Griggs courier., 1893-07-07
"DoN'Ts" FOR TYPEwRlTERs.
They Arc offered by One Qualified "a
Know Whereof She Speaks.

They Arc offered by Ono Qualified to
Know Whereof She Speaks.
There has been going the rounds Of
the exchanges a paragraph of "Don'ts
for Typewriters," who are therein al
luded to as ''office decorators" The
character and value of the advice given
may be judged from the initial and final
selection, which we quote: Don't
bleach your hair until you have Sc
cured q position" ''Don't fail to own
the boss"
1t is reported that the rules referred
to were drawn up at a meeting of young
and lovely typewriters. We would not
question the veracity Of the compiler,
but allow us to append a few additional
''Don'ts" by which most stenographers
and typewriters, plain or pretty, young
or otherwise, find it necessary to be
governed:
Don't grumble when the head Of the
firm hands you, at 5:55 p. M, every day,
the great pile of letters you turned
over to him at II in the morning. Pres
sure of business prevents his signing
them earlier.
Don't be fastidious about your type
writer. If your employers young son
has taste for mechanics and takes it
all to pieces every evening ''to see how
the thing works." it is no affair Of
yours. You don't own the machine. Be-
sides, the next day you discover how
the thing works.
Don't expect too many holidays. Then
you will not be disappointed if yod have
to work on memorial day and someone
else decorates your soldier fathers
grave. The country is safe. These men
settled their dispute more than twenty
five years ago. and business interests
must not be interfered with.
Don't be annoyed that the spirit Of
dictation always moves just at lunch
time. The brain is clearer under those
circumstances, we have often heard.
Don't get nervous when called for
the sixty-ninth time to take single
letter. He has just dug up the CORES
pondence from some pigeonhole and
wants to get it off his mind. Stem
ographers rarely succumb to insanity.
Don't be self-willed in small matter
of syntax. If the dictator uses singu-
lar noun as subject of plural verb,
and you correct the error, that is suf31-
cient. If he blots out your word and
replaces his own don't try to smuggle
in your little ''is" once more. Remem-
ber what has been said about women
having the last word.
Don't ask favors of your employers;
it distresses them to refuse.
Don't fume if you have to Jump up
and answer the telephone every ten
minutes while getting out your tran
script. Exercise is very beneficial for
a person of sedentary habits.
Don't let a bit of headache or heart
ache interfere with your perennial
sunny cheerfulness, or fail to respond
to all calls upon you with q ready smile.
But do try not to overdo the thing.
Don't be Cheshire cat.
Don't attempt to justify yourself
when called to account for not having
carried out instructions that your su-
perior neglected to issue. All compe-
tent stenographers are well up in the
science of mind reading.
Don't look for concessions from the
firm. You may work all the noon hour
and half the night in the busy season
without comment; that is contin-
gency. But if you miss q car and are
ten minutes late some morning when
there is not stroke of work on hand
you must expect to be glowered upon;
that is discipline.
Don't excuse yourself to yourself as q
fallible human being. Self-pity. and
stenography are incompatible Of
'Em, in Chicago Times.