New-York tribune., 1909-03-07
AN HOURLY WORKER
n Trained Nurse Abandons Her
Profession for Variety's Sake.

what is your sister. the one who is tralnen
nurse doing now?" asked the girl of the old FRIEND
she hadn't seen in a long while. The last tliile
met Caroline she told me she was gong 10 resign
from her position as visiting nurse for Y ilos-
pital. because she couldn't stand working under
committee of women Months ago she told me sne
had done all the private nursing one mortal woman
could bear in a lifetime. What has she taken UP
poultry raising literature?
"She's doing hourly work." returned Caroline
sister 1T seems a very picayune occupation TO
me- but she's making money, and she says that for
the first time in years she feels herself her own
misress-not bound down to a case or an insutu-
ton"
What kind of hourly work is she dOlng? asked
the girl. in puzzled voice
Here is the card she's sending OUT" said Caro-
lines sister
On one side of the card was a and address
On the other side it announced that Miss -
offered her services by the hour: that she would
take care Of and amuse children act as guide for
shoppers and sightseers. read aloud to tnvalids'
chaperon young women to theatre or opera do sec
retarial work. etc, etc
she didn't take up the work. though; she hap
pened into it." explained Carolines sister. Or
G. mentioned to Caroline that a former patient
of his needed some one to stay with her oaoy Ger
tain evenings in the week; she and her husband
teach I'm a night school Caroline. who had Ieft
x Hospital offered herself She still takes
care Of that baby four evenings a week. from Z
o'clock to H. and is paid 81 50 Il time The baoy
sleeps all the evening she has nothing to do
but sit there and read.
Next Caroline heard Of a mother who wanted
her little boy to walk home from school was afraid
have him come home alone. and had no one to
send for him. She pays Caroline 81 time to
escort the child the fifteen blocks five afternoons
I'm the week Good price for just taking a walk;
Perhaps; but the mother is willing TO pay it be
cause Caroline is q trained nurse and knows so
much about children. But here's Caroline herself
She'll tell you about her stunts
The hourly worker had the flush OF WEAKNESS on
her brow. IT'S been a hard day." she explained.
after she had greeted the girl. This morning
gineered three suburban shoppers through five bar
gain fights is many department stores Need
I enlarge on my feelings? You see'-tO the girl
I'm an hourly worker-oh my sister told you?
Well I made SO this morning. This afternoon
I've been sending stock reports to a fnancier who's
laid UP with the goUt. I must get 10 him in the
morning His confded that he swOre
most offensive from tho time the paper was de-
livered till appeared.
Several times a week I read Browning TO
Browning devotee who has become blind-poor
woman. Tomorrow at noon go TO show a servant
less bride how 10 lay table for luncheon she IS
giving and to instruct her-she is very young-in
the details of serving Every bit of knowledge one
has comes handy in this work. I have a standing
commission take charming little girl who loves
pictures TO art exhibitions and occasionally TO the
Metropolitan Museum, and It makes it so much
more interesting that I've been TO Italy and can
tell her about the pictures 1 saw there
What else am I doing? Well. I'm teaching
bridge 10 a social climber. and twice week rub
the spine OF dear little crippled boy.
Yes it pays pretty we'll. this work I don't
have any regular price hour but charge accord
ing to the thing I do. or. perhaps. to the pocket
book Of the customer patron. client, whatever you
may call them. I find the variety Of life now
interesting after twelve straight years of nursing.
or course some weeks don't have much TO do
3 others and. consequently. don't make so good
an income BY taking it by and large I earn
enough It maynt be a dgnifed profession '--
Il should think not" calculated CarOlines sister.
But I'm not ambitious" finished Caroline tran
dtilIv I'm a hundrum person why should
I strive for career? Now I must go and take
nv little boy home from school GOodbyr'