Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-06-04
THE PARIS wORKGIRL.
She In Frivolous but Harmless. Labor
iOus and Much MaliEned.

houS anu Ibkhcus
Paris Correspondence London Globe.
A great feature of Partisan life Is the
workgirl, that bright, dainty, neat and in
dustrious type of womanhood. Early In the
morning. when the shop boys are cleaning
the shop windows, an operation which Is
performed very much earlier here than in
London. and when they. the scavengers
and the policemen are the only folk abroad,
the girls may be seen in their hundreds
tripping down from the heights of Mont
marie or from Clichy or from Grenel!e into
| the heart of Paris. Few are pretty. though
one occasionally sees a beauty. Most are
piQuant. and all are not only neat but chic
as well. They have their fashions just as
richer women have theirs. and each season
most of the girls wear very much the same
sort of thing. particularly in the way of
headgear. More often than not their gowns
are black, and they have something white
at the throat and bunch of violets tucked
into the bodice. They walk in groups and
giggle and laugh as they trudge along the
weary miles that lead them to their hard
days work At IL o'clock the luncheon
hour, they pour out into the Rue de la
Paix. the Rue de Rivoli and the surround
ing streets, and this time they hatless.
They have splendid hair. black, red, au-
burn, all the varieties. Neary all have
quantities of 1t. have all Partisan wo-
men of the lower classes. who rarely wear
hats and it is always exquisitely dressed.
The dejeuner Is a rule a meager one. L
know of one workrooTn. belonging. by the
way. to an English hnase which is supple
mented by kitchen, where the girls may.
cook something for themselves. There may
be others of this kind, but 1t is not usual,
and as rule 1t is a question either of be-
ing limited to cold viands brought In the
morning going to ''cremerie" or a
"marchand de Wins" At either of these
places a small but dainty lunch may be pro-
cured for little more than a franc; though.
IN no rQnraSpntS a
large slice out of the earnings Of the ele-
CANT little "trottin." Five francs a day is
an excellent wage. and a woman must be
a skilled workwoman to get that In very
exceptional circumstances she may get
more, but hundreds of girls work for IF,
SIC. nor 81 a day. Out of that they must
feed,<.,r. we say here. 'nourish'' them
selves. clothe themselves pay for omn1-
busses wet days and for sleeping ac-
commodation. if they do not happen to live
with their family.
Yet with all this they form one of the
most patient. laborious and altogether adj
mrable classes, though one of the most
traduced. The vicious workgirl. out Of
whom certain Partisan caricaturists have
made so much capital exists. indeed, but
to very limited extent. And this is all
the more extraordinary when one realizes
how much temptation falls in the way of
any really pretty workgirl. A pathetic in
cident in this connection came under my
notice just two years ago. My concierge,
who l believe. enjoys some reputation as
a hostess in the quarter. happened to be
entertaining friends as 1 stopped to in
qure for letters. AS soon as / entered the
"loge." which was. by the way, deliciously
redoient of onion soup, Mrs Concierge and
A tall. handsome brunette rose, while Mr..
Concierge and the daughter of the house
continued to imbbe the Sayory mess be-
fore them. ALLOW me to present to YOU,
said my concierge-she is great on presenta-
lions, Mile. NJ. She is the daughter of the
gentleman next door who makes chairs.
iS drPSSuaakpr hut. being of
work. would like some linen to mend; so as
/ heard from Mime. Melanie that she re-
quired some assistance 1 take the liberty of
introducing her." The young lady was duly
engaged and spent three weeks mending
linen during which time she made to the
good Melanie condolences which were duly
repeated to me- She had been Tor three
years in a workroom In the Rue de Rivolt.
making gowns for duchesses and actresses.
"Oh. what lovely gowns!' at salary of 81.
a day. Sometimes they worked overtime.
and when she did and she must return
| home after nightfall, her father came to
fetch her when he was sober. He was not
always =. however. and Of late she had
been obi to walk home alone. For eight
nights an individual had followed her, and
then. being frightened. she had left her
place A few days later her parent. being
by chance sober. she had gone with him
and with her mother to a music hall. where
the same individual had made his appear
ance and been presented by a fellow work
girl who was among the audience. Seeing
her impressed by his opportunities, the
excellent Melanie gave her good advice. but
whether she would have profited by it or
not one never had any opportunity of find
| ing out for she died quite suddenly few
days later. Her sister. who was Of less
scrupulous disposition and had for some
years been alienated from the family, came
with much loud weeping to break the news
and to ask for the wherewithal to buy
the mourning. which was accorded. But as
she appeared. still sobbing at the funeral
in q Sky-blue garment there is reason to
suppose that the money was devoted to
another purpose The whole affair was a
revelation of the Inducements of Partisan
life.