The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-01-04
GIRLS UNDER ALIASES
Prominent Women Who Earn Money
Under Assumed Names.
A QUESTIONABLE PRACTICE
Poverty Has Made Representatives
of Old st. Louis Families Take
to the Typewriter. but They
Don't Wish to Be Known.

frOm the 81. LOUIS ffepuDnC.
The latest phase of the new woman
is the woman with an alias. This does
not refer to stage people or writers,
but to women who sail under different
nomenciatures in business and social
life.
1t may be news to thousands OF peo-
pie to learn that there are women
prominent in st. Louis who earn their
living unknown to those with whom
they mingle in social intercourse. They
follow during the day regular business
vocations as sedulously as they chase
the butterfly OF social pleasure when
lamps are lighted.
1t seems hardly possible, but II is
true, that the women we smile at by
night across the euchre party may
give us a stony business look from be-
hind a typewriter in a friends office
the next morning. And the wonder
doesn't come in that they should do
both of these things and still be in So
ciety, for in America to make money
honestly is no disgrace, or the posses
sion of IL no bar to social preferment.
but II is that the young woman of the
card table is known in her social circle
as Miss Jones and in her business Of
fee as Miss Smith. and that the
threads of her social and business life
never get crossed or tangled.
All this goes to show just how small
q figure any one single individual or
set of individuals cuts in the complex
life of big city.
This woman with the alias is not an
isolated instance. The writer, who
has had experiences in both spheres of
life, knows a dozen or more such wo-
men. 1t is his intention to respect
their secret. They do not use this dou
BILE name as a cloak for wrong doing,
but the practice is the outgrowth in
most instances of false pride; I'm others
II Is a means of self-protection to
avoid embarrassments that dual situa-
tons might entail In nearly all the
cases known the employers are aware
of the double appellation of the en-
ployes, and give IL at least tacit ap-
prevail.
The innovation Is not confined to
any one calling pursued by the new
woman. 1t is practiced by stenogra-
pliers, bookkeepers, saleswomen and in
a few instances by teachers. That 1t
is spreading goes without saying.
Whether IL will lead to evil remains
for the future to prove. That IL has
in IL all the elements that lead to evil
cannot be denied.
There are probably now in st. Louis !
So cases. on nearly all of which il
would be easy for the writer to place !
would seem to justify the duplicity, IL |
such II may be termed. in that the wo-
men with the dual role are members !
of some of the old aristocratic families |
of St. Louis that became impoverished. |
To shield that name, so proudly /
known in the social realms, from COM |
mercial faint the bearers of the same /
resort to the two distinctive nomen- |
clatures.
In several cases the industrious pur-
suers of a commercial avocation are
not necessarily compelled to seek en-
ployment on account of impecunious-
ness. The money earned need not go
towards the eking out a living. 1t is
to supply fine clothes that Miss Jones
or Miss Smith sits over the typewriter
desk, or stands behind the department
counter, the very existence of which
she deprecates by night when social
duties claim her attention and pres
ence.
Occasionally the commercial thread
of her life winds itself noiselessly and
into the siken weft OF
her social surroundings. Such a case
happened not long ago, and IL led to
the discovery of the dual existence of
one of the handsomest girls of this
city, who moves in excellent society.
She had sought and found employment
in one of the largest and most import
ant OF 81. Louis. |
Her talents and her beauty won for
her many admirers. A gentleman. who
is director in this same institution,
was attracted by her many delightful
qualities, and often dictated letters TO
her on his visit to her place of bust
ness. This young lady was always af-
fable. obliging and painstaking
One evening this gentleman was in
vited to social function in the West
End. Among the guests he noticed the
young lady TO whom he had been in
the habit of debating for the last few
months. She was beautifully attired.
and surrounded by attentive admirers.
DESTROYS of showing his appreciation
OF her and to Introduce her to his wife.
VINO accompanied him, he approached
the beauty. Addressing her by the
name by which she was known to him.
he expressed his pleasure at the meet
ing.
The girl retreated a step or two. and
with naughty stare murmured words
10 the effect that she did not know
him.
Inc gentleman was puzzled for
moment, but withdrew, feeling sure Z
that he could not have been mistaken
In the lady's identity and Wondering
what she meant by her strange con-
duct.
In the course of the evening he was
introduced to her by her hostess. who
was her especial friend.
Miss Smith-Mr. Man"
The gentleman was surprised for the
second time that evening The name
by which he knew the young lady
stenographer was entirely different
from the one by which this naughty
creature was introduced to him.
In state of perplexity as TO wheth-
er he could have made an error i'm the
girls identity. he FASTENED TO her place
)f employment the next day. There | :
she sat as demure and affable as ever ,
A blush OF embarrassment, however. ;
her cheeks.
The director of the financial insti- ,
tuition asked for an explanation and
obtained it, The lady told him she
hose commercial name i'm order not
% confound her social existence with
hat of her everyday business life He !
.asraact ed ha.. =. i