Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-12-12
WOMEN AND THEIR WORK.
Some Queer Ways of Earning a LIv-
ing I'm New York.


From the New York Evening Post
In great city like New York, where the
struggle for existence is so keen. there is
an extraordinary diversity of OCCUPATION
among women who must depend upon their
own exertion. Competition in the mora
common employments is so intense that
many strange makeshifts are resorted to
and much ingenuity shown in efforts to turn
a more or less honest penny.
There are women who are paid to sit
patiently in doctors reception rooms
awaiting their turn for an audience IL is
not hard work. The dummy sits there in
the pleasantly heated room and looks over
the magazines designed for the entertain
nent of patients or talks to any patients
who chance to come in. When her turn at
consultation comes she enters and later
passes out through the street door But the
next Gay, perhaps the same afternoon dur
ing Office hours, she is on hand again The
physician who engages her believes that
Unto him that hat shall be given" No
body patronizes the doctor who has no
patients. If the dummy patient can arrive
and depart from the physicians quarters
IN carriage, and If she has the appoint
hents OF a woman in comfortable or lux
udlous circumstances much the better
A different kind of special work is that
OF the woman engaged by the complexion
specialist to submit to examination by pros
pective customers and show her face as an
example OF conditions before and after
using the remedies. The qualification re-
quired for this business is patient sub
mission TO whatever process her face OF
haEdS or neck is subjected to. There are some
nfty such dummies employed in New York
Women act as examples of hair colorers
ana, IN one moneymaking establishment
where noses, ears, mouths and other facial
characteristics are altered to order the
dummy plays an important part-she is
the person who has been cured of some
blenish.
Two 81,
are employed several evenings in the month
by music teacher and voice trainer TO
represent the successful pupils who have
been trained by her particular method m
teaching. physical culture professor en-
cages similar pupils for his morning ana
evening classes. They receive money each
term instead of paying fees and their mis-
sion Is to Keep things lively and progres-
slVe ana present high standard of physical
perfection gained from the practice of gym
nastics and health culture as prescribed by
the professor. ~
The dummy has become AN important fig
ure in commercial transactions, II migh,
not seem that there was any chance for bar
IN the discarded and refurbshed clothes
trade, but astute dea 'ers make use of nor
"A lady suddenly called into monrninf has
some exceptionally well-cut evening gowns
ana wraps to dispose of at less than half
p i me notice in the for sale" col
umns, and the address subioined is an
apartment in such fashionable neighbor-
hooo that women are induced TO go and see
me nature of the wonderful bargains The
dummy does not display the imported
gowns herself. She is only caught sight OF
between the opening and closing of cur
tafns or out on the landing comforting with
ner advisers. Sometimes she will try on a
pohnet or gown to show how well ii looks
out not often. She is paid by the discarded
or misht clothes dealers to cast a gIarnof
over otherwise prosaic dealings. Coats,
gowns. nantes, fans, parasols and bonsets
even evening slippers and choice hair orna-
mehts, sell TO much better advantage when
a havor Of eNclusiveness attaches 10 fhero
The street and evening garments that the
dummy acts as sponsor for are garnered
1t is presumed. in the usual way from neo,
pie who are tired of them and who want 10
get others They are remodeled ciaa.aS
1urnshed with fresh buttons ana ribhons
mace saiable and as much like new as nos.
81 aiio the dummy is sent for to nose
'io'nes al once and at extremely low prices.