Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1918-02-21
Wanted: A
Dumb Woman
~
By Mona Cowles
Copyright, 1917. by the Mcclure Newspa-
per Syndicate)
By Mona Cowles

"Wanted-A stenographer who is
dumb but not deaf must be over thr-
ty. No others need apply. Call Mon
day morning at Congressman pragg's
Office at the Dayenporte'
Perhaps the single affection of being
dumb without being deaf is not a rare
one. but in Washington on the Sunday
that this advertisement appeared in
the local papers, women 50 handi-
capped were not numerous. Or IL
they were, they were not stenogra-
piers in search of job. OF the half
dozen dumb applicants, there was one
whose hearing was keen enough and
whose stenography was good enough
70 Justify the congressman's young
man secretary--who sized them up
when they came to the oifice--in refer
ring her to the congressman himself.
That was Mardy Mapes. and she was
not entirely what the congressman had
asked for in the advertisement. She
admitted to the secretary in writing,
on the small tablet OF paper that she
carried around with her, that she was
under thirty, and anyone could have
told at a glance that she wasn't even
twenty-five. However" she wrote TO
the congressman when he objected TO
her on the score of extreme youthful
ness: II am old in my ways and !
can look much older if dress in plain
dark clothes"
The congressman frowned little
at her to show his disapproyal but
consolcd himself with the thought
that If he kept her in his employ long
enough, she would eventually reach a
suitable age. On general principles,
II seemed, Congressman Fragc had an
objection to young women. Some poo
pie whispered that This was because Of
some early disappointment in love, but
those who knew him better knew sh0t
In the congressman's uphill climb from
poor farmers hoy to the leading
man OF his state. there had been no
time for Irritation or love-making.
"You may consider yourself en-
pioyed' said the congressman. ana
the smile that came over Mardy's face
showed that she heard perfectly IN
spite of her total dumbness Nov
want TO explain why | wanted q dumb
stcnographer. | have had several
women In my employ-good Stenogra-
pliers they were, too-but they drove
fpe almost crazy with their innocent
bahbling. When they weren't chning
With my secretary out there. they ftare
talking over the telephone to the girl
downstairs at the switchboard or ar
ranging with the people at suffrage
headquarters TO make Street-corner
speeches on such and such a night.
And after hours they babbled TO their
friends all my business, or tried TO
retail inside political information to
their Soap-box audiences. Washington
is nothing but n village In lots Of ways,
and people soon get to know that Miss
So-and-So is working for Congress
man ThuS-and-So, and the first thing
IA know people would be telling rue
over at the capitol more about my
own business than | knew myself.
4
you understand hut they were so fond
of hearing themselves speak that they
couldn't help it, That is why ] wanted
a dumb stenographer. Your youthful
ness is against you, but | don't sup
pose l can do any better--never mind
the references-you look honest. and
my secretary says your stenography is
more than fair. Report here tomor-
row morning at half-past nine"
Although the ambitious young man
from the congressman's home town
had the distinction Of being bis sec
rotary, Miss MapeS soon did practical
ly all the work that is usually con-
nected with that post, and the young
man in question occupied his time
largely with meeting the congress
mans callers, mixing with people
whom the congressman might find IL
useful 10 know, in hotel Hobbies, club
rooms or wherever he might contrive
10 find them, and making hurried trips
back and forth from various of the
conEreSSman's constituents TO Wash
lngron.
Mardy Mapes seemed not TO have n
responsibility or tie In the world-at
least in hlngton--outside of the
office. She boarded
somewhere over In the northeastern
indefinite section SO far as the con-
gresham was concerned. and "trol-
lied" back and forth from there 10 the
congresSman's Office in the hotel,
where he lived, near the White House.
she never worked overtime" because
all her time, presumably, was possible
Office time And if she stayed in the
congressman's office till midnight TAX
ing down notes for an important
speech that he was TO deliver. or lis
tening critically TO him as he re-
heGrSed such q speech TO her, tongues
In the hotel never waEged 20 her dis
credit because Of II. Perhaps this
was because poor Mardy's own tongue
itself was incapable OF wagging. She
was pretty and she was young but her
dumbncss and her very somher and
demure mode OF dressing were pro
lection against SANDER or less mali
cious gossip.
More than if Mayly had expressed
herself in words did the congressman