The Washington herald., 1914-03-19
THE GIRL IN THE STORE.
by EMORY >. HAYNES.

| ih'Nh SsoiS- IL udu W Ut. II "ds
Question of food and shelter for hei
mother and a paralyzed father. Wher
the great business finally broke some.
thing snapped in the rich mans brain
So they who had been rich became poor
1t was possible promptly to secure fol
the daughter this employment. Since
then it has been possible to know how
it seems, for in a truthful. frank wa,
she tells old friends much and man,
things about the life of an employe in
a big, fashionable department store.
High spirited. unusually intelligent
by one big wrench she set her life ro
accord cheerfully with the alarm clock
Up. dressed, breakfasted, and with a
smile and kiss, away.
"It is my duty now," she said What's
the use of repining? After l had said
that TO myself a few mornings the
worst was over. | actually began to en-
Joy the work, the conscious errand in
life. No one need pity me. 1t is hap
piness to be useful"
Well, this sort of talk is refreshing
1t puts some social questions in a new
light, does it not? Yet this is actually
the way a vigorous, sensible girl talks.
She who, probably, two years ago, slept
till 10 o'clock in the morning, had a
maid or two TO dress her and then
breakfasted in her own room.
"My task was intelligently adapted to
me. 1t was not haphazard labor, but
with a skillful judgment of me, what
sort OF a girl / was, the management
utilized me- 1t is what can do we'll and
learn to do better and better. They dis
covered me, which is more than | could
have said of myself. But | know
earn my wages and earn them money.
| am treated as any other valuable ma
chine would be. | am taken care OF, as
good machine would be. can see
all that and it pleases me. So | try
to take care of myself. What is it they
say about efficiency and conservation so
much nowadays: Behold me, am con-
servation. | am efficiency"
Really. now. it provokes your laugh
ter to hear this modest. brave, useful
handsome young girl talk and reassure
the nervous mother and trembling
father. Then she goes on to tell the
unvarnished truth" about rest rooms and
matrons Of care and a score OF appli-
ances to make for the young woman's
welfare in the big store that | never
dreamed OF.
Most of us men, lawyers. doctors,
writers, would thank Our stars if one
quarter of the care, to help us do our
very best. were exercised by any one.
This young woman misses the open
air. But so she used to languish at the
society ball at } o'clock in the morning.
She misses the society young men, but
that is no great miss. What emptiness
was in the conversations in comparison
with the clean-cut business words of
the business men, managers whom we
now meet, and they are off about busi-
ness in a moment. They are never
bores."
She exchanges greetings with former
social friends who recognize her from
the other side of the counter. the side
where she herself used to futter her
costly feathers with her money-spending
mother. But she carries herself with
the kindly grace OF the business woman
that she is.
She is a part of great store with
a famous name, and she claims some
what of its honor. She has nothing of
which to be ashamed, hut much. rather,
to be proud of. She is doing things
She has been promoted. She will be
promoted again. She has career. All
the young butterflies OF Vanity Fair
might envy her. And the facts undoubt-
edly are that the majority of the So
ciety butterflies have also the stuff in |
them, if stern need should awaken them,
to do as sensibly as she. When you take
this view of the American society girl. |
it almost seems a pity that the kindly
Calamity should not awaken and i'll
spire them also.
Does it not depend on the store, and
on the girl? There arc, indeed, stores
whose atmosphere is low grade, whose
merchants themselves cherish sordid
aims, whose practice is unfair. 1t is a
misfortune to be employed there. But
there are stores and factories of the
higher ideals. The merchant is manly.
MS pride is in the whole institution. His
happiness is in the orderly development
If his great foundation. precisely as if
le were the president of college. He
1ss put his very life and soul into his
The employe people
loon catch his spirit. Certainly this is
Is true of store or a manufactory as