The times., 1899-04-09

ployes, and to treat them well. came from
a farm up the country and was fortunate
in getting this position through a girl
friend who used to live near my home
Harriet and l share room together in a
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 furnished
and has a large window. We pay So per
week for it. We might save little by liv-
ing away up town. This saving, however,
would go in trolley car fares
We get up promptly at a quarter before
seven each morning, and at once start TO
make coffee on little oil stove that also
helps to heat the room in very cold wealth
er, at other times we are careful not to
use teaspoonful of kerosene when 1t can
be helped. By the time We are dressed
the coffee is ready, and We always have
can OF condensed milk and a 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 to oatmeal, but not often.
When half-past seven comes we start for
the store and must be upstairs back of
the counter ready for customers the min
ute the clock strikes eight; for then the
doors are thrown open, and early shoppers
are sure to come.
From that time on until lunch it is
steady hustle, unless the weather is
stormy. My employer has provided plenty
of little chairs, that may be swung under
the counters when not in use, but as
matter of fact they are not much account.
The business in every part of the store is
enormous. and we get little time TO sit
down and rest.
/ am always ready to quit work when
lunch time comes, at 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 II 80 until 80, and
each one of us has full hour. too. My en-
ployer realizes that 1000 employees, whose
nerves are on constant strain, must have
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 sub
stantial stuff. For cent can get cup
of good coffee or tea. Two slices of bread
and butter cost ! cent. Meat sandwiches
are cents q dish, and other things
in proportion. ! never yet have been able
to eat 10 cents worth. This sounds CHEAP
and IL is, but the house furnishes every
| thing at cost, and in order TO cater to
thousand people day 1t buys everything
in very large quantities.
After lunch have about forty minutes
to talk or read magazines that are provided
for us, or to exercise in the recreation
room, but in fine weather / always try to
far Of
During the afternoon we get awfully
tired, and at six o'clock Harriet and / go
downstairs for our hats and coats, and
leave the store. AS a rule we don't saw
much on our way to dinner in a nice
little restaurant near by. 1t is not until
we have swallowed our hot soup that we
want to talk, even TO each other The din
ner consists of soup, meat, two vegetables,
bread and butter, and pudding, all for 25
cents.
Sometimes we don't eat dinner, but 20
home and have coffee and bread in our own
room, and save about 20 cents 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 a 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 s15O
per week; laundry 25 cents; breakfasts and
luncheons, 10 cents: dinners, on an aver
age, $3.50. That leaves, out of Sc per week,
just 81 for clothing, charity, amusements, a
penny paper every day, and money to send
home. ! am thankful to say | can send
home usually $3.50 month. which helps
wonderfully, although l am sure don't
know how ! manage TO do II. Oh, yes;
belong to a sick benefit society, managed
by the store, and Is cents Is deducted by
the cashier every month from my wages
in order to pay the dues.
Naturally we all expect to marry some
time. and the store experience is usually
looked on as temporary makes shift. And
as matter OF fact most girl clerks do
marry. Perhaps that is one reason why
they are not paid as well as the men.