The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-10-09
TALE OF 4 PROOF READER

TALE OF 4 PROOF READER
I have reached the mature age Of
twenty six years without achieving any
other distinct on in life than place as
proof reader in o publishing house That
may seem n small honor T. tho mlni-
tiated. but my work is intellectual and
very comprehensive That | am capable
of doine It argues for me wide range OF
Information. q mind finely critical. II |
were no. mentally superior to the MASSES
could derive a comfortable income from
running down their mistakes, Would
not my own ignorance be apparent on
many printed page II did not with
steady hand seize and thurst out OF sight
the ignorance and carclessness Of those
who write? | am closeted all day with
Webster AL Worcester; | am familiar
with all LOOKS Of reference. read
and write German and French, | can
trace every English word - its root,
and translate Latin and Greek. am
not an cgoiist when | tell you these
things. for must take my place among
the wo.lingwomen of Chicago as one
who i paid far less than the successful
dressmal.cr. milliner or cook Indeed, l
have often cnyicd my sisters who achieve
success in either Of these lines. The
artist in drcssmaking commands her
price: the miliner's taste and style render
her indcl,en lent, the accomplished cook
who's fauitless dinners lead her on to
fortune-all these create something that
can be appreciated, admired and weakly
initiated. Nv work is sadly negative.
+ NJ sins are those Of omission, not Of
commission. Who ever hears Of the
errors ! eradicate. the thought | spend
upon the printed pagcl For the work
do win the cordial hatred of those who
work about mc-thc printer, the fore
man. oven the lnky boy who brings work
to my hands. These all hate me for The
thing do. while am in constant terror
from thing, DO not do. What proof
reader has not stood aghast at some glar-
ing error which he did not run to earth
on the frst proof. but overlook 10y chance
on a revise? What if his tired eyes hal
missed il then, 1t would have wrought
ruin 10 m entire volume-and 10 him.
How J ecused my position ! need not
relate. 1t was after long and hard fight
for 1t. which began at nineteen years
Till then | had been ward of charity.
wearing in my baby days the blue check
apron Of the Foundlings' home. / was
educated 10 the expense Of the church.
and when first | tried my small strength
again,t the world it was rs copybolder
in great publishing house in Chicago
am able now to earn So per week
after seven wears am little Of pes
sim.t and my life has not been given
over 10 melancholy, but to work. give
tel hours of each day to my tasks. That
absorDs my energy. breaks my spirit and
viii and leaves me tired and depressed.
have been employed on Monroe street.
in house that is old and well known.
Its air j, full OF foul odors, it IS dark
and without ventilation. | climb five
flights OF Stair 10 my work in the morn
ing, taking my way through rooms full
of human beings struggling for daily
bread against greater odds than !, and
who even envy me. Al day | hear the
throbbing ami beating Of the great
presse.. the click of the type in the
printer fingers. see their faces about
me- anxious and poverty tried, and |
have seen them 50 for five years, and
sometimes hope dies within me.
Touch a boil; with reycrent fingers, ye
who are ignorant of its mechanism.
Over is pages flows the life blood Of
many an humble toiler. Mayhap its
fair white leaves have been dampened
with women tears, for 50 many work
ing women are heartsick and discour-
aged.
Five years of this life will render the
hopeful woman strong minded and cyni-
cal. She will need the unloyely strength
she develops in "a city that harbors and
gives subsistence 70 10000 bachelors
Forty thousand strong men, who smoke
aud eat. sleep and pursue their solitary
lives. spending yearly means enough to
/ keep mp homes. And where every
morning 80. 900 women tramp hurriedly
I through our streets. a terrible army each
F with her face set toward some store,
Office or workshop These women 10
not seek health nor strength nor woman.
illness they mast lose these better ele-
meuts. They viii not win wages enough
to keep them through chance sickness
nor certain old age-not one IN thou
sand does tlat. They will not he
made better, mentally or morally, by
ceaseless toll. They will only clothe and
feed themselves, that they may come On
the morrow AID again, till their faces
are pinched and bloodles5 and the grace
of youth has left them; till they are not
tit for wives and mothers, for they are
old and sad, and each of the 10000
bachelors wants wife whose temper Is
sunny and sweet and who does not know
the world so we'll as these working wo-
men Of Chicago.
There was q time in my life when |