The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-10-29
STUDY OF SALESGlRLS.
little KNOWN PdR1S or DEPART-
,MENT STORE MACHINERY.

work That Makes Them n Glass Apart
Opportunities to Rise or to Earn
steady Iiyelihood-The Discipline of the
store. LATHE Amusement for snlesgiris.
The calling Of salcsgirl attracts little interest
It lacks ricturcsqucucss. presents just one clear
sweep with few inequalities for the Imagination
f., catch on, and artist and romanccr alike steer
clear Il tho department store worker when seeking
nor feminine types TO idealizc The dairy
fine mrmakct the drcssmakcr's apprentice, the
,tarchcr and ironcr, even the Christmas card
,rrorator has been celebrated with happy effect,
hu, not the salcsgirl. She has had little glory.
and when a dramatst or fiction writer has probed
irt. the store world and taken heroine there
from he has had TO resort either 10 cNaggeration
-, 10 bnthus to make the work effective. The
,e,t machine of which tho salcsgiH is part is so
,cr,c,ily systcmatizcd that her individuality is
49,, in the general completeness and people are
mn, f., regard her as merely Of piece and pattern
with the other automatic workings
The snlrsgrl is always before the public
distinct factor in the general comfort and in close
tourh with household needs; yet her inside life
,,d the things that affect it, her motives, hopes
and b,rlucrugs are as much a sealed book 10
rr,.i folk, rs though she worked in some walled.
mn factory ~ some great compromising mill with
ont the rIty'S gates that the public never entered
The Stockholders name and personality are
I,,,,,r f., the pcoplc whose children she teaches
,rhc drrssmakcr often wins a distinct niche in the
estimation Of the people sho works for The
manicure the massage giVer, the hairdrcsscr,
the visiting millincr. all come TO have some cs-
t,hishcd identity with the people they serve.
The typewriter and the woman who works single
handed as clerk in u business office have this
Advantage also but the sacsgil works unmcn-
TONED and automatically from first TO last. in
many cases known to her immediate employers
only Inv number end recognized by the shops
customers only as her crVices ARE efficient or the
reverse
"rhc tall Young woman with the blonde hair.
who always served at this counter havcntsccn
her lately remarks the customer who has come
for corscts or gloves. or maybe cdging for the
cludrcn's aprons she looks inqulrngly at
the new sacsgirl who has waited upon her and
that young person answers laConlcaHy'
$40 She isn't here any more.
DlI the tall girl marry or was she dismissed?
did she leave because u better salary was offered
elsewhere or because Of illness? The customer
would like TO know The blonde had a nice way
with her was obi ling and agreeable. But
there is much press 4 business al that counter
The store is 81 big There are 50 many hundreds
al salcSgirls and tits nobody's business to answer
inquiries however we'll meant The customer
takes her change and package and departs, and
the dozen or more customers who miss the pleasant
salcsgrl and inquire for her find their interest
b )Cked in the same way.
"a large number Of girls apply for employ
mcnt as snlcswowcn who are never taken on or
who only keep the place short while, said the
assistant manager Of big department plant
"AgH has 10 10 have considerable grit 10 work
regularly as sacswoman. Not To mention the
fatigue and long hours, the employment is
practically a restriction on her life, for having
been on her feet all day, with certain wear and
tear on her nervous force. she cannot enter into
any late hour social diversions in the evening.
In this respect the sal, sl,irl Is in separate class
from any other working giflS in the city, and
wager that the large majority Of our girls
ar bed and asLcepa! 10 Z" clock Of every weekday
night in the year
I'VE engage u, probation nearly all the prom,
Using looking girls who apply. We have 10 keep
reserve stock on hNnd To- work at extra busy
times, take charge Of bargain tables and be ready
10 I'LL in the gaps when there is sickness or I'M
pI6yecs Every fair speaking moderately well.
appearing gin ANXIOUS for work can get il; but
drs the the wSy L" o" SG ssnsds
IN reporting for duty, mistakes in taking down
addresses Sol, or In pro" marks rGTrEssnrss IN N,
getting along with fellow workers all these fault,
ar. oyeriook.d e. least for q tins They can h'
the advice offered her by her superiurs in goOt
part she will in time, make well trained sales
never overlook, no matter what the explanation
and that is for girl To come here in the morning
smol Of liquor on her brcaih il she has beer
i'll or some one OF her household has been i'll, o
course m having been kept up At night w"ult
from dissipation, and the experienced Judge l.
seldom deceived Two, pretty, alert, promising
fault only last week. felt very sorry, and j
may have been m accident, az they, said but w
have found it wiser to make this rule incXorahle
D,ciplincin this respect must be observed and In,
girls watch each other like hawks, so that VI
could not be !enient with some no matter WIN
creating jealousy and Injecting one of thcs,
dismissed girls asked il she might get the plac,
back again later II she could show evidence Z"
leading quiet iifr, and W" will Civ" her another
,iiGI but hardly expect it TO be success. \
and although it is hard for her To have pleasure
at all or only sober, carly hour society, SUN bust
wiGing 10 make the sacrifice.
1T is no uncommon thing for girls TO sell goods
steadily for eight and ten wears, II they tax.
care IT themselves they retain their looks and
admit that We want them 10 be attractive, Just as
amy other Of the store appointments are attractiv,
como Of much more service than at first Many wht
marry unfortunately or who are widowed early
lnllte come back to tn" staff and n good many who
from having been used TO independence prefer ic
support themselves after atriage retain their Sl
untInS hay" got t. be famous Judge Of girls
and turn oil numbers Of them nttef very bric
interview Some lose the ChGnC" on account %
slovcnInrSS They either have never been laugh
III" Importance Of ncatncss or else have no am
hon in tho matter OF being neat They come al
dressed up Aith fcathcrs and furFeows and per
hapS have me forms and would be prepoSScsSinl
butfnr tn" lack II personal care. other applicants
speak too badly or are lacking in address, and il
requires some manncr faculty, even to sell cotton
riSng or whalchpnc Others SHOW a dlsagrcca
N" tempe plainly in their faces. or else they maxi
II very well understood that they do not intend 4
keep the position long. This kind one does not car
I" bother with Selling goods may not be n trade
exactly, but there il enough 10 learn about il Il
prevent our troubling with any unlikely or un
grateful beginners With the girls who nigh
d. IN the inferior departments II they were no
s1lgnyrant tell them plainly what tho matter is
and advise them TO 60 of and attend night schoo
or get pl u little polish before they undertake
TO UanSa't business with knowing people
| am called on to give many different sorts q
advice. ana sometimes | hear touching stories
salrSglh working satisfactorily in our suit dc
rarlmrnt spent all the money she he'd and Cou
get III ut IT, get footing in n stage career only +
md that she was untitled for it She hadn't tal
ent enough I" suit the best managers and Sh
was tpu me-" too particular for the hack wOr
IN Tn lower grade houses, she missed II al
round Now that she has got the stage bee on
OF her hnnn"t and given up aSpiratiu ul bcini
public vi i she makes an excellent Salcswoman
Another applicant was the widow Of wealth,
hwtulntni who uwnrd handsome house in th