Page:The Girl Who Earns Her Own Living (1909).djvu/176

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shop. She can arrange her appointments, at least in a certain measure, to suit her personal convenience, so as to have time to manage her own household affairs if she happens to be married or have an invalid dependent upon her.

The girl who thinks she would like house-tohouse work must become a first-class manicurist, for she will appeal to the most fastidious trade. If she lives in a large city, she should take private lessons from the best manicurist whose teaching services are available. These lessons will cost her at least two dollars each, and if she practices earnestly between lessons on her own hands and those of her family circle or intimate friends, six lessons will be sufficient. This statement is made on the authority of a thorough and successful manicurist in New York City, who has trained at least a dozen girls for the work. She insists that a girl who cannot master the theory of the trade in six lessons, one a week, and become moderately proficient in the same length of time through honest practice, is not suited to the work and never will succeed.

As soon as the worker feels sure of her own ability, she solicits trade. This may be done by sending out neatly-printed cards or circulars, giving home address and telephone. A telephone is essential to the success of a house-to-house worker. These may be distributed in