Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1886-12-20
A FASHION WRITER.
THE STORY TOLD BY A PRs-EM-
iNENTLY SUCCESSFUL WOMAN.

iNENTLY SUCCESSFUL WOMAN.
A Rigid Di>ripIinsrian in the Command
Of Her Own Forces of Mind-The Be
ginning Of q Business Career-Wa ages
OF Writers.
lam blessed with the acquaintance of a
woman who makes a better income than
hundreds of lawyers doctors or business men,
and simply by scratching her clever pen. She
Is pre-eminently Il successful woman. Young,
interesting, bright as gold coin fresh from
the die with face no man will ever forget
If be talks TO her ten minutes, and with all
her triumphs still preserving that intangible
touch Of femlninity without which woman
hood has no charm. Men whose names are
familiar As writers speak Of her as one Of
themselves. She is a bonne camarade with
out the taint of bohemianism She neither
cuts her brown hair short nor her gowns
ScaDt. She a woman Of society, whose &C
quaintance Is favor To the man upon whom
she bestOws it. There Is not the faintest sug-
gestion of the blue stocking either in her man
ner, dress or conversation. Purely, sweetly
completely, she Is a woman, with all the
tenderness, the helplessness, the wiIlfulness Of
womanhOod. Yet when business claims her
attention there is no more rigid disciplinarian
than this woman in the command of her own
forces Of mind and BRAIN and character She
Is woman who writes, whom everybody
reads, and who does her work well and con
scientiously.
EARNING LIVING.
She received her visitor in an apartment
which appeared to hesitate in deciding
whether to become a boudoir or a reception
room. A slender, graceful girlish figure,
great eyes that fasten you with their intsn-
sity. pure complexion, white with a stu
dents pallor, and the smallest of kid boots
peeping from under the hem of tailor made
gown. The charm was in listening 20 her,
for there was music i'll the cadences of her
voice.
VIII l tell how began to writei With
pleasure
"Whenr
Just six years ago, without any previous
training or experience, l suddenly found that
| would have to earn my living, and deter
mined to make every effort to succeed !
had no Recommendations or introductions,
but went to the head Of large publishing
establishment, and applied for something to
do. was asked all sorts of questions
Could l write snythingi And as it was the
only specimen Of my composition available,
| produced letter had written Il was de
cided to give me an opportunity, and then
the question Of salary was discussed 1t was
settled that was to get $40 a week Ny
hours were 10 be from a. M to p. n, and
| had one hour for luncheon
The first few days spent looking around,
observing the other people at work and read
ing back numbers of the magazine published
by the concern At the end of that time !
wrote an article on the very womanly sub
ject Of Fans Other work came into nv
hands, and although when began scarcely
knew cashmere from camel's hair, I deter
mined 10 learn the trade thoroughly, and to-
day | know from the most practical proofs
that | am rated as one OF the best fashion
writers in New York Before my first year
was up was earning go a week, and had
been shown, by their thoughtfulness for my
comfort, that the firm for whom / worked
fully appreciated my endeayors.
KEEPING BUSINESS HOURS
Until a change was made in my hours, so
that | might do a great deal of my work at
home, never failed TO be at my desk at 8 a.
IN, and to this positive adherence to work, a
a rule against which many women complain,
and 10 the fact that never broke an appoint
ment | credit my reputation as a good bust
ness woman. Then, too, never forgot was
a woman, and for that reason men were
always courteous to me- 1 simply did my
work in the best way possible, spoke in the
frankest way, and made it an absolute rule
,,sNs 10 lafs social "a.
mingls l have no home, but the imperson-
atty of my pen to-day pays me regularly ssS
a week, which sum, by a couple OF poems, has
often reached 800. l gave no wares away;
if they are not worth buying they had best
he destroyed. Where giving is concerned,
prefer giving my money 70 giving my works"
as the social standing of women affected
by her being in business
Positively no, if their friends are among q
good class of people and the offensive talk OF
shop is dropped after business hours. A man
does not entertain the woman be takes into
dinner or with whom he dances the cotilion
with a history of his working hours or the
rise in the price Of leather, and there Is no
reason why woman should not copy her
superiors in this respect What are the best
lines for q woman entering literary life to
pursueP
Among the women who write those who
are making the most money, which Is, after
all, the basis Of success In the business world,
are the women who write upon fashion, house
hold matters or stories for children, all sub
jects eminently adapted for the female brain,
which, while il may be quicker certainly
does not possess the reasoning faculty of
man know two women who write who get
SEQ week, and another who gets SIS week,
and their work is not hard Cor. New York
Star.