Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-12-07
FEMALE AMANUENSES.
Some OF the Many Requirements They
Are Expected to Possess.

From the Photographic World
To be an acceptable amanuensis 70, Elust
~ be an expert writer Of shorthand; " an
expert operator on the typewriter; 90 a fair
penman; a. good English scholar, and (5) q
good girl Perhaps you think the last require
ment the easiest, and so 1t is-to good girl
But to be good girl in the sense mean il
something more than being good-natured,
obliging, truth-loving, or even faithful. All
these you must be, but beyond them you must
be person whose presence as well as whose
work is desirable. In homely phrase. you
must be just that kind Of girl whom people
like to shave around" There is no objection
to your being pretty-if you can't help it; but
If you should happen to be pretty don't pre-
sumo on your good looks nor imagine that they
will in any way atone for your SHORTCOMINGS.
sweet smile from a bright face delights any
man OF sense. but if there is nothing behind il
it does not go far
tits every girls privilege-it oughtnever to be
spoken of as duty-to dress becomingly. The
girl amanuensis is dressed becomingIy when
she Is dressed appropriately to her business
and to be thus dressed need not detract single
charm from her loneliness; in fact it will only
add to her loneliness 1t ia begging the ques-
ton to say that girl should be neat, both in
her attire and in her person; that her hands
should be clean her finger nails well trimmed,
her hair properly arranged. her teeth clean
and white. and her breath sweet. She should
have no bad habits, not even the habit of gum
chewing. and she saculd be a lady in all that
the word implies.
The girl amanuensis need never be nuisance:
but, on the other hand. she should make her
self as welcome and desirable in her business
as she Is in her home. To do this she has only
to be helpful, and to be helpful is not to be un-
pleasantly aggressive. nor to be over-anxious
and fdgety. Least of all is it to be pervading
and efusive-to 'stand around like q super
serviceable clown in the circus. seeming to do
everything while really doing nothing. Repose
Is the quality best fitted to the girl amanuensis
or to the girl anything; repose of manner that
30 well BELTS softness of speech and quietness
and efficiency Of action.
The young lady who speaks in a high key
and with loud voice, who slams the doors
after her. and advertises her coming and going
by the ringing of bells or the blowing OF
locomotive. but she would in nowise impress
one as being good Office companion or an eff
fective worker. The best work is that which
is done with the clearest understanding and
the least fuss. To do things without seeming
to do them, and to attract attention through
things accomplished rather Than through the
mechanism by which they are accomplished. is
the secret of acceptableness.
The presence of the girl amanuensis should
be felt rather than observed; and when for
any cause, she is absent from her post those
whom she serves should miss her. not from the
greater quiet that has come to them but from
a realizing sense that something sweet and
pleasant has dropped out of their routine; that
the Office is more gloomy and less attractive,
and that somehow things don't get on as they
should.