East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1913-02-22

They sent me to several offices but
the people never kept me, although
they couldn't find fault with my work
because it's Al, if 1 do say it. After
dozen of these disappointments,
decided to give up my profession and
become a milliner saleswoman. 1t
seemed to me as though anybody
might hold that sort of job. With
that erroneous idea In mind l casual
ly dropped into a fashionable shop
that's run by Madame Paquinette, an
old friend of mothers, feeling sure
that she'd jump at the chance of Sc
curing my services. When she real
lied what was after, she fairly shud-
dered Then being plain-spoken to
everybody, but rich customers, she
exclaimed: My lands! Mayme
Smith, 1 wouldn't have a freak like
you working in this shop"
II was too much surprised to feel
hurt: What's the matter with me?
/ asked meekly.
Everything" replied Madame Pa
quinette, but chiefly your hair. It's
streaked with gray and you only
twenty-eight come Christmas.
Lots of stenographers have gray
hair. There's one in a big office
downtown who's absolutely white
and"
"All white" interrupted Mad
anne Paquinette. That's different. 1t
makes her look distingu-ee. But the
man who'd happen to glance at your
head while debating would get his at
tention so painfully distracted by
those gray streaks that he'd forget
what he'd been meaning to say. Be-
sides those cadaverous cheeks of
yours look unhealthy-though we all
know you are as strong as a pine
knot-and your skins yellow and
But your complexion isn't any worse
than your tanned, rough hands and
bony wrists. Any one as careless
about their grooming as you are don't
deserve to get work.
"By that time 1 was crying and
Madame Paquinette saw that she'd
been bit too outspoken. She didn't
take back word of her lecture-that
isn't her way-but she put both arms
around me and said: Being your god
mother, I'm in duty bound to do my
best by you. There's lady beauty
doctor exchanging trade with me who
works wonders on faded women and
although you'll never be a beauty
grille, she can make you inoffensive
looking and that's the best recon-
mendation that a stenographer can
have. After few weeks of this beau
ty doctors treatment, you ought to
get job in a high class office.
THAT beauty doctor began by put
ting me on a diet which excluded ev-
erything but vegetables fruit and
graham bread made me walk two
miles every day and drink two quarts
of water between meals. Within two
months my complexion was as clear
as a healthy baby's and I'd gained
five pounds of flesh. Meanwhile a
hair restorer was so regularly applied
that the faded, gray old hairs fell
out and vigorous scalp massage help
ed new-and brown-ones to replace
them. Then the hair dresser in the
beauty doctors establishment taught
me to do my hair becomingly-and
simply-and the manicure girl showed
me how to care for my hands and
nails and to rub sweet oil upon my
wrists so that their bones would pe
decently covered.
They needed a bookkeeper-steno-
grapher at the first place where 1 ap-
piled for work after Madame Paquin-
cites beauty doctor had finished with
me, so l didn't secure that job. But
the office-manager there said that he
was sorry they didn't need an extra
stenographer because my well-groom-
ed appearance was great recommen-
dation. And it must have been with
in week 1 got my present position"
IF only I'd had clever godmother
to advise me-" sighed the discouraged
looking girl.
Profit by my experience" replied
the cheerful stenographer. ITS new
er too late to cultivate the good looks