APRIL IS, 150;
13
I -
Girl's Hunt for Job
12222 ETirsa
TEE NEBRASKA INDEPENDENT
Mario Kenyon In New York World:
I want to tell you my experiences
while seeking a position. I bought a
Sunday edition of 'a paper noted for
Its columns of "help wanted' and
read these through carefurty, cut-out
the ones that seemed to fit my taste,
and early on Monday I started to call.
The first advertisement called for
"an attractive, well dressed woman,
over twenty-five." I was the first, and
as I entered a boy chewing gum
looked up long enough to say: "Wish
to see Mr. R., ma'am?" I nodded, and
he Invited me to . "sit down, he's
busy." I did so, and in a few mo
ments a tall Gib3onesque girl en
tered, gave me a smile, displaying a
faultless set of teeth and seated her
self beside me. More followed until
perhaps a dozen - young women, all
bright looking and well dressed, had
arrived. After a long time I entered
the private office. The first question
put to me was: "What has been your
business experience?" That floored
me, but I replied: "None whatever,
but I have- come here to earn a Hvli
hood at whatever I seem best adapted
to." "Oh," he said, "you are a
stranger in New York; well (hem), J
could only take your name and ad
dress and will send for you if I . need
you." Then he bowedme out, without
explaining anything about what the
work might be. ,
The next was another attractive ad
vertisement, concealing just what the
work might be, and as I entered I
noticed several faces of those who
had been to see "Mr. R." The Gibson
girl spoke to mft this time and asked
if I were a stranger. I replied in the
affirmative, and she advised me not
to tell that I had no business training
If I could avoid it. It finally came my
turn to interview the lady manager
this "time. She was very pleasant,
described the work very attractively,
and said it was to interview mothers,
and she knew I would be a grand
success. I had "such a pleasing per
sonality," and I . left with, a radiant
countenance, upon being told to call
next day, when she would describe
the vork in detail and engage me.
Out in the hall I found the whole
roomfull of women leaving in high
dudgeon, among other the one who
had preceded me and carried the
news. "So it is book canvassing?"
they said to me. "Oh, no," I replied,
"it is only interviewing people." A
good natured " laugh greeted my inno
cent information. "Miss Gibson"
said: "My dear, I would not try book
canvassing upon .my initial appear
ance' among the breadwinners; it is
very disheartening, and I fear . you
will become discouraged.IIere Js my
card; I shall be very glad to hear
from you and be of any assistance.
Wouldn't you like to take luncheon
with me, and we will talk things
over?" I accepted her invitation, for
I was anxious to know what cause
had led her to be seeking a position.
We had a nice little luncheon in a
place down town, crowded with a
handsome, wholesome looking lot of
girls. We had other advertisements
to answer and agreed to go to
gether, and left to visit a "firm 2 to. 4
allurement." We were the first to ar
rive, and as in the other places, others
followed, and several who had been
at the former places. Finally the
door opened and a little whipper
snapper of a man entered with a cig
arette in his mouth, and he kept it
there and seated himself at a desk
where we all were, and looked around
and said: "Who's first?" They all
looked at me, and I "arose and sail' 1
over" and tried to look business like.
You know, my friends have always
complimented me upon my placid dis
position, but this time my placidity
failed me, and I was possessed of a
hysterical desire to laugh, lie asked
me had I called in answer to his ad.
All I could think of was, "What else
could havr, brought mo here?" and so
I laughed Vim ply laughed, but man
aged to say "Yes." He' talked a
whole lot, I really could not tell what
about, and I don't believe that lie
paid very much, and h;uded mo
blank read and fill out. Then he
told mo to call the next day.
As I turned to leave, Miss G. arose
and, with a posit I ly regal air and
delicious one. said: "So this Is an
employment agency; you'ie not In thv
legitimate business and are using, tho
columns of the newspapers to deceive
ladles into paying car fare and want
ing valuable time In answering an ad.
which Ih ntlrtly inlsUading." Then
tins iuld.il vindictively; "I slnll tx
iom you; I know a woman In Nassau
street who was fort 'd to rIvo up Juxt
KU( ll liHNlllCtf."
Will, ho positively lurntd white,
nnd lfiit ha could h'Plv. t-he had
-on with mo ti ailing nftor her. We
waited In tho lobby until tht rt of
tho women arrived, for by this time
we all f"U quite vvll acquainted. One
littlu woman, r.ririrjr '
look of anxiety, told us that she had
been with a business house fifteen
years, it failed and she, with all thoso
years of experience, had been unable
to procure a position. What hope for
me?
The next morning I went to an ad
dress I had copied," but had omitted
to read oarefully just what the ad
vertisement said.) "Yes, madam. I am
S ; what can I do for you; would
you flike the chorus or the legit?"
"Oh," I asked, "is this a church
choir agency?" "No," he replied, "it's
the other extreme, on the stage."
"Well," I said, "I've mad a mis
take," and started for the door.
"Couldn't you pose?" he called after
me, "wait a moment, madam; you
have a superb figure!" I hesitated
and to hesitate is to be lost; for I
came bacl- to learn all about this en
chantment. "Let me see your foot,
madam," Y.i said. I di. :reetly stuck
it out. He ravel over it and then
added: "Just step into my private
office and unfasten your gown; I
would like to see your" neck and
shoulders; you could make a fortune
posing.1' But - by that time I was
nearly down the flight of stairs.
"Next I tried an "assistant house
keeper." It was the address of a
boarding house in the Seventies. A
beautiful woman with gray hair an
swered the bell, and when I started
to state ii y business, assigned me to
the dungeon no, basement, they call
it down here, to interview the house
keeper. Yes, she wanted an assistant
one who could cut bread, serve food
on the plates, arrange the fruits, etc.
"But, madam," I said, "those were
the duties of my second gtrl In my
home; why do you advertise for. a
housekeeper?" "Well," she said, "I
do it now, and "all the marketing;
but I need an assistant."- "And what
are the hours?" I asked. "From 7 ' i
the morning until 9 at night," she re
plied. "And the salary?" "Three dol
dars a week." Three dollars a we k
to live in a basement, and never see
the light of day or breathe any of
God's pure air! I breathed a lot of in
happily when I reached the sidewalk,
and hurried down town to answe my
last ad. for the day.
E3 The Printer n
Indianapolis Star: A long time ago
a man named Guttenberg whittled
on pieces of wood. He had a knife
and used' it likemodcrn loafers do,
loungers who make a goods box the
object of their artistic carving.: The
difference is that Mr. Guttenberg had
a motive, while the modern carvers
are simply passing the time away.
The loafers of the present day give an
example of subtraction as each shav
ing flies, but Guttenberg desired
multiplication. The advent of print
ing meant that less scribes would
have writer's cramp. , Any number of
quills used to be worn out every day
by men who made copies of famous
and infamous writings. After the in
vention of printing, however, quills
were not so much in demand, and
some of them were used for tooth
picks.". The quill toothpick was In
general use until comparatively re
cently. Since printing was invented
and newspapers have begun to circu
late there are not nearly so many
geese in the w'orld.
Tho country printer In America was
a very qicturesque type until recently.
There were thousands of them who
wandered hither and yon, all over
the country, stopping at. this office and
that, working all tho way from an
hour to several months, and then
then proceeding on their way. They
were literally journeymen,, for they
wended many a weary mile down
dusty roads in Rummer, until a sound
at first like the buzzing of a tiee
camo nearer and nearer, louder and
louder, until the buzz of a threshing
machine along the roadsido couid be
heard. They stopped at farm houses,
often, obtaining a cup o; water, or of
cool Kwwt milk, perhaps a tlnful of
fresh liuttt-i ndik hh the buxom wife of
the household finished her churning.
At the next town big enough to
Ihki.U of n paper they wero seldom re
fused work, or at leat material as-klstant-e,
for they were generally In
need. Tliero was something about
their nrtlstlc temperament which
made them forget to keep money and
forget, to buy shoes and clothing un
til there was Immediate and pressing
Hoed fc.r nurli commodities.
Whether justly or unjustly, they
were alno accused r-f having a fond
ness for Intoxicants. From personal
knowledge of a large number tf the
printer nt tle r'W a f?W yr PJJ
k"V; WJJIIIIMm
m
contracts
foot. Insuring
be worn all year round.
Three styles, low, medium and high. Your dealer will
supply you. If not, write to us. Look for tho name and
trade-mark on the sole. N
We also make the popular "Western Lady
pDpp lend the name of a dealer who
1 lLiv Martha Was kin at on" .hoci and
will anrf vmi fr. YiAtnaJH a Ktsiitifiil
picture of "Martha Wasbinglon," size 15x20
it can be stated that whether they
had a fondness for Intoxicants, as
hypothecated, or whether liquor was
distasteful and they drank ft against
their will, many of them gave every
evidence of concealing It ' about their
persons. Who knows that such a
habit resulted from brain storms after
reading -some of the copy of country
editors? These brain storms are be
coming very popular nowadays in ex
cusing faults where leniency is to i
shown.
The country printing office was a pic turesque
place, with Ha bespllntered
floor covered with dirt, paper, grease
and ink; its walls on which were past
ed clippings which had appealed to
someono as very clever; its grimy old
towel which could stand alone without
the use of a crutch; its old sink, hover
ing about which wero odors which
might lead one to imagine some great
chemist, had., been( playing with aU.pv?,
aroma tie- ' compounds ho- could . form
from the elements; not forgetting tho
editor's sanctum, with its cuspidor,, its
scattered newspapers with rectangular
holes in them and the Incriminating ex
hibits of scissors and paste pot. Ah, it
vas indeed a picturesque spot.
Into such a place came the wander
ing artist, the man -,vho was supposed
to know, how to spell every word inthe
dictionary, correct every error in com
position of all the vast corps of writ
ers on a small paper, put up with the
prattle of the dirty-faced toy known as
the "printer's devil," whose ar.ihltb.n
was none less than to become president
some day. The wandering artist usual
ly got a dime or so in real money first,
then returned, pometimes, an worked.
Sometimes at the conclusion of hl.s
visit he would get paid in real money
and sometimes take an order on a
merchant advertising in the paper, to
provide himself with new wearing ap
parel. Most of them were silent- men, and
on that account appeared to be pos
sessed of a magnitude of wisdom.
They were men usually very well in
formed. Many of them. wre ripe
scholars. Rome could set type all
day. meet with congenial companions
of the village at night, stand on a
pool table and recite Shakespeare by
the hour, taking, only sufficient time
occasionally to give a scene copied af
ter Falstaff.
' But In thoso days their services
were In demand everywhere, their
wages in cities good and they indulged
In their spirit of what the Germans
call the wanderlust. They were hnppy.
Many of them lived to trudge down
the country roads after passing the
three score mark and even after be
coming octogenarians.
If they did wish to. push on to the
next town and the next newspaper
ihey were perhaps forced to do so al
ter their ajtlwtic temperament had
been Jarrod by facing tho country
"communication"," which consisted of
many, homely "Item of Interest." Fol
lowing arts a few nam pies;
"William II. So-und-Mo Is .visiting In
)ir midst.
"ftamuel W. So-and-no wnt to Jerk
water Sunday to visit frond&.
"Mr. and Mr. Scorgo So-and-so
have been entertaining relatives from
Jerkwater tho past werk.
"Charley So-and-o has got n new
rubber-tired rig and all the girls have
got their eyes epen. Watch out,
i hurley !
"There was quite a rowdy party
outside our meeting hOuno Sunday
night mid throwed a atone threw the
window, tot Ihey gnt. awojr. Such a
Martha Washington
Comfort Shoe9
re marfe for cmnine enmfnrt. T
pleasure and relief to wear them.
There are no buttons to button or laces
(o lace. You just alio them on and
The elastic at the aides expands and
with the natural notion of the
perfect ease aad contort. Caa
e
,t -i
does not handle..
thing Is awful bad and ought to be
stopped. Some folks has no pen so of
decenzy.
"Wheat is looking prosperous.
"The weather Is not to be com
plained about In these parts.
"The new ditch at the east end is
nearlng completion, and a good thing.
There is no flies on our new bridge, to
use slangs
"Measles Is In our town. v..
"Health is generally good here
about." The Itinerant printer learned only at
the conclusion of the epistle 'that
members of the So-and-so family
were mentioned frequently-' because
Miss Sallle So-arid-so was the corre
spondent. That disclosure was suf
ficient to cause him to recite three
more of Shakespeare's plays that
night and to move to the next town
on the morrow.
But the country editor was forced
to remain on that selfsamfc newspa.-.
per"h'caase"of the 'prominence of his
social standing. He was a man to
whom all classes looked as a fount
of wisdom, a man of courage who at
tacked iniquity In the high plat
and said only good things about the
departed. A retrospective view of the
worst town loafer and his life showed
him to be an admirable man,"" even
though he made vlai to the town
ship trustee with such weekly regu
larity that he had the gout as an ex
cuse for the bestowal of public chnr
ity. But where the country editor, who
was usually a graduate from the
ranks of country printers, did shine
was on the editorial page. He in
vested all his bold utterances with a
personality scarcely possible nowa
days. When his paper said anything
it was known that he was .speaking.
His readers knew his words. Some of
them were a little too big, but his
subscribers knew what ho meant in a
general way. He had to be "on the
square." Roosevelt has later para
phrased the expression into "a square
deal." The country editor was ap
proached by the preacher and the sa
loon keeper. He had to talk honestly
to both. He had to talk to the school
superintident and blacksmith, lie
had to deal with matters of Interest
in his little community and also keep
his readers in touch with the thought
of Ihe entire world, not omitting the
snake story, annually published, about
the big serpent in Georgia, who swal
lowed a post auger and hatched
enough corkscrews to supply a camp
meeting. He had to do fire Insurance
some times to make n living. TH
country editor was a hero and ho
doubtless gained Incentive from com
munication with the outside world
through the wlso Itinerant printer.
They trod the loads
ryl .r l...lr ,.., ,1-
Itinerant "prints."
Each was a man
And a better than
' A tln-arrnyd wince.
"Sculpturo Is the simplest thing In
tho wf rid." ays a rustle; "all vou have
to do Is to take a be chunk rt marble
and a hammer and chine), make up
your mind what you are about to
create, una men etup ort an trie mar
ble you don't want."
The under dog may be deserving of
our sympathy, but don't forvct that thn
small HUto- aro always at th bot
tom of tho heap.
Tomorrow la only yesicraajr two days
off.
r.-i
