The Washington times., 1903-01-09
WASHINGTON WOMAN
BOON TO HOUSEWIVES
Opens Up Field for Labor With Possibilities for Others of Her Sex

Adverse circumstances have opened up
for a young society woman of Washing
ton what bids fair to be very remu-
nerative business. and fortunately Tor
others. there is comparatively no limit
to the field. This young woman, who
by the way, is an orphan, has become
q professional market woman That IS
70 say, she does the marketing for fami-
lies where the housewives do not care
to be bothered with it, or else whose
social duties are on such large scale
that they are glad TO have some one
share a part of the trouble no matter
what the cost,
In a large fashionable suburb q clever
young woman is making a splendid in
come for herself by professional market
ing. She deals with only the wau-to-
do families, but her idea may easily be
adapted 10 people in moderate eircum-
stances.
Suburbanites suffer inconvenience. of
which city folks never dream in lay
ing in their weekly supplies Of edibles.
The cost Of everything is invariably
more than city prices. nor is a good
selection always available. Marketing
in person takes up so much time; orders
are unreliable. and servants If iutTust-
ed with the marketing. VIII deal with
those shops which offer them the largest
commissions, and large accounts are
greatly to their profit. To be relieved
Of all this care and worry by having
ones marketing done by an expert is
q thing for which city housekeepers.
gladly pay
Markets Professionally.
The young woman who markets pro
fessionaIly does not work on commits
sion She charges each customer 50 per
week for her services. thus assuring
herself a steady income. Incidentally
she saves each of them more Than 50
each week on their bills.
She buys in the city and she accepts no
percentage from any OF the dealers,
thus holding herself independent of them
and winning the confidence Of her pa
irons At present she does the entire
marketing for twenty-eight families The
task is an arduOus- one. requiring con
slant vigilance, energy and watchfuI-
ness. When she is not buying provisions
she is haunting new shops, especially
those of the wholesale dealers along
Louisiana Avenue For. though she deals
principally with few men. she never
allows herself TO become dependent on
them. and is constantly on the lookout
Cor possible better sources of supply.
A simple calculation VIII show that
this young womsn's earnings are So
week. but this is not all profit She
spares no expense in saving her strength
and time, and catering 10 the con
veBience Of her customers To begin
with she supplies the ladies'. every now
and then. with a number Of stamped
envelopes with her name and address
printed on them, in which to mail their
orders TO her. Then, at least once in two
weeks. and sometimes oftener. she sends
each patron list Of game. fruit and
vegetables in season, and the market
prices Of these-at the time.
Orders Twice a Week.
The majority Of her orders reach her
twice week, on the evenings before
market days She has them sorted and
arranged systematically, and is down in
the city the next morning before the
market opens. Before her present Gus
tom was established the different fami-
lies sent their baskets 10 the city. as is
usual, and the young woman was obliged
10 see that these reached the right
butchers and farmers and were. packed
and returned TO the depot in time TO
catch certain trains. Now she avoids all
this trouble She deals in general with
two butchers, and as she has twenty
eight large orders to divide between
them twice week. they readily consent
TO send their wagons out Of town on
these days and deliver her orders in
their own baskets. No millionaire gets
the attention from the trades people
that this young woman does. but she
stands by while each order is filled. ex-