THE FRENCH SHOP GIRL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2809, 15 January 1908, Page 90

THE FRENCH SHOP GIRL.

By Constancb Clyde.

Shop life in France differs' materially from that of England, as there is lo "livirig-in" system. In the latter coun,-. try all drapers' establishments have their -boarding departments, where girls live aa the management directs, eat such food as the management thinks suitable, and obey harsh and sometimes xinnecessarily severe regulations. In Paris, however, this is hardly known. As a rule, the shop girl lives with her parents, as in the colonies, or occupies- a room in one ol the- compartment houses So Independent and astidious is she that she does not care even to eat her dinner in the" shop. OccasionAlly an establishment will open a dining TOoin fo* its '• hands," but e%en this is not much appreciated. Above all things, the French girl dislikes the idea of being condemned to eat certain dishes accordingto the day of the week. A.s a ?ule, therelore, the establishment contents itself with, setting apart a room with gas stoves, where, on payment .of a sou, mademoiselle may cook some little dainty of her own according to her "own liking. -' - Tn England the married shop girl -'a almost unknown, the beginning of the honeymoon being usually the end of indus-< trial life. The Frenchwoman of the wageearning classes has, however, 10 penchant! for being supported by her husband, andi as 9> consequence one finds- a large proportion of jeunes filles behind the counter entitled bo the prefix of madameC" French employers, unlike their British prototypes', encourage marriage among their em.ployees, desiring especially that their women hands shall remain with them as long as possible. Thus 1 several establish- ■ ments have instituted an old-age pension, which falls due to the women at 50, to the men at 55. The regular wage of th'<a French shop girl is never large, but fhia she does not mind, for she expects t» make three times as much by commission^ and frequently doei so. The most striking characteristic about! French shop life, however, lies in the teaching of languages. In England thd^ drapery establishment is merely a place of business ; in France it is in a sense- a school, a drawing room, almost a university as> wgll-. Here, free of cost, an enterprising girl may acquire every European language in turn, and possibly earn a gooo? holiday into the bargain. As readily as the English 'firm arranges meals and lodging does the French establishment provide teachers of languages, so that their assistante- may converse Teadily with foreign purchasers. Classes are formed, examinations are held, and every year prizes are awarded, the lucky " dux " " being given three months' free board and lodging im the country whose language she ,has acquir-ed. Here she perfects her accent, ■*nd, returning, spends ' the 'leisure, pf her next year in mastering another -tongue.; German, Spanish, Danish, Turkish, Polish, etc., not to mention the deaf and' dumb alphabet, are among the languages spoken in one department.- , Nor i 6 there .anyi superficiality of knowledge. The .young daughter of a blanchkseuse (washerwoman) — from whom I obtained these facts: — was only typical of many otners in her .fluent idiomatic English,- that bore scarcely, .a trace of accent. , V - 1 French shop girls come of a. classy somewhat lower than is usual in England, . where not infrequently jof lafe years .girls oi fairly good position have sought' a-Uving behind the counter. In Paris - the ' jeuhe fille of the magazin is" .often- a' daughter of the . poorest working families. Thanks, however, to the neces.sity for manners and .deportment, to tha 'institution of language classes, which occasionally include lessons in elocution, she makes a favourable impression, having the quiet, careful dressing and the ease of manner attributed generally to the grande dame. In" a sense she is a grande dan**, for she is content with her social position, and anxious only for the honours that are compatible with it. There is, of course, another side to the life of the French shop girl, and it ia one to which only slight allusions may be made That strictness of conduct which) in England is a matter of sex, in Franca is a question of rank alone. From the, daughter of a marquise the greatest conventionality is expected ; far otherwise ia it with a giTl of the people. There unconventionality is her conventionality.^ she is an ouvriere, and may lead her life as she pleases. Therefore, a love affair; tuat would make an English girl, whateveK ncr standing, an outcast alters ncr no whit in the opinion of those about her* A regular marriage is just as likely as ever, for her error is too common to -bci regarded as such. • J , •

— Timid, elderly lady passenger to very, pompous and short-tempered P. and O. captain, just before leaving Bombay: jr Will you. kindly tell me, sir, if we shall have fine weather all the way home?" Pompous Captain: Madam 1 , I would advise you togo and aek' the cook?" Lady Passenger:' "I beg your pardon; I thought you wer^ thft cook-"- SCableau*