Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 4.djvu/757

 IIVO IVEEKS IN DEPARTMENT STORES 717

My earnings for the first week have already been presented, and those of the second are here given :

Salary ?4-oo

Commission on sales '-53

Supper money i.oo

Total S7-33

Less fines ' 4o

Week's wages §6.93

My expenses for the week were as given below :

Board ^2-50

Car fare, 6 days, @ loc. 60

Lunch, 4 days, ©150. 60

" 2 days, @ IOC. 20

Supper, 6 days, @ 25c. i-5o

Paper, 3 days, @ 2c. 06

Stamps °4

Toy dog for cook's baby - 11

Bananas' '°

Witch hazel 10

Chewing gum ^ 06

Laundry 18

S6.05

Thus my balance was eighty-eight cents. One girl at the home had only two cents left when her bills were paid. And she it was who said in answer to someone's expressed wish one night that "tomorrow would be Sunday": "I wish there wouldn't be any tomorrow." So many times they were overcome by the utter hopelessness of the future. They have to grapple with the wages problem in a most practical way.

It is true that the present rate of women's wages has been brought about by forces over which the public has or can have but little control ; yet it is equally true that a conscientious investigation of the whole subject in this city could not be value-

I These were unavoidable owing to the crowds of employes using the elevators, and the shortness of the time allowed for meals.

' For a " treat."

3 This investment was to enable me to respond affirmatively to the oft-repeated question : " Got any chewin's on you ? "