The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-02-02
THE EVENING STOR
AT the Complaint Desk.
(By Kate Austin.)

that faced the complainant desk ana
approached the young woman seated
behind the wide window, who was
| talking to the checker.
| "Of course. it gave her a good
| chance to let us all know what nice
white arms she has. but my mother'd
see me in my grave before she'd let
me go to a ball in any such costume
as that
"Will you kindly ascertain whether
they have found my parcel YETI" in
| terrupted Marian, tapping the desk
lightly with the tips of her gloved fin
gers.
The young person flung her an i'm
patient look.
| What parcel ~
1.-The one about which I inquired at
intervals for the past half hour"
Whats your name and what's
wrong with the bundle?" Inquired the
girl in bored tones.
You took my name twice and tele-
phoned the delivery department and I
an waiting for their report. Why do
you not call them again and see
whether the parcel has been located? ?"
Say do you think 1 want to get the
delivery boys down on me? If they
find it, they'll tell me quick enough"
| If" echoed Marian, her delicate
face flushing under the girls cool i'm
pertinence.
'Well, I'll take your name and ad-
dress and drop you a postal when we
/
Indeed you will not I want it
now" said Marian and she walked
away from the window, with head high
and nostriIs quivering.
wonder if she's going down into
the sub-cellar to get it," giggled the
young person to the checker. "It is
funny how some swells think they can
come in here and run this store. I
guess she don't know we've got a sys-
tenn here
account of the fancy dress ball, Ma
+ rian crossed to- the main aisle, found a
f1oorwalker and asked to be directed
to the superintendent. of employees.
Five minutes Inter she was ushered in
to the presence of smooth-faced,
square shouldered chap who looked as
IL he had received his training on the
football gridiron rather than as stock
boy in big department store.
Richard Burnside had risen from
the lowest ranks in the store where he
was now superintendent, studying
practical business methods by day and
physical culture and English branches
at the Y. NJ. G. A rooms by night.
Now, he stood beside his desk,
Marian Macrea's card bent between
his fingers He looked the slender,
of a man accustomed to seeking good
material for his staff, and decided
that she must be a reporter or maya
zine writer hunting information about
the condition of the working girl. He
had met many such since he became
superintendent.
'What can we do for you. Miss Ma
crea," he inquired, Offering her seat.
81 merely called to ask you whether
your complaint department had been
organized for the, convenience of your
customers or to browbeat them so eff
fectuaIly that they will endure almost
any Inconvenience rather than make
complaint?
Richard Burnside sat down. rather
suddenly. This was not just what he
had expected.
Very deliberately but convincingly, |
Marian told her story, from the in
difference of the clerk who had first !
waited on her, to the impertinence OF
the young woman at the complaint |
desk When she had finished, Burn |
side leaned forward, his hands clasped |
between his knees, his face boyish no
longer but scanned deeply with lines |
of anxiety.
Miss Macrea, you have been treat |
ed outrageously-and so have many OF
our customers-and I, the superin- |
tendent of this store, can not find a |
remedy-because I can not handle
women employees. 1 can handle the
bows in this line, because I know boys. !
but the Indifferent. the insolent woman
employee IS beyond me
He glanced up to meet Marfan's
sympathetic glance: 1mpulslvely ne
told her of his humble beginning, the
new work and his many vexauons ana
trials with incompetent help.
Il have had five girls at that COM
plaint desk each less satisfactory than
the one before her If could just find
a girl with Judgment, discretion and
good manners-but you can't expect to
find such a girl for twelve dollars
week, can you?"
His big gray eyes were lifted to
Marian's brown ones.
She laughed-a queer, chuckling little
laugh that seemed to fairly bubble up
from her slender, white throat.
do YOU think I would fill the bill?
1 would like to earn twelve dollars
week
your" gasped Burnside. his glance
travelling from her neat boots to her
trim tailored hat.
why. yes. When 1 came in here I
never thought of such a thing, though
I have been wanting a position of some
sort 1 believe 1 would know whether
a woman had just complaint or was
irving to cheat the firm, and 1 have
always been complimented on my tact.
I know 1 have patience, because have
been-companion to an invalid for sew
eral years. If you would consider the
1 can furnish references"
II don't give fig for references.
you're engaged. Can you begin Mon
dav? I'll put that girl back where she
the mail-order depart
ment"
And that was how Marian Macrea
walked out of the Barnes Bros store
with a job in her pocket and an odd
little smile playing around her lips.
q W