The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-07-21
titled GIRL Tolls
Alice LOrsnz Goes Out TO be a
Saleslady
TO SEE WHAT 1T IS LIKE
She Tells What Can't be Done
on $3.50 Per Week.

New York. July 2O.-AIIss Alice Lorenz,
whose mother is the Countess Korowska,
of Warsaw, Poland, lives the HE OF
saleswoman, and tells her experiences To
the Sunday World as follows:
I have lived the life OF shopgirl for
one week in New York City.
never before earned any money. and ]
did not seek a place because necessity
drove me to look for employment.
Like every other thinking woman. am
interested deeply in the problem which
each girl who must perfOrce earn her own
Iivlfhood has to solve when the hour ar
rives.
From time to time have read OF the
wonderful success Of young women Who
without friends or influence. strangers in
4 great city, and possessing only q Few
dollars, have achieved. Then have read
of the other side-cf the sweatshcDs, OF
the starvation and drudsery Of the fac
tory toilers, OF the hardships Of the shops.
StiIl I failed to get q real knowledge OF
the life OF the money-earning woman.
The condition Of the thousands Of wo-
men who are unemployed was the subject
of a conversation at friends luncheon
table a few weeks ago. A fashionable
young matron said airily: "I am sure It's
the women's fault. I'll wager any one of
US sitting at this table could go today TO
New York and get work within an hour'
at good wages, too"
well" I replied, 81 think I'll try 1t.
Come now, we ali talk very lsarnedly
about what we would do. No one OF US
ever has tried to put herself In the work
Ing girls place.
"Pn start as soon as I car borrow
clothes suitable for girl looking Tor
work, and the next time we see each other
I'll be able to tell you just what the
chances are for a woman to md work
without the aid Of experience or innu-
ence." The next morning l set forth.
All the way from the town where 1 re-
side had been patiently searching for ad-
vertisers who wished salesladies. To my
utter establishment I found but one such
advertisement in the two papers l had
bought. This was discouraging, but de-
tsrmined not to be baffied, but II neces-
sary to apply at every well-knOwn shop In
the city and fail to get work before giving
up.
NV first step in my pilgrimage was to
obtain an abiding place. I went to drug
store on Broadway. near Cortlandt street.
and found in the directory the address Of
a woman's Westinghouse at No. Riytng-
ton place. The Bowery has always been
fearful and wonderful street In my imagi-
nation, and when found that No. Riv-
ington place was only few doors from
that notorious thoroughfare my courage
began to ooZe. However. ] assumed a
holiness did not feel and marched into
the dark hallway OF the woman's lodging
house.
A pieasant-faced young woman met me.
and inquired for board. Yes. she would
be very glad to show me, and so we went
upstairs. In the front Of the house there
is a.Iarge front room known as Sitting
room"
Back Of this cherries sitting-room are
sort of cells which are called .he bed
rooms. There are also do.'m'to''es and
separate cubbyholes. called for some rea-
son or other single rooms. 1t was furi-
iously hot in these sleeping apartments.
The air was sitting. and could scarcely
breathe.
In the single rooms one can get nights
lodging for 20 cents. There are from ten
to a dozen beds in each dormitory, and
they are made up neatly.
My heart sank within me as I prepared
to engage a bed in the fifteen-cent dormi-
tory. Just as I was about to close ar
rangements I learned that they did not
serve meals there. 1 was very glad to
form an excuse for getting away. want
ed a room and board. said, and the
young lady gave me some addresses.
From the Rivington street place went
to No. 219 Second avenue. one OF the ad-
dresses given me by the young caretaker.
no. 2is Second avenue Is. ! should say. a
typical sixth-rate clearinghouse II usei
to be a mission house Of some sort and
was originally run on the joint philan-
thropy and business plan. which seems TO
be a popular combination for these board
lighthouses. but It has finally come TO be q
purely commercial scheme.
The house f. an imposing structure OF
brownstone, three stories and basement.
Were It not for the fre-escapes which
edorn its front II would present an aristo-
cratic appearance.
Comfortably. should say. II might
house a family Of eight. Fifty boarders.
the landlady told me. was about all she
could accommodate.
Yes. / could obtain board there II
wished It No. they didn't require a refer
ence. There were only two beds empty
now. 1 might have my choice between
these two beds.
How much Is bed with board?' 4
asked.
Three dollars and fifty cents q week 4"
/ said would take the bed Then de-
posted a dollar TO secure Il. and was
grateful TO be allowed TO place my heavy
satchel 10 my one-sixth OF a small closet.
Now for work First tried one Of the
big department stores. sought out the
superintendent and poured out my little
tale Of woe: was out Of work a stranger
In the city. my money very nearly gone !
could speak German and French fBently
and vas very. very eager for something
20 do.
Ny plea seemed only 70 irritate him. and
he requested me TO leave Immediately and |
said there was absolutely no chance for q
girl at that time OF the year IN the dry
goods shops. and that they kept one man |
busy refusing applicants. The reception /
net at this first shop was repeated az |
least twenty times. and on each Occoas4n /
vas told. politely o. otherwise. that ths 4
arm vas laying OF hands and had hun
1reds Of applicants always for every
vacancy.