Anna Louise Tittman Memoir - University of Illinois Springfield

Anna Tittm
I
Q. You told m that story earlier, but we weren't on tapq. You
tell it to again?
A. Yes. Well, Mr. Herndm was the proprietor, owner
the Hemdon's Dry Goods Store where I worked when I
old to fourteen years old. And at the age of
the store and said, "How old are you, little
And he said, "How long have you worked here?"
now.
Q. (chuckles) Very bri@tly and happily?
A. Yes, yes. And he never said another word to re. thought I was
sombody. I'd worked there two years. But another was not
Mr. Hemdm who told m; it was the bookkeeper when
PW*
Q. Oh, did yau?
I
A. Yes. Well, they had m? clerking. I was clerking at a big table, they'd
put by the f'mnt door and they" have five-cent hankerchiqfs there. ]Well,
anybody could sell a five-cent hankerchief, you know. Yo" catch as
they went out mstly. And then at Christmstinrt they had do work in the
basemnt where the children's toys were, clerking. I cdtt remmbe whether
I made out the sales slip. I don't believe I did there irl the base nt; I
don't think I did. I think I was a combination of cash @1 and I'd go up
the steps with the goods--althou& there were little wagow and carts and
so forth. You couldn't expect a cash girl to carry d m tlo the basement.
Q Did you get your raise? I
A. No. Oh, I got $1.25.
Q. Well, that Is a 25 percent Talse. (laughter)
A. Yes. (laughter)
I
Q. That's not very much mney though, and that was for a
you were paid for the week?
reek? That ' s what
A. Yes, oh, yes.
Q. How mch were the clerks making?
A. Five dollm and that was another reason why I quit.
I'll be a clerk someday." &, they were all nice young w
nice. A lot of men clerks were there; in the goods by tb
and the satins and the velvets. And I can see that count)
They were nice mn and not ki . They were, oh, up in th
'If I stayed here,
EL They were so
yard, the woolens
up there now.
.r forties and older.
Q. You mt've been the youn st employee. Don't youthi
littlest?
; you wwe the :.: