The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-08-23

WHERE THEY ARE EMPLOYED AND WHAT THEY
rARN-pIgAsANT STORIES THE MOST CON-
osNIAI,--NoRMAL GRADUATES WHO LIKE TO
BE INDEPENDENT.
New York Journal.I
There are from 800 TO 500 girls in the city
who are type-writers, stenographers. or
copyists. They form. next to teachers and
ranked with teIegrap5crs, the most refined
and wcll-cducated class OF workingwomen
Almost every girl in this class OF work Is
well cducated-iar better than many q
Fifth.ayenue belIe-and their intelligent
faces, quiet, retiring manners, and lady
like dresses make them noticeable in the
busy thoroughfares Of downtown New
York. In several offices dozen or
more lady type-writers or copyists are
constantly engaged. A Journdtier visited
an Office in the Bennett building managed
by lady. She employs from fifteen to
twenty stenographers and type-writers, and
the place is much patroniZed by LAWYERS
and authors. The large, well-ventiated
rooms have an orderly, home-like appear
ance. No dusty piles OF papers or corners
filed with trash offend the eye. as In almost
all offices where men toll. In one window
is q growing vine; i'm another gray eat
was curled up, sleeping contentedly; while
the tables were occupied by bright, cheer.
ful-looking girls. The click, click OF the
typewriter was the only sound that broke
the stiffness. The whistle blew for II
O'Clock. A few OF the girls stirred and got
I'D 10 wash their hands at the dainty little
green basin, but several kept at their work
until they had finished some chapter, verse,
or sentence.
One OF the girls made tea, and the lunch
baskets were opened and the tempting little
sandwiches. cakes. and fruit began to dis
appear. IL Is queer to note that the best
class OF working-girIs are the only ones who
are not ashamed to carry lunch-baskets.
Girls who work in the shops or factories
try 10 conceal from strangers that they
WORK; so they double up their lunches in
little brown papers and hide them in peck.
cts made for the purpose.
"What kind OF work do you copy
most?" asked the JOurnaiier Of one young
lady.
"That obtained from lawyers and au-
thors," she said concisely.
(which is the most PLEASANT"
"Stories, OF course. All we girls like to
do the stories best, and we take turns. |
detest a lawyers case the first party OF
the second part. and the second party OF
the first part is awful stuff; l wonder
why the courts cannot Use plain English.
have TO do all that kind Of work mechani-
cally, and it is exceedingly tiresome. The
worst Of il is. you are so apt to skip line
or two, and that is considered an unpar-
donable crime here. We have to be exact.
That is our rule"
a hot Lind ~ ctnrinS do hoVp -
said tie JOuTnalier.
ooh" said another girl, "you ought to
see the story I'm copying now. 1t Is very
interesting. | want TO read it through be.
fore copy it; but ! haven't the time, and
then presume it would be dull work to
copy it,"
You combine business with pleasure,
very WE'LL" said the reporter.
"Yes, indeed" she replied. 81 used to
do type-writing in an Office on Wall street,
but disliked il very much. ] was the only
girl there, and sometimes the men in the
next room q had room TO myseli) would
forget was there, aud joke and smoke to-
bacc0 and make so much disagreeable
noise. should not have minded it bit il
| had had another girl with me; but some
times ! was frightened. They used TO
have boxing matches, and gossip ever so
much"
GLOW much do you make week."
"Well, never under Sc, and often SIS
and SIS. We girls here get salaries from
SO to Sl5 each, and our hours are from o
until O'Clock. We are not allowed to
talk except when necessary and at recess,
so we feel rs though we were in schoOl-at
least do"
There are several similar offices in the
city, but over two thirds of these girls are
employed in private offices, two or three in
each, and sometimes more or less. They
generally have their own typewriter, and
can command a position at almost any time.
is easy, and only requires
practice.
Most of these girls live in Brooklyn or
Jersey, and are generally the daughters Of
American parents.