Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-11-12
WOMEN AT PRESSES.
Arranging for Examinations I'm Chief
Graves Bureau.

| Arranging for Examinations I'm Chief
Graves Bureau.
The new civil-service rules recently approved
by the President, regulating appointments in
the bureau Of engraving and printing, provides
for examination of the applicants for positions
as assistants to the plate-printers. These as
sistants are women who help at the presses.
The examination to be provided will be simple
Just enough, as a civil-service commissioner
said to STAR reporter, to satisfy civil-service
requirements, to ascertain the general intelli-
gence Of the applicants, and to remove the
appointments from the field of influence"
Probationary appointments will be made, and
during the month or so Of probation the appli-
cant's physical health will be noted. It is not
considered desirable to appoint women who do
not make a good showing in point of health.
The assistant at press has to stand upon her
feet all day. The age limit has been fixed by
these rules at from eighteen to thirty-fve
None will be appointed under eighteen or over
thirty-fve years of age. The limit at present,
as fixed by Mr.. Graves, the chief of the bureau,
is seventeen and thirty.
1t is held that the work is such that IL ia I'M
desirable to employ a woman over thirty-fve,
or one who has not yet reached her full physi-
cal development. Chief Graves, in his annual
report, recently submitted saws in reference to
the force employed in the bureau:
1.-The great increase in work during the last
year made some increase in the force necessary.
The number Of employees on the rolls on June
80, 1887, was 841. The number employed on
June 80, 1888, was 917-a net increase during
the year OF 76. One hundred persons left the
service during the year. OF these, 6 died. Is
were discharged for misconduct, ineficiency,
or protracted absence, and SO voluntarily re-
signed. One hundred and seventy-six persons
we're taken into the service, of whom q were
former employees recalled to the service and 10
were employed in the place of relatives, most
OF whom resigned on account of ill health. By
the executive order of June 29, 1885, extending
the civil-service classification. all of the EN-.
ployes OF the bureau except the charwomen.
the watchmen, and the lowest grade of male
laborers were brought within the classified
civil service. BY subsequent order engravers
and plate-prlnters were exempted from exam
nation, though remaining in the classified
service. With these exceptions the entire
force OF the bureau is now under the
clvil-service rules, and vacancies in it can be
hlled only by the persons standing highest in
competitive examinations and certified for ap
pontment Dy the clvll-service commission. 1t
has not yet been necessary to hold any EXAM
lnation of candidates for appointment to this
bureau, but 1t is not doubted that q simple ex-
animation can be devised which will test both
the mental and the physical qualifications re-
quired. The first and most striking effect of
the order was to put stop to the importantly
for employment, which had become an intoler-
able annoyance and a serious hindrance to the
proper performance of the public business"
A New Science in the Northwest.
From the Minneapolis Tribune.
isn't this new Christian science Just per-
fectly lovely?" said the young lady from st.
Paul, as she chatted with her Minneapolis
friend over the bargain counter.
''Wlat on earth il fbaf2 7 pavar baord ~
it," and the Minneapolis girl peered around
excitedly on the feminine glitter of big dry
goods house. Was it possible that there was a
new fad in the fashions and she ignorant? hor-
rible?
"Oh. my, it isn't to wear" smiled the other
condescendingy, rummaging over the pile of
ribbons reduced from so cents to 10 cents. ''It's
a something you do. It's a new science, a
sort OF medicine. Ma is just perfectly wild
over it. Pa says, whenever we talk Of it, and
you know how set pa is? well, he says rats, and
slams the door, but that makes no difference to
ma and 1. Pa is not at all up in spiritual
things, and ma is so progressive. Why, do you
know" selecting collar reduced from Is cents
to cents, that this new science is more fun
than anything"
grabbing over another woman's head at q re-
duced handkerchief.
"Why, We just deny things; sickness, you
know, headaches or neuralgia or anything. We
say there is no pain, and there isn't. That is,
we believe there isn't, which is the same
thing"
'.Still can't understand"
well, should remark you couldn't. No.
body can till they are instructed. Ma and 1
paid 200 for the full course. We were Just as
Ignorant as you are. We were just awfully dull
at the beginning, and now we can do just every
thing"
"How do You do it?" said the Minneapolis
girl, with growing interest.
II told you by denying it," snapped the
other Our hired girl had an awful tooth
of house-cleaning. will you believe me, ma
just began to deny it and say there is no pain;
there is nothing but good. She told the girl to
say it, too. The next day the girl was well.
Pa said, but pa can be SO disagreeable, most
people are who are without inner vision, he
said it was nothing on earth but creosote and
camphor and liniment and ashes"
That might have helped her." ventured the
Minneapolis girl.
Not at all. 1t was just mas going off in a
dark room by herself shutting her teeth, fix
ing her eyes, and denying it that did it,
.How lovely that must be" sighed the other.
enviously regarding the wise st. Paul girl
The friends having finished the purchase of
two yards of lace and the collar, and having
handled everything within reach, tripped to
the outer door,
They discovered too late the proximity of a
French boot heel and Bermuda banana peel
There was futter, a crash and swift run
ming of chromatic scales. The lovely st. Paul
girl was curled up like a white pine shaving.
"Oh. dear! Oh, dear! My arm is broken and
my back. Oh! my head, my head" and she
climbed up into the arms of her friend.
mot at all, smiled the other girl cheerfully.
There's nothing the matter with you. You're
not hurt a bit. There's no pain. You are just
as well as am. You didn't break your back
or skin your elbow or bump your head, all is
good
why, you nasty thing" sobbed the dusty,
broken-up St Paul belle. *Do you suppose
would fb? Do you think that horrible fall
didn't hurt me? Just give me my parasol I
don't thank you for such insinuatiOns."
But there is no pain; you said So was
just practicing your science. / thought"
"Oh! You thought you would be smart Well,
there's my car. It's time for my train. Good
evening to you," and off she bounced
The Minneapolis girl prinked herself min
ute before the show window, which isn't bad
mirror, and started home murmuring, Wasn't
that funny"