Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1919-01-17
ONE WOMAN,S WAY
. THE STORY ORA GIRLS FIGHT FOR SUCCESS
g By C0ro1n Be%Cb@c> w.

necessitated our giving up our
home and moving to an apart
ment.
During the months which fol-
lowed devoted all my time to do
ing war work. l learned much
that was afterWard to prove of
help to me. l formed committees,
filled executive positions. l
gave society and social affairs up
entirely. 1 devoted my every
waking hour to work. [ learned
to conserve my strength and my
time-as well as my words. The
latter hard thing for woman to
do. 1 learned to keep appoint
ments promptly, to be at my al
Iotted place at the same hour every
morning, and not be in a hurry to
leave it at night.
I remembered daily that father
had said women lacked a mind
trained to business affairs" In
every way that I could I set myself
to so train my mind that after the
war was over I would have a GER
tain grasp that would enable me
to go on. [ had made up my mind
to be a business woman when the
war should end. | had two rea-
sons for this. One that never
again would l be content with the
butterfly life Of a society girl; the
other a wish to give mother all
the comforts, and, incidentally,
many of the luxuries to which we
had been all our lives accustomed,
and which we would have to do
without did I not in some way add
TO our income.
So I planned as [ worked, and
J.0rked the harder for my plan
ming. And when the signing OF
the armistice released me from my
war work at once put my plans
into execution.
CHAPTER II.
= FOUND a position at once
due to my experience in war
Il work. l considered myself
very fortunate, as it was a posi-
ton OF trust with a firm which
gave me opportunities both for aQ-
vancement and for increasing my
knowledge. was to be private
secretary to Austin Stevens, the
head Of the concern, and also to
attend to the hiring and disCharg-
ing Of the girls-many of whom
were employed.
Mr.. Stevens was a type of man
seen often among those who are
successful in business. Tall, thin,
and unhandsome; yet he gave out
a sense OF virility and power. His
deep set gray eyes seemed to look
straight through one. You felt
he almost read what was going on
in your mind. He was arrogant
ct times, yet from the first l liked
him, and thought myself extremely
fortunate to be associated with
such man.
I was just twenty-siX years old
when | went to work for Austin
Stevens, although overy one
thought me older. had grieved
deeply for my father, and had
taken my work for our soldiers so
seriously that it seemed to have
taken some of the youth out OF
me.
But as I told mother, there
could be no loss without some
small gain; and I felt that Mr.
Stevens never would have trusted
me with important matters had
looked too young.
Fortunately, however, youth is
resilient. AS the days passed and
I found so much Of interest tC
occupy me-besides being able tC
give mother many things she
longed for-I seemed to take on
o new and more vivid youthful,
ness. l got on famously with my
employer, and also with the other
work entrusted to me. From the
very first I was intensely interest
ed in the girls he employed in
/ different capacities, stenograpkers
and bookkeepers mostly. [ uset
| to watch them; listen to their talk
when they were unaware I was
near; and wish I might do some
thing to make them understand
that if they tried they could make
of themselves something bigger
and better in a business way.
I had been of a restless nature
even as child. Always reaching
out for Notwithstanding diff
ferent. 1t was SO all through col
lege. | had graduated with
girls reasonable pride in my at
tainments, and a decided wish tt
put them to use. Yet that desire
had been swallowed up, almos
for time, because Of my deiigh
in the social pleasures which fol
lowed my graduation. You SET
father had wealth; consequently
had admirers. That sounds dread
fully cynical, and I was not then
am not even now, inclined tt
cynicism. But when a girl is onl,
ordinarily good-looking-I wa
tall, neither light nor dark, will