except, perhaps, for a few days in mid-summer. But all of
cleanliness is neither embraced nor denied by the taking of cold
baths, and the Front Office girls, hours and obligations considered,
had nothing on this score of which to be ashamed. Manicuring went on
in every quiet moment, and many of the girls spent twenty minutes
daily, or twice daily, in the careful adjustment of large sheets of
paper as cuffs, to protect their sleeves. Two elastic bands held
these cuffs in place, and only long practice made their arrangement
possible. This was before the day of elbow sleeves, although Susan
Brown always included elbow sleeves in a description of a model
garment for office wear, with which she sometimes amused her
associates.

"No wet skirts to freeze you to death," Susan would grumble, "no
high collar to scratch you! It's time that the office women of
America were recognized as a class with a class dress! Short
sleeves, loose, baggy trousers--"

A shriek would interrupt her.

"Yes, I SEE you wearing that in the street, Susan!"

"Well, I WOULD. Overshoes," the inventor would pursue, "fleece-lined
leggings, coming well up on your--may I allude to limbs, Miss
Wrenn?"

"I don't care what you allude to!" Miss Wrenn, the office prude, a
little angry at being caught listening to this nonsense, would
answer snappily.