. and tno store experience rs usually
| looked On AZ "A temporary maka-shIff And