St. Paul daily globe., 1888-08-19
It Is Influence Which Procupes
Positions in the Register
Of Deeds Office.
Copyists Who Seem to Repre-
sent Just So Much Power
in Politics.
Eva Gay Gets Register John
F. Peterson in a Tight
Little Witness Box.
Girls Who Wear Gold-Rimmed
Glasses and Quote Legal
Teehnicalities.

F7X%SA WE been out of
any, TSMA C:.1my natural ele-
NI(XxSIIsW !ment this week be-
N&sTGyeF r. Icause I've been in
&NS$ n l&Fv s i G ating a
IVY y EIbranch of work
N!where all the girls
| ,@lLM are happy and
1tsTMWM. .Ekwell-dressed. The
'. ~ SSAW.'l hours of labor are
,W1& \ US h ort and the
; wages good. This
is, to me, a novel
| combination of favorable circumstances,
something to be reflected upon and ap-
! preached with extreme caution, for how
do know that 1 can do it justice?
The class of girls to whom / refer
| work in the register of deeds Office at
| the court house. People may say what
| they please about the dilapidated ap-
| pearance of our court house, but l ven
ture to remark that it looks cool and
| pleasant, surrounded by its well-kept
lawn and large shade trees. To be
sure, there is large seam in one of the
front walls, which mars its beauty and
causes much anxiety of spirit to one of
the registers employees: so much, in
to inspect that wall after storm and
see If there is any danger of the build
ing tumbling down. But the janitor as
sures me that the present building is
likely to endure until that time, in the
dim future, when there shall be new
court house.
The long hallway In the center of the
present building affords a neutral
ground for promenade where these girls
allow the outer world to catch passing
glimpses of their lovelinesS. One of
their number is an expert performer on
an instrument made by covering comb
with tissue paper. Whenever a luck
less young man can be induced to VEN
ture among them, he Immediately finds
himself in great request as partner for
dancing to music furnished by the
come. Being leap year, 1 expected to
hear many rumOrS of approaching mat
rimonial ventures. Whatever the rea-
5sOn may be, the girls solemnly assured
me that it is no longer the style for an
selopement to be the chief event of i'm
portance every two or three weeks
among their ranks, as was the custom
last summer.
The day l visited the registers office
it was the noon hour when l reached
the place. Nobody was working, so
there was ample opportunity to note
and contrast the appearance of these
girls with that of other wage-wOrkers
whom l had seen. Nearly all of them
wear gold-bo wed glasses, thus giving a
SEVERELY DIGNIFIED EXPRESSION,
while the legal phraseology with which
they always interlard their conversation
helps to make the ignorant beholder
think that these girls must be fearfully,
wonderfully educated. In fact, l felt
wofully ignorant as l sat on the stair
steps and listened to the fragments of
conversation. There were such alb
struse arguments about abstracts, war
ranty deeds, quitclaims and lot of
others which don't remember. Then
such words as covenant" "undivided
interest" acknowledgment" ''to have
and to hold, "and" "witnesseth," are used
by these girls as readily as slang by
| common mortals, and it isn't nearly so
| easy to understand. In default of in
teresting myself in their conversation,
fell to studying their dress and gen.
eral appearance. There were several
representatives of every nationality and
color, except Chinese. A few of the
girls are quite youthful. but the major
ity are OF that uncertain age where
coming old maidenhOod casts its omi-
nous shadows across their path, thus
| prompting them to friSk about like
| school girls and adopt every adjunct of
| the toilet which is supposed to aid in
preserving Juvenile appearance.
| HOW THEY DRESS.
| There is quite diversity in the modes
| of dress affected. Flaming cOlors and
the most artistic combination that a
| fashionable dreSSmaker can devise are
Iseen on one; right next her comes the
Icultured damsel, who believes in dis
daining all inventions of art and fash
ion. She wears costume supposed to
be made in accordance with the laws of
| hygiene. Perhaps enough solid COM
| fort is derived from that sort of dress to
compensate the wearer for making a
guy of herself. 1t certainly ought to
have some redeeming quality. Occa-
sionally comes along the practical girl
| wearing plain business suit. If she
! owns diamonds or expensive jeWelry
she leaves them at home. But, Judging
from the number of diamonds and Vari-
GUS sorts of jewelry, saw, it seems to
be quite the proper thing for the girls
| to make as stunning a display as
possible.
At o'clock the girls sauntered in to
work and l followed. The registers
i office occupies narrow, high-ceilinged
room. There are a number of windows
i along one side, but since the recent adj
1 ditions have been built much of the
light has been shut off. Two vaults
| WnClC tHO ICCOlQo kept, DISC dTe
utilized. These vaults, although fire.
proof, are not so gloomy as their name
would indicate. The ceilings and walls
are whitewashed, and nearly all of the
iwalls are hid by the rows of shelves OF
which the records are kept. Writing
tables are scattered all through these
rooms. The stone floors are covered
1 with mating; book rests and cushioned
Echairs seem to render the work more
I tscomfOrtable. [ wanted to talk with
some of the girls, but was doubtful OF
my ability to converse with such highly
cultured beings as | supposed them t(
L be. Noticing crowd of attorneys con
sulting the records and making mucf
Enoise, / ventured to take down one Of
T the books and look it over. After dill
| gent study of the legal forms l conclud
| ed that it wasn'l so hard, after all, to re
member a fewstechnical terms, and con
| Guided to ask some questions.
l. 'sHow long are your hours of Work?'
Twas the first inquiry.
A. ''We come at in the morning an(
4 leave at in the afternoon" was th.
4 reply.
'.Then if you have an hour at nool
4 you have to only work eight hours"
j remarked.
i Eyes; but that's long enough to 81
1 still and write. We have to be yer,
: / exact; besides, writing makes one:
4 arms and fingers ache,' pouted the fail
Il complainant.
4 "What kind of writing do you hav,
to do; is it only copying?' said.