The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1888-05-26
TIME is MONEY.
An Elementary Lesson on the Value Of q
Business Mans Minutes.

13usIness-M Mans Minutes.
This article is not given the above
title Ti"aply to catch the attention OF
and insure reading by the opposite
sex. although the same instinct that
prompted our first parents to eat of tho
fruit that had not tempted them until
1t was forbidden, will perhaps induce
some men to read 1t. Tn that case am
sure of hearty chorus of ''amens."
Women, even business. women, havo
a habit of going into the Office of busi-
ness-mnn upon some undoubtedly
worthy errand which they might dis
pose of in five minutes and departing
leave behind them pleasant memories
and complimentary opinions. Too often,
alas! they accept the proffered chair and
and proceed to unfold tale longer than
whole play of Shakespeare, which
properly might be classified as another
Comedy of Errors" They stay until
the genial smile of welcome on the face
OF the businessman fades to weary
and hopeless expression, and then to
gradually combative and belligerent
one. which his wife would recognize,
but which these casual callers are too
much interested with their own story to
notice. Perhaps he turns to his desk,
or picks up newspaper, or eagerly
mods to fresh arrival in the office rs
II he would speak. But still they stay
on, oblivious of the fact that they have
outstaid their welcome, and have de-
veloped, in the mind of their victim,
from pleasant, intelligent ladies into
"first-class bores." They have evidently
"come to stay"
| Within week Ihave seen three in.
stances of this: One woman who was
seeking place on the press and ex-
pressed herself as willing to do any
kind of work and be expeditions and
business-like withal, st;,id in an edi-
torial office two hours and thirty-fve
minutes, talking of her own private af-
fairs, while, the patient and long-suffcr-
ing editor worked far into the night to
| pay for his forbearance. Another
woman went to u man who had an i'm
portant matter of business which must
be attended to within the two hours ut
noon when he was free from other
cares and responsibilities to transact
matter which should have kept him ten
minutes at the most. But she staid
and talked and talked and talked and
talked and talked and talked. The
| gentleman rose as sign for her to 60,
but still she babbled on, like Tenny-
sons brook, until it was too late, and
his time and opportunity were lost
| Again, two business people met to set
tie certain accounts which would re-
quire less than half an hour. A woman
entered OH an errand and, sitting down,
made u visit of an hour and half, in
terrupting important business and
throwing behindhand the affairs of
other people fully two honrs.
| Now, women ought to understand
that whenever they do this sort of thing
they rob their victims of what is often
valuable time; and with most business
people time is money.
| Men seldom do these things. or il
they are inclined to, their busy brethren
have u hundred ways of getting rid of
them; but u businessman is good deal
at the mercy of his women callers-if he
is gentleman. Women should remen-
ber this, and. even in the case of
| friends, learn to see upon entering an
Office whether its occupant is busy or
not. If she sees her own interest she
will limit her stay to fifteen minutes at
the utmost, unless hard pressed.
just how far it is the duty of a man
or woman either-to let an out
slider take his valuable time from busi-
ness affairs, is, in my mind. a question.
think none of MS ought to sacrifice
whole morning or an entire afternoon
to the polite duty of being bored to
death by people whose woes we can not
help. whose affairs do not interest us,
and between us and whom there is not
strong bond of friendship or common
interest. And I believe the editor,
publisher or other business man whom
had been persistently "talking blind''
for any considerable period would be
justified in politely. and with his most
fascinating manner. calling my atten-
tion to the door.
But until this fashion is adopted by
urbane and courteous businessmen
generally, women must learn to see for
themselves when there is the slightest
danger of being de trop. And by
giving evidence in this way that she has
some idea of the value of time and of
the relative Importance of other peo-
ple's affairs she will have raised the
standard of business-men' estimate of
women and demonstrated her own
right to the term--"a good business
woman. Helen NJ. Winslo,0, in Boston
Globe.