The Washington herald., 1914-07-19
BY ISABEL STEPHEN.

Copyright, 1914, By the Mcclure NewSpAper syndi
cAtel
Ever hear OF a groomer? Perhaps you
know of several under different titles,
srch as beauty specialist, hairdresser or
manicurist, and yet, while Mrs. Rose
Spevak is all of these things. not one OF
them fits the service which she performs
to the stenographers of the financial dis
trict OF New York City. Every foreigner
who has been guided through the tu-
multuous Wall and Broad streets during
the noon hour has remarked that the
New York business girl takes the prize
the world over for "chlcness'' and
grooming, and that is Just where Mrs.
Spevak comes in. for she is responsible
for the grooming of the Wall Street girl.
This clever young woman was born In
Vienna, and came over to America with
her people when she was a young girl.
She married an American. but her mar
ried life, though very happy. was a short
one, and she was suddenly left widow
with only a capital OF 500 in the world.
The energy and ambition OF American
girls always filled me with admiration" 4"
said Mrs. Spevak in the grooming par
lOrs at the top of a high building in
the Wall Street district. but / never
expected that circumstances would COM
pei me to join the ranks OF these busy
slider marriage the only career for a
woman, and when suddenly thrown on
my own resources looked around dazedly
among the many different careers open
for a woman.
Il had always taken great care OF my
own appearance. as do all young Vienese
women: and at last decided to make
money by taking care of other peoples
Now, whereas you can polish yourself
- 4.
IL you are TO go into the business pro-
fessionalIy. and so l attended a school
which taught hairdressing. manicuring.
and facial massage. This made a big hole
in my capital, and when my instructors
informed me that / was now equipped
with the sinews OF war necessary to con-
quer fortune I was in as much OF a
quandary as ever. They could give me
no advice as to the best location for
opening action nor tell me OF any one
who would pay for my services.
Manicure girls in hotels and barber
shops do not receive more than IS a week,
although ! believe in some OF the very
largest hotels 50 are paid. These girls
make big money, but this is done entirely
through receiving tips, and my whole
being revolted against accepting tips
Il decided TO start in business for my
self and looked about for a good loca-
definite work ! should do until one day I
heard of a young woman who had taken
position as manicurist in an ONCE
building downtown in partnership with a
barber. She attended to the needs OF men
only, as naturally a girl would not care
to go into a barber's shop. This at once
struck me as a good idea. Why shouldn't
go into an ofhce building and cater
exclusively to women?
asTha I af h. Nha
better it listened. and so after much
accommodating 1 discovered an office on
the ground floor of a building which had
an entrance on Broadway and one on a
business street which was devoted to
lawyers and bankers offices. The To-
cation was ideal and what was better
still the rent was only s35 a month. 1t
was in that office that / spent the hard
est time Of my career. 1t always takes
time to become known, and besides pay
ing my rent ! had to pay the INSTALL
ments on my different appliances. Those
l had bought on the installment plan,
paying so much every month The date
Of collection was always a nightmare to
me, for days passed without my taking
a cent in, and / sat and brooded over
the harshness of life.
II was determined to stick. however,
until / had given the business a years
trial. / knew it was no use trying to
10 my work in the small town where
lived, and from which I commuted every
DAY. for / knew every one there, and
hough they were very willing to help me |
Jut, a visit to their homes for profess |
sionaI purposes, very easily turned into |
/ social chat which lasted many hours |
md to earn fifty cents in this way was |
very slow work. |
"A friend of mine advised me to ad- |
Iertise which I did. 1 also had a large
number of cards neatly printed telling |
lust what services I offered. Those 1
circulated through the help of an old |
ramp who had come into the ONCE one |
lay begging. I could not pay him much |
o do the work for me, so I fitted him |
,ut in a decent suit 1 had at home, and
'ent him the rounds.
'"Out Of curiosity. perhaps. one or two |
;irls came in Before that when they /
lad wished to have a shampoo, manicure /
II facial massage, II had been necessary /
or them to take off some time from /
he ONCE, and journey up town, and /
was not long before they appreciated /
he convenience OF my parlor. After the
things went along humming-
y. There were no more lunchless and /
Iinnerless days and weary penniIess
ourneys home at night; the business
lad really started.
Now when girl gets an unexpected
out to dinner or the theatre.
nd she has not time to go home to
ress, she comes to my place. and after
he has rested, and had facial massage,
manicure and had her hair dressed she
eels like a new person, and ready to go
nywhere.
Tho meager instruction which I had /
eceived at school served only as a
oundation for the start. but as soon as
saw things were likely to succeed, I
ecided TO specialize In hair and scalp
reatment- With the purpose in view I
rent to the best specialist IN New York
nd offered him my labor during the day