The sun., 1903-10-18
HER FIRST VIEW OF AMERICA.
ROSY PROSPECT OF THE IMME-
GRANT SERVANT GIRL.
Even Though rriendless and Alsne She
Finds HePseif Upon Landing Csar
fronted with Rows OF WOuld-bo Ens-
plOyers--She Takes Time In Choosing.


Finds Herself Upon Landing Ger.
fronted with Rows OF w0uld-be Ens-
ployers-She Takes Time In Choosing.
Though more than 5000 immigrants arrive
daily at this port, the task Of procuring
domestic help from among them Is nos
easy. Those OF the women who aSe Ae-s
taken care Of by friends are brought by
missionar ries to the many immigrant homes
on State street and elsewhere to wait for
friends or employment
Housekeepers 60 to these homes II
desperation, with the idea that the inalni-
grant girl, though she will have to b hsoseA
in, is at least guileless. Thus many fruit
less journey has been made.
The housewife, weary from the servant
hant, comes beaming through the door,
like one who finds an oasis.
.I've come to- engage q girl, she says.
She gets her first setback when told to
come the next dsy-probably shes fron
Jersey-with a letter OF introductioa from
any we'll known business man.
And don't bring any letters from saloon
men or boa riding houses.' she is toh by the
matron at the ImmigrantS Labor Bureau.
More than that is demanded ut The Mis-
sion Of Our Lady Of the Rosary. In the
last two days forty-one girls have arrived
there, and vet before one can be hirai
Father Henry, who ia in charge. requires
q letter from some one personally known
to him. The letters run like this.
DEAR FATHER HENRY: This will introducs
fathers here. She belongs 70 one Of our.
best families. and is practtcaI CdtnoNc;
We do not, therefore. hesitate 70 reconm:nd
her to you IN the application shs Is MAKING
Trusting you are well. &c. ''
Even II she gets q letter, . woman of
unattractive appearance may fail TO 80
eirl. Every one Ia told that the society 10
for the protection Of the girls, ana shas
they will not be placed out proniscuoussy,
II they have to be kept year.
A correspondence ID kept up with %
many girls az possible who hnd employ
ment to learn how they fare. Reuntons
are also held at the homes and notes COM
pared.
What do you want to pay her. please,'
the applicant is asked.
4Oh, ought to get an immigrant girl as
$40 or 4l2 a month"; is the reply.
"You have come to the wrong place.
And the matron quietly resumes her work.
Nothing less than SIG month. she makes
1t rule to tell those who do not please her.
After two or three journeys have cleared
up the preIminaries, during which time
the girls are not to be seen, tho ssoond step
is to let the applicant have an interview
MARY, come out here and see how you
like the lady" 10 the way the matron
| states the matter.
Mary comes out and stares at everybody
confusedly, and the housewife, aheehed
at the usually comical apparitaon before
her, stares too. The matron comes TO the
sit down, Mary, and talk to the lady;
Now, Mary has q free home there until
she finds an employer to her liking. Ths
moving row Of housewives affords her An
entertaining sight. and the fact of hel
very self-important With the entranot
Of each new housekeeper Mary and . room
full Of other arrivals stand tiptoe to get I
glimpse, then retreat fndinerentiy into
corner.
in family having five dear little childrenf
asks the matron.
farther he window Window Fhs dis decide IL
Kathrinas turn to be IN exhibit, and the.
move toward the door to catch some o
the words. Kathrina comes back, wavinl
her hands from her head In highest disdain.
.Children! Fourteen dollars month
One afternoon of In week. Out Of tewni
aAoh, Gott i'm himmel, no, no, nav. no.
all cry In chorus.
aTm afraid my DEAR says the mAtrol
to the applicant, you must come anoshsl
day"
fhe girls are kept at the homes lonl
enough to get acquainted with the weyi
Of American life. They are not hurried
into employment, and are the best pro.
tected Of any working girls in the world
Servant hunters come to the wrong place II
they are counting upon the guilelessnesa
of the immigrant.