The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-02-06
FIRSTLADY STATION AGENT.
Ksnlucky Girl Has Proved WOman'S
Fitness for Railroad Work,
SIZE WAS APPOINTED At TWENTY.
Though n College Graduate, She Preferred
Business to Tesching-Good Mem
DRY, Quick Judgment and self
Reliance.

Jha Southern woman Is rapidly becom-
Ing as new as her Northern sister.
in some respects she is more original in
her choice OF occupations than the women
Of the North. who is gradually growing
into conventional modes of livelihood just
as she formerly took it for granted that
her only aims IN life were marriage and
housekeeping. In the South. however.
where there are not so many positions"
open 10 women. those who are reduced
IN circumstances take the first opportu-
nifty which offers itself. and pretty gener-
ally make a success OF It.
Miss Susie NJ. Lasley Of Rowland
KY. Is one Of this type She belongs TO
q proud Southern family which is one Of
the traditional "F. +. V.'s"-her mother
having come from Virginia. Her occu-
patton is unique. so far as members of
the feminine persuasion are concerned.
She is the first fully equipped officially
authorized and legally bonded station
agent among women. and she is only
twenty-five. what is more, she has held
the position for two years having BEEN
al the age Of twenty, appointed TO the
office which she had practically filed for
two years previous to that time.
At eighteen she graduated with the de-
gree Of A. p. from South Kentucky Col
lege at Hopnnsvile. and soon secured a
position as assistant to her brother, who
held the agency which the young woman
herself now nils Then. when the brother
went off travelling in Central America
and his successor suddenly died Miss
Lasley. who had meantime been keeping
her eyes open and learning all that was
10 be known about a railroad station, was
called to dn the position.
las TO the ability of a woman 10 Ill
such a position says Miss Lasley, Il
quote the comment of the officials who
said at the close OF the year, Your
service has been altogether satisfactory.
'Tne requirements. she goes on To
say. ARE "a good general education. with
qiuckness ana accuracy IN mathematics.
one must be able. instantly. to tell the
road company 10 which one belongs from
a shipment of live stock to Liverpool
England. and at the same time be able
10 compute and furnish ten cents worth
of riding material 20 the backwoodsman
at the ticket window.
The characteristics demanded are a
good memory. quick judgment. and self
reliance. combined with that rare. but
saving grace good temper
My experience has proven that the
place can be successfully filed by wo-
man. demanding no more of those small
courtesies from the opposite sex than
any other position. | find the work
pleasant anC interesting, and devoid Of
the monotonous routine that character
ties so much OF the allotted woman's
work. My home Is one mile distant. and
whenever the weather does not positively
prevent It. ! ride wheel to and from the
station. / believe that clerical railroad
work. though as yet an untried field for
women. is a most interesting and con-
genial occupation. and girls who are
looking about for a means If livelihood
would do well to take II into consid-
Grafton"