The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1894-04-14
LADY H0RSESH0ERS
Four Clever New York Girls in the
Business.
EXPERTS AT THE TRADE
They Are Not Only First Glass Black
smiths but Can Play the Piano
aud are Accomplished.

nearest thing to it, however, can be
found in the shape of four pretty, buxom
girls, daughters of James Doris, prac-
tical horseshoer, now deceased. Nearly
all of their lives these girls have lived
in comfortable little frame house at
632 West Forty eighth street, in the
rear of their fathers blacksmith shop,
says the New York World.
While they do not actually shoe horses
themselves, they know enough about
the business to do so. At all events,
ever since their fathers death they
carried on his business successfully and
have made a comfortable living out of
it. Their mother, who came nearer to
being a veritable woman blacksmith
than DO her buxom daughters, died a
year ago. Ever since they have con
Quoted the business alone.
twenty-five years ago James Doris
brought his wife to the little frame
house on Forty-eighth street. To be
always seemed to oe a new one, he built
his shop in the front garden of the little
house. James Doris and his wife were
an ideal married couple, even If their
lovemaking was done amid such humble
surroundings as a blacksmith's shop
And it usually happened that his wife
was in the shop with him. AS for the
children, they practically grew up in
the shop. 1t was their playground as
children, wnen they had delighted to
"watch father make the sparks fly"
But James Doris had one disappoint-
ment. All his boy babies died in infancy.
And, like many men of great wealth, he
regretted having no son to take up his
business.
Mrs. Doris was her husbands Fright
hand man." as he used to fondly express
it. Il was with considerable pride that
he always said she knew as much about
horseshoeing as he did. There are peo-
pie in the neighborhood who say that
not only did she know as much, but that
she could actually shoe horse as we'll.
He did the work, while she kept the
books, did the saving and managed gem
orally In fact, when James was ill or
away she carried on the business quite
as well as he did.
So it happened that when James died,
about five years ago, leaving his widow
with four dau shters, the business went
on just the same. James Doris iovial
face was missing, but a capable man
had taken his place at the forge. Grad
ually the customers, many of whom had
patronized James Doris for a dczen
years or more, became accustomed to
the idea of a woman blacksmith. They
soon forgot the uniqueness of seeing a
woman at the forge. And instead of
patronizing Mrs. Doris because she was
James Doris widow, as they had done
at first, they patronized her because
she was a good blacksmith. Although
she rarely shod their horses herself,
she was always around to see that sat
ISTaCtory Work was oOne.
Several years after her husbands
death Mrs. Doris became ILL., From
that time until the date of her death
she was unable 10 look after the shop.
A year ago she died. Then something
happened which proved how futile had
been all of James Doris regrets that all
his hoped for sons had been girls. Just
as naturally as duck takes to water
did those four girls take hold of their
fathers business. Never for a moment
did they think of disregarding their
mothers wishes-that the business
should go on after her death Just the
same as before.
The eldest daughter, Mary, or "Mol-
lie" had relieved her mother so much
during her illness that naturally the
principal responsibility fell on her. II
newcomers felt any difidence about
dealing with wo.nah blacksmith, they
were quickly disarmed by her practical
knowledge. Besides, she was young
and pretty. without doubt many a
horse has been shod in James Doris
shop because its owner hoped for few
minutes chat with the pretty black
smith. All day long, following her
mothers example, Mollie is in and out
of the shop. II is only step from the
kitchen door, and she probably takes
that step fifty times day to see that
evervthing Is going ON right