The Employments of Women: A Cyclopædia of Woman's WorkPenny, Virginia
General
The Employments of Women: A Cyclopædia of Woman's Work
Penny, Virginia
Women -- Employment
to eat candies, because it makes them thirsty; but in those
confectioneries where soda water and lager beer are kept, there is more
or less custom during the summer. They keep open till ten o'clock at
night, and all day Sunday. Sunday is their most profitable day. She
knows a girl that is paid $5 a month in the Bowery, with her board, or
$7 without. To be kind and obliging, and have the faculty of pleasing
the little folks, are the best qualifications for the business. Prices
paid depend on the responsibility of the employed. Some that keep the
books receive $5 a week without board, most others receive $1.50 or
$1.75 per week and board. Judgment must be used in the selection of a
stand. A lady who keeps a small confectionery and fruit store in
Williamsburg, says she does not make much on cakes and bread, only half
a cent on a loaf of bread. She says it is best not to trust any one for
pay--that children often come and say they want so and so, their mother
says she will pay on Saturday; but Saturday comes, and no pay; and if
they go for the money, the parents will say, "Come again," and put it
off from time to time, until they become discouraged, and give it up
altogether. M--s, French confectionery and chocolate cream
manufacturers, take learners at the proper season, which commences in
August. They employ some girls to paint fancy candies. H. says one must
commence at the very first step, and gradually advance--that to learn
the business requires a long time. He pays four girls $5 or $6 a month
each, and gives them their board, for selling confectioneries and
waiting in his saloon. At S----'s confectionery I was told that the
small fine candies are made by steam. They are made in pans, which are
shaken back and forth over fires, the gas of which is very injurious,
and cannot be carried off by flues. Their girls make so much noise,
laughing and talking with the men, and waste so much time, that they are
required to work on the first floor, the same as the store. They are
paid from $1.50 to $2 a week. They are paid by the week, because they do
their work better than if paid by the quantity; besides, it is less
troublesome. They are paid for overwork (regular hours being ten), and
some earn as much in that way as by regular wages. The girls pick gums,
separate gum drops, put candy in boxes, &c. C. employs girls to paint,
put up candies, and attend store, and pays $1.50 and $2 a week. Most of
the painting is done by French and German men, who are paid from $10 to
$12 a week. It requires a long time to acquire taste and experience;
one, in fact, can be always improving. C. thinks girls are not likely to
find constant employment in the kind of work he gives to females. A
French confectioner told me he had employed a woman to make chocolate
cream, paying $3 a week for ten hours a day, and could employ her all
the year, as the demand for chocolate cream is very great. S. employed
one girl to sell candy, paying $5 a week. She was at the store at 7.30
A.
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