pening has never been a trade in
America; but, as there are signs that it may become so in this
democratic community, I would advise our women to keep an eye to
that. [Laughter].

There are in the United Kingdom 500,000 business women, beer-shop
keepers, butcher-wives, milk-women, hack-owners, and shoemakers.

As one item of this list, consider 26,000 butcher-wives--women
who do not merely preside over a business, but buy stock, put
down meat, drive a cart even if needed--butchers to all intents
and purposes. There are 29,000 shop-keepers, but only 1,742
shop-women.

Telegraph reporters are increasing rapidly. Their speed and
accuracy are much praised. From the Bright Festival, at
Manchester, a young woman reported, at the rate of twenty-nine
words a minute, six whole columns, with hardly a mistake, though
the whole matter was political, such as she was supposed not to
understand!

Phonographic reporters also. A year ago there were but three
female phonographers in America; and two of these did not get
their bread by the work. Now hundreds are qualifying themselves,
all over the land; and two young girls, not out of their teens,
are at this moment reporting my words. [Cheers].

I hope the phonographers will take that clapping to themselves. I
wish you would make it heartier. [Repeated cheers]. Now let us
turn to the American census. I must touch it lightly. Of factory
operatives, I will only say, that, in 1845, there were 55,828 men
and 75,710 women engaged in textile manufactures. You will be
surprised at the preponderance of women: it seems to be as great
in other countries. Then follow makers of gloves, makers of glue,
workers in gold and silver leaf, hair-weavers, hat and cap
makers, hose-weavers, workers in India rubber, lamp-makers,
laundresses, leechers, milliners, morocco-workers, nurses,
paper-hangers, physicians, picklers and preservers, saddlers and
harness-makers, shoemakers, soda-room keepers, snuff and
cigar-makers, stock and suspender-makers, truss-makers, typers
and stereotypers, umbrella-makers, upholsterers, card-makers.

Cards were invented in 1361. In less than seventy years the
German manufacture was in the hands of women--Elizabeth and
Margaret, at Nuremberg. Then grinders of watch crystals, 7,000
w