“The constant supervision of the shop walker, the patience and politeness to be shown to the most trying customers, the difficulty of telling the truth about the goods without incurring the displeasure of the managers, the long standing, the close atmosphere even in well-ventilated shops when crowded with customers, the short time for meals, the care required to keep things in their right places and to make out accounts correctly, the long evenings with gaslight, and the liability to dismissal without warning or explained reason, all tend to render the occupation of the shop assistants most trying to the nerves and injurious to health.” And she adds: “It is a significant fact that whereas large numbers of factory girls cannot be prevailed upon to give up their factory work after marriage, the majority of shop assistants look upon marriage as their one hope of relief, and would, as one girl expressed it, ‘marry anybody to get out of the drapery business.’” CHAPTER III. _WOMEN AND TRADE UNIONS._ No existing combination outside Manual Labour--Beginning of Unionism among women--Emma Paterson--Sketch of her life--She advocates combination--Conference--Women’s Protective and Provident League, formed 1874--First Women’s Union, Bookbinders, 1874--Approval of Trades Congress, 1874--Women Delegates to Congress, 1875--Other Unions formed up to 1879--Army Clothing Factory--Liverpool Tailoresses--Nailmakers--_Women’s Union Journal_--Death of Mrs. Paterson, 1886--The Match Girls’ Strike, 1889--Public Sympathy--New Organisations--Unionism in the Provinces--Mixed Unions--Tours undertaken by League Officials--Method of Proceeding--Difficulties of Unionism--Fines and deductions--Attitude of Men’s Unions--Increased Support--Established results and Future Prospects--Factory and Home-work--Working for Pocket-money--Foreign Competition--“Consumers’ League”--Self Help--_Directory of Women’s Unions._