The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-04-13
From the New York World.

NOW Iney Are seldom Compelled to
Do So.
From the New York World
A woman blacksmith is an anomaly
that probably does not exist, even in this
age of woman's achievement. The near
est thing to it, however, can be found in
the shape of four pretty, buxom girls,
daughters of James Doris, practical
horseshoer, now deceased. Nearly all of
their lives these girls have lived in a COM
Portable little frame house at No. 632
West Forty-eighth street, in the rear of
their fathers blacksmith shop.
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 have car
ried on his business successfully, and
have made comfortable living out of it,
Their mother, who came nearer to being
veritable woman blacksmith than do her
buxom daughters, died a year ago. Ever
since they have conducted the business
alone.
Twenty-Five years ago James Doris
brought his wife to the little frame house
on F'orty-eighth street To be near her
and the babies, OF which there always
seemed to be 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 love-making
was done amid such humb BILE surroundings
as blacksmith 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, when.
they had delighted to watch father
make the sparks fly" But James Doris
had one disappointment. All his boy
babies died in infancy And, like many
men of greater wealth, he regretted hav-
ing no son to take up his business.
Mrs. Doris was her husbands fright
hand man. as he used to fondly express
it. II was with considerable pride that
he always said that she knew as much
about horseshoeing as he didy There are
people in the neighborhood who say that
not only did she know as much, but that
she could actually shoe a horse as well.
He did the work while she kept the books,
did the saving and managed generally. In
fact, when James was i'll 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 daughters, the business went
on just the same. James Doris jovial
face was missing, but capable man had
taken his place at the forge. Gradually
the customers, many of whom had been
patronizing James Doris for dozen years
or more, became accustomed to the idea
of woman blacksmith. They soon for
got 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 satisfactory work was
done.
Several years after her husband death
Mrs. Doris became ill. From that time
until the date of her death she was I'M
able to 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 of his hoped
for sons had been girls. just as naturally
as a duck takes to water did those four
girls take hold of their fathers business.
regarding their mothers wishes, that the
business should go on after her death Just
the same as before.
The eldest daughter, Mary, or "Mollie,"
had relieved her mother so much during
her illness that naturally the principal
responsibility fell on her IL new Gus
toners felt any diffidence about dealing
WIN WOmdu oldChSmltn bney were
quickly d:sarmed by her practical knowl-
edge Besides, she was young and pretty.
Without doubt. many horse has been
shod in James Doris shop because its
owner hoped for few minutes chat with
the pretty blacksmith. All day long,
following her mothers example, Mollie is
in and out of the shop. IL is only a step
from the kitchen door and she probably
takes that step fifty times a day to see
that everything is going on right.
About o'clock one morning several
weeks ago a fire broke out in the shop.
The shop was burned to the ground.
Since then the workmen have been tenn
porarily at work a few doors further up
the street. The old shop was of frame.
The splendid new one, which is in pro-
cess of building on the old site, is Of
brick.