The Sunday herald and weekly national intelligencer., 1890-06-29

climbed, for know from experience how much |
such narratives have stimulated me in the past. |
There is no easy road to success and no such |
word as genius to apply to a stenographer.
The brightest man or woman who essays to ac- |
alire the art must resolve to go through a rigid
and painstaking drill First the signs must be
all learned, and then through laborious practice
speed acquired, but not until one has learned to
think stenographically-ius as one never mas
ters a new language until ones thoughts and
expressions flow naturally in that language
can one claim to be a stenographer. One must
become so familiar with the consonant forms
for we only write the consonants, emitting the
vowels-that not a thought need be given to the
hand-work, but the entire attention devoted to
the subiect-matter being reported. Not until
one can do this can there be any positive assur-
ance of accuracy in transcribing Otherwise
the attention is taken from the memory in the
effort of thinking out the forms'-the consonant
spelling. You can imagine the indefatigable
practice necessary to reach this point One
might learn to write at dictation in three months
for ones own family as a private secretary,
where names and places would be familiar, but
that is too short time to become an expert
.sign-writer. Perhaps was slower at picking it
up than some, as l had no regular teacher, but
when | once got it it stad by me, and wrote
notes that could read at sight. For a year or
so l had only odd dictations, but [ always in
sisted on established prices. Many time later
l have refused work because would not under
bid. 1t is better to do less work at good price
than to work all the time at a poor price,
Women who work for subsistence cannot af-
ford to cut prices. 1t is really those who have
ottrained themselves for the position, and only
wish temporary work for little more pin-money,
who often by a low price oblige the genuine
workers to takeles A girl who for any reason
desires to work out her own financial indepen-
dence and perhaps aid others, when she has be-
come good stenographer, should know the
value of her services and live up to it.
''But imagine you do not care so much
about my views on the question of compensa-
'tion for woman's work as you would to know
how 1 managed to qualify myself for good pay,
there being many things to learn in addition to
the art. | began stenography when there were
not many ladies in the field, and we few
actual curiosities to the uninitiated. When l
had reached seventytive Or one hundred words
minute | concluded that | would like to write
at the Capitol the work there being of more
instructive character than Office work, and so
one day L went up to see Mr.. Henry G. Hayes,
the senior committee reporter for the House.
Now, had heard that Mr.. Hayes was sterl and
difficult of approach and had perfect dread
of meeting him, yet my only hope of getting
work at the Capitol was through him, so l sum
moned my courage and made myself known to
him. He was alone when [ called. and | told
him at once that | had come to the Capitol
solely to get work. After some conversation
he replied you may leave your name and
address, and if have anything will send for
YOU NO. said l, 1T will be no trouble for me
to come again to see you about it. At any rate,
Go not want you to forget me- He smiled,
and l walked away more disappointed than
cared to own even to myself. But he did not
kefp, sn,. npl TO 80 in1-
[ began to climb the gallery stairs on the House
side, There were no elevators then. Presently
heard step behind me, and, overtaking me,
Mr.. Hayes said: If you will come up in the
morning | think | will try you on dctaton as
the man upon whom usually depend is away
from town for few days 1t is needless to
say that my feelings rapidly changed from
grave to gay, and was on hand by,9 o'clock
the next morning. From that on | had regu-
lar, well-paid work with him. He proved to be
one of the kindest hearted Of men, and was never
too busy to give me hint of instruction as to
the best way of doing things. 1t was a perfect
school to me- his manner of helping. One
thing led to another as it always does if one is
in earnest and determined to do ones best. /
often wrote for practice when dictation was
given to others, and so occupied every hour
when not actually employed. There was one
lady stenographer there who seemed to out
strip all the rest. ! made an inward VOW that
| would catch up with her in speed, and rival
her, if possible. | set up IA standard of conduct
for myself that gave me individuality. | would
work all night if | was wanted, and she
wouldn't So little by little | caught up, OIL
made a record of my own, and we worked to-
gether side by side for all that stenography had
to give of honor or profit. And all the time We
We're, and still are, the best of friends. Ny
work began to be in demand. | soon had
chances to see a little of the world even while
in pursuit of my profession. | went to New
Orleans as one of the assistant stenographerS
with the Teller Committee on Elections
visited Long Branch escorted by the Tariff
Commission, and ] worked with Mr.. Charles
p. Young for the Pacific Railroad Commission
in his charming home on the Hudson River
In fact | have made, as David Copperiied says
pen-and-ink skyrockets for all the prominent
stenographeTs who have been in Washington
and number in New York.
81 have sat many an all night through, hard a
work at the Capitol You see my vocation il
not pastime One instance was before thu
Cleveland Inauguration, when the stenographer
were kept Mt their post of duty until daylight
and on until Congress adjourned at noon fo
the ceremonies 1t was strain while it lasted
but as we had long vacations we had time Il
get rested and go TO The Springs Our sala
ries averaged at about so much year, affordin!
fair living My work with few exceptions ha
all been Congressional At one time | was yer,
ambitious to try my skill in the committees o
Congress, but the conservative, controllin!
power thought it would be unbecoming for m
to do what no lady had ever done before, so
had to wait until one day they were one stenog
rapher short, and newly arrived authority CAV
me the satisfaction of choosing which of tn
three committees would undertake | decide,
upon the Committee on Military Affairs. Gen
Rosecrans, the chairman, being such a kind
genial man. thought he would be less lilel