The daily morning journal and courier., 1895-02-01

CTS and typewriters. It is estimated
 that there are ten stenographers in this
 ely to every position, but still they keer i pouring in from pleasant country homes
 to try their hands at city life. An ev-
 craze girl fits herself for an average
 place in six months, but the clever ones
 now make themselves acquainted with | bookkeeping, professional nursing, or | some supplementary training.
 To succeed in court stenography wo-
 men must have strong mental fibre and | superior physique. It takes not less
 than two years preparation to acquire sufficient speed for court work, and to
 execute it requires cast-iron nervous
 system and constitution. It is claimed that every tariff bill has cost the life of an official stenographer. One-fifth
 of the court stenographers of Chicago,
 none of whom are official, are women.
 They have fine offices, a clientele made
 up of some of the 5000 lawyers of the
 city, and it Is on the card that some of
 them make $3,000 a year. One young
 woman says she lives well and puts by
 the tidy sum of $1,5OO every twelve
 month. These young women acquire a
 very liberal education in law as well as
 business.
 One of them said of her work: Court stenography is exhausting mentally and physically Besides the unutterable fa-
 tigues of the body we have often to op- pose our judgment to that of the law yers as to what is essential. We do not, of course. record what is known among us as the 'slop-over' of the court, but on the other hand we are responsi- ble for everything material, and it is this lightning sitting that makes or mars a stenographer's work. It hap pened to me once to insert in my notes half a dozen words from a torrent of talk which I was directed to pass. Shortly after one of these great lawyers pointed to the few little words which had sneaked in and said: Miss --, your judgment brought me $SOOOO. The case turned on that sentence.'"
 The hotel stenographer thinks she has very hard time in the demands made upon her sympathy, although oth- erwise well placed. She pays $50 month office rent and makes easily enough $10O a month in excess of that. She has to have an all round education and good address and must be equipped to shape anything from sermon or scientific treatise to a sentimental let ter. In addition to humoring the dic- tator in regard to taking his disposi- tion in shorthand or rattling it off on the keyboard she is expected in most cases to listen gravely to explanations, condolences, and even rhapsodies. A confidential chat with these clever and long-suffering young women convinces one that the hotel guests are mostly great schoolboys with piece to speak | and heart yearning for sympathy | Young and old men, the hotel stenog- | rapher aughs at you in her sleeve.
 Two years ago some of the women | and typewriters of this | city formed an association They were | thirteen then; they are 150 now. They | are known as the National Association | of Women Photographers, and are in- corporated. Within few weeks the ar- and legal forms of a sick | benefit have been completed, so that women who are alone in the world may count in case of sickness upon three months financial support, and a wo- manly sympathy extending far beyond that limitation. Meetings are held every three months, and addresses have been made by Mrs. Charles Henrotin and Mrs. Henry Shepard. It is their inten- ton to have lectures from time to time from women who can inspire them to broad and noble work. They have now begun-some three score of them-the study of parliamentary law at Central Music hall, an earnest that the associa- ion is going to transact its business with vigor and legality.
 Miss M F. Orr, who holds the gold medal for the championship of the world for speed in typewriting is an honorary member of the association. Their president is Miss Nettie Mo- Chicago girl of considerable iterary ability and marked executive 'orce She, with Miss Harriet Shinn, will go as delegate to the Nation Coun- il of Women to be held in Washington lext month. This is the only body of business women in the country that he