Weekly independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1887-1914, 1907-05-24
DIFFER In HABITS
CARE OF DESKS NOT AN INoIcA.
TON OF ABILITY.
While Some Men Must Have Things
Just So, Others Do Much Work
Amid the Utmost Apparent
Confusion.

Curious about mems desk habits.
said a man whose business takes him
about more or less into various sorts
OF Off .es. Il was in an office yester-
day where | had occasion TO write
something.
Here, sit down at my desk,'~says
the man. 1 guess you al find a place
there
And l did find 4 place there after
moving one or two things, but that
vas all ! found-a place Just big
enough 10 write in. and that square in
the middle OF the desk.
This was a fiat top desk and. OK
cept for that small, bare spot in tho
middle. 1t was just covered with pa.
pers and things Of every description.
and these not folded or stacked os set
up about in any orderly manner, but
all apparently In the utmost confusion.
The desk looked as though its
owner, when he hal got through with
a document or bill. Just pushed 1t back
from the bare spot on the desk. And
so he had stun piled up on his desk
overlapping and lying around any way
all around the top II his desk. and
actually sloping down from ali around
10 that bare spot like a little fiat val
ley. where he wrote in the center az
the front.
And this was 4 business man. too,
and. moreover. a | was told, 4 man
who has accumulated a comfortable
property In the pursuit of his business.
And ] found him. in the dealings |
had with him, not only personally ami.
able in all things. as indicated by his
CHEEKY call. 10 use his desk. but iai!
and exact in his Business ways.
How he cyer did business with his
desk Uttered up In that way. how he
ever found anything there hat he
wanted, or how he ever remembered
anything | don't see; but as far as
know he never forgot anything tina.
was important
1T made me think OF something a
minister asked me once. | was saying
to this minister, talking about preach.
ing cNtcmPCraneOusly. that ! should
think when 3 man got Ip in the pulpit
to preach without any notes that he'd
be apt TO forget some OF the things he
wanted to say, and the minister said
hat sometimes you might forget
things In that way, but then he recall.
ed what an cNTcrlert old clergyman
had said 10 him in =" y TO the same
suggestion from himself. which was to
the effect that the things the preacher
forgot TO say w-Cc usually the things
not worth remembering.
And maybe IL was so about the for.
gotten things In the pile OF papers on
that desk.
But he wasn't the only man have
met who kept his desk apparently In
the greatest disorder, but was never.
thelcss successful: and then I have
known plenty Of men who went as far
the other way and who would have a
fit unless they could keep everything
on their desks just so.
The iDkstand must be here and the
stamp box here. and the pen rack
here; all just so. and kept so: and
with no litter anywhere, with every.
thing free and clear and In order,
And / have known men who couldn't
write unless they had their papcf
squared just right. and all that: pre-.
else men, who must have everything
Just so before they could get To work:
all the very opposite OF the man with
the Uttered desk. who has at least IN
his favor the fact that he doesn't
worry himself over trlHcs. but fecps
on serene through It all.
And while | have known men who
must have everything just so neat
about their desks. fresh blottcrs and
clean inkstands and all that. | have
known other men who didn't care II
their desks were n foot thick with
dust. and who only asked that their
things should not be- moved or shifted
about; just simply and only that their
desks be let alone.
AS a matter of fact there a. in
these days less and less disorder in
business methods and more and moro
system; this In an age Of RYs;cm"