Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-12-20

us Mr.. McRae in2'
81 am Mr.. McRae."
The inquisitor had climbed fight
Of stairs at No. 2i5 Broadway and
found himself in an unusually taste
fol and we'll kept Office, and the reply
TO his question came from between
lips that would make a cherry blush.
Looking up at him were a pair OF
blue, mischieyous eyes that sparkled
out from beneath a cloud Of wavy,
brown bangs and said, in eloquent
glances you think I'm .ehafrg you,
but I'm not. V. IL. MeRae Is Miss
McRae.
The Office floor was stained, and in
the center of it was a rich Turkish
druggett. On the walls were hung en-
graved studies from classic history,
aud across the center Of the apartment
was a damask curtain hung in heavy
folds from an oaken pole. Over the
warm, homelike hanging cloth came
click, click, click, now faint and
slow, like the evening song Of
cricket, aud now in great volumes and
loud and fast, as though whole army
Of the little Preside insects were bat.
Ting with Wagner opera. Between
ten aud fifteen neat and intelligent
looking maidens sat in the apartment
behind the curtains and were at work
With type writer's,
This is, indeed, new field for
women" said Miss McRae. This
Office is the agency Of the Remington
type writer, and | am manager Of it.
| keep ten or fifteen young ladies con
stantly busy. | am careful whom |
employ. want intelligent and high
ly moral young ladies, aud am trying
to elevate their position. This is
about the only business outside ofthe
school room aud the newspaper Office
in which a woman can engage and res
tain her social position free from COR
Eliminating influences"
The words of the young lady came
out business.like and promptly.
zone would naturally suppose that
the manager Of such a business as this
would be a man. Miss McRae."
IL know it. Every day receive
letters addressed to ". II. MeRae,
ESQ.,, aud Mr.. V. II. McRae, but
you see I'm woman, and I'm proud
Of it,"
You don't look like a type writer,
Miss McRae."
mo? Well, my father is Col. Nc,
Rae, Of North Carolina. He lost all
his property in the war and in the
panic Of %. Judge Walker, Of Mem
phis, a nephew Of President Polk, is
my brother-in>law. l made my debut
at the home Of Kate Chase Sprague,
and was giddy, young, firty girl in
those days, and never thought | would
have to work. was one OF the FIRST
to dance with the Grand Duke
Alexis"
When Miss McRae found herself
relating her family history she sudden
| ly bridled her tongue, and for some
moments was silent and occasionally
wiped away tear. To divert her at
tention from unhappy thoughts she
was asked what the type writer's make.
Young ladies make from S. to Sl5
per week, said Miss McRae. My
girls are all good workers, and write at
therate Of from sixty to seventy words
per minute, aud can duplicate eight
and ten copies at time"
when did you begin business?"
"Three years ago began with one
machine, aud now | hope very soon to
place a machine OF my own invention
on the market"
What is the cost Of type writer
"It.cost $l50,0O0 to get up the Rem
ington type writer, which sells at SlOO
retail.
One Of the young ladies from be-
hind the curtain came in at this mo-
ment and laid pile of type written
sheets on Miss McRae's desk. En-
bers otLove" were the words written
across the tow of the first page.
"What means thisY" was asked Of
Miss MoRae.
"Oh," said the merry eyed, but yet
business like young lazy, you needn't
be afraid. It's only a drama. We
often write plays. | wrote Elsa for
Maggie Mitchell, The American
King for James 0'Neill and The
Major for Harrigan & Hart. I'm not
an author, you know, but by writing
them | mean that | copied them with
q type writer"
'Do you work in the foreign Ian
guages2"
"Yes; French and Spanish. The
most of my early lie was spent abroad,
On one occasion, while my mother was
travelling with Governor John A. Dix's
party, we happened in at st. Peter &
at Rome. l was but baby, and SOL
der sat me on his epaulette 1t was a
feast Of some kind, and the Pope, when
he came down the church 10 q process
sion, placed his hand on me and bless
cd me. ="
ibid you ever realize any salutaIy
effect from the blessing2"
81 don't know. I've realized a sal,
utary effect from my business"
Miss McRae said that the type
writing business was the least te,
dious Of any occupation she knew, anC
that tho most of her work was for
lawyers, architects and railroad CONS
panies
Miss MoRae's father was once Con-
sui to Paris.
Hadn't Heard the News.
Camilla (GI.l Clarion.
From the following incident, which
I. M 40 ALI nnnnrrnd In Ahin nnrtnla