OFF THE BEATEN TRACK.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1407, 6 April 1912, Page 11

OFF THE BEATEN TRACK.

QUEER CALLINGS FOR WOMEN. America probably holds a record for eases whore women are engaged on jobs which are entirely out of tho baaten track and which may be considered, generally speaking, as work, cf not unique; at least unusual. For instance, Mrs. Anita iS'cwcomb M'Gcc is the only woman who over held u, commission in the United States Army, and likewise held a similar coinmission iu the Japanese Army. Her speciality is organising trained-nurse corps in timo of war and carrying relief to the disease-racked ' and wounded in time of their great need. Dr. M'Gce is the daughter of Professor Simon Newcomb, the lato eminent scientist. She itas thoroughly grounded in medicine and had gained renown in her profession before the Spanish-American war broke out. When hostilities had developed into reality and fever was ravaging the ranks in Cuba and Florida, the war resolved itself into more of a flgnt against disease than against the Spaniards. There was great need of nurses and of mcdicsl attention. It was the enlisting of an army of nurses, iy whipping iuto shape, its right disposition, its commanding, that fell to tho lot of Dr. Anita Neweomb Jt'Gee, first lieutenant United States Medical Corps. T'liero is but one person in tho American Government service, or, for tho matter of that, in tho wliolo world who is legally entitled to sign the name of the President of tho United Stales to weighty legal documents. This person is Mrs. James A. 1,0 Koy, of the Government Land Office, who was appointed to the position which carries this duty by the President himself. Hoi- husband corked valiantly under Mr. Taft when he was Governor of the Philippines until the'climate caused a breakdown and he was transferred to a consular post in Mexico. Here he later (lied. Mrs. J.o Roy was in the islands herself and knew the Taft family. So when the clerk who had preceded Mrs. J.o Roy in the Land Ofiice retired, tho President remembered Hie widow of his old-tiinn friend, and tho little ones that, she had to support, and otl'ered her the post. The intimacy of tho task and of the friendship made a combination that proved most happy for both parties concerned. Every patent that issues from the Lnnd Office transferring a. parcel of land from tho ownership of the Government to that of au individual requires tho signature of tho President. six thousand of theso are issued each month. If the President signed them all. he would have to write his naino two hundred times each day iu this work alone. His time is too valuable for this cleric-.il ivork. and so the iierfurmanco of the task lias been wsigncd , to a clerk. It is Mr.«. Le Pioy's sole duty, and when tliero arc no patents to sign she is at liberty to spend her time a= she choo??s. It is n sample taek, but nobedy ciso in tho world form it, ,

Unquestionably women are more successful than men in soino tasks .that aro *o skilful nnd delicate that they seem to be possibles only through intuition. There is tho case of Mrs. I'alti Lylo Collins, who reads "illegible" addresses upoon envelopes that come to the JJeiul Letter Office. She is a woman who spreads much happiness through Ratlin;; missives to addresses which would not bo readied without her skill. I'er many .years she has deciphered directions tint have defied all others and have bera sent to her us a last resort. Because of thiis skill sho has oino to l» known as tile "blind" reader. Thdtisnmls of letters mid ]>:ircels fraught witli every human hope mid desire and very often containing valuables awd money come to Mrs. Collins. It is estimated that from 50 to 70 per cent, of those missives which have boon given up by all others aro read aright by her.