The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1907-04-05

belongs-in the mail order depart
ment."
And that was how Harlan Macreu
walked out of the Barnes Bros store
with a job in her pocket and an odd
little smile playing around her lips.
Three months passed. Burnside was
no longer worried about the conduct
or the complaint department. In fact,
he argued that the reason he dropped
in to talk complaints over with its pre-
siding head was merely as relief
after other worries. 1t was a pleasure
to see department run so smoothly.
And all over the big store the same
atmosphere was beginning to assert
itself There were weekly talks to the
women clerks, at which reports from
floorwalkers and complaining custom
ers were offered; little lectures on the
smoothing out of tangles and the adj
justment Of differences were given.
The sales girls took a new view of
selling goods and handling customers,
and none knew that these talks were
all planned out in charming little up
town apartment, where the superin
tendent and the head of the complaint
department gravely discussed store
problems while the invalid mother for
got her own pains in listening to the
new interests Of her daughter.
Then came the great day when
James Barnes, ST., returned from his
trip around the world. Richard Burn
hide had no need to give account of
his stewardship. Others had done so in
letters that encircled the globe, and so
one bright spring morning the head Of
the house sat In his superintendent
office saying the sort of things that
warm an employees heart when there
came a tap at the door, and girl with
soft brown hair and eyes entered the
Office, her hands filled with report
slips.
"Mr. Barnes, want you to know
Miss Macrea, the very capable
But Mr. Barnes, quite apoplectic, was
sparring for wind.
Marian, what in the world! If You
wanted something to do, why didn't
you go in for settlement work.
Richard burnside felt the little Office
spinning around as Marian crossed the
room and pattcd the apoplectic fore
head soothingly with her slender white
hand.
Dear Uncle Jimmy, do not have Il
stroke. With the head of the firm
globe trotting and everything mother
and I had in the world in this store. |
felt had n right to come in here and
see that our small investment was
safe. You couldn't expect Jimmy CT
Howard to do it when one has new
motor and the other new yacht"
Ten minutes later Marian laid heg
reports on Burnside's desk and turned
to leave. He held the door open for
her. and as she flung him a CHEEKY
smile she stopped suddenly. His face
looked old. His eyes were heavy, as If
they had watched something very love
ly and dear pass out of his life. She
paused irresolutely and glanced over
her shoulder Mr.. Barnes, ST., was
just passing through the opposite door
way into the mail order department.
"You will be up tonight, as usual?
want to talk over the question of
new rest room for the girls
Richard Burnside's face went q
shade paler, and he spoke in voice
he had never used to her before.
Certainly, if you wish it,
"Of course l wish it," She tried to
speak gayly, but her voice trembled.
Don't you understand? l want ev-
erything to go on just as 1t has before.
Oh. why do YOU make it so hard for
me-" His face was still stern, but
she persisted. IL want you to tell
me-what-what / would not let you
say the other nigh;-because now l
know it was all for myself-don't you
understands"
She passed out like a flash and drew
the door shut behind her. Richard
Burnside leaned heavily against it,
breathing hard. but the light of youth
had come back to his eyes