Page:The Girl Who Earns Her Own Living (1909).djvu/183

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tears herself away from the turmoil of the social season or a mass of club work to have you undo the mischief of overwork, late hours, constant nervous effort, is not apt to be patient or easily pleased. You must be, above all things, restful and soothing, and this requires perfect physical strength, steady nerves, mental poise and tact.

In the matter of education, the requirements are not exacting—in truth, they are not as exacting as they should be, considering the fact that women place themselves and their appearance at your mercy. Every member of the human body is a delicate organ which you should handle with infinite care and conscientiousness. A knowledge of English, careful, accurate speech, these you should have, because your choice of language will betray to your customers your standing, and, to a certain extent, affect their confidence in you. Slang, bad grammar, and a high-pitched, unmusical voice will annoy women whom you may hope to count among your customers.

Before taking a practical course in any art of beautifying, study anatomy, and continue to study it so long as you follow the trade. You can never cease to learn about the human body, part of which you have undertaken to treat.

Massage, especially facial massage, is a line of work which makes legitimate appeal to the girl who wishes to learn a profitable trade; but