The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1905-12-02

could 80 ana earn ) " week, cnoSo
to remain where I was. There was
method in my madness, however, let
me say. / had q considerate and
conscientious employer. and although
1 had a great deal Of work, and al
though it had to be done most pune
tiliously, he never allowed me to
wor ka moment overtime. He open
ed his office at 9 o'clock in the morn
ing, and I was not expected before
a quarter after; he closed at sharp.
This gave me an opportunity for
further improving myself with view
of eventually taking not $40. but
a $40 position. went back to night
school and t(/k q three-months'
speed course" and at the same time
continued to add to my general edu-
cation and stock of knowledge by
systematic reading Of popular books
of science and economics. l became
tremendously interested in myself as
an economic factor, and became tre-
mendously interested in other work
ing girls from a similar point OF view.
One day 1 answered an ADVERTISE
ment calling for the sort Of stenog-
rapher l now believed myself to bee
1t brought response signed with the
name of a large religious publishing
house. I got the position. beginning
with a salary of SIS week. which
was to be increased to $40 provided
1 could I'LL the position. That I
should succeed In doing so, there was
evident doubt in my employers
minds and no wonder! For I was
the nth to attempt it.
My work consisted for the most
part of taking dictation from the
editor of the periodical published
weekly by the house-letters to con-
tributors, editorials and special ar
ticles. Also, when it was found that
l had some intelligent, practical
knowledge of grammar and English
and here was where mystud1es Of
the preceding year bore fruit was
intrusted with the revision and cor
rection of the least important of the
manuscripts, thus relieving the busy
editors Of one of their most irksome
tasks.
One day I had occasion to mention
to the editor some Of the strenuous
experiences I had undergone In my
struggle to attain a decent living. He
was startled-not to say a little
shocked-that a youZs woman Of ap-
parently decent ~birthland upbringing
should haze formed such an intimate
acquaintance with the dark side of
life. Inspired by his sympathetic in
terest, I boldly interviewed the ed
itor Of a we'll known monthly maya
zine, with the result that I imme~
diately prepared two PAPERS on GER
tain Of my experiences; and. to my
surprise and delight, they were &C.
cepted.
And, somehow. with the appearance
of those two articles-the first fruits
of Acknowledgment of the horror
and loathing Of that unhappy period
of servitude fell away from me; the
sordid suffering. the hurt to pride.
the ineffaceable scar on heart and
soul felt had not been in vain. l
can now look back upon the recent.
still vivid past without a SILVER; for
there ii comfort In the thought that
what have undergone is to be held
up to others a. a possible lesson and
warning.
For obvious reasons. have been
obliged to give fictitious names to
factories and shops In which work.
ed: and I have. in most cases, sub
stituted for the names of the streets
where the factories were located the
names of streets of like character.
AS to moral conditions, have not
been in every instance so scrupulous-
~ truthful-that is, l have not told
all the truth. For it is a truth which
only too often will not bear even the
suggestion of telling. Only in two
or three instances-for example, in
my account Of Henrietta Manners
have / ventured to hint definitely at
anything pertaining to the shame and
iniqulty underlying a discouragingly
large part of the work girls world.
In my magazine articles was oblig-
ed to leave out all reference to this
tabooed topic. The attitude Of the
public, especially the American pub
lie, toward this subject is curious
mixture of prudery and gallantry.
To destroy the trades unions is to
plug up the industrial safety valve.