St. Paul daily globe., 1888-08-19


work seemed to be copying pure and
simple. There are printed forms in the
BOOKS corresponding nearly to the reg
ular printed deed forms. The girls re-
cord the deeds exactly, making note of
any deviation from the printed form.
II think this is both pleasant and
easy work." ventured to remark, after
watching the work while.
a girl who had spent the last quarter
OF an hour trying to select a pen, to her
liking looked up and said: "Of course,
IL more ladyllke and respectable to work
mere than In any other place, but we do
s nate 10 write so steadily, one gets tired
OF This poky room: We used to nearly
freeze In winter too, before the county
commissioners put this mating on the
floor and had the building repaired: and
the light isn't half decent either.'' was
the sum OF her complaint.
'Dld you ever work in any other
placer, l questioned, having in mind
tne real hardships which some working
girls endure without complaint.
mo, never did, and don't want to-
You don't suppose work here because
In I poor, do you?" she queried with up
liIted proWS. Il just made papa get me
tilis place because, its more fun than
staying at nome, and then [ can use all
my wag es for pocket money" was her
frank statement.
Her remarks made me think that these
girls were not obliged to earn their liy.
Ing, ana a little questioning made me
sure that only few of the girls i'm this
ONCE are poor and dependent on their
earning for living.
II wonder how thew get these
places" l reflected, thinking I'd like to
work there myself: Especially as OBJ
servatl0n convinced me that only a COM
mon school education and fairly good
penmanshlp were the necessary qualifi-
catlons Tor doing the work well. In
that many of the copyists have never
paid special attention to penmanshin.
nor is their work as clear and perfect as
one would expect III such a place.
A POLITICIANS sQIRM.
hunted up the register and looked
for place. He asked for a Specimen
OF my penmanship and said it would
90. Wanted good references. / brought
them. Then he said that really he had
SO many applications that it would be
useless TO take my name. 1 persisted
III wanting to know why couldn't have
an opportunity at least to wait for a
pace. 80 ne explained to me that he
nad SO many applications, backed up
by requests from those who had politi-
cal influence, that it was impossible to
waste place upon a girl who had
neither wealth nor political power to
aid her. ''Then these girls were given
places not on account of their ability.
put rather because they could command
the right kind of influence. Dol state
the question correctly?" 1 inquired.
=, MI. register of Deeds squirmed lit
Tie, SAID "he was busy, come again and
ned see what he could do for me.' and
some other feeble excuses. But l in
sisted on knowing the proper methed of
getting a place. So he reluctantly ad-
mltted that had stated the case cor
rectly., But he said it is customary to
give the places that way, and when a
new register takes his place there is
always considerable change in the office
iOrce, and there is no particular in
Justice about it. Perhaps not. but I
know OF many girls who could fill those
places and need the work. 1t is some
What lnconvenient for them that they
cannot command the necessary infiri-
ehce Wh!ch puts the more fortunate girls
In position where they can kill fine
and receive high wages for such service
concluded that it wasn't anv use pro-
testlng against fate, so withdrew nv
application.
Mhat wages do you pay?" inquired
before departing.
10 my surprise l found that tha
weekly wages range from S1O.5O to S15
per week. Taking the short hours and
character OF work into consideration.
these are the
HIGHEST WAGES PAID
IN any department of work which I
nave yet visited. AS the registers office
Is commissioned one he, of course,
IIhQrtU fn fSv
pleases, and think him quite liberal in
that respect. But real estate man
groWls that the register makes a fort
une out OF the prices he charges the
poor cltlzen for recording transfer and
ne can we'll afford to pay his help. Nav
De the real estate man is right. but
guess he'd make all the money he conld
were he in the registers place. and he
is only sorry that he HASN'T the same
opportunity.
BESIDES those who write in the regis
ter s Office are number of ladies work
ing Tor different abstract companies.
lhelr work is more difficult and differs
conSlderaoly from that which 1 have de-
up their work some day when | have
leisure time.
Ihere are about twenty girls in the
registers office, and although they often
imagine themselves much Oppressed.
yet think if they tried other kinds of
work for while they would cbeerfuIIv
go back to their present quarters and
stay until dismissed.
In witness whereof I hereunto set NV
hand and seal this nineteeth day of Au-
gust, In the year of our Lord eighteen
hundred and eighty-eight
EVA GAY,