The Topeka state journal., 1922-08-18
A Stenographer's
Romance
BY JANE PHELPS
\ CHAT ABOUT A WOMAN EN-
PTnVER

A CHAT ABOUT A WOMAN EN-
PLOYER-
I Chapter 20.
Soon after Cora Iert a girl from
Glayds's home town came in.
'I am so discouraged, Gladys" +"
Mary Norton said after they had chat
ted bit.
Whats the matter. Mary7"
I'm out of work, have tried every
where. But business is slow, they are
laying off girls instead of taking them
on. I thought I would try getting a
place with a woman boss. 1 have had
one or two unpleasant experiences
with men, and then thought in an
office where a woman was the head
the petty jealousies between the girls
would be eliminated. anSw ered an
advertisement of woman real-estate
agent. 1t was a nice looking office,
no one there but "a very young girl at
the telephone desk. asked for Mrs.
Barrett, that was the agents name
and the girl said she would he in soon,
that she was showing some flats.
Eyer work for a woman boss %
she asked me when Itoid her I had
come in answer to the advertisement.
would like to.
'rFhey get awfully fussy some
times she said, mostly over little
things. Go off half-cocked, and don't
hdlI 10 1lIQ out the r1SnC OF Things.
Then if they don't rent their places it
makes them cross. Someway ..they
can't seem to take things like men, do
and they take it out on the ste
nographer. Unless I'm here then. it's
Just as apt to be me catcneS it. They
get ratified, too, easier than men. And
they never forget it If you make a
mistake. can't stop talking about it.
Why, Mrs. Barrett will bring up mis-
take made a month ago just as if
mana TO-DAY
is one thing in working for a woman
you don't have to put up with any
nonsense like you have to from a man.
especially in my position. But YOU
about even-Stephen'."
'I should think she would have
discourag ged you," Gladys remarked.
she did in way, but I was des-
perate," Mary Norton replied. "I had
spent nearly all I had saved"
It's awful to want a Jop so bad, I
know!" Nellie broke in. She always
listened with intense interest to any
story told by a working girl.
L asked her If she would advise
me to wait" Mary went on. ''She had
made me feel that if I did get the
place it wouldn't last. She said:
Not unless you're up against it
pretty hard. They work you awfulIy,
worse than men do. They never save
themselves. Mrs. Barrett works like
a horse and expects everyone in the
office to do the same You can i'm
agine I didn't feel very enthusiastic,
but had to have work. so waited.
and in between telephone calls chatted
with the girls
What else did she tell you?" Nellie
asked as Mary kept silent.
She said: Women bosses aren't
to be depended upon, they make
promises. then if anything goes wrong
with their business they try to sneak
out of keeping them. They always
have some excuse that sounds all
right The trouble with them is they
amt been used to bossing.' Just then
Mrs. Barrett came in. She was a tall,
thin woman with a long face, and jet
black hair. She looked inQuiringly at
me, while she talked to the girl, asked
about messages, and so on. Then she
said:
"'What can I do for you? Her
manner was quick and businesslike.
told her came in answer to the ad-
vertisement''
'References?' she snapped.
Yes I replied. And gave them
to her. You should have seen her
read them. Her black eyes seemed
to jus: snap up the words"
Didn't she say anything" Nellie
asked.
"Yes. she said they seemed all right.
Then she asked what pay I wanted. II
tolc her SIS, just what had in MY
last place"
Too muchH she said in tfIct bust
nesslike way I can't pay over S12.
Business doesn't warrant it" Then
she turned to her desk as that end
ed it.
"Tn take It until prove I am
worth what I ask told her. but she
said she watned no dissatisfied girl
in her office, one who was all the |
time thinking she was worth more
than she was getting; that anyway she |
had partly promised the position 10 |
another girl. I went away and. |
Gladys.>I couldn't feel sorry I didn't |
get the job, badly as needed 1t. But /
it wasn't fair to judge all women en-
ployers by her. any more than it is |
fair to Judge all men by one who isn't |
the right Sort
What makes you say that?" Nellie |
asked. Did you try another wo- |
man?''
Yes. I didn't get the Job. but she
was so kind. Said she wished she /
could afford an experienced girl, but |
she could pay only IS. I can't live on |
that because I have to send money |
home"
(Tomorrow-Nellies envies Mr. Fal-
Ions niece.)