New-York tribune., 1906-12-09
r GATHERINGS DAY.
r., Uay Young Partisan Girls
Celebrate 1t.
Paris. November q.

Therefore. in all establishments in
~ ~ 1i-ls are employed that particular saint
'| ,-,ear vogue, and her festival is celebrated
- special honors.
- year the day fell on Sunday. and the
--,+.on was. therefore. held on the eve OF
s.v-that IS. on Saturday. At just the hour
~ r,snch law calls for all workrooms to be
va great animation prevailed this oath Of
-,be- Electric lights blazed regardless OF
&C v-ork was hastily cleared away, the
-. made q hasty toilet. and soon the large
- -oor,. In which some thousands Of young
-. =, daily sewing or the smart frocks which
= .be rride Of the capital wore festive air
.s,rs the chatter OF the girls, who rich''- de-
=. .beir nickname OF 'linnets' Mimi Pinson
:. .hs name bestowed by the Pa-isians on these
-, sinc. Alfred de Musset wrote his charming
- known by that title), there was heard the
,ss of popping champagne corks' and soon
,sssss of the foanling wine were handed round,
s.rk.d with sweet biscuits, and the little feast
-, The open windows looking on the Rue
;. ls Paix, the Rue St Honore and the Rue
-. csnpcines. IN which most OF the leading
s,.ssraaking firms have their work premises.
.novsd echoes Of laughter and fragments OF
.,ss-s 70 float out into the streets. and the
.r,--e- Was unusually hilarious for the hour
,bs, the little tete lasted
Now. s.. Catherine is ar unmarried saint.
:, bv no means follows. however. that the young
80 who annually 90 her homage by making
r.- feast ST excuse for gay little champagne
.vnper intend 10 initiate her example, and don
,hs ran OF spinsterhood. On the contrary. while
,pnliur their glasses with great good viii the
,-s have their mental eye fixed on some real
:, in,aginery hance who viii save them from
,r,h doom And most of them are saving out
:, their earnings toward their dowry
tn. Paris workgirls on whom the success Of
,bs wonderful creations OF the Rue de Ia Paix
largely depends make their way up the ladder
nv well defined grades. They enter the work
,oor, on leaving school. generally IN their thir-
,.euth wear, as apprentices. paying q premium,
large o. small, as the case may be, and
fsying one franc, or about 20 cents. q day for
fheir work A girl who shows any sign Of talent
may s11n pass into the stage OF young hand"
md viii then be trusted TO overcast seams, sew
n v-haiebones, and rhe like simple parts OF the
rgrsteries q dressmaking. In this stage she
viii earn a wage rising by 3 cents ct the time
10 as much Is 70 cents q day. II is these
'voung hands who may be seen at noon in
their hundreds pouring out into the streets near
The tall Tendorne column bareheaded but neat,
in search OF luncheon and a r1outhful OF fresh
IE
From this stage the young girl blossoms out
lAto q "workwonan." She is now considered
fully capable OF undertaking any part Of a dress.
but in practice the girls mostly specialize, and
become sleeve hands. skirt hands and the like
Their wages are now as much as francs q
6sy-z dollar-and they can afford TO save seri-
ously. Formerly, or any Sunday in the year,
sou might have seen the vorkwomen Of Paris
making their way 10 the postoflces 90 place
their small weekly deposit IN the savings banks.
The neE Sunday Rest act has stopped this par
tcuar Sunday errand, but mindful Of its re-
sponsiblties the government purposes TO estab-
lsh money box IN which the coins can be
temporarily deposited on Sundays and the busi-
hess Of registering and entering in the little
boaks done on Monday il the noon hour.
Very many girls stop at the point OF work
women, setting up for themselves, perhaps. and
making q little connection Of their own. II
they remain in the large and wealthy firm in
which they Vere trained and show signs OF
talent. however, they may go on TO be seconds"
when they viii be given charge Of table full Of
hands Such 'seconds' get wage Of s. a day,
and this stage is the beginning OF affiuence
The first hands" may make almost anything,
AID there is great competition among firms to
obtain q good first ha1i" who has become
famous tor taste and skin.
There Is one drawback to these favored won-
ems positions however. and that rises from the
tact that, being paid by the day, they are liable
10 sudden ana uuweIcome holidays in slack sea-
t'ns, and, moreover. every public holiday is a
!qss n them. With the exception OF the aP-
lTentices al women and gtrls employed in the
cressnakinE esta bIlshments OF Paris, provide
'her own food ana lodgings and IL the early
'ears ot hef life II Is extraordinary how cheap
F Mimi Pinsou' lives In proportion. she
spends more Oh her clothes than on her food:
yet taken a class. IL must be said that the
Paris workgirl compares very favorably with
The same class IN other large cities OF the Con-
rnent She has q we'll nourished look, in gen
fisl which q close inspection Of her luncheon
VII hardly warrant Many Of her like viii
content themselves with their large crisp roll
+" bread which IS only twOpence a pound in
Paris and very sweet and good, a piece Of
saIsase cents worth Of hot fried potatoes.
ana perhaps a lew radshes or an apple. When
us has been disposed Of the girls win turn
in 10 one Of The coffee bars and take q cup OF
'l'. black coffee. for which they viii pay one
Penny Later Iu the afternoon she VIII eat an
'heT large piece Of fresh white bread and a
small cake ol chocolate and 90 home 10 hot
--I-r a. night when the long days work is
over The hours are generally from o'clock
'- me morning 20 : O'Clock at night, or later
90 -!i'es of stress. with an hour for luncheon
a"a few minutes for the little afternoon re-
'EsshInenis
an enort has been made 10 provide Mimi Pin
~ With more noUrishing food al her own
+-'es 81 putting Up free kitchens where she
an cook her llttle outlet for herself and eschew
's cold sausage. The movement is only IN its
NANCY as yet, however. and the bulk Of the
tlS s'll. eat their luncheon az hey stroll arm
= am Up and down the streets near their work
''-s. Npt many champagne feasts come their
s'' AL the more reason why ST. Catherine