Nowadays these buildings downtown are full of women.

At noontime Washington Street is crowded with girls who work in offices and shops.

They don't get much pay for it either.

Most of those girls would a lot rather work in an office or stand behind a counter than stay at home and help their mothers bake and scrub and wash and iron.

These same girls used to do just that,--help their mothers,--coming downtown about once a month, or when there was a circus procession, and having for company some young engine-wiper who took them to church or to a Thanksgiving matinee and who probably married them some day.