The Logan County banner. [volume] (Logan, W. Va.) 1889-1903, 1891-11-26
A TYPEwRITER's LIFE.
A Matter-of-Fact Calling Varied BY nj
Occasional Romance.

A Matter-of-Fact Calling Varied BY an
Occasional Romance.
Many people suppose that we type.
writer's write letters only from die.
tation," said a fair manipulation of the
type keys at one of the downtown ho-
tells, but that is mistake. A large
proportion of my patrons are business
men who are accustomed to debating
letters, and who rattle off their work
in a very matter-of-fact way; but not
small percentage of them cannot die
tate an intelligent readable letter
at all, and am forced to com.
pose as we'll as write. Very often peo-
pie drop in here and say: Just dash
off note to James Brown, Russell
house, Detroit, making some sort of an
excuse for not meeting him in Cleve-
land last week-anything will do, so 1t
will "go' with him. Or: Drop line
to my house-Blale & Co, Pittsburgh.
giving them my regular monthly re.
port Tell 'em business is good and
outlook is tiptop; make it strong, you
know; work in little boom for yours
truly that will leave me solid. Now
this leaves me very wide latitude, as
you see. But l often go further than
this, and answer letters without any
guide whatever. A man simply hands
me letter from his wife and says:
Answer that for me. Put in lots of
sugar and say whatever you like;' or he
gives me an address and says: Give
me up bright, readable letter; don't
care what you say.
Nov, this may be satisfactory to
those who send such letters and those
who receive them, but do not like to
do such work and never do 1t when /
can avoid IT. But 1t is all matter of
business to me, assure you, without a
trace of sentiment mixed up in it.
THE newspapers have great deal
to say about the conquests'of the type
writer girl. but they do not know what
they are talking about that's all. /
have been here nearly three years now,
and i have had just one solitary bit of
sentiment to break the monotony of
business.
About year ago good-natured
Irishmau who Is employed at the hotel
here came to me and said that he could
not read or write, but wanted me to
write letter for him. inviting one of
the chambermaids to attend dance on
the west side 1t was done In short
order, and tho fellow was SO pleased
with it that refused to accept any pay
for the work. and offered to read the
answer just as soon as he should bring
it to me- The next day one of the
chambermaids came to me and asked
me to write a letter accepting an invi-
tation to dance. She had been able
to spell out the precious message that
the postman had unexpectedly brought
her, and wanted to send an equally
neat and polite reply. So l answered
my own letter by proxy. After that an
energetic eplsto1ary bombardment was
commenced, and furnished the am
munition for both sides. will confess
that / grew greatly interested in the
contest Both of my patrons were des-
perately in love with each other, and
as the management of their amours de-
volved upon me. handled the matter
as delicately and as automatically as
could. Can you blame me If occasion
ally gave them chance to learn from
experience that 1.-THE course of true love
never runs smoothly?' Well, right or
wrong, | did; and after mixingdnto the
case about as many lovers quarrels as
! thought would add zest to the wooiug
and untanGling all the snarls had pur.
posely made, brought the play to an
end by writing proposal and IT. ac-
ceptance. and was rewarded f., my
work as matchmaker by an invitation
to the wedding 1t was all the pay
deserved, as practice is worth some
thing in such matters. Chicngo MAI.